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Lexington, Kentucky

Known as the "Horse Capitol of the World," this Bluegrass city of 270,000 is home to the Kentucky Wildcats, the University of Kentucky and Transylvania University. It is also the home of many diverse and unique neighborhoods, a lively downtown, and many new urban construction projects that are changing the urban landscape of the city.

Planning history

Lexington's planning and growth management initiatives date to 1920, when the first zoning ordinance for residential districts was enacted.(1) Eight years later, the Commonwealth of Kentucky passed Senate Bill 214, which allowed for the creation of City Planning and Zoning Commission for cities of the second class, which Lexington fell under. The city held its first Planning Commission meeting on July 27 of that year, which led to the passing of a temporary zoning ordinance in September, in an effort to regulate and coordinate development that was beginning to encroach on the surrounding historic horse farms.

The first subdivision plan under the temporary ordinance was filed on September 17 for a subdivision at Park Avenue at Columbia,(1) which at the time of its inception was the southern edge of the city.

In 1929, the Planning Commission adopted the Rules and Regulations for the Government and Control of Subdivisions, which was followed by a comprehensive Building Zone Ordinance and Map that was passed on May 6, 1930.(1)(4) This was to prevent non-compatible uses of land from conflicting with one another, such as residential areas adjoining gasoline stations and garages, and to protect the associated property values. Two months later, the Fiscal Court of Fayette County overturned zoning for areas outside of the city limits.

In 1931, the first comprehensive plan, "Comprehensive Plan of Lexington, Kentucky & Environs" was released. The plan called for strict subdivision control to counter the effects of "planless, uncontrolled" growth in the past.(3) Prior to the organization of the City Planning and Zoning Commission in June 1928, the owner of any tract of undeveloped land could divide the property by means of streets of varying widths and alignment, and into lots of any size with no regard to adjoining developments or interest of the local community.

As a result, with the exception of fourteen radial highways that branched to various outlying cities, there were very few crosstown streets and very few streets of any continuous length.(3) For example, all of the crosstown streets north of Third Street, with the exception of Louden Avenue, lacked connections with other traffic arteries either at one end or both ends. In the entire northeastern section of the city, not a single north-south street existed from Main Street to Louden Avenue.

Even after the organization of the Commission, the layout of streets in new developments saw little improvement over the older districts.(3) Richmond Pike, as an example, had few intersections that were constructed in alignment. Nicholasville Pike had been built up with a series of elongated dead-end streets, and not a single continuous street was constructed that provided parallel or nearly parallel access to Nicholasville Pike.

Parkways and boulevards

The parkway and boulevard network in Lexington was proposed in 1931 as a way to give access to and connect the various park systems in the city, and to provide roadways for pleasure driving.(2) Some of the parkways would be shared-use facilities, with paths for horseback riding and hiking. In addition, the new routes would be used to "introduce light and air," and redeem sections of the city that were then considered "waste lands or unsightly dumps," such as the banks of rivers or streams.

The parkway and boulevard network would complement the Major Street System that had been proposed, and would be restricted to only passenger vehicles.(2)

Further reading

1. Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government

Sources

1. "Planning History ." Division of Planning. 2008. Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government. 6 Nov. 2008 Article.
2. City of Lexington. City Planning and Zoning Commission. "Boulevards and Parkways." Comprehensive Plan of Lexington, Kentucky and Envrions. Lexington: L. Segoe, 1931. 79. 6 Nov. 2008 Article.
3. City of Lexington. City Planning and Zoning Commission. "Subdivision Control." Comprehensive Plan of Lexington, Kentucky and Envrions. Lexington: L. Segoe, 1931. 97-103. 6 Nov. 2008 Article.
4. City of Lexington. City Planning and Zoning Commission. "Zoning." Comprehensive Plan of Lexington, Kentucky and Envrions. Lexington: L. Segoe, 1931. 104. 6 Nov. 2008 Article.