Planning commission approves 13-unit Oldham and Columbia townhome plan after public objections

The Lexington City Planning Commission voted unanimously to approve plan MJDP 24-101, a proposal to develop 13 townhomes on properties described in the application as 555–560 and 5608 Columbia Avenue, with shared rear parking and the applicant seeking a waiver to modify sidewalk/utility-strip geometry.

The plan’s applicant, represented by Ramona Fry of Element Design and architect Ian McComb of Joseph & Joseph Architects, told the commission the project places the townhome fronts on the street with parking to the rear, provides one parking space per unit and has removed a proposed dumpster in favor of screened roll carts. The applicant requested a waiver to alter the typical utility-strip/sidewalk configuration so existing sidewalks could be widened to five feet by moving trees into a front-yard easement.

Why it matters: The site is infill in an R-2 zone and raises multiple technical questions about open-space and parking standards and how shared parking and subdivision lines are drawn on lots that straddle different regulatory definitions. Commissioners and staff said the plan can be certified only after the applicant addresses the staff conditions and required sign-offs.

During public comment, Amy Clark, a nearby resident, urged postponement and raised detailed objections to the plan’s “vehicle use area” at the south end of Unit 1, the amount and placement of hardscape, the plan’s readability, and uncertainty about whether the proposal was being treated as single-family townhouse lots or multifamily development. Clark said the vehicle-use area “really isn’t a driveway” and could cause enforcement and circulation problems in an area with high pedestrian and student activity; she also questioned whether the plan meets open-space calculations and argued that narrow or eliminated utility strips would preclude street trees.

Planning staff responded that most outstanding items are technical “cleanup” and that the open-space questions would be evaluated by the city’s open-space reviewer; staff noted sign-offs from about a dozen agencies must still be obtained. Staff and the applicant agreed to meet with the speaker to discuss specific concerns before the plan returns for final certification. The applicant also said it was confirming whether older utility lines along the right of way are accompanied by recorded easements.

Commission discussion focused on the number of outstanding staff conditions and whether the vehicle-use area should remain on the plan as shown. A committee member moved to approve the plan “with the noted 24 conditions,” a motion that was seconded and approved by voice vote; the commission recorded the vote as unanimous.

Next steps: The approval is conditional. Staff told the commission a consolidation plat will be required before building permits may be issued; the applicant must supply a lighting plan, finalize utility-easement and tree-inventory information, resolve open-space calculations with the open-space reviewer, and complete other numbered conditions before the plan is certified.

Provenance: The plan presentation begins in the transcript when staff introduces MJDP 24-101 and describes the 13-unit townhome proposal. Public comment from Amy Clark and responses from staff and the applicant appear later, and the commission’s motion and unanimous voice vote concluding the matter are recorded on the transcript.