Lexington council OKs new homes, townhouses, retail development on Harrodsburg Road
The Lexington council voted unanimously Tuesday to approve a zone change for a new development at 4085 Harrodsburg Road that will include single-family homes, townhouses and more than 50,000 square feet of retail development.
The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council’s vote overturned the Urban County Planning Commission’s 8-0 vote on Jan. 27 to deny the zone change. The land is approximately 11 acres and is south of the Fountains at Palomar, a commercial development by the Webb and Greer Companies.
The 11 acres are the former home of a Masonic Temple but the building has been vacant for two years. It is also being developed by the Webb and Greer Companies.
The plans call for seven single-family homes and 14 townhouses at the back of the property, which is closest to the Palomar neighborhood. Six commercial buildings, for restaurant and retail space, are planned for the front of the property. They will take up about 51,200 square feet.
The planning commission voted to deny the zone change from agricultural urban to residential for 3 acres and agricultural urban to a business zone for 8 acres because the developers were not able to show how that zone change complies with the 2018 Comprehensive Plan, which is what guides development in Fayette County.
A key concern during the four-hour planning commission meeting in January was a lack of connectivity to the Palomar neighborhood, which surrounds the development on three sides, said Traci Wade, planning manager for the city of Lexington.
Bruce Simpson, a lawyer for the developers, told the council during Tuesday’s zone change hearing that after the January planning commission meeting, the Palomar neighborhood voted to allow a connection from Palomar into the development via Syringa Drive, which currently dead ends into the property.
“We met the neighborhood seven times over the past year,” Simpson said.
The plans were tweaked after speaking with the neighborhood. Simpson said because the property is on a major corridor, the planning commission and planning staff wanted a more dense development. However, the neighborhood wanted less density on that parcel of land, he said.
Many neighbors spoke in favor of the zone change Tuesday. Many said the neighborhood realized they had to compromise for the development to go through. The Webb and Greers’ proposal was compatible with their neighborhood. Neighbors said they did not want a large, dense commercial strip or apartments on the strip of land.
“We created a win, win, win for all parties,” said Sam Dunn, who lives in Palomar.
No one spoke in opposition to the zone change.
The plans also call for three small pocket parks throughout the development and will allow for pedestrian connectivity to Palomar.
The development plan has to go back to the Urban County Planning Commission for approval before construction can start.
The development of the Fountains at Palomar, originally approved in 2018, have been stalled due to COVID-19, Simpson said.
“We are waiting for the announcement of an anchor tenant,” he said Tuesday.
This story was originally published April 13, 2022 at 10:42 AM.
