[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6547548,"mediaKeyId","3522324-f24b009eb213d486c2b44d1f04bf2e7a","parentId",3522324,"title","Legacy Business Park nears construction after HUD award; council to consider contract modifications","audioSeconds",57,"startMs",1519000,"endMs",1576000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3522324-f24b009eb213d486c2b44d1f04bf2e7a&start=1519&end=1576","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3522324-f24b009eb213d486c2b44d1f04bf2e7a/thumbnail_1519000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6547548/Lexington-City/Fayette-County/Kentucky/Legacy-Business-Park-nears-construction-after-HUD-award-council-to-consider-contract-modifications","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6547548-214fbca37f746b96b40f9226b321d907/orig.mp4?Expires=1770440056&Signature=NgAUROOYoyN4NwaH2RiaQm6spj8aL9TUK9tn0uE7rSiKkKqs7pJhak3t5m479QaUkhhpoSbF0VkvEI4EcsCi2m0FJWIEAkxrqt6mbAdMCS4nSOYM3IpPQqU91kRxJZsJLfcBkW34qFjST4xBodtLTYoMMW7Y5iJOp8AdbYVLH8cSJS3NYg4IyLIq8vu6y8qE5ncWXBGyGUF2M3QZRZ16~ZN0mLkTA2A3Z~Mqj429rmhM-xUJZ34zIXHtD6MWQg6Hv~x7dSpZB7LArCeq-OdnNmQT6Xijbipc13UGZ02MzGawljuljsctIZ2ik1RyX5dLIoPGZbNlfKayLATcvDzJ7w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Lexington","date","2025-05-27T00:00:00Z","article","City staff briefed council that Legacy Business Park is moving from design into construction after securing environmental clearances and the HUD funding agreement. Craig (city staff) said the city has cleared Army Corps processes and finalized required HUD paperwork; council members were told the city will accept $10,000,000 in HUD funds and that a contract modification with Gresham Smith is on the agenda to support single-phase completion rather than the previously planned phasing.

Staff said the HUD funds, together with previously authorized bond proceeds, allow the city to complete the project in one phase. Council was informed that a construction contract with ATS is expected on the Thursday docket and that the city hopes to break ground as soon as possible, targeting a potential late‑June groundbreaking and related ceremonial events.

Craig also noted that the Metro Employees Credit Union has purchased a nearby lot (in the Stream Peace area southeast of Legacy) and is under construction; the credit union’s site is distinct from the Legacy footprint. Staff emphasized the project’s readiness to move into construction and asked council to consider the Gresham Smith contract modification and acceptance of HUD funds on the docket this week.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Lexington - Council Work Session - May 27, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","City staff told council that Legacy Business Park is approaching construction after clearing Army Corps and HUD approvals, a $10 million HUD award was accepted, and a contract modification with Gresham Smith reconfigures the project for single‑phase construction.","taxTitle","Lexington City, Fayette County, Kentucky","taxId",5707,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6547553,"Council approves $1M medical-debt purchase contract amid questions on administrative fees; adds six-month review",79,1686000,1765000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3522324-f24b009eb213d486c2b44d1f04bf2e7a&start=1686&end=1765","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3522324-f24b009eb213d486c2b44d1f04bf2e7a/thumbnail_1686000.jpg","/articles/6547553/Lexington-City/Fayette-County/Kentucky/Council-approves-1M-medical-debt-purchase-contract-amid-questions-on-administrative-fees-adds-six-month-review","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6547553-ea4689ac383e54dcaddd9cf2b1ea0014/orig.mp4?Expires=1770440056&Signature=fUiXMH40D47UHPt-34Hr1Gxglh196rBfv4Lb3zodUNF7ws0nTWmDkdpQO~iIHrk5LqzljomfCATu6fPUHObAxL37ja4iPZ9A15kCYEFq~zJnoawcBAAY98tKChT0q56e0sgV4G9d9GClSMF~o~m6ApHJrAQaC66T~HKadCn9o48SBUYyZvDeM99n22smg8VHE00ZPCpgCDU1NrxIbV6VOVGjT9tkQuZQwd9XBzmFStxEJqRRbTGMjsExipKZqDSWG7-r0mm3twOBTu21j7GLbJtavpnaapxs9YOd0ywVhvs-d-W9GVflmEgcAfHrc8n98wv8fDB3knRFGz4lPEgihw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Lexington City Council approved a $1,000,000 contract with Undue Medical Debt to purchase unpaid medical debt for qualifying Fayette County residents, following extensive council discussion about administrative fees, sole-source procurement, safeguards and reporting.

Vice Mayor Wu and other supporters described the program as a one-time investment from last year’s fund balance that could purchase roughly $90,000,000 in unpaid medical debt for Fayette County residents and potentially affect up to 32,000 residents. Councilmembers and staff reported the contract is for three years, is terminable at will or for cause, and includes quarterly reporting to the CAO’s office.

Councilmembers raised concerns about administrative costs. City staff summarized contract line items: personnel costs and program contractual services that sum with an indirect cost line to total administrative and indirect charges of $336,304 on a $1,000,000 grant. Councilmember Ellinger and others questioned that roughly one-third of the allocated funds would cover administrative and indirect costs. Vice Mayor Wu said staff and the organization had discussed the breakdown and that the overall purchase-and-relief numbers (the initial $1 million and the projected $90 million of purchased debt) had not changed.

Councilmember Ehlinger moved an amendment requiring a review at six months; Councilmember Grama seconded. The amendment—asking the CAO to present an update at a work session in six months—was approved. Council also received legal assurances from the law department that the contract preserves the city’s right to terminate at will or for cause, requires documentation for invoices and that the CAO’s office will administer the contract and quarterly reporting.

Councilmembers emphasized practical safeguards: quarterly invoicing and documentation from the vendor, CAO oversight, and a contractual settlement process if the city terminates the agreement. Several councilmembers cited precedent and other municipalities’ experience using similar arrangements as reasons to proceed, while others asked for further negotiation or expressed discomfort with sole-source procurement.

The council’s approval included the six-month review amendment; council members were advised that in any quarter with no debt purchases the vendor may not produce a quarterly report (staff said the contract ties reporting to activity in a quarter). The contract will be administered through the CAO’s office and includes termination provisions and invoicing/documentation requirements for expenses.","Lexington’s council approved a $1 million agreement to purchase unpaid medical debt through Undue Medical Debt, a three-year contract expected to relieve an estimated $90 million in debt, after debate about administrative costs; an amendment requires a six‑month review presented to council by the CAO at a work session.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6547558,"Council reviews Citation corridor connections; Asbury Lane drainage design advances amid neighborhood concern",260,969000,1229000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3522324-f24b009eb213d486c2b44d1f04bf2e7a&start=969&end=1229","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3522324-f24b009eb213d486c2b44d1f04bf2e7a/thumbnail_969000.jpg","/articles/6547558/Lexington-City/Fayette-County/Kentucky/Council-reviews-Citation-corridor-connections-Asbury-Lane-drainage-design-advances-amid-neighborhood-concern","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6547558-16bf3b58c291c9e97bdaaf3c68665c0b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770440056&Signature=MQFEeDQJUQZzthzaxv8Jnm-eljdgYjkna4OqeMfvWgG0eOY9uyuHifjfmtcffJXXThu6slnokXZx2WS0RBuqZ-cvtE5DHHwMf9CbTnyzSPQMBbGBTF-C3kWRr060ZQOwTwp0xpe8SaZnL39dFBKbhtRzJ6hWRV2HIl1qb9kQV8rv1k0rkaXCONZwMpLdhsWiegCSqWXSapqHEpG3VmjsT4E0Y0fllvDuEk1W7klVqQqxvHx6qJPsNCIcui9DFQVkaZvxMVjX7dYOwBUcdrSw1REAPuH-EgIDngMURlDWTg3gyXTSwA7149cOa5D3tmZFi4KYPIe9KA8NzLDwJB3p4A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Councilmembers and city staff discussed the Citation connection projects — primary links from Citation Boulevard to Winburn and Russell Cave — and a related design item for drainage and roadway connections that includes Asbury Lane in the Green Acres neighborhood.

Director Burton explained the primary connections are Winburn (phase 3a) and Russell Cave (phase 3b). Staff said the connection to Winburn is the first priority and the Asbury Lane connection would not be opened for traffic until the full Russell Cave connection is complete; that sequencing is intended to avoid creating new through-traffic in neighborhood streets.

The item before council was limited in scope to drainage and design work tied to the new roadway: staff said the design is intended to pick up stormwater flows from the northern side of the map and route them into existing stormwater systems along and behind Asbury so the project does not worsen neighborhood drainage. Staff advised postponing or removing the item would delay design decisions and would require re-survey and rework of the drainage approach, potentially pushing back the Winburn connection.

Councilmember Morton and other councilmembers voiced concerns about preserving the historic African American Green Acres neighborhood and said residents were caught off guard by recent project activity. Morton said the neighborhood does not want Asbury opened for vehicles and suggested alternatives — closing the street, pedestrian-only access, or different design treatments — and said she will schedule community engagement meetings with staff and neighborhood associations.

Staff and council emphasized that the current action addresses design and drainage, not a decision to open Asbury Lane to vehicular traffic, and committed to continued public engagement as design and right-of-way work proceed.","Council discussed design funds and drainage work for the Citation connection project (Winburn and Russell Cave links) and heard neighborhood concerns about opening Asbury Lane through the historic Green Acres community; staff said design approval is for drainage and does not automatically open Asbury Lane, and community engagement will continue.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6547562,"Planning commission asks council to shift development-plan approvals to commission; council told ordinance change required",185,447000,632000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3522324-f24b009eb213d486c2b44d1f04bf2e7a&start=447&end=632","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3522324-f24b009eb213d486c2b44d1f04bf2e7a/thumbnail_447000.jpg","/articles/6547562/Lexington-City/Fayette-County/Kentucky/Planning-commission-asks-council-to-shift-development-plan-approvals-to-commission-council-told-ordinance-change-required","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6547562-68339a061f5e4e4571a3489f395df37d/orig.mp4?Expires=1770440056&Signature=DAUbYZlZjSyubJ2hCQEGkU~eneDPJjBVOTNtqIZuTcfakmrwqt3nZGvyEuZm-SHzE8Yu3zD4ZaEpkwO1XPYB8InS8aY36i6j3L8UIGX6Y-RY8hrJxJii4aS-9TwWCTtE-oR8wjtfD6yf2IeIvRjwXvuDFJVPatzD1ffZCd2DsuKuXehtLj10jjQ63JwdGlEqAaPHiD3vfQtQTvejDwCm-iTXUKIqPflWqoMYZ7b3OqMVVuUvbAjjYCK8Rno5r31VyVrU4M~PwvzX1qbxZ3sbGOcVe9y8mBlTzpnYL3R9RsQReGjqTfvc1m~KmKECs4w4rei05FYZdE704tNpUOvmxw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government planning commission introduced a resolution at its May hearing asking the council to change the process for development-plan review so that technical-review-committee-reviewed plans would appear on the planning commission agenda as consent items and the commission could pull plans for further discussion when public health, safety or welfare concerns arise.

City staff advised council members that the planning commission’s recommendation does not alter the substantive development standards; rather, it would change the approval process. To implement the commission’s recommendation, staff and the law department said the council would need to amend Article 21 of the ordinance governing development process to make the planning commission the approving authority for those development plans rather than the technical review committee.

Staff explained the proposed process would leave routine development plans on the planning commission consent agenda for final action if no questions are raised, but would allow the commission or any member of the public to ask that a plan be pulled for a separate discussion or hearing when there is a potential public health, safety or welfare issue that the technical review committee did not identify.

Council members asked whether the change must be made at the Thursday regular meeting; city law staff said any change to an item already docketed would require action at a regular council meeting. Several council members (including Councilmember Brown) indicated they planned to return on Thursday to propose clarifying amendments to the notification language associated with the change to ensure the council’s intent on “enhanced notification.”

The planning commission’s supplemental resolution was provided to council as supplemental information and was not part of the commission’s final report packet used to form the ordinance before council.","The planning commission introduced a resolution urging more public engagement by moving development plan approvals from the technical review committee to the planning commission consent agenda; staff said an Article 21 ordinance amendment would be required to effect the change.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6547567,"Council approves Maxwell Street rezoning despite calls for public hearing",264,120000,384000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3522324-f24b009eb213d486c2b44d1f04bf2e7a&start=120&end=384","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3522324-f24b009eb213d486c2b44d1f04bf2e7a/thumbnail_120000.jpg","/articles/6547567/Lexington-City/Fayette-County/Kentucky/Council-approves-Maxwell-Street-rezoning-despite-calls-for-public-hearing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6547567-2c6476865e8bc412807965cae010ab6d/orig.mp4?Expires=1770440056&Signature=islBakWKhZJpB70Mq8C~2o-DqrzB66xwzna0fKi2WpkBQe4GIAC5-oIFBX4zwrNZ4g-srds2JQGpxW1wUxDiyfysraRVhQQRXlVZG4NrjWkN76kOV59rgKzen7CAmFIkB2hUjiPPHccUV70NldPsxcpBQ~f7vPPV53BF0KWS~0QxyJGl5Eg9AhMmc3j3~Vb0q0khzIU4nk-Vl9lNowAuDAnYXUK58C3YDx5BBntzHr5oT4QGmFuXXxbNNT1YbhNwKtEDJHwolzFsmtLmqQD0weyC2WZTsvuEWOjthvMNxOcCc1Mnn2AM0f70PbLT4KFs7dA023C9K1imzUw8jpBJZA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Lexington City Council on May 27 approved an ordinance to rezone parcels on East Maxwell Street and Lexington Avenue to a downtown frame business (B-2A) zone, voting 8–7 to place the item on the docket without a separate public hearing.

The move follows a planning commission recommendation (8–1) and public comment urging a hearing. Maureen Peters (Council District 3) told the council she followed the Subtext 2 zone-change closely and requested a hearing because the planning commission approval was not unanimous and because subcommittee meetings and staff recommendations to postpone were announced as late as 24 hours before the hearing, making it difficult for neighbors to attend.

The ordinance motion as read to council described a zone change from Professional Office (P-1) and Medium-Density Residential (R-4) to Downtown Frame Business (B-2A) for 1.93 net (2.34 gross) acres at 169, 175, 179 and 185 East Maxwell Street and multiple addresses on Lexington Avenue. The motion was seconded by Vice Mayor Wu; the council first voted by voice and then by electronic roll call for certification, yielding 8 votes in favor and 7 opposed, and the item passed.

Supporters on council noted the planning commission majority recommendation and past practice; opponents and at least one public commenter argued the lack of a unanimous commission vote and last-minute postponement recommendations warranted a public hearing so neighbors could be heard. Councilmember Brown acknowledged the difficulty of the decision and said neighbors “didn't have the chance” to adjust plans on short notice.

The council did not adopt any additional conditions or direct staff to schedule a public hearing on this item. The planning commission’s report and staff recommendations form the basis of the ordinance that will proceed to first reading per the docket schedule.

The council’s action affects property owners and nearby residents along East Maxwell Street and Lexington Avenue; the planning record indicates Subtext 2 as the applicant name associated with the rezoning request.","Lexington City Council approved an ordinance rezoning properties on East Maxwell Street and Lexington Avenue without a separate public hearing after a divided planning commission vote and public comment urging a hearing.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Legacy Business Park nears construction after HUD award; council to consider contract modifications

Council approves $1M medical-debt purchase contract amid questions on administrative fees; adds six-month review

Council reviews Citation corridor connections; Asbury Lane drainage design advances amid neighborhood concern

Planning commission asks council to shift development-plan approvals to commission; council told ordinance change required

Council approves Maxwell Street rezoning despite calls for public hearing