Council to review Phoenix Park sign cost, Winburn Drive extension land swap at Tuesday’s work session

Lexington, Ky. — The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council will consider a string of contracts, leases and agreements Tuesday, including a $74,885 addition to the Phoenix Park renovation and a land exchange with Fayette County Public Schools to extend Winburn Drive to Citation Boulevard.

The work session begins at 3 p.m. in the Council Chamber at 200 E. Main St. and will be livestreamed on the city’s website. Public comment on agenda items will be taken at the start of the meeting.

Phoenix Park change order
Parks and Recreation is asking the council to approve a $74,885 change order with Haire Construction LLC to add a new park sign as part of the “Phoenix Park Reimagined” project. The addition would raise the total contract to $3.36 million. Funds are budgeted.

Winburn Drive right-of-way deal
The Engineering division is seeking approval of a $417,211 agreement with the school district to secure right-of-way through the Winburn Middle School site for the long-planned extension of Winburn Drive to Citation Boulevard. In exchange, the district would receive four acres from Martin Luther King Jr. Park, cash compensation and funding for a new bus lane. The swap requires federal approval to release restrictions on the parkland.

Other new business

• Lease agreements for three LFUCG-owned homes, generating nearly $19,000 annually for Parks and Recreation.
• A $1 lease with the school board for 25 acres at Southern Middle School to be used for public golf.
• A memorandum of understanding with the Kentucky Division of Forestry to expand wildland fire training.
• A utility and sanitary easement release at sites on Eastland Drive and Winners Circle.
• An amendment to the Senior Citizens Center grant agreement reflecting a $36,004 drop in state and federal funding, increasing the city’s required match by $6,613.

Continuing business
Council will also hear a committee report on a proposed zoning ordinance for solar energy systems, a measure aimed at setting local rules for the siting, installation and decommissioning of solar projects. While no vote is scheduled Tuesday, the proposal has drawn debate over how much farmland should be open to large-scale solar and how to balance renewable energy goals with rural preservation.