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Planning commission pauses Bridal/Bryant development after neighbors raise possible gravesite claims
Summary
After hours of public comment about traffic, density and possible unmarked graves on the Bridal/Bryant property, the Lexington City Planning Commission continued the application PLN MJDP 26-10 for 30 days, asking the applicant to provide additional information including title/ownership details and, if warranted, an archaeological evaluation.
The Lexington City Planning Commission on April 9 continued consideration of a revised development plan for the Bridal (Bryant Road) property after multiple residents raised concerns ranging from traffic and neighborhood compatibility to allegations that graves are present on or near the site.
Staff reported the applicant had reduced the number of dwelling units from 100 to 96 and removed a previously proposed access in order to avoid a required second means of egress. The revised plan also reduced parking, repositioned open space and retained more mature trees, staff said. Applicant representative Jihad Halani said the plan proposes about 96 apartments, associated clubhouse/commercial space and measures to increase tree canopy in the design.
Residents urged the commission to delay action. Greg Lubac, a nearby resident, urged a “holistic” traffic review of Bryant Road, Pleasant Ridge and Man O’ War citing congested peak-hour conditions and two recent fatalities in the corridor. Several neighbors described pedestrian-safety concerns and said the short, narrow segments near commercial nodes already create hazardous driving and walking conditions.
Other speakers pressed the commission on historic and burial-site concerns. One attendee said there are marked and unmarked graves and tombstones on and near the property and asked the NAACP to be notified; another said a family cemetery is visible in aerial photographs. Multiple commenters asked for an archeological or subsurface survey to determine whether burials are present.
Staff and traffic engineering said a city-funded study of the Bryant–Pleasant Ridge corridor is underway and expected to be presented later this year, but commissioners said that does not remove the need to evaluate site-specific impacts. Staff also noted that if a family cemetery or burial location is identified on the property the developer has options under local rules, including preserving the burial with a buffer or following state procedures for reinterment.
After discussion, the commission voted to continue PLN MJDP 26-10 for 30 days, to the May 14 hearing, and asked the applicant to provide the commission with any available title information relevant to a private pool and property-ownership questions raised during public comment. The applicant agreed to the continuance. The motion carried unanimously.
Next steps: the applicant will return at the May 14 meeting with additional materials; if burials are found, staff said the developer will need to update the plan and follow the city’s protocols for family/private cemeteries and any applicable state processes for relocation.
Quote: “If the applicant and property owner find part of a family cemetery, they will need to come back to the planning commission and revamp their development plan,” staff said, describing the ordinance options for either protecting an in-place burial or pursuing a relocation process that includes archaeological delineation and coordination with family members.
The commission took no final action on the plan today; the continuance was intended to allow the applicant to gather clarifying documentation and to give staff time to coordinate any necessary studies or notifications.
