Lexington City Council adopts zoning change, two annexations and approves audit contract and consent items

The Lexington City Council on March 10, 2025 voted to adopt a zoning map amendment assigning industrial district zoning to a recently annexed 3.4-acre parcel on Old Salisbury Road, approved two voluntary contiguous annexations on West Holly Grove Road totaling about 10.01 acres, and authorized the city’s annual audit contract and remaining consent agenda items.

The zoning map amendment, ordinance 15-20-25, would assign industrial district zoning to a 3.4-acre tract described in council materials and located behind the Lexington Business Center near I-285. Planning staff told council the Planning Board unanimously approved a statement of consistency and reasonableness and recommended the zoning change. Council moved to adopt the statement of consistency and then the ordinance; the motion passed.

Council also voted to adopt ordinance 16-20-25, annexing a 5.997-acre parcel along West Holly Grove Road submitted by petitioner Grace V. James, and ordinance 17-20-25, annexing a 4.012-acre parcel along the same road submitted by petitioners Saboria Costa Martinez, Martinez Munoz and Perez Carrasco. Staff said both petitions had been certified by the city clerk as meeting statutory requirements and had been referred through required resolutions and public hearings before tonight’s votes; council adopted the ordinances effective March 10, 2025.

In other formal business, the council approved the third-year renewal under a five-year engagement with Martin Starnes & Associates, CPA, PA to perform the city’s fiscal-year 2025 audit (contract runs through 06/30/2027 but requires annual council approval for each fiscal year). Council also approved an amended consent agenda after removing the Lexington Aquatic Park management agreement for separate discussion; the two remaining consent items on the agenda were approved as amended.

Why it matters: The zoning amendment opens a 3.4-acre tract for industrial development near interstate access, aligning with the city’s 2022 land-use plan language supporting large-scale diversified job development where access to interstate/highways or rail exists. The annexations extend city corporate limits and bring private tracts into Lexington’s regulatory and service area. Approval of the audit contract maintains statutorily required external financial review for the city’s fiscal operations.

What council voted on (selected items) - Ordinance 15-20-25: Assign industrial district zoning to newly annexed parcel on Old Salisbury Road; motion and second read on the record; ordinance adopted. - Ordinance 16-20-25: Voluntary contiguous annexation (Grace V. James) — parcel of 5.997 acres along West Holly Grove Road; ordinance adopted, effective 03/10/2025. - Ordinance 17-20-25: Voluntary contiguous annexation (Martinez, Martinez Munoz, Perez Carrasco) — parcel of 4.012 acres along West Holly Grove Road; ordinance adopted, effective 03/10/2025. - Audit contract with Martin Starnes & Associates, CPA, PA for fiscal year ending 06/30/2025: approved; council noted the contract is the third year of a five-year engagement that administrative staff said must be approved annually for statutory compliance. - Consent agenda (as amended): two remaining consent items approved; Lexington Aquatic Park management agreement was removed for separate discussion and later approved (see separate article).

Details and background: Planning staff said adjoining property owners were notified and the Planning Board found the industrial zoning consistent with the 2022 land use plan recommendation for areas with access to interstate/highway/rail. For the annexations, staff described the clerk’s certification processes and the resolutions that set the public hearings. The audit contract was presented as the annual approval needed to proceed with the fiscal-year audit under the city’s multi-year engagement with the auditing firm.

No members of the public spoke during the public hearings on the zoning map amendment or the annexations; planning staff reported no speakers at the Planning and Zoning Board hearing on the zoning change. Council made no recorded roll-call tallies on the record beyond unanimous voice votes where the mayor asked for ayes and noted no opposition.