When the topic is when and where to grow around Lexington, it often results in significant public comment. Such was the case Tuesday night when the Urban Growth Management Advisory Committee took testimony about five areas under expansion consideration. Parkers Mill Road Resident Steven Webb said his family developed farmland commercially, but he’s worried about how Lexington grows.
“Everyone wants to do the math on the urban sprawl, I’ve got this many acres I can build this many lots. This is the math. This is how much I’m gonna make. But, I think we need to build up and not out,” said Webb.
Brittany Roethemeier, executive director of Fayette Alliance, said the land use review in 1996 that led to the expansion of the urban service boundary delved much deeper into costs associated with schools, parks, and infrastructure. Several speakers asked the committee to go with minimum acreage growth of around 3000 acres.
Carla Blanton, who spoke on behalf of the group Lexington For Everyone, took a different position.
“Headlines are filled with statistics of people being priced out of the market. We want them to work here, save lives here, care for our vulnerable family members, teach the next generation. But, we don’t have room for them to live here.”
Commerce Lexington President Bob Quick asked the committee to consider going beyond a 3000-acre minimum. The business representative said when it comes to the need for land to accommodate housing and jobs, quote, “the pressure is real. The pressure is growing." The committee is expected to iron out map acreage recommendations over the next two weeks.
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