Urban Growth Plan Kickoff at Greyline!
We officially launched the public input for the 2024 Urban Growth Plan with a kickoff event at Greyline Station on Wednesday, December 6. This event was a chance for all Lexington residents to learn more about the project, include the pieces of land that have been selected for development, and to weigh in on their early values and priorities for the new development process.
What we heard
There were a variety of input activities to give people a chance to weigh in on their early values and goals for the new areas. The activities were based on values from the Comprehensive Plan, like neighborhoods and transportation. We heard that:
The top jobs participants wanted to support or attract in the new expansion areas were leisure and entertainment, medical, and education jobs (64% of total votes)
The top concepts that participants think will help increase prosperity in Lexington are Housing Affordability, Public Transportation, and Amenities and Quality of Life. Click here to read more about what each of those concepts mean for this plan.
The top policies that participants thought will help protect the environment in Lexington were Walkability and Bikeability; Recycling, Composting, and waste reduction; and public transportation.
We also had an activity for kids (and adults!) to draw their dream neighborhood. Parks, schools, trains, and water were top features.
One of our favorite activities combined two themes: parks and transportation. We asked participants what kinds of parks they would like to see, and how they would like to be able to get to those parks. Top options included neighborhood and community parks that you can walk to, and Nature parks that you can drive or take a bus to.
We asked participants three open ended questions about equity for new development in Lexington, including the question “Who do you think needs to be included in the expansion planning process?”. Responses we heard included:
All Lexingtonians who will be directly impacted by the expansion should have the opportunity to be heard
Renters
Rural centers
People who use public transportation
Homeowners within the proposed areas
All of the input data from the event has been compiled and will be used as the Urban Growth Plan is developed over the next 12 months.
What’s next?
Phase one of the public engagement for this plan goes until February 2024. If you missed the event or want to weigh in more, you can take the initial survey about goals and priorities for the expansion areas!
