Lexington, KY - The Chevy Chase area is a true jewel in Lexington's crown. While people often marvel at the scenic majesty of the horse farms on the outskirts of town, I think the spectacular homes, mature trees and charm of Chevy Chase are equally attractive and important to Lexington.
Understandably, residents and business owners of the area who appreciate and want to preserve the history of the area are concerned when a change is presented. Currently several changes regarding parking are being proposed.
In March, concerned business owners, residents, councilmember Diane Lawless, Parking Authority Director Gary Means and I met at Buddy's to begin hashing out some solutions to this ongoing frustration in the area. The group worked together to establish outcomes of the study underway. Expected outcomes to consider at the next meeting include identifying off-street parking facilities in the area to accommodate employee parking; analyzing the new Pay & Display meters; consideration of unifying the meter rate throughout the Chevy Chase area; and authorization for the LFUCG Parking Authority to provide documented statistics of parking usage. Participants also agreed it would be helpful to identify potentially underutilized parking facilities, lots, curb lines, etc.
I am pleased that Mr. Means also agreed to personally meet with stakeholders to discuss concerns and brainstorm ideas to find an agreeable solution. As of press time, about half of these meetings have taken place. I know we are all committed to healthy communication and that the time being spent on this issue will bring more shoppers and diners to Chevy Chase. Our next meeting is on April 6 at 6:30 p.m. at Buddy's Bar and Grill. Please join us and give your input on both preserving and improving the area.
A big change that will affect not only residents of Chevy Chase, but also all of Lexington and Fayette County, is the new storm water fee. Figuring out how to fix Lexington's antiquated storm water system is a serious and important issue. For years Lexington has put off complying with the Clean Water Act. Now it is literally time to pay the consequences.
The Storm Water Fee Task Force that I serve on has been meeting each week since January. We are expecting to finish our work in the next few weeks. I mention this because we need your input. The task force meets at 9 a.m. each Thursday in the Government Center Council Chambers and the public is welcome to attend. Please make it a priority to stay informed about this and let me know how the city can balance taking care of our legal obligation for compliance while making the burden on residents and business owners as minimal as possible.
Also, please mark your calendars to attend a couple of upcoming events. On April 16, the city of Lexington is hosting a citywide Neighborhood Forum; we will be discussing issues related to your neighborhoods and the whole community. The event will take place in the Phoenix Building (101 E. Vine St.) in the 3rd floor Community Room. From 5:30 - 6 p.m. staff will host a tour of the Traffic Management Center. The forum is from 6 - 9 p.m. Free parking is available in the Phoenix Building parking garage or the Annex Garage (150 E. Main St). Please RSVP by calling 258-3100 or e-mail neighborhoodsummit@lfucg.com.
I will be hosting a 5th District meeting on May 26th for any interested resident or neighborhood/homeowner association member. The meeting will be from 6:30 - 8 p.m. at Spencerian College on Winchester Road. Mayor Newberry, Vice-Mayor Gray, and the at-large council members will all be joining us to answer questions. I am currently thinking about items for discussion - please e-mail jbloyd@lfucg.com with suggestions of things you would like to hear about. Please let us know as soon as possible so we can have the appropriate department staff in attendance.
Thanks to many of you who have contacted me over the last few months. Please keep the calls and e-mails coming. As always, it is an honor serving you.