Imagine Lexington

Meetings, deadlines, or other events for the week of July 27. See more here: https://lexingtonky.gov/calendar/events

The (actual) June edition of Sounds Like a Plan is here!

In June, the Blue Sky Works Small Area Plan was given final approval by the Planning Commission and was adopted as an element of Lexington’s comprehensive plan: Imagine Lexington 2045. We kicked off Blue Sky Works last spring to help guide future development of the Blue Sky Activity Center, an industrial area located off Athens Boonesboro just east of I-75. The plan reflects extensive community input from businesses and organizations located in Blue Sky and nearby residents.

We’re also sharing:

🚧 Complete Streets Design Manual presentation at the June 16 Urban County Council’s EQPW Committee meeting

⚙️The Unified Development Code project kick-off

💭 Thoughts on Paved Paradise: How Parking Explains the World by Henry Grabar

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Play the Meccha Chameleon challenge, swipe to start looking!
 
Can you spot them all? 👀

Meetings, deadlines, or other events for the week of July 20. See more here: https://lexingtonky.gov/calendar/events

Meetings, deadlines, or other events for the week of July 13. See more here: https://lexingtonky.gov/calendar/events

The Planning word of the day is “Street Tree” which are: generally located between the sidewalk and curb, provide aesthetic, environmental, and socioeconomic benefits that help improve our quality of life.

After months of community conversations, workshops, and public input, the Draft Downtown Area Master Plan is ready for review.

Now it's your chance to take a look at the draft and make your voice heard. Your feedback will help refine the plan before it is finalized and adopted.

Visit downtownlexplan.com to explore the plan and share your thoughts on the future of downtown Lexington.

Meetings, deadlines, or other events for the week of July 6. See more here: https://lexingtonky.gov/calendar/events

A few months of planning, community, and color

Protecting and preserving Lexington’s tree canopy is essential to maintaining the environmental, economic, and social health of our community. Trees help improve air quality, reduce urban heat, manage stormwater, and make neighborhoods more livable.

Lexington currently requires a certain amount of tree canopy after development takes place, but to meet the community’s long-term tree canopy goals, stronger preservation and replacement strategies may be needed.

A 2022 Urban Tree Canopy Assessment found that while residential areas saw significant canopy growth, industrial and mixed-use areas experienced overall canopy loss. These findings can help guide future updates to Lexington’s zoning regulations and tree protection standards.

In addition to updating development regulations, Protection Policy 7 recommends continuing to expand educational programs and community partnerships that encourage residents, businesses, and organizations to plant and preserve trees. Working together through outreach, stewardship, and thoughtful development practices can help ensure Lexington’s tree canopy continues to grow for generations to come.

Work is already underway to help protect and expand Lexington’s urban tree canopy. In 2024, the City adopted updates to its landscaping and tree protection regulations through a Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment (ZOTA). These changes modernized standards, strengthened tree protection requirements, and support climate resilience and long-term canopy growth. As Lexington continues to grow, additional updates and community partnerships can help ensure development and environmental stewardship go hand in hand.