Squires Road rezoning request delayed for traffic, tree studies

A controversial proposal to rezone 90 acres of land off Squires Road for a development that would include a middle school, apartments, homes and townhomes will be postponed until Dec. 15.

Ball Homes has applied to rezone the 90-acre parcel that borders a Kentucky American Water reservoir from agricultural urban to high-density residential. The proposed development includes a new middle school, 156 homes, 308 apartments and 31 townhomes. The hearing on that rezoning request had been scheduled for Thursday before the Urban County Planning Commission.

Lawyers for Ball Homes said Tuesday that they will ask the rezoning request be postponed until next month’s meeting. The developer is waiting for a traffic study and a comprehensive tree study to be completed. The proposed development has been strongly opposed by neighbors in the Squires Road area. Opponents say the proposed development has too many houses, will cause traffic headaches and Ball’s plan does little to address the unique environmental concerns of an undeveloped green space that borders water.

The property in southeast Lexington between Richmond Road and Alumni Drive is one of the largest undeveloped tracts inside Lexington’s urban services boundary.

This story was originally published November 15, 2016 at 4:12 PM with the headline "Squires Road rezoning request delayed for traffic, tree studies."