[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-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],{"_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",6662461,"mediaKeyId","3745687-de63c6c4fbd3a77c43484a449c61503b","parentId",3745687,"title","Committee adopts updates to stormwater manuals and dumpster service standards to comply with House Bill 443; rules suspended for July 1 enactment","audioSeconds",584,"startMs",5489000,"endMs",6073000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3745687-de63c6c4fbd3a77c43484a449c61503b&start=5489&end=6073","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3745687-de63c6c4fbd3a77c43484a449c61503b/thumbnail_5489000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6662461/Lexington-City/Fayette-County/Kentucky/Committee-adopts-updates-to-stormwater-manuals-and-dumpster-service-standards-to-comply-with-House-Bill-443-rules-suspended-for-July-1-enactment","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6662461-1da7ae4857014f76ca9169b43296a995/orig.mp4?Expires=1770991987&Signature=nwUH0Zx3gHoa0PE77VUyZ3tPgk3RzMGSGE6toLf8pgy9vVyTGryJlZ8w6B2JpJ1NNvXa6DbSASJSvNaCDdB-DPUyCYWlnOF~9ERHMBwzRUWGSr5UVciSvFzMfL~cGOxHgY4kH1Q9wBL-Rq3MR6NVQJTlcGg1w51AwyCzMmi~fASIGvllGXaqiZDufe47-fCCd1qX6e04aFXpv7Qtmhj4NDUp2qkL6Nl9ljp~dUbw~p4kY9oU9QTI9B1Pjk4k9t9wzm~b2bYUxW-aaZ8uyQE4aYbY9y1R3J3Z-21mEcDfk94F8Jq1X~BVISYQLBDWO3g7zjeINBHC7VFn4Rl8Z-q~2A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Lexington","date","2025-06-10T00:00:00Z","article","The Environmental Quality and Public Works Committee on June 10 approved two actions to align city engineering and waste-management rules with Kentucky House Bill 443, which requires development regulations be written as objective standards and applied ministerially.

What passed: The committee voted to (1) accept changes to the stormwater manual and related engineering procedures, and (2) approve an ordinance amending Chapter 16 of the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Code to codify dumpster service standards. Both actions included motions to suspend the rules so the items could be reported out at the same day’s work session and take effect July 1, the statute’s effective date.

Why it matters: House Bill 443 constrains discretionary review in development approvals and requires clear, measurable standards. Department staff reviewed manuals and proposed language changes that replace discretionary phrasing (for example, “unusual conditions” or “may”) with a consistent standard: staff may take alternative action only “if substantial evidence exists that a strict ministerial application of the objective standards would pose a specific threat to public health, safety and welfare.” The proposed changes are intended to preserve a narrowly defined safety exception while meeting the statutory requirement for objective standards.

Presentations and staff explanation: Director Doug Burton, Division of Engineering, summarized the manual revisions and emphasized the statutory constraint and the limited discretion preserved via KRS 100 section 2 language for health, safety and public welfare issues. Deputy Director John Howard, Division of Waste Management, described proposed updates to Chapter 16 and a revised Dumpster Service Standards document. Howard said the division regulates about 3,800 permitted dumpsters, enforces placement and service requirements, and is revising the dumpster standards to address truck maneuvering, concrete pads, ADA compliance and inspection/permit processes.

Council action and procedure: Committee leadership moved both items and requested suspension of committee rules to report the items to the work session for final Council consideration. The motions, as presented in committee, included explicit language to make the stormwater and dumpster updates effective 07/01/2025 and to suspend rules for immediate report-out to the work session. Committee members raised no substantive objections during the motions; both motions passed by voice vote and were recorded as passed in committee.

Next steps and enforcement: Staff said the final documents — the revised stormwater manual, procedures manual changes, Chapter 16 amendments and the dumpster service standards — will be distributed and communicated publicly. Waste-management staff noted potential future administrative changes such as requiring dumpster-permit renewals every two years with reinspection, but did not adopt those changes at the committee meeting.

Text of motions (committee record):
• Motion 1 (engineering manuals): \"I moved to accept the changes to several engineering manuals, effective 07/01/2025, to comply with House Bill 443 ... and to suspend the rules to report this out at today's work session.\" (mover: Committee chair; second: Councilmember Savigny). Outcome: motion passes.
• Motion 2 (Chapter 16, dumpsters): \"I move to approve an ordinance effective 07/01/2025, amending certain sections of chapter 16 ... related to dumpster service standards ... and to suspend the rules to report this out at today's work session.\" (mover: Committee chair; second: Councilwoman Gray). Outcome: motion passes.

Context: Staff cited KRS 100 (section 2) as the statutory limiting clause permitting narrowly defined discretion for “threat to health, safety and public welfare.” The committee directed staff to distribute finalized documents ahead of work session and to make the updated dumpster standards available for operators and developers.

No roll-call tallies were recorded in the committee transcript; the record shows motions were carried by voice vote and the committee chair declared the motions passed.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Lexington - Environmental Quality and Public Works Committee - Jun 10, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The committee approved changes to engineering stormwater procedures and an ordinance amending Chapter 16 (dumpster standards) to implement objective, ministerial rules required by House Bill 443, and moved to report both items out to the work session with rule suspension so changes take effect July 1.","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},6662466,"City updates street-tree programs; hazard removals cost-share and winter clearance pruning remain in high demand",298,3622000,3920000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3745687-de63c6c4fbd3a77c43484a449c61503b&start=3622&end=3920","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3745687-de63c6c4fbd3a77c43484a449c61503b/thumbnail_3622000.jpg","/articles/6662466/Lexington-City/Fayette-County/Kentucky/City-updates-street-tree-programs-hazard-removals-cost-share-and-winter-clearance-pruning-remain-in-high-demand","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6662466-cb0866c33b4c69b5716ac9fbe2456fe4/orig.mp4?Expires=1770991987&Signature=JCCfN3WZ5doe7KTcHKZ~EIv~k2lOKpIO4qbcFgCxmo-eX84zWjMqr5h6QRAARgu8PeHMbnH79cPvt1oiwYpVrxeA1Zb9j0f-SbeKxjfCpZXe494urym8CHTL8A7-v8q5OWGpv05LZI4-78bGk6gTJ0tdjIZ11rKnhfd83bAjgH0XGxOSg43I8yf5Wg~2bCwqz8WCeVlU1IhghH2rDmEkyp7EoDtePDl24PgDdCRuNnOnsMPuCiz1mDAKSy-HaFL-gMZY3yitljnfSfWhbx51gY2faTErd-0~zgNjPACMLEktfhm713IwqOfhFcdQ0j8xSY0KC1Xe34Awo9ZrnwqCjQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Lexington’s urban forestry staff on June 10 briefed the Environmental Quality and Public Works Committee on street-tree programs, saying demand for hazardous-tree removal and replacement assistance remains high and that the city is working to expand proactive maintenance and inventory tools.

The update came from Heather Wilson, urban and community forestry section manager, who described two core programs: a Hazard Street Tree Cost Share that reimburses homeowners for hazardous street‑tree removal and replacement (typically a 50% reimbursement; 100% grants available to households under an income threshold) and a Courtesy Street Tree Clearance Pruning program that prunes limbs over sidewalks and roadways.

Why it matters: Street trees provide environmental and social benefits such as shade, stormwater mitigation and improved walkability. Wilson said it is less expensive to maintain a healthy urban canopy than to do deferred repairs and repeated emergency removals.

Program details and demand: Wilson told the committee that roughly 90% of street trees are on private property and are the adjacent property owner’s responsibility; “about 10% of those street trees … are actually owned by the LFUCG, and we manage directly,” she said. The cost-share program historically ranged near $150,000 annually; a pandemic-year reduction briefly lowered that budget, but demand and per-tree costs later returned. City allocations were bolstered in one year by a $1.5 million infusion to clear backlog and support 100% grant recipients.

For the current fiscal year the program received roughly 72 participants (Wilson later corrected to 96 total participants across the fiscal year with 11 receiving full grants). Wilson said program funds typically exhaust by September each year and that the per‑tree removal and replacement cost has increased over the past decade.

Clearance pruning and inventory: The clearance pruning program expanded beyond routes tied to waste‑collection truck paths to citywide coverage; staff estimate it has pruned roughly 38,000 trees through that program. Wilson said trees generally need pruning on a 3-to-5-year cycle and that the department aims to move from clearance-only pruning to broader crown cleaning for long-term canopy health.

Equity, species diversity and future needs: Wilson said the department is working with vendors to expand replacement species diversity to avoid dependence on a single species. She also urged more complete mapping and a comprehensive tree inventory; the department purchased inventory software and staff are beginning data entry but said the work is time-consuming. Wilson described a longer‑term goal of city management of easement trees to ensure consistent care, but she noted that would require additional staff and funding.

Requests and next steps: Council members asked about enforcement of developer planting plans, timing of plantings, and whether the city could fund replanting-only programs. Wilson said enforcement involves planning review, the urban forester and natural resources protection staff, and that inspection/timing issues (for example fall planting season) explain some observed gaps. She said a separate planting fund would be a desirable future budget item.

Context: Wilson framed the program as part of broader resilience and quality-of-life efforts that intersect with the city’s climate work and changing weather patterns. She asked the committee to support continued investment in inventory, pruning and planting programs.

Closing: The committee did not take formal policy action during the briefing; staff said program details and maps could be shared publicly and with council members for follow-up.","Urban Forestry staff reported on the Hazard Street Tree Cost Share and the Courtesy Street Tree Clearance Pruning program, noting strong demand, rising per‑tree costs and a need for improved inventory data and longer-term funding for replanting and crown work.",{"_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},6662470,"Lexington committee hears ‘Race to Net 0’ emissions plan; officials stress partnership with utilities and community",981,271000,1252000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3745687-de63c6c4fbd3a77c43484a449c61503b&start=271&end=1252","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3745687-de63c6c4fbd3a77c43484a449c61503b/thumbnail_271000.jpg","/articles/6662470/Lexington-City/Fayette-County/Kentucky/Lexington-committee-hears-Race-to-Net-0-emissions-plan-officials-stress-partnership-with-utilities-and-community","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6662470-7cb0314114d41a882e317a1bf7c2d9b9/orig.mp4?Expires=1770991987&Signature=NKhPzeyjYA4XCwc6hO1zKm3ABlP~oDNB8-SbrlC4TwmosH5g2RlJ-YeDgfi1yzA6wiwdqjWs7KbeAWo7cicv3iWaNXuvuNL~g9sCibVvP2lBHTGPmI3mKSYIELy6-dztW8Phzoioj0IrZyUo7e1Uo8RAPM31MHEhR9aLNP1hNKTrg2xYj7kOrBxdxcMhtIybTjPC~yn7Q2vXYU-pjLLavEx-0r89NRPIO1rqD0f28-SL8ApcFdM7Czy-aEMjRcu33AEwuAntbtWHI5HpqiXnxSeHOeC3hmhde4ARaGoQ~PBJV~7dyosC3u9CQ11~RoCTZJlVyqbpw3ygyqWtqVsEPw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Environmental Quality and Public Works Committee on June 10 heard a presentation on Lexington’s updated community and municipal emissions-reduction plan, titled “Race to Net 0,” aimed at guiding the city toward net-zero greenhouse-gas emissions by midcentury.

The plan, presented by Jada Walker Griggs, program manager senior for sustainability, and Abby Terry of consultant Tetra Tech, lays out sector-by-sector reduction measures tied to the city’s Empower Lexington plan and a community emissions inventory. “It is our race to net 0,” Walker Griggs said during the presentation.

Why it matters: The plan shows municipal operations account for a small portion of total emissions — about 2% — while stationary energy (mostly buildings) and transportation make up the bulk. Committee members pressed staff on how the city will work with utilities, transit and the private sector to achieve targets that extend to 2030 and 2050.

Key details: Walker Griggs said the updated plan aligns Empower Lexington’s high-level strategies with a more detailed emissions inventory and vulnerability assessment. Staff contracted Tetra Tech to complete the greenhouse-gas inventory for both community-wide and LFUCG municipal operations. The inventory presents emissions in metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent and shows roughly 70% of community emissions come from stationary energy, followed by transportation.

Tetra Tech consultant Abby Terry defined the plan’s technical approach: “A reduction measure is a shift from a high emissions activity, such as using fossil fuels to generate electricity, to a lower emissions activity, such as using solar to generate electricity.” The consultants applied an analytical handbook to estimate reductions and concluded the proposed suite of measures could address roughly 80% of baseline emissions under current feasible assumptions; the remaining gap would require offsets or renewable energy purchases.

Measures and implementation: The plan groups actions by sector. For buildings (stationary energy) it recommends adopting updated building codes, weatherization and electrification of natural-gas systems; for transportation it prioritizes increased transit ridership, mode shift away from single-occupant vehicles, electrification where trips cannot be shifted, and development patterns that reduce travel demand. For waste, the plan emphasizes source reduction and composting. Forestry and land-use measures include urban tree canopy expansion and fertilizer optimization. The plan notes municipal operations follow the same sector priorities but represent a smaller share of total emissions.

Staff emphasized partnerships and limits of local authority. Walker Griggs said work with utilities is essential and noted the regional parent company for KU and LG&E has a stated net-zero goal by 2050; she added that “the work that is done with them will kinda decide how this actually moves when it comes to our stationary energy.” Committee members asked about LexTran coordination, EV infrastructure, grant funding and how the city will track progress.

Tracking and targets: The presenters said the emissions inventory uses vehicle miles traveled as the transportation metric and that each sector summary in the plan includes tracking metrics to measure progress at future inventories. Staff described sector-level targets as “based on what is currently feasible” and said targets may be raised over time as technology, markets and regulation evolve.

Questions from council members focused on: utility resource mix and how it influences building electrification benefits; whether LexTran has plans to transition its fleet; the availability of federal funding for EV infrastructure and strategies to ensure equitable access to charging; and how rising electricity demands (for example from data centers) might affect the grid and local emissions outcomes.

What committee members asked staff to do next: staff said they will continue community outreach, partner with public information staff on education, pursue grants where feasible, and work with transportation and commercial stakeholders on pilot initiatives and code updates that affect new buildings and municipal procurement. Walker Griggs said the interactive plan and supporting materials are posted on the sustainability website and encouraged council members to follow up with staff for technical detail.

Context and background: Empower Lexington is a community-wide sustainability plan the council approved earlier; Walker Griggs summarized the city’s sustainability timeline going back to a 2008 resolution and stakeholder planning around 2012. The presentation also cited FEMA’s risk index to frame local climate vulnerabilities including cold waves, tornadoes, strong winds, lightning and ice storms.

Looking ahead: Staff described the presentation as setting a framework and said implementation will require both internal LFUCG actions and broader community participation. Walker Griggs closed the presentation quoting Wendell Berry: “The Earth is what we all have in common.”","Sustainability staff presented an emissions-reduction plan called the “Race to Net 0” that ties sector-specific measures to Lexington Fayette’s Empower Lexington plan. Presenters said municipal operations account for about 2% of community emissions and urged collaboration with utilities, transit and residents to meet long-term targets.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee adopts updates to stormwater manuals and dumpster service standards to comply with House Bill 443; rules suspended for July 1 enactment

City updates street-tree programs; hazard removals cost-share and winter clearance pruning remain in high demand

Lexington committee hears ‘Race to Net 0’ emissions plan; officials stress partnership with utilities and community