Subdivision of 400-plus homes approved on farmland north of Lexington

What is now more than 100 acres of farmland will soon be turned into a sizable subdivision with possibly more than 400 homes.

The Georgetown City Council approved a zone change Monday night by a vote to 5-3. The zone change now allows for what is now farmland to be turned into a large subdivision. The vote followed about 90 minutes of discussion regarding the subdivision, most of which centered on traffic.

The subdivision, planned to be developed by the Lexington-based real estate company HSC Ventures, would be located off U.S. 25 near Royal Spring Middle and Anne Mason Elementary schools. It would consist of about 450 single-family homes with preliminary costs for the homes being $165,000 to $350,000.

The subdivision has faced slight controversy from several Scott County residents, many of whom were concerned about the traffic on U.S. 25. One resident even repeatedly called it a “death trap.”

U.S. 25, a federally-owned, but state-maintained two-lane road, has been the site of numerous accidents in Scott County. In September 2016, a woman was killed in a crash involving two garbage trucks. Earlier this year in March, there was an accident between a garbage truck and Scott County school bus.

James “Al” Mullannix, a Scott County resident, said he had also been hit while in his car while on the road.

“That road is a disaster,” he said.

City council members also shared those concerns. Councilwoman Millie Butcher Conway said numerous people from the nearby Stonehedge Estates subdivisions had commented to her about the traffic. She also noted its proximity to several schools in the area.

“I wish it had four lanes, two each way,” she said. “It would be a lot safer.”

Nathan Billings, a Lexington attorney who represents HSC Ventures, said the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet would require HSC Ventures to make changes to the road before house construction could begin, such as an additional turn lane to the Stonehedge subdivision. Those changes must also be approved by the cabinet.

“It doesn’t help us to build a development, with 400 plus single family homes, if traffic is so bad that nobody wants to go out and look at a house,” he said. “We have every incentive in the world to help with traffic issues out there.”

Billings said it would likely be a year and a half to two years before construction on the house could even begin.

HSC Ventures will also need return to the Scott County-Georgetown Planning Commission to present its a detailed development plan.

This story was originally published December 11, 2017 at 10:21 PM with the headline "Subdivision of 400-plus homes approved on farmland north of Lexington."