New book box on Mentelle Park

Check out the new book box on the Mentelle Park median and take or leave a book. Thanks to the Lexington Herald-Leader for providing the box and to Marilyn Swann for the patriotic paint job.  Thanks also to Ray and Jill DeBolt for arranging the whole project and installing the new box. What a great way to repurpose a newspaper box — and remind us of those pre-internet  days when they were everywhere.

Seeking ideas for a matching grant

It’s time for neighborhood associations to seek matching grants from city government. The deadline for applying is August 7, and we’d like to hear ideas and feedback from MNA members.

A pollinator-friendly project — perhaps a Monarch butterfly way station — is one possibility that some of the officers have discussed.

Eligible projects include street trees, cleanups, sidewalk repairs (but not adjacent to private property), and re-using vacant buildings. Click here for details: https://www.lexingtonky.gov/neighborhood-action-match-program-namp

The improvements must be open to the public.

The government awards up to $10,000 which the neighborhood must match with cash, donated supplies or volunteer labor and services.

We hope to have more info to share after a Zoom training next week. Feel free to join the training at 10 a.m. Wednesday, July 22, to walk through the on-line application process. Access the Zoom meeting by clicking  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86105328042 or connect through audio by calling 1-301-715-8592 using meeting ID 86105328042 on the date of meeting.

Please email ideas or thoughts about a pollinator project to Jamie Lucke at jamiedlucke@gmail.com.

Free books — while they last

While waiting for the libraries to open, Becky Eblen has more advance reader copies of new books for you. Most are adult fiction, but there are some non-fiction and memoirs as well a box of books for ages 8 to young adult. They will be in boxes on the front porch at 52 Mentelle Park. Please help yourself and check back; as some books are taken, more will replace them.  The boxes will be out from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each non-rainy day until all of the books are gone.

Blue Door rezoning compromise wins full Planning Commission approval.

706 Aurora Ave., behind Blue Door Smokehouse.

Good news.

The Planning Commission today approved the plan that the Mentelle Neighborhood Association negotiated with Schilling Properties for an expansion of the Blue Door Smokehouse.

The vote was unanimous.

Any lingering worries about our plan’s safety were dispelled by none other than the traffic engineer, who assured the commission, “It’s not going to be a safety issue one way or another.”

The original plan that we saw in January had two commercial driveways funneling traffic directly onto Aurora Avenue.

The main concession we won was to keep traffic entering and exiting on Walton Avenue with no intrusive commercial driveway on Aurora.

Mr. Schilling also agreed to a deed restriction protecting his house at 708 Aurora from rezoning for at least 20 years and to limit the use of vinyl siding on the expansion.

In exchange, we agreed to support the rezoning of 706 Aurora from residential to neighborhood business. We think the final design will buffer nearby residences and preserve Aurora’s residential character.

The plan will improve the looks and functionality of the Aurora-Walton corner. The parking in front of Blue Door will be replaced by landscaping. There will be a normal sidewalk and maybe some outdoor tables.

Blue Door will double in size with a larger kitchen taking up much of the addition. Blue Door proprietor Jeff Newman said this will enable the restaurant to expand its catering business.

Thanks to everyone who pitched in, including Chad Walker of The Warehouse Block who testified in support of the neighborhood’s plan, and our president Ann Olliges, who spent a lot of time on the phone with Schilling’s lawyer.

Thanks also to the Planning Commission, which overruled its staff on the traffic access question in order to unanimously support our plan.

Schilling rezoning hearing is June 25

Schilling Properties is seeking to rezone 706 Aurora Ave., where it demolished a house last year, from residential to business for an expansion of Blue Door Smokehouse.

After months of delay caused by Covid-19, the Planning Commission on June 25 will hold a public hearing on the requested rezoning of 706 Aurora Avenue to accommodate an expansion of Blue Door Smokehouse.

The meeting, which begins at 1 p.m., will be held by video teleconference (Zoom).
You might recall that back in February the neighborhood and the owner/developer, Schilling Properties, reached an agreement that would keep Blue Door’s traffic entering and exiting on Walton Avenue.
Unfortunately, the planning staff opposed our compromise and is instead recommending that all Blue Door traffic exit onto Aurora.
We’re asking the Planning Commission to overrule its staff and approve our plan.
Thanks to all of you who already have written letters to the Planning Commission.
If, like me, you’ve been putting it off, now is the time. I suspect our letters will be more important than ever because of the limitations of the Zoom format. Members of the public will be recognized to speak on Zoom for 3 minutes each. (More about that and how the Zoom meeting will work are explained in links below.)
You can email your letters to the Planning Commission in care of senior planner Hal Baillie at hbaillie@lexingtonky.gov 
Here’s a link to an earlier post https://www.mentelle.org/2020/02/23/shilling-offers-concessions-on-rezoning/ to refresh your memory of the compromise design plan. Since that post went up, the plan has become even more compatible with nearby residences by eliminating the dumpster. You can see the design at lexingtonky.buildingeye.com.
Here’s the email we got from Hal Baillie on Tuesday:
The application PLN-MAR-20-00001: Schilling Properties for the property located at 706 Aurora Avenue is scheduled to be heard on June 25th, 2020 at 1pm. You are receiving an email, as you had previously submitted comment regarding this application. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and State of Emergency, this meeting of the Planning Commission will be held via video teleconference because it is not feasible to offer a primary physical location for the meeting. Please see attached sheet regarding viewing and public comment. You may view the meeting on LexTV Spectrum channel 185, Metronet channel 3, Windstream channels 3 and 20, or via live stream at https://www.lexingtonky.gov/lextv.
 
The agenda for the above meeting will be posted to the www.lexingtonky.gov/calendar one week prior to the public hearing.  The agenda will include specific information for this meeting necessary to join the video teleconference.  For persons with a disability who need assistance to participate in the above meeting, for assistance navigating the website, or if you have any questions, please contact the Division of of Planning at planningmailbox@lexingtonky.gov or 258-3160.

Free books at 52 Mentelle Park

You’ve run out of reading material and the libraries still aren’t open?  Here’s a solution:  Becky Eblen, a former Joseph-Beth employee, has several dozen Advance Reader Copies of books in a box on her front porch at 52 Mentelle Park.  As some books are taken, more will replace them.  Please come help yourself.  The box will be out there from 9 a.m. -5 p.m. each day until they are all gone.

Yard waste pickup resumes next week.

From a City of Lexington news release:

The city will resume weekly yard waste collections next week, on the same day as garbage and recycling pickup. Yard waste collections were suspended March 23 because of the danger posed by the COVID-19 epidemic.

The City is now cautiously optimistic that, with the public’s help, it can collect yard waste safely.  Unlike trash and recycling carts, which are mostly emptied by mechanical arms on the collection trucks, yard waste collections are done by crew members, who roll carts to the truck, touching both the cart’s handle and lid. “That made it difficult to provide the service and protect our employees,” Mayor Linda Gorton said.

Since the virus struck, the Division of Waste Management has been working to secure appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) and cleaning supplies to allow for safe operation of the yard waste service.

“We have implemented several practices to allow for weekly cleaning of all trucks, inside and outside,” said Nancy Albright, Commissioner of Environmental Quality and Public Works. “We have a steady supply of the types of PPE needed for employees, allowing us to resume regular service.”

In rolling their carts to the curb, Gorton urged citizens to protect Waste Management employees and themselves. Wipe down the handle and lid after placing the cart next to the curb, and then wipe the handle and lid down again before returning the cart back to your home.

“The Division of Waste Management appreciates everyone’s patience as we navigate these new working conditions and follow all safety measures to keep our employees protected,” said Waste Management Director Tracey Thurman.

For more information, contact LexCall at 311 or (859) 425-2255.

Locals’ Craft Food & Drink among local coronavirus restaurant casualties.

Photo by Alex Slitz/Lexington Herald-Leader

Locals’ Craft Food & Drink, at the corner of Walton and National avenues in the Warehouse Block, is among the Lexington restaurants put out of business by the coronavirus pandemic. This is sad news for the neighborhood. Locals’ had been kind enough to host the Mentelle Neighborhood Association’s monthly board meetings.  The Lexington Herald-Leader’s Janet Patton has the details here.