DMP110304

 

Lexington Downtown Master Plan Public Hearing

Wednesday, November 3, 2004        

 6:00 p.m.

Phoenix Building Third Floor Community Room

101 East Vine Street

 

Attendees

 

Steering Committee Members:   David Biagi, Jim Clark, Tracee deHahn, Sarah Emmons, Lillian Gentry, Bret Goode (representing Chief Anthany Beatty), Jim Gray, Steve Grossman, Phil Holoubek, Bill Johnston, Tim Kelly, Amy Lett, David Lord, Grant Phelps, Helen Powell, Becky Reinhold, Tom Sheeran, and Mac Stone

 

Consultants:  Tom Creasey, Sarah Lewis, Kevin Peterson, and Dhiru Thadani

 

Lexington Downtown Development Authority Staff:  Harold Tate and Joan Terry

 

Other Attendees:  Julian Beard, Ethel Bright, John Clements, Tim Douglas, Stefan Eilmsteiner, Jonathan England, Rob Franklin, Doug Greene, Carolyn Hackworth, John Hackworth, Tom Hall, Dal Harper, Yvette Hurt, Douglas Ingram, Mayor Teresa Ann Isaac, Henry Jackson, Rich Johnston, Chris King, Ike Lawrence, Jim McKeighen, Win Meeker, Tugce Menguc, Andrew Moore, Kenzie Nelson, Van Meter Pettit, Reverend Bob Sessum, and Harika Suklun

 

Meeting Summary

 

I.                   Chairman Tim Kelly brought the meeting to order and introduced Tom Creasey, traffic plan consultant for the master plan.

II.                It was moved and seconded that September 22, 2004 minutes be accepted as presented.  The steering committee unanimously approved the minutes.

III.             Dhiru Thadani gave presentation on site analysis diagram and emphasized essential elements for downtown areas.

A.     Public realm and private realm create civic environment.

B.     Concept of transect is a manner of looking at built environments from rural condition to urban condition.

C.     Downtown is arena for democracy.

D.    Public spaces need to be well defined.

E.     Public has a legal right to access of city.

F.      Urban development should be compact.

G.     Cities change and variations occur.

IV.              Walkable streets and street types serve as guidelines for an urban plan.

A.    Streets should be narrow

B.     Streets trees should be planted

C.     Activities should be promoted.

D.    Traffic speed should be lowered.

E.     Sidewalks and crosswalks should be accessible.

F.      Streets should be interconnected.

G.     On-street parking should be available.

H.    Land use should be mixed.

I.       Buildings should front street

J.       Blocks should be small.

K.    Mass transit should be encouraged and readily available.

 

V.                 Dhiru Thadani discussed urban versus suburban environments.

A.    Urban core and suburban areas are defined differently, have unique forms, and uphold independent guidelines in reference to the following:

1. Buildings

2. Streets

3. Landscapes

B.     Open spaces and parks are critical.

C.     Public spaces should be well identified and connected.

D.    Specific principles serve as guidelines for the master plan.

1. Social capital value

2. Pedestrian friendly environment

3. Discernable centers, edges, entrances and transitions

4. Architectural language based on memory and invention

5. Local treasures

6. Ecology and sustainability

7. Resources and priorities

8. Respect for existing neighborhoods

VI.              Consultants are meeting with focus groups.

A.    In an effort to identify strengths and define weaknesses of urban areas, consultants toured the following neighborhoods:

1. Aylesford

2. East End

3. Gratz Park

4. Martin Luther King

5. Northside

6. South Hill

7. Western Suburbs

8. Woodward Heights

B.     Consultants are meeting with University of Kentucky College of Design students regarding the students’ work on block inventories of downtown Lexington.

C.     Consultants are meeting with restaurant/bar/entertainment center owners and retailers to define business needs.

VII.           Dhiru answered questions and entertained comments from steering committee members and public participants.

VIII.        Chairman Kelly gave update on future meetings.

A.    The restaurant/bar/entertainment center owners and retailers meeting is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 4, 2004 and will be held in the third floor community room of the Phoenix Building located at 101 East Vine Street.

B.     The next Downtown Master Plan Public Meeting is scheduled for 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, December 1, 2004 and will be held in the third floor community room of the Phoenix Building located at 101 East Vine Street.