Lexington council resumes debate over conditional use permits for university offices, parking management

City Council members on Feb. 13 resumed a work‑session discussion about the city’s conditional use permit (CUP) requirement for higher‑education uses in the downtown C‑1 zoning district and whether the ordinance unintentionally targets colleges’ off‑campus administrative offices.

The exchange, led by City Manager Tom Carroll and Planning Director Arnie (surname not specified in transcript), centered on whether the city should change its code so that offices for Washington and Lee University and Virginia Military Institute would be allowed by right instead of requiring a CUP, and whether parking impacts can be considered when deciding CUP applications.

Carroll told council that the code currently treats “higher education” uses differently than ordinary business offices: "I find it odd that we have a conditional use permit for higher education when it's not exactly instruction or classrooms," he said, noting the rule means university offices must seek a CUP while comparable private firms would not. He said the city has seen multiple off‑campus university leases downtown and that the Rockbridge Building debate in recent…