The vote was 5-2 to approve the zone change.

It is going to take a few days to get all the information and be sure what effect of some of the last minute changes to the rezone will have. So at this point I'll be brief, and numeric.

1. Restrictions were added to assure that the size and type of structures on those three properties will remain the same.

2. It was a difficult decision by the commission and I believe the record will reflect that this rezone not be something that anyone would want to use for a future request.

3. I was very pleased by the turnout and the comments by Gil Dunn and Stephanie Spires. Thanks to all of you that turned out. I would have bee a lot more difficult for me without you.

4. We have some great new people to welcome to our neighborhood. I'm sure both the Children's Advocacy Center and Jill Rose will be good neighbors and an asset to the community.

5. The petition drive was a great success. Seven circulators went to 371 residences and collected 203 signatures in 4 days. It was quite an effort and thanks to the circulators and all those that signed or took the time to open the door.

6. I was very proud to represent our neighborhood. I hope your faith in me was not misplaced in this effort. While we didn't prevent the rezone I think we did make our point and pressure last minute changes that will benefit the neighborhood in the long run. Please help me in welcoming our new neighbors and hopefully channeling the effort expended into a better neighborhood for all.

Thanks - Lewis

We are going to proceed with the hearing today, October 27. Since our lawyer had to withdraw it is even more important that we have as many people as possible in the room.

The hearing is at 1:30pm in the Council Chambers, 200 E Main St. The entrance is on Main St to the left of the MLK viaduct. You have to go through security on the first floor which takes some time, bring ID. There is a sign in sheet in the back of the Council Chambers, please sign in.

The hearing starts at 1:30 and we are first on the attached agenda. There are a few procedural items first but I would imagine things would be in full swing by 1:45-2:00. Here is the procedure:

 • Staff Reports (30 minute maximum)
 • Petitioner’s report(s) (30 minute maximum)
 • Citizen Comments
   (a) proponents (10 minute maximum OR 3 minutes each)
   (b) objectors (30 minute maximum) (3 minutes each)
 • Rebuttal & Closing Statements
   (a) petitioner’s comments (5 minute maximum)
   (b) citizen objectors (5 minute maximum)
   (c) staff comments (5 minute maximum)
 • Hearing closed and Commission votes on zone change petition and related plan(s)

Our comments occur in the places marked (b). Besides myself Gil Dunn and Sara Hall have volunteered to speak.

I will address the nature of our neighborhood, our neighborhood association, the petitions, some history and our objections.

Gil will address the nature of Ashland Avenue and the desirability of residential neighborhoods near downtown.

I haven't heard what Sara wants to address but I'm sure it will be good.

I am posting most of this email, the agenda, staff report and variance report at www.mentelle.org just in case you want to review.

I'm confident that we have a good shot at success but it is vital we have as many bodies as possible in the room. Even if you can only stop by for a short time and sign the sheet in the back of the room it should help.

This email from the Lexington Hearing & Speech Center's attorney arrived on Wednesday:

> Dear North Ashland Neighbor,
> 
> This is in follow up to a request  made last night following our meeting
> by Lewis Gardner, President of the Mentelle Neighborhood
> Association to postpone the scheduled hearing for the zone change
> request tendered by the Lexington Hearing and Speech Center for its
> property on North Ashland Avenue.  Pursuant the Mr. Gardner's request,
> the Lexington Hearing and Speech Center is going to request a
> postponement of the hearing.  I have attached a letter which will be
> mailed out tomorrow to all persons required to be notified of the zone
> change request of our intention to postpone at the September 22 meeting
> of the Planning Commission. By this email I am also notifying the
> Planning Staff of our intentions so that they may further inform anyone
> who has expressed an interest in this proposed zone change of our intent
> to postpone.
> 
> Thank you for coming last night and should you have any further
> questions or comments please let me know. We want to be as responsive as
> we can be.
>  
> 
> Thank you,
> 
> Bruce Simpson

I appreciate Mr Simpson's prompt action on this matter. This should allow enough time for careful consideration of the proposal as it relates to our potential new neighbors.

Postponement Letter

The rezoning request for the former Lexington Hearing & Speech Center property at 154-164 N Ashland Ave is no longer speculative. Contracts have apparently been signed with:

** The Children's Advocacy Center of the Bluegrass for the larger property at 158 & 162 N Ashland Ave. Information on the Children's Advocacy Center can be found on their website, kykids.org.

** Jill Rose, a lawyer, for 154 N Ashland Ave. She wants to locate her law office there.

The good news is that the Children's Advocacy Center is currently a neighbor (183 Walton Ave) and appears to be a good fit for this very unique property. It is in everyone's best interest that this property find a good use and that appears to be the case.

The use of the property by the Lexington Hearing & Speech Center is not substantially different than the use proposed by the Children's Advocacy Center. In both cases children and their families come to the location and receive assistance. Both of these uses have clinical, educational and support elements. Why this would require a zone change is puzzling. Of course the lawyer for the Lexington Hearing & Speech Center sees this differently.

Currently the hearing for this zone change is scheduled for Sept 22nd at 1:30pm in Council Chambers, 200 E Main St. At the meeting last night the attorney for The Lexington Hearing & Speech Center was asked to agree to an continuance until next month since 8 days is not long enough to consider all the ramifications of this new information.

All of the information the MNA has received concerning this zone change can be found below. I strongly recommend that those of you interested in this matter review the linked documents below and send any comments, thoughts or ideas that you may have to this email.

While the neighborhood association was not contacted, apparently a meeting about the Lexington Hearing and Speech property rezoning has been scheduled for Tuesday, September 13th 7:00pm at the Heritage Baptist Church on North Ashland Avenue.

With their move to the former Julia R Ewing school on Henry Clay Blvd The Lexington Hearing & Speech Center put their property at 154-164 N Ashland Ave up for sale. They have also requested a zone change from R-1D to P-1 for the lots at 154-162. The Zoning Committee of the Planning Commission heard a preliminary request on August 3rd and recommended postponement of the rezoning.

A public hearing on this request has been postponed till next month.

The Board of Directors of Mentelle Neighborhood Association voted to oppose this zoning request for the following reasons:

The MNA wants to be a good neighbor to whatever entity eventually makes it's home on North Ashland, just as the Lexington Hearing & Speech Center was a good neighbor for almost 50 years. However this goodwill does not translate into a desire to see a speculative zone change. We would hope that more specific information would be forthcoming since many possible uses for this property are allowed in the current R1D zoning.

If you have any thoughts on this matter please email.

Information about the zone change are in these links:

The Mentelle Neighborhood Assocation has been successful in securing another matching grant from the LFUCG. This grant for $4,500 will be used to begin improvements to the median on Mentelle Park. Sara Hall is leading this effort and will need assistance to complete this grant in the 1 year time period allowed.

Neighborhood Action Match Grant Letters

Continuing the tradition established by the Buckners, Jeff Fugate and Melody Flowers will continue the holiday tradition of hosting a cocoa sale to benefit the Salvation Army on the porch of their home at 54 Mentelle Park from 3-5 p.m. on Sunday. Dec. 5. Come by to welcome Jeff and Melody to the Mentelle Neighborhood and support this worthy cause.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010 7pm

The fall general meeting of the association will be on November 16th 7pm at Ashland Elementary. We elect officers at this meeting and set the agenda for the coming year.

The agenda for the meeting is as follows:
* Greeting and review of the previous year.
* Treasurer’s report.
* Social director report and announcements.
* Green Committee report
* Nominating Committee report.
* Election of officers and board.
* Membership renewal and recruitment.
* Floor open of other business.

Sunday, June 27th, 3-? pm

Join us on Sunday, June 27th, from 3-5 pm for an architectural scavenger hunt to be followed, at 5:30, with a picnic on the median. The scavenger hunt will consist of photo brochures depicting a unique aspect of houses within the Mentelle Neighborhood boundaries. Your assignment is to identify the address of each house pictured. The neighborhood has been divided into three zones with approximately 20 photos per zone. Zone 1 includes Aurora, Given, Hanover Ct., Memory Ln, and the 900 block of Cramer. Zone 2 includes N. Ashland, Bullock, Franklin, and the 700 & 800 blocks of Cramer. Zone 3 will cover N. Hanover and Mentelle Pk. Photo brochures, along with lemonade and maybe a cookie or two, will be available on the 27th, after 2:45, at a table set up by Ashland Elementary School. Feel free to walk one or all three zones and bring your answers to the picnic. There will be a small prize for the most correct answers in each zone. The picnic will begin at 5:30 on the Mentelle median, Cramer end. The Association will provide brats & hot dogs, buns & condiments, plates, cups & utensils, and light beverages. We ask that you bring the following:

Household last names beginning:
A – C	appetizers/chips/dips
D – J	fruit or salads
K – P 	veggies/casseroles
R – Z	desserts

In the event of thunderstorms, the picnic will be rescheduled

Tuesday, May 25, 2010 7-8:30pm

Ashland Elementary Cafeteria

The agenda for the meeting is as follows:

* Greeting and introductions.

* Presentation by Greg Walker of Walker Properties about National Avenue. (see below)

* Presentation about Mentelle Median plans. (see below)

* Presentation about Art in Motion bus stop project.

* Directors reports.

* Membership recruitment.

* Floor open of other business.

I hope to see all of you on the 25th!

Walker Properties has received Planning Commission approval for an Adaptive Reuse Overlay for much of National Avenue. This will allow the buildings there to be more easily used for B1 type uses in addition to their current B4 type uses. This should be a positive for our neighborhood since it gives a more diverse atmosphere for small businesses to thrive in the area.

Greg Walker will be joining us to fill us in on the very exciting plans Walker Properties have for the area.

Preliminary Development Plan

Adaptive Reuse zoning ordinance starts on page 8-67 in the left column at number "4. Adaptive Reuse Projects may be permitted"

With the assistance of the Urban County Council a working group of the Mentelle Neighborhood Association has met with and contracted a plan for landscaping the medians in Mentelle Park. A set of working drawings were delivered by Rett's Landscaping. These plans feature using the existing trees to their best advantage with the addition of low maintenance beds.

The first drawing for medians 1&2 from Richmond Road is here.

The second drawing for medians 3&4 from Richmond Road is here.

This is a multi-year project and will need considerable help and input from all who want to be involved. There will be time for discussing this project at the Spring Meeting. If you cannot make it to the meeting and wish to comment please send me an email.