Mentelle Neighborhood Association
Lexington, Kentucky
Schilling Properties’ application to rezone 706 Aurora Ave. from single-family residential to business will not be heard at Thursday’s meeting of the city Planning Commission. It has been postponed until the commission’s March 26 meeting because a participant in the case has the flu.
From Jim Ryder, leader of the MNA committee studying issues surrounding proposed city legislation about auxiliary dwelling units and short-term rentals:
After a short break to concentrate on the Blue Door issue we need to restart our Mentelle ADU committee. Our next meeting is scheduled for March 3, 7 p.m. at 716 Aurora Ave. We will revisit our work to date and plan for the future from there. We are close to reaching consensus that the committee favors a controlled introduction of ADUs into our neighborhood. However this issue is far from settled in the wider community.
Also, please come to the “after planning commission party” at 716 Aurora Ave. on Friday (Feb. 28) at 7 p.m. We hope to celebrate a significant compromise with the Blue Door. If not, we will begin our next steps. In any case, we will have beer, wine and refreshments.
Schilling Properties has agreed to four concessions in response to our concerns over the proposed rezoning of 706 Aurora Avenue and the expansion of Blue Door Smokehouse.
We still need to see these conditions in writing, and negotiations are ongoing.
But the MNA board is encouraged that these discussions could produce a solution that the neighborhood would want to support.
This compromise would need strong neighborhood support – in emails and person – to win approval because it conflicts with the traffic planner’s recommendation that all Blue Door traffic exit onto Aurora. We would be asking the Planning Commission to override the staff recommendation and allow Blue Door traffic to continue to exit onto Walton but in an organized, engineer-designed way.
While many of us would prefer no rezoning of 706 Aurora from residential to business, we also recognize that we could lose before the Planning Commission and Urban County Council, and then gain nothing to protect the neighborhood.
As you may recall, the Schilling plan called for all the Blue Door traffic to exit onto Aurora, via two driveways, one in front of the restaurant and one behind.
The Planning Commission is scheduled to hold a public hearing at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 27, in the Council chambers of the government building, second floor, 200 East Main. We expect that the compromise plan will be offered then in place of what was originally proposed.
These are the conditions offered Friday night by attorney Dick Murphy to MNA President Ann Olliges:
* Deed restriction against rezoning 708 Aurora to business for 20 years, void if 710 Aurora is rezoned for business before then. (Schilling owns 708 Aurora.)
* No exits for restaurant customers onto Aurora Avenue. Entrances and exits will be off Walton Avenue. Garbage trucks will be able to access the dumpster via 706 Aurora but the space for garbage trucks will not connect to the new customer parking lot/s.
* Expansion should be compatible with neighborhood. Vinyl restrictions on the expansion. (No vinyl on the walls but OK on soffits and windows.)
* Blue Door’s off-street parking remains.
The city’s planning staff has offered these conditions, which the MNA board supports:
* No drive-through window.
* No outdoor audio amplification.
* Height limit on outdoor lighting.
We’ll provide more info as we get it.
Meanwhile, if you like this compromise and are working on a letter, here are a few things you could urge the Planning Commission to consider:
Allow Blue Door traffic to exit onto Walton. It already exits onto Walton but in a disorganized free-for-all way. Schilling owns three contiguous lots – 222, 224, 226 Walton – all zoned B-1. So there is plenty of space to organize traffic flow and standardize the weird corner at Walton and Aurora without funneling the traffic onto a narrow street where families with young children live.
Allowing the Blue Door traffic to continue to exit onto Walton will not appreciably increase the traffic on Walton because Blue Door traffic already exits onto Walton.
The Planning Commission should protect our neighborhood because it has all the qualities that the city is seeking in Lexington’s core.
We want a walkable neighborhood that’s safe for pedestrians and bicycles. The traffic planner approved a plan that would have restaurant traffic crossing the sidewalk on Aurora in two places.
The neighborhood has worked with the developer and the business to find a solution.
Blue Door might move but B-1 zoning is forever. Once the rezoning is granted, a high-traffic restaurant that’s open all hours could become the tenant. Therefore, it’s important to exclude the possibility of a customer driveway at 706 Aurora.
We need these conditions to protect the livability of a core neighborhood.
Email your comments to Hal Baillie in the city’s planning department, hbaillie@lexingtonky.gov and copy me if you would jamiedlucke@gmail.com.
Mentelle Neighborhood residents are encouraged to send letters to the city Planning Commission to oppose Shilling Properties’ proposal to rezone 706 Aurora Ave., where the company demolished a house last year, from single-family residential (R-1D) to business (B-1). The Planning Commission is scheduled to hear the rezoning request at 1:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 27. We need to get our letters to the commission before then.
Send letters or emails to:
Hal Baillie
Senior Planner
101 E. Vine St., Suite 700
Lexington, Ky. 40507
Please email a copy of your letter to MNA board member Jamie Lucke at jamiedlucke@gmail.com.
If you are interested in writing a letter, MNA board member Kim Naujokas has prepared the following information, which may be helpful:
Our Neighborhood
The Mentelle Neighborhood is a beautiful, diverse, walkable residential and neighborhood filled with friendly residents. Most of the neighborhood’s homes were developed between 1906 and 1930, although the oldest home dates to the 1790s.
With its charming Arts and Crafts-style homes, Aurora Avenue has experienced a renaissance in the past few years. The street has become increasingly popular with young families and a number of homes have undergone remodels and renovations. Many homes feature wide front porches that encourage neighborhood interaction and spending quality time outside.
Aurora Avenue fits the definition of an “enhanced neighborhood” as described in the city’s “PlaceBuilder” document.
Rezoning 706 Aurora will:
Rebuttals to Rezoning Proposal:
Claim: “The zone change will allow a consistent depth of commercial along Walton Avenue, as established in the original plat.”
FACT: 226 Walton Avenue, the property adjacent to 706 Aurora, is directly across Aurora from a B-1 property that has a similar rear boundary. To rezone 706 Aurora would not keep a “consistent depth” of B-1 properties across Aurora. In addition, the two B-1 properties at the opposite end of the block (at the corner of Walton and Cramer avenues, parallel with Aurora) are the same depth as 226 Walton is now. It is clear that the corner B-1 properties were made shallower to accommodate the residential neighborhood.
Claim: “We are improving the parking situation by creating additional off-street parking…”
FACT: The majority of Blue Door Smokehouse’s business is “grab-and-go.” To identify a number of parking spaces based on restaurant seats (and to do so in a phased proposal) does not come close to the number of patrons that frequent this establishment and the number of parking spaces necessary to accommodate them. In addition, it is important to note that Schilling Properties could make more off-street parking available to Blue Door customers now, but they have not done so.
The Schilling Properties lot next to Blue Door Smokehouse has parking spaces for customers, but the lot is fenced off part-way back. If the fence were moved back to line up with the back of the building, more cars could be accommodated in this lot.
Claim: “…the proposal enhances the quality of life and promotes successful, accessible neighborhoods…”
FACT: Rezoning 706 Aurora will destroy the quality of life for its nearby residents, lower their property values, and add to the vehicular chaos that already exists when parents arrive to pick their children up from nearby Ashland Elementary. Based on the plans presented to the city, Blue Door customers will drive through the property directly toward one residence, then exit out on Aurora directly at two other residences. Car headlights will shine into home windows and vehicle and pedestrian noise will be heard in their front and back yards. As cars drive through the property to exit, their headlights will shine directly into this house directly behind Blue Door
Claim: “This zone change will promote pedestrian-oriented commercial opportunities in this residential area.”
FACT: A zone change of 706 Aurora is not necessary to accomplish this. The proximity of businesses on Walton and National avenues already provide plenty of “commercial opportunities” without encroaching directly into the residential part of the neighborhood. Residents can already walk to Blue Door Smokehouse as it exists now. In addition, contrary to the justification letter, Blue Door’s proposed expansion will only effect its kitchen, not its limited seating area. This is to increase its take-out business, not to accommodate more people walking to the restaurant.
Claim: “This proposal utilizes an underutilized, vacant parcel of land.”
FACT: The only reason this land is vacant is because Schilling tore down the house that used to be on 706 Aurora. A better use of this lot would be to rebuild a home in order to satisfy C-L16-2 of the Enhanced Neighborhood Development Criteria (“ADUs and/or affordable housing options should be incorporated into existing and new single-family residential development.”)
Claims: “Sidewalk improvements will provide safe access to this property” and “Improved sidewalks will provide safer facilities for users.”
FACT: If Schilling Properties actually improved the sidewalk at this corner and brought it out to where it should be, Blue Door could expand forward rather than back due to the significant amount of space this improvement would provide. As it is now, the corner is not up to current standards and is a safety issue for drivers and pedestrians. Coupled with expanded off-street parking on its existing lot next to Blue Door, this may be all that is necessary for an expanded kitchen and bathroom.
Rebuttal: The existing sidewalk in front of Blue Door Smokehouse sits back from the rest of the sidewalk on Walton. By bringing the corner out to match the corner opposite it on Aurora, this property would gain square feet.
Claim: “This proposal will increase the viability of the existing business at 226 Walton Avenue.”
FACT: While this may be true, to do so at the expense of the surrounding neighborhood goes against the city’s 2018 Comprehensive Plan, which calls for “preserving, protecting and enhancing existing neighborhoods.” Furthermore, Schilling Properties owns both 226 Walton and 706 Aurora, not the existing business which currently leases the space. As Schilling Properties does not intend to sell the property to Blue Door Smokehouse, there is no telling what type of business may occupy this space in the future.
Rebuttal: Rezoning 706 Aurora Avenue goes against the city’s 2018 Comprehensive Plan, Theme A: Growing successful neighborhoods:
It disregards “Goal 1: Expand housing choices” which calls for the city and its residents to, “Accommodate the demand for housing in Lexington responsibly, prioritizing higher-density and mixture of housing types” and “Plan for safe, affordable and accessible housing to meet the needs of older and/or disadvantaged residents.”
It disregards “Goal 3: Provide well-designed neighborhoods and communities” which calls for the city to, “Enable existing and new neighborhoods to flourish through…expanded opportunities for neighborhood character preservation” and “Strive for positive and safe social interactions in neighborhoods.”
Rebuttal: Rezoning 706 Aurora Avenue goes against the city’s 2018 Comprehensive Plan, Theme D: Improving a desirable community:
It disregards “Goal 1: Work to achieve an effective and comprehensive transportation system” by adding to existing traffic congestion on Aurora and making the street unsafe for pedestrians, bicyclists, and other drivers. It most certainly will not, “Improve traffic operation strategies.”
It disregards “Goal 3: Protect and enhance the natural and cultural landscapes that give Lexington-Fayette County its unique identity and image” which calls for the city to, “Incentivize the renovation, restoration, development and maintenance of historic residential…structures.” This rezoning will have the opposite effect, causing the surrounding neighborhood to become less-desirable.
Save our Neighborhood!
According to the Imagine Lexington Placebuilder, an “enhanced neighborhood” should have “context-sensitive development.” Rezoning a residential home site into a B-1 space will not accomplish the following stated goals:
A-DN6-1: Allow and encourage new compact single-family housing types.
C-LI6-2: ADUs and/or affordable housing options should be incorporated into existing … single-family residential development.
C-PS10-3: Over-parking of new developments should be avoided.
D-CO2-1: Safe facilities for all users and modes of transportations should be provided.
Mentelle Neighborhood residents are invited to a meeting at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 22, to see and comment on the association’s planned presentation before the Planning Commission about the rezoning request for 706 Aurora Ave. The meeting will be at 829 National Ave., at the corner of National and Given avenues.
Also, we need letters opposing the rezoning from single-family residential (R-1D) to business (B-1). The Planning Commission is scheduled to hear the rezoning request at 1:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 27. We need to get our letters to the commission before then.
Schilling Properties is seeking the rezoning to facilitate the expansion of Blue Door Smokehouse’s kitchen, restrooms and parking. Under the plan, all of Blue Door’s traffic would exit onto Aurora.
Send your letters or emails to:
Hal Baillie
Senior Planner
101 E. Vine St., Suite 700
Lexington, Ky. 40507
Please email a copy of your letter to MNA board member Jamie Lucke at jamiedlucke@gmail.com. We want to be sure all our voices are heard.
Here are a few things to think about:
We need letters opposing the rezoning of 706 Aurora Ave. from single-family residential (R-1D) to business (B-1).
The Planning Commission is scheduled to hear the rezoning request at 1:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 27. We need to get our letters to the commission before then.
Schilling Properties is seeking the rezoning to facilitate the expansion of Blue Door Smokehouse’s kitchen, restrooms and parking.
Under the plan, all of Blue Door’s traffic would exit onto Aurora.
Send your letters or emails to:
Hal Baillie
Senior Planner
101 E. Vine St., Suite 700
Lexington, Ky. 40507
Please email a copy of your letter to MNA board member Jamie Lucke at jamiedlucke@gmail.com. We want to be sure all our voices are heard.
Also, mark your calendar for the morning of Saturday, Feb. 22. We’re still working out the details of time and place, but we want to share our MNA presentation to the Planning Commission (yes, it’s a PowerPoint) with neighbors so we can get your feedback and improve our spiel.
Here are a few things to think about:
The city’s planning staff has recommended approval – with some conditions – for rezoning 706 Aurora Ave. from R-1D (single-family residential) to B1 (business) to facilitate an expansion of Blue Door Smokehouse to enlarge the kitchen and improve the bathrooms.
The site on Aurora, until recently a small house, would become a driveway for traffic leaving Blue Door. Schilling Properties owns all of the property in question.
On Thursday, Feb. 6, two committees of the Planning Commission considered the development plan and rezoning request. Both committees – subdivision and zoning – recommended postponement rather than approval.
Members of the Mentelle Neighborhood Association voiced our concerns to both committees, and we think that made a difference.
We don’t know what postponement means, however, and are trying to find out.
The full Planning Commission could still hear the proposal and vote on it Feb. 27, according to a member of the planning staff.
A committee of neighbors is working on a longer presentation with visuals for Feb. 27. Individuals will be allowed to make brief comments as well at the public hearing. We also need letters from neighbors to the Planning Commission.
We’ll update as we learn more.
