LEXINGTON SMALL AREA PLAN
Planning Commission Work Session April 30, 2026
01 PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
ENGAGEMENT ROUND 2
• Door-to-Door
• Mailings
• Yard Signs
• Social Media
• Engagement Activities
• Community BBQ Lunch Discussion with Employees and Employers
PUBLIC COMMENT
Prioritize snow and ice plowing of Blue Sky over the raising of Cutters Hill bridge.
Most were in favor of the streetlights.
For the all way stop at Cutters Hill.
Support of the proposed sidewalks. It’s currently unsafe to walk but would like to be able to walk.
Yes to space!park
Lunchtime food trucks in the park.
Signal and roandabout on Athens Boonesboro seems much safer.
General support for long-term central road vision.
Power and internet reliability are needed.
BLUE SKY CATALOGUE
Everyone was given $10 to spend on “catalogue items”. • $440 spent / 44 participants
IMPROVEMENT
CATALOGUE
SPEND AS MUCH OR AS LITTLE OF YOUR BLUE SKY BUCKS ON THE IDEAS* THAT MATTER MOST TO YOU.
AN IDEA IS “ORDERED” IF THE LISTED PERCENTAGE OF BLUE SKY BUCKS IS REACHED ACROSS TOTAL BUCKS SPENT.
SIDEWALKS AND CROSSWALKS
02 FRAMEWORK CONCEPTS
UGMP
Connection to Areas 4 and 5 of the UGMP
• Large portions of adjacent flex space
• Entertainment and mixed use across Athens Boonesboro
• Expansion of bicycle/pedestrian access to Blue Sky on Athens Boonesboro
• Canebrake Drive connection to Todds Road and Blue Sky
INITIAL PHASE
• Opportunity for executive campus
• Enhanced bicycle/pedestrian infrastructure around Blue Sky Pkwy
• Sidepaths along Athens Boonesboro
• Stormwater amenity / open space
SECONDARY PHASE
• Central Roadway
• Expanded executive office/industrial
• Creekside trail
• Central open space
• Optional internal roadway connections
• Potential Canebrake connections
• Additional future road connections
03 TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENTS
Blue Sky Parkway Phase One
“A
Blue Sky and Cutters Hill Three-way
Intersection 2. Blue Sky Pkwy 3. Athens Boonesboro Road
Crosswalks at Intersections
Sidewalk
Blue Sky Parkway Phase Two
Sidepath
Crosswalks at Intersections
Sidewalk
Sidewalk
1. Blue Sky and Cutters Hill Four-way Stop Intersection
2. New Proposed Roadway
Sidepath
Crosswalks at Intersections
Sidewalk
Sidewalk
ATHENS BOONESBORO
RightofWayLine
BLUE SKY PARKWAY
B. Blue Sky Pkwy East of Cutters Hill
Existing Right of Way Varies (+/-45’ - 65’) Right of Way Line Right of Way Line Drive Lane to be Narrowed to 12’ by Use of Paint Drive Lane to be Narrowed to 12’ by Use of Paint
Permanent Sidepath Easement (typ. 5’-10’)
Inclusion of street lights for safety of employees after dark.
Existing Curb with Proposed Striping to Narrow the Drive Lane
Existing Curb with Proposed Striping to Narrow the Drive Lane
Existing Roadway 27’ Typical
Permanent Sidepath Easement (typ. 5’-10’)
A 10’ sidepath represents the ideal typical section for multimodal circulation.
C. Blue Sky Pkwy West of Cutters Hill
Existing Right of Way Varies (+/-40’-65’)
RightofWayLine
Permanent Sidepath Easement (typ. 5’-10’)
Existing
Opportunity to test new road width through narrower painted lanes.
Right of Way Line
Permanent Sidepath Easement (typ. 5’-10’)
Include bollards at sidepath crossing points and signage to deter the use of golf carts and off-road vehicles.
CUTTERS HILL ROAD
D. Cutters Hill Rd
Existing Right of Way Varies (+/-62’-105’)
E. Proposed Central Roadway
Proposed Right of Way (65’)
Right of Way Line Right of Way Line
Proposed
Gutter
CURRENT DRIVEWAY CONDITIONS
Driveway and Sidepath Crossing
04 I-75 INTERCHANGE
I-75 / ATHENS BOONESBORO DIVERGING DIAMOND INTERCHANGE
I-75 / ATHENS BOONESBORO DIVERGING DIAMOND INTERCHANGE
I-75 / ATHENS BOONESBORO DIVERGING DIAMOND INTERCHANGE
05 CATALYTIC SITES
CURRENT SITE CONDITIONS
Athens Boonesboro Road Mixed-Use Commercial
Stormwater amenity
Parking and food truck area
Walking loop
Shade and seating spots
Parking area for lunchtime food trucks
Walking loop of paths and trails
Boardwalks through stormwater features
Shared-use Trail Alternatives
MaxSlope3:1
MaxSlope3:1
ATHENS BOONESBORO TODAY
Mixed-use commercial provides opportunity for employee -supportive uses
Roundabout to slow and direct traffic
Blue Sky Works gateway opportunity
Safer road intersections along Athens Boonesboro
06
IMPLEMENTATION RECOMMENDATIONS
CURRENT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ECOSYSTEM
& Private Economic Development Partners Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government (LFUCG) – Economic Development Office
Economic Partnership (Commerce Lexington)
IMPLEMENTATION RECOMMENDATION
1. Establish a 501(c)3 Industrial Development Authority.
2. Establish a TIF district that would encompass the project area.
3. Establish a Business Improvement District in tandem with a TIF
07 INDUSTRIAL ZONE LANGUAGE
PURPOSE
• To identify potential updates to the Zoning Ordinance that will implement the Blue Sky Small Area Plan.
• Reminder: all recommendations are preliminary and will require a separate ZOTA review process.
EXISTING ZONING
I-1 Light Industrial, which includes uses allow in B-4
by reference
USE PROVISION UPDATES
1. Reformat principal uses to remove by-reference incorporation of other zoning districts (i.e., list them all in the I-1 and I-2 district text)
2. Classify certain industrial uses based on impact, rather than the type of product being processed or produced.
• Low-Impact Industrial and Manufacturing (I-1, 1-2)
• High impact Low-Impact Industrial and Manufacturing (I-2 only)
USE PROVISION UPDATES
3. Define new uses and use standards and allow as specified:
• Data center uses:
• Minor (Up to 50,000 SF, optional substation, >50% site floor area): (B-4, I-1 by conditional use)
• Major (>50,000 SF, optional substation): Not allowed
• Approval criteria and use standards to reduce off-site impacts
• Research and development (B-4, I-1, I-2)
• Self-storage (B-4)
• Storage yard: (I-1, I-2)
• Waste-related uses
• General waste related uses (I-2 by conditional use)
• Recycling center
USE PROVISION UPDATES
4. Update office use standards in I-1
• Change office allowances in I-1, I-2 from up to 60% of the building to up to 60% of the development plan.
5. Update eating and drinking standards in I-1
• Allow eating and drinking establishments when accessory to a facility that manufactures food or beverages (max 30% floor area)