[00:36:26] METRO TV WILL GET STARTED IN 30S. [Call to Order] [00:37:19] ALL RIGHT. WELCOME TO THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING OF THE PLANNING AND ZONING [00:37:25] COMMITTEE. TODAY IS TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4TH. IT'S 1:02 P.M. I'M YOUR CHAIR, ANDREW OWEN. [Roll Call] [00:37:31] I'M JOINED IN CHAMBERS BY MY VICE CHAIR, SCOTT REED. COUNCIL MEMBER SHAMEKA PARRISH. WRIGHT [00:37:38] HAS AN EXCUSED ABSENCE. WE'RE JOINED ONLINE BY COUNCILWOMAN RAYMOND. COUNCILWOMAN RAYMOND, [00:37:43] CAN YOU TURN YOUR CAMERA ON, PLEASE? JOIN IN. CHAMBERS BY COUNCILWOMAN RUBY. COUNCILWOMAN [00:37:50] BRATCHER, COUNCILMAN HUDSON, AND COUNCILMAN VACHON. SO I WON'T BE CALLING ITEM NUMBER [00:37:56] ONE. BUT I DO WANT TO RESTATE THAT THAT'S GOING TO JUST STAY SITTING ON OUR AGENDA ■IN CASE&O USE IT AND PUT IT INTO EFFECT IF WE NEED IT, BUT WE DON'T ANTICIPATE NEEDING I, SO WE'LL LEAVE IT WHERE IT SITS WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT WE'LL USE IT IF WE NEED IT. AND THAT'S THE MORATORIUM ORDINANCE IMPOSING A TEMPORARY MORATORIUM ON DATA CENTERS. SO ITEM NUMBER TWO. OH, THIS MEETING IS BEING HELD PURSUANT TO KRS 61.826 AND COUNCIL RULE FIVE, A ITEM [2. O-262-25     AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTIONS 1.2.2, 2.4.5, AND 4.2.29 OF THE LOUISVILLE METRO LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE REGARDING FREE STANDING BIRTHING FACILITIES (CASE NO. 25-LDC-0007). Action Required By April 30, 2026  Sponsors: Andrew Owen (D-9) ] NUMBER 2026225. AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTIONS 1.2.2, 2.4.5 AND 4.2.29 OF THE LOUISVILLE METRO LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE REGARDING FREESTANDING BIRTHING FACILITIES. CASE NUMBER 25 DASH LDC DASH 0007. CAN I GET A MOTION PROPERLY MOVED AND SECONDED? JOE. THERE WE GO. GOOD AFTERNOON JOE. OFFICE OF PLANNING. SO THIS IS A TEXT AMENDMENT RELATED TO FREESTANDING BIRTHING CENTERS. SO THIS WOULD BE A CHANGE TO THE ZONING CODE. AND CREATE A NEW USE TYPE. SO WHY ARE WE DOING THIS. THE PLANNING COMMISSION PASSED A RESOLUTION EARLIER THIS YEAR TAKING ASKING STAFF TO TAKE A LOOK AT ANY OF THE LEGISLATION THAT CAME OUT OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND SEE WHAT CHANGES WE HAD TO MAKE TO OUR LOCAL ORDINANCES TO ACCOMMODATE THAT LEGISLATION. SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAME OUT OF THAT WAS HOUSE BILL 90, WHICH THERE'S A LOT TO THAT BILL. BUT WHAT BOILS DOWN TO WHAT WE NEEDED TO LOOK AT FROM A ZONING PERSPECTIVE WAS FREESTANDING BIRTHING CENTERS AND HOW TO REGULATE THOSE LOCALLY, BECAUSE THE STATE LAW CREATED A NEW DEFINITION. AND NOW WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT IF WE WANT TO REGULATE THAT USE AS A BROADER MEDICAL CLINIC OR AS ITS OWN USE TYPE. SO HOUSE BILL 90, IT CREATED A DEFINITION OF WHAT A FREESTANDING BIRTHING CENTER IS, AND THAT IS A [00:40:02] STANDALONE FACILITY AS OPPOSED TO INTEGRATED INTO A HOSPITAL. SO IT ALSO REQUIRED THE CABINET FOR HEALTH AND FAMILY SERVICES TO CREATE SOME REQUIREMENTS AND REGULATIONS AT THE STATE LEVEL. WE TOOK A LOOK AT WHAT THEY PUT TOGETHER SO FAR TO MAKE SURE THERE WAS NO CONFLICTS WITH WHAT WE WOULD BE DOING LOCALLY, AND SO FAR, THERE WASN'T ANYTHING THAT REALLY GOT INTO SITING OR HOW THE FACILITIES WOULD BE BUILT. BESIDES, ONE REQUIREMENT THAT ANY FACILITY HAS TO BE WITHIN 30 MILES OF A HOSPITAL. AND I WOULD THINK THAT VIRTUALLY ALL, IF NOT ALL PROPERTIES IN METRO WOULD MEET THAT REQUIREMENT. AND IF ONE WEREN'T, DID NOT, IT STILL WOULD HAVE TO. ANYWAY. A BIG PART OF THIS IS THIS LEGISLATION ALSO REMOVED THE CERTIFICATE OF NEED REQUIREMENT FOR A FACILITY THAT HAS FOUR OR FEWER BEDS. THAT MAY HAVE BEEN A BARRIER TO PEOPLE DOING THESE TYPES OF FACILITIES IN THE PAST, BECAUSE THEY HAD TO GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS TO WHERE THEY HAD TO GET A FINDING THAT THERE WAS A NEED FOR THE FACILITY, AND THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO OPPOSE THAT, TO SAY THAT, NO, THERE ISN'T THAT NEED. SO WITH THAT NO LONGER BEING A REQUIREMENT, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT SMALLER FACILITIES WILL BE LOCATED BECAUSE THEY NO LONGER HAVE TO GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS. THAT SAID, FACILITIES STANDALONE THAT HAVE MORE BEDS WOULD STILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH THAT CERTIFICATE OF NEED PROCESS AT THE STATE LEVEL. SO WITH THAT, OUR CURRENT ZONING REGULATIONS, THE TERM BIRTHING CENTER IS NOT MENTIONED. THE ONLY REFERENCE TO SOMETHING SIMILAR IS IN THE DEFINITION OF HOSPITAL. SO IT CLEARLY SAYS THAT YOU CAN DELIVER BABIES AT A HOSPITAL. SO THAT'S ALREADY ALLOWED UNDER THAT USE TYPE. BUT WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IS WHETHER OR NOT WE SHOULD ALLOW THE THE FREESTANDING CLINICS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY. BECAUSE RIGHT NOW ALL HOSPITALS, REGARDLESS OF ZONING, REQUIRE A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT. AND THAT'S ALSO TRUE OF MEDICAL CLINICS, WHICH ARE JUST A LESSER DEGREE OF HOSPITALS. BUT THE DIFFERENCE IS THEY HAVE SOME DIFFERENT STANDARDS. AND THAT'S WHAT WE TOOK A LOOK AT. SO JUST TAKING A STEP BACK, WHAT IS A FREESTANDING BIRTHING CENTER? IT'S A STANDALONE HEALTHCARE FACILITY FOR CHILDBIRTH WHERE DELIVERIES ARE TAKEN UNDER THE MIDWIFERY OR WELLNESS MODEL. THEY ARE FOR LOW RISK INDIVIDUALS, NOT A HIGHER RISK INDIVIDUAL WOULD STILL NEED TO GO TO A HOSPITAL. SO THERE'S SOME ASSESSMENTS OF WHETHER OR NOT YOU WOULD QUALIFY. AND THEN PATIENTS ARE TYPICALLY DISCHARGED TO HOME SHORTLY AFTER, SO THEY'RE NOT STAYING THERE FOR SEVERAL DAYS. IT'S USUALLY A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. SO WITH THESE TYPES OF FACILITIES THEY'RE BECOMING MORE POPULAR ACROSS THE COUNTRY. NOT THERE'S NONE CURRENTLY IN LOUISVILLE, BUT PART OF THAT'S BECAUSE OF SOME OF THE BARRIERS THAT I MENTIONED BEFORE. THERE'S A LIKELIHOOD THERE COULD BE MORE IN METRO. ALL THE BIRTHING CENTERS ARE WITHIN HOSPITALS. THERE IS A STANDALONE FACILITY ACROSS THE RIVER IN INDIANA, BUT IN JEFFERSON COUNTY THERE ARE NOT ANY. THERE WAS ONE IN THE PAST, BUT IT CLOSED SOME TIME AGO, AND THERE WAS A STUDY DONE BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH THAT, AMONG OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS, SAID THAT METRO SHOULD BE LOOKING AT ADDITIONAL WAYS TO PROMOTE BIRTHS OUTSIDE OF HOSPITAL SETTINGS. SO THIS KIND OF WORKS ALONG WITH THAT STUDY. SO WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING IS TO ADD A DEFINITION OF FREESTANDING BIRTHING CENTER THAT IS COMPLETELY IN LINE WITH WHAT THE STATE PASSED. SO THERE'S NO CONFLICT THERE. IT'S NOT UNIQUE. IT IS ALMOST VERBATIM. AND THEN WE WANT TO ADD THAT MEDICAL SERVICE TYPE. WE DON'T WANT TO CREATE A STANDALONE USE FOR THAT. WE WANT TO ADD IT INTO MEDICAL CLINIC. AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS WE JUST DON'T WANT TO REGULATE ONE MEDICAL SERVICE DIFFERENTLY THAN A SIMILAR MEDICAL SERVICE. THAT COULD GET YOU INTO SOME COMPLICATIONS WITH THE AMERICAN WITH DISABILITIES ACT AND HOW YOU ALLOW ONE SIMILAR MEDICAL SERVICE AS OPPOSED TO ANOTHER. BY DOING THAT WITHOUT AN ADDITIONAL CHANGE. THEY'RE ALLOWED IN ANY ZONING CATEGORY WITH A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT AND MEETING SEVERAL STANDARDS THAT ARE SET FORTH. WE ALSO TOOK A LOOK AT WHETHER THAT'S RIGHT AND AND LOOKING AT THE C3 DISTRICT, WE DETERMINED THAT MEDICAL CLINICS MIGHT BE APPROPRIATE BY RIGHT IN C3. AND SO THAT WOULD INCLUDE ALL MEDICAL CLINICS, NOT JUST THE BIRTHING CENTERS, BUT C3. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE OTHER TYPES OF USES, THEY'RE ALL CONSISTENT OR MORE INTENSE THAN A MEDICAL CLINIC. SO C3 IS PRETTY MUCH JUST IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA. AND THEN IN ADDITION TO THAT, MOST OF THE C3 DISTRICTS WITHIN THE DOWNTOWN FORUM AND THE DOWNTOWN FORUM IS CHARACTERIZED BY MANY THINGS, BUT ONE IS THE PRESENCE OF MEDICAL USES. SO IT SEEMS ODD THAT YOU MAKE THEM ALL GO THROUGH THAT CONDITIONAL USE PROCESS, WHICH JUST ADDS TIME AND ENERGY TO THE APPLICATION AND UNCERTAINTY BECAUSE IT CAN [00:45:04] BE DENIED. AND JUST WE WOULD CONTINUE TO ALLOW THE THE USE WITHIN ALL THE OTHER ZONING DISTRICTS WITH THAT CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT. SO THERE'LL BE A PUBLIC HEARING IF ANYBODY HAD ANY CONCERNS AND WANTED TO BRING THEM TO THE CITY'S ATTENTION WHEN AN APPLICATION COMES IN. SO THIS MAPS JUST TO SHOW, BECAUSE WE ARE MAKING A CHANGE TO C3, THAT LITTLE BLUE AREA IS THE C3. AS YOU CAN SEE, IT IS PRETTY MUCH DOWNTOWN. THERE'S SOME LITTLE POCKETS THAT POP OUT OUTSIDE OF THAT CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT AREA, BUT IT'S LARGELY IN THAT DOWNTOWN AREA. SO WITH THAT, THE PLANNING COMMITTEE OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION MET ON AUGUST 25TH AND DETERMINED THAT IT WAS READY FOR A PUBLIC HEARING. THE PLANNING COMMISSION HELD THEIR PUBLIC HEARING ON OCTOBER 2ND, AND THEY RECOMMENDED APPROVAL TO METRO COUNCIL AND THE CITIES WITH ZONING AUTHORITY TO PASS THE LEGISLATION, WHICH WAS SMALL CHANGE THAT WE MADE TO THE DEFINITION OF MEDICAL CLINIC, TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT OVERNIGHT STAYS ARE ACCEPTABLE IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES. AND THEY PASSED THAT 8 TO 0. AND I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE. THANK YOU JOE, JUST QUICKLY. SO THIS IS WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH WITH THIS ORDINANCE IS SPECIFIC TO THIS ONE PIECE OF HB 90. HB 90 WAS A BILL THAT HAD A LOT OF STUFF IN IT. YEAH. AND THIS IS JUST ONE PIECE THAT WE REALIZED, OR THE PLANNING COMMISSION REALIZED THAT WE NEEDED TO GET UP TO UP TO SPEED ON WITH THE STATE WHAT WHAT THE STATE REQUIRED. AND SO THAT'S THE PIECE THAT WE'RE DEALING ON HERE, JUST THIS SMALL PIECE OF HB 90 AND REVIEW OF THAT BILL. THE ONLY THING THAT WE SAW RELATED TO ZONING WAS THEY CREATED THIS NEW MEDICAL SERVICE TYPE. AND WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE, SINCE THE STATE CLEARLY WANTED TO ALLOW IT, THAT WE HAD REGULATIONS THAT ADDRESSED IT SPECIFICALLY, WE COULD INTERPRET THAT IT'S A MEDICAL CLINIC AND NOT MAKE ANY CHANGES TO THE CODE, BUT WE FELT IT WOULD BE BETTER TO PUT IT INTO THE MEDICAL CLINIC DEFINITION. SO IT'S VERY CLEAR. AND THEN ALSO THE CHANGE RELATED TO C3, WE JUST THOUGHT WAS APPROPRIATE FOR ALL MEDICAL CLINICS. AND AND THIS IS A LITTLE BIT COMPLICATED. BUT SO I THINK I HEARD YOU SAY THAT MEDICAL CLINIC WAS ALREADY AN IDENTIFICATION IN THE CODE AND THAT WE FOLDED THIS UNDER MEDICAL CLINIC. THE THIS IS SO I GUESS WHAT I WASN'T ENTIRELY SURE DID WE? WE DID CREATE A DEFINITION FOR BIRTHING CENTER. IT JUST FOLDED IN UNDER UNDER MEDICAL CLINIC. IS THAT WHAT I UNDERSTOOD. SO WE HAD THREE OPTIONS WHEN WE LOOKED AT OUR PEER CITIES AND JUST WHAT WE CAN DO THROUGH OUR LOCAL ZONING. WE COULD JUST INTERPRET THAT IT WAS A MEDICAL CLINIC AND THAT WOULD REQUIRE NO CHANGES. OR WE COULD CREATE A STANDALONE USE FOR FREESTANDING BIRTHING CENTERS, OR WE COULD ROLL IT INTO ANOTHER USE TYPE LIKE MEDICAL CLINIC. WE DECIDED TO RECOMMEND PUTTING IT IN THE MEDICAL CLINIC AFTER LOOKING AT A LOT OF PEER CITIES, INCLUDING ALL THE SOME OF OUR NEIGHBORS CINCINNATI, INDIANAPOLIS, NASHVILLE, THEY ALL SEEM TO DO THAT. THE ONLY LOCAL GOVERNMENTS THAT REALLY CREATED A FREESTANDING BIRTHING CENTER SPECIFIC USE WERE VERY SMALL GOVERNMENTS AND OTHER STATES LIKE TEXAS. SO THAT WASN'T COMMON PRACTICE, I THINK. BUT DID WE DID WE THAT WAS THE BEST FIT. DID WE ACTUALLY, LIKE, CREATE A DEFINITION THOUGH WITHIN WE, DID WE WE DEFINED FREESTANDING BIRTHING CENTERS WITH LARGELY THE SAME DEFINITION THAT'S IN STATE LAW. AND THE ONLY REASON I SAY LARGELY THE SAME IS WE HAD TO MAKE SOME EDITS TO IT TO MAKE IT FIT INTO OUR CODE, RATHER THAN BEING IN STATE LAW. THEN THE DEFINITION OF MEDICAL CLINICS. WE PUT FREESTANDING BIRTHING CENTERS AS A TYPE OF MEDICAL CLINIC. SO YOU KNOW WHAT A FREESTANDING BIRTHING CENTER IS, THEN YOU KNOW THAT IT'S A MEDICAL CLINIC. GREAT. THAT'S HELPFUL. THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT YOU SAID. BUT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE MAKE SURE THAT I WAS FOLLOWING THAT CORRECTLY. COUNCILWOMAN RUBY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MY QUESTIONS HAVE TO DO MORE WITH, LIKE, THE OPERATION OF A BIRTHING CENTER. SO, DO YOU KNOW, ARE THOSE GOING TO HAVE OB-GYNS ON STAFF? ARE THEY DOULAS? ARE THERE MIDWIVES? SO MY UNDERSTANDING THIS IS A LITTLE BIT OUT OF MY WHEELHOUSE. BUT I HAVE READ ON IT. I BELIEVE THAT THEY DO HAVE TO HAVE A SUPERVISING PHYSICIAN IN CHARGE. I DON'T KNOW IF THEY HAVE TO BE THERE AT AT THE TIMES THAT DELIVERIES ARE TAKING PLACE. SO I THINK ALL THOSE DIFFERENT TYPES OF PROFESSIONS COULD BE THERE IS MY UNDERSTANDING, BUT THERE'S SOME SUPERVISION, BUT I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT LEVEL. IF THEY HAVE TO BE ON SITE OR JUST SUPERVISING IN ANOTHER WAY. OKAY. AND JUST TO BE SURE, I UNDERSTOOD YOUR MAP UP THERE, THOSE PURPLE AREAS IN THE DOWNTOWN DISTRICT ARE BY RIGHT AND EVERYWHERE ELSE HAS TO BE WITH A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT. IS THAT CORRECT? CORRECT. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN. THANK YOU, MISTER CHAIR. I HAVE A LOT OF [00:50:07] QUESTIONS BECAUSE I JUST NOT MY WHEELHOUSE EITHER. BUT JUST OUT OF CURIOSITY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER. RIGHT. BUT MY I GUESS MY FIRST QUESTION IS, WHY WOULD A HOSPITAL REQUIRE A CUP TO DO BIRTHING? I GUESS THIS QUESTION NUMBER ONE, THEY THEY DON'T REQUIRE A CUP FOR THAT MEDICAL SERVICE. ALL HOSPITALS JUST REQUIRE A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT PERIOD. SO EVERY HOSPITAL THAT WE HAVE IN THE CITY EITHER PREDATES THE CONDITIONAL USE REQUIREMENT OR WENT THROUGH THAT PROCESS. OKAY. BUT AGAIN, MY EXCUSE MY IGNORANCE, I APOLOGIZE. BUT DON'T MOST HOSPITALS HAVE BIRTHING CENTERS OR PEOPLE THAT CAN BIRTH CHILDREN? A NUMBER DO. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S MOST. I THINK WHEN WE DID SOME RESEARCH, ONLY 4 OR 5 LOCALLY HAVE BIRTHING CENTERS. WHETHER THEY CAN CARRY OUT A DELIVERY IN AN EMERGENCY IS A DIFFERENT ISSUE WHERE THEY HAVE SET ASIDE SPACES. I BELIEVE THE NUMBERS AT FOUR, WITH THREE OF THOSE BEING DOWNTOWN AND ONE BEING IN SAINT MATTHEWS. BUT I'M GOING OFF MEMORY, BUT NOT ALL. THAT WOULD BE THE MAIN POINT, AND YOU CAN STILL CONTINUE TO HAVE A BIRTHING CENTER INTEGRATED INTO A HOSPITAL THAT'S ALREADY ALLOWED. THAT'S CLEAR. THAT'S WITHIN THE DEFINITION OF HOSPITAL. IT TALKS ABOUT THAT. WE'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT A STANDALONE FACILITY BEING AN ADDITIONAL OPTION, BECAUSE THE STATE LAW CLARIFIED THAT THAT'S A DISTINCT TYPE OF FACILITY. AND SO WE WANTED TO LOOK AT IT DIFFERENTLY THAN JUST ROLLING IT INTO A HOSPITAL. I KNOW IT'S A FAR FETCHED EXAMPLE, BUT I GUESS YOU'RE DOING THIS SIMILAR TO WHAT WE'VE DONE WITH FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS THEN. CORRECT. WHERE WE HAVE CHARTERED AND NON CHARTERED FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS, YOU'D HAVE YOUR HOSPITALS WHO HAVE BIRTHING CENTERS. AND THEN I GUESS YOU WOULD QUOTE UNQUOTE NON CHARTERED BIRTHING CENTERS RIGHT. THAT ARE NOT A HOSPITAL BUT THEY'RE JUST MORE OF A HEY YOU CAN COME AND HAVE YOUR CHILDREN HERE. IT'S SIMILAR. YES. WHAT. BUT WE'RE NOT CREATING A NEW USE TYPE LIKE WE DID THERE. WE'RE USING IT. WE'RE USING AN EXISTING USE TYPE IN THE MEDICAL CLINIC. BUT THE DIFFERENCE IS YOU A HOSPITAL'S A MUCH MORE INTENSE, LARGER FACILITY. AND WE'RE OUR RECOMMENDATION IS TO REQUIRE A CONDITIONAL USE IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES FOR HOSPITALS BECAUSE OF THEIR SIZE, THEIR INTENSITY AND THEIR IMPACT. BUT WITH MEDICAL CLINICS, THERE'S SOME UNIQUE STANDARDS. AND WE'RE SAYING IN C3, BECAUSE THEY'RE SMALLER FACILITIES WITH LESS IMPACT THAT THEY'RE BY. RIGHT. SO WE ARE REGULATING THOSE TWO TYPES OF FACILITIES DIFFERENTLY. BUT WE'RE NOT RECOMMENDING THAT FREESTANDING BIRTHING CENTERS SHOULD BE THEIR OWN THING LIKE WE DID WITH THE FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS. WE'RE PUTTING THEM IN THAT OTHER CATEGORY. JOE, THIS MIGHT NOT BE A QUESTION YOU HAVE AN ANSWER TO, BUT I'M JUST GOING TO ASK JUST BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW EITHER. RIGHT. SO AND IT'S KIND OF KIND OF PIGGYBACK OFF WHAT COUNCILWOMAN RUBY ASKED IS, ARE ARE THESE FACILITIES GOING TO REQUIRE OB-GYNS OR DOES A WHAT DID YOU CALL THEM? I'M SORRY, A MEDULLAS AND MIDWIVES AND AND WHATNOT. OR IS THERE A SPECIAL LICENSING OR CERTIFICATION OR SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE TO OPERATE OR WORK IN, IN A SPECIAL STANDALONE BIRTHING FACILITY? AND THEN I GUESS THIS TIES INTO A PIGGYBACK QUESTION OF THAT IS NOW, ARE THESE BIRTHING FACILITIES GOING TO BE PRIVATELY OWNED BY JUST OR, OR OR MIDWIVES, OR ARE THEY GOING TO BE RAN BY A HOSPITAL OR A LICENSED OB GYN OR DOCTOR? SO THE ANSWER, THE FIRST QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER MIDWIVES CAN BE THERE, THAT IS ONE OF THE MAIN PURPOSES OF MOST FREESTANDING BIRTHING CENTERS IS TO USE THAT MODEL. SO THEY'RE MOST CERTAINLY GOING TO BE INVOLVED. MY READING OF THE STATE LAW, WHICH AGAIN, I DIDN'T GET TOO FAR INTO IT BECAUSE IT'S NOT NECESSARILY ZONING, IS THAT THEY ARE LICENSED BY THE STATE. SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS THAT'S CLEARLY REQUIRED BY HOUSE BILL 90. I DON'T KNOW IF EACH OF THE INDIVIDUALS WORKING THERE ARE LICENSED AS HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS. I BELIEVE THEY ARE. BUT I DON'T HAVE THAT ANSWER. I COULD I COULD REVIEW HOUSE BILL 90 AND SEE IF, IF, IF IT'S THERE FOR ME TO SEE. BUT IT'S IT'S PRETTY THICK. BUT MY, MY GUESS IS YES, THAT YOU HAVE TO BE LICENSED, BUT I CAN'T REALLY SPEAK TO WHAT THAT ENTAILS. BUT IT IS OVERSEEN BY THE STATE. THE CERTIFICATE OF NEED REQUIREMENT, WHICH WAS REMOVED, IS JUST AN INITIAL STEP BEFORE YOU OPEN, WHERE YOU HAD TO JUSTIFY WHETHER OR NOT THAT FACILITY WAS NEEDED. THEY DID REMOVE THAT FOR THE SMALLER FACILITIES, BUT NOT THE LICENSE REQUIREMENT. I GUESS MY FINAL QUESTION AND I DON'T AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW IF [00:55:05] ANY OF US HAVE THE ANSWER OR UNDERSTAND, BUT. WHAT IS THE COST DIFFERENCE, I GUESS? IS THAT OR IS OUR COST BARRIER? AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER. IS THERE A COST BARRIER BETWEEN HAVING A CHILD AT A HOSPITAL THAT DOES BIRTHING ON A REGULAR BASIS, LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, WHERE MY KIDS WERE BORN AT SUBURBAN OFF DUPONT, RIGHT? OR VERSUS HAVING A BIRTHING CENTER OPERATION? IS THERE A COST DIFFERENCE THERE OR. I MEAN, IN MY READING OF ARTICLES, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING IN FRONT OF ME TO CITE, BUT IS THAT THERE IS A COST DIFFERENCE? AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY PEOPLE MIGHT WANT TO USE A FREESTANDING BIRTHING CENTER, BECAUSE IT'S LESS INTENSE. IT'S NOT PART OF A HOSPITAL. I'VE READ A NUMBER OF ARTICLES WHERE IT CAN BE LESS EXPENSIVE THAN THE OPTIONS THAT WE HAVE NOW. THANK YOU. FOR NOW, I THINK. SORRY, VICE CHAIR READ. THANK YOU, MISTER CHAIR. AND THANK YOU, JOE, FOR BEING HERE. AND GOOD, GOOD JOB. THE OTHER NIGHT AT THE DATA CENTER PRESENTATION. THANK YOU. THEY ASKED A LOT OF VERY GOOD QUESTIONS. SO MY QUESTION IS, FOR THOSE OF US WHO HAVE SUBURBAN CITIES THAT HAVE ZONING AUTHORITY IN THEIR OWN LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE, SHOULD WE RECOMMEND TO THEM THAT THEY MAKE THESE CHANGES AS WELL, ASSUMING THAT WE VOTE THIS IN? SO THE ONLY YES, WE MADE THE RECOMMENDATION TO ALL THE SUBURBAN CITIES. SO WITH THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE, THERE MIGHT BE GOOD TO HAVE CONSISTENCY BETWEEN ALL THE CITIES. I WILL JUST NOTE THAT WE MIGHT HAVE TO WORK WITH SOME OF THOSE CITIES BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, EACH OF THEIR CODES ARE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. AND I DON'T KNOW OFFHAND IF ALL 12 CITIES HAVE A CONDITIONAL USE REQUIREMENT FOR HOSPITALS, I BELIEVE THEY ALL DO. BUT SOME OF THE HOSPITALS BUILT IN SAINT MATTHEWS WERE BUILT UNDER SOME NON-CONFORMING RIGHTS. THERE'S SOME INTERESTING THINGS THAT HAPPENED THERE, BUT WE WOULD HAVE TO WORK WITH THEM. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S PLUG AND PLAY LIKE WE GAVE YOU. EXACTLY WHAT THE CHANGE FOR METRO CODE. WE MIGHT HAVE TO WORK WITH THEM A LITTLE BIT TO ADJUST THEIR CODE WITH SOME ADDITIONAL CHANGES. OKAY. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN BRATCHER. YES, SIR. I'LL. I'LL MAYBE ADD SOME LIGHT. I'M CERTAINLY NOT AN EXPERT ON THIS ISSUE, BUT IT WAS IN FRANKFURT FOR GOOD LORD. SEVEN YEARS DEBATED BACK AND FORTH. AND REPRESENTATIVE JOSE OR COUNCIL MEMBER JOSE SMILE. AND SHE KNOWS WE REALLY HAD SOME DISCUSSIONS. WE LEARNED MORE ABOUT DOULAS AND MIDWIVES THAN WE EVER WANTED TO KNOW. BUT. THE THE THING IS, THERE IS A GROUP OF FOLKS OUT THERE AND I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO THE JUDGMENTS OF RIGHT OR WRONG, BUT THEY THEY DON'T. THEY THINK THAT THEY DON'T NEED A HOSPITAL TO BIRTH THE BABY. THEY SHOULD DO IT AT HOME WITH A, YOU KNOW, LIKE THE OLD MOVIES WHERE BOWL, A BOWL OF HOT WATER AND SOME TOWELS AND MEET ME IN THE BEDROOM AND THAT YOU DON'T NEED THE EXPENSIVE ACCORDING TO TO THEM OPERATIONS THAT YOU HAVE AT HOSPITALS AND THEY WANT TO DO IT AT HOME AND THEY HAVE DONE IT AT HOME AT, AT THEIR HOME FOR YEARS. I MEAN, THIS IS A THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE SECOND OLDEST PROFESSION OUT THERE IS MIDWIVES THAT YOU THEY COME TO YOUR HOUSE AND, AND BIRTH THE BABY. AND SO OTHER STATES, ESPECIALLY INDIANA, ONCE THEY PASSED IT, THAT'S A PLACE WHERE INSTEAD OF DOING IT IN YOUR BEDROOM, YOU JUST GO TO THE BIRTHING, THIS BIRTHING THING THAT THEY TRIED FOR YEARS TO GET. AND THEY GOT IT. THEY PASSED IT. AND RECENTLY UP THERE IN FRANKFORT, AND YOU JUST BASICALLY TRANSFER WHAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING IN THE BEDROOM WITH DOULAS AND MIDWIVES, AND YOU DO IT AT A BIRTHING CENTER WHERE THERE'S A LITTLE MORE HELP. NOW, THE, THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY, THE, THE AMA AND ALL THOSE GROUPS, HOSPITAL GROUPS, THEY FOUGHT IT TOOTH AND NAIL. AND THAT'S WHY IT WAS GOING ON FOR SEVEN YEARS. MAYBE JOSE COULD ADD SOME. SHE WAS INVOLVED IN THAT. I'M GOING TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT IF YOU WANT TO, AND TELL US WHAT YOU REMEMBER ABOUT THAT DEBATE, BECAUSE IT IT DOES SEEM LIKE A LOT OF GUYS ARE COMING IN ON THIS RIGHT OFF THE BOAT, BUT WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT IT FOR YEARS. BUT ANYWAY, IF YOU DON'T WANT TO, THAT'S FINE. BUT THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON AND AND IT IS TREMENDOUSLY LESS EXPENSIVE. AND THAT'S ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS THEY'RE DOING IT IS TO LOWER THE COSTS OF BIRTHING. COUNCILWOMAN RAYMOND, DID YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING TO THAT OR. NO, NO NEED TO IF YOU DON'T WANT TO. I'M JUST CAUGHT UP ON COUNCILMAN BRADFORD TALKING ABOUT THE SECOND OLDEST PROFESSION. SO, YES, I'D SAY THIS IS ONE OF THE BETTER VETTED BILLS TO COME OUT OF FRANKFORT IN A LONG, LONG TIME. AND THE FACT THAT IT PASSED MEANT THAT EVERY STAKEHOLDER DOZENS AND DOZENS AND DOZENS FROM ACROSS THE BIRTHING [01:00:02] SPECTRUM, CAME TOGETHER AND SAID, THIS IS ACCEPTABLE TO US. SO I FEEL ABSOLUTELY COMFORTABLE IN US PUTTING IN PLACE THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT CAME OUT OF FRANKFORT'S PROCESS. THANK YOU. GOING BACK TO COUNCILMAN BACON, CATCHING UP WITH YOU AND TONY, I PROMISE A LOT OF A LOT OF QUESTIONS AND TRY TO UNDERSTAND THINGS. I GUESS THE I'M JUST GOING TO FLAT OUT JUST ASK IT RIGHT. WILL A BIRTHING CENTER ONLY BE ALLOWED TO DO BIRTHING CENTER STUFF, OR ARE THERE GOING TO BE OTHER MEDICAL PROCEDURES DONE THERE? NOW LET'S JUST SAY, YOU KNOW, MY WIFE GETS PREGNANT, WE ARE GOING TO GO TO A BIRTHING CENTER. DO WE JUST GO THERE FROM START TO FINISH OR. I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF NUANCES AND QUESTIONS TO ANSWERS TO MY QUESTIONS. I'M JUST TRYING TO REALLY WRAP MY HEAD AROUND THIS. SO FROM WHAT WHAT I'VE READ, AGAIN, WE DON'T HAVE ANY LOCAL EXAMPLES TO CITE, BUT THERE IS OTHER SERVICES PROVIDED AND SOME BIRTHING CENTERS, THEY ALL COULD OPERATE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY. SO I DON'T WANT TO SAY THAT THEY ALL OFFER THOSE OTHER SERVICES, BUT I THINK SOME DO HAVE SOME OTHER SERVICES THAT HAPPEN ON SITE FROM FROM US FROM A LOCAL PERSPECTIVE, THOUGH, ANY OTHER MEDICAL SERVICE CAPTURED UNDER THE MEDICAL CLINIC WOULD BE OKAY. ANYWAY. YOU CAN HAVE A DOCTOR'S OFFICE ANYWHERE THAT WE'RE ALLOWING THESE, SO IT WOULD. WE'RE NOT LIMITED TO A BIRTHING CENTER. SO LOCALLY, THE WAY WE DID IT BY INCLUDING IT IN THE MEDICAL CLINIC, IF THEY DID OFFER OTHER SERVICES LIKE ULTRASOUNDS OR OR CONSULTATIONS, IT WOULD BE OKAY. BUT IN PRACTICE, DO THEY DO THAT OR DO THEY USE OFF SITE FACILITIES? I THINK IT'S GOING TO DEPEND ON THE OPERATOR. AGAIN, THE ONES THAT I'VE READ, THEY'RE ALL THEY ALL CAN BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. THEY CAN BE DIFFERENT IN SCALE. THEY CAN. SOME ARE LARGER, SOME ARE SMALLER. SOME MAY NOT HAVE ALL THE FACILITIES ON SITE. SO YOU MIGHT HAVE TO GO OFF SITE FOR CERTAIN THINGS. JOE, IS THERE ANY EXAMPLES OF WHAT OTHER PEER CITIES THAT HAVE THESE OF THEIR SERVICES THAT THEY OFFER? DO WE HAVE ANY EXAMPLES OF THAT ANYWHERE? SO THE PEER CITIES THAT WE LOOK TO, I COULDN'T FIND A SINGLE PEER CITY THAT IN OUR AREA THAT HAS A SPECIFIC USE FOR THIS. THE ONLY TIME EVEN IN A LOCAL GOVERNMENT OF OUR SIZE, I THINK IT WAS BALTIMORE COUNTY IS THE ONLY CITY OR COUNTY THAT EVEN REFERENCED BIRTHING CENTERS. AND THEN THEY JUST ROLLED IT INTO THEIR CLINIC USE, SIMILAR TO WHAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING HERE. SO THERE WAS REALLY NOTHING INTO ANY OTHER CODES BESIDES VERY, VERY, VERY SMALL CITY CODES, MOSTLY IN THE WEST. SO I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING. NO. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT. SORRY. I DON'T HAVE ANYBODY ELSE IN THE QUEUE. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? CONCERNS ABOUT THIS CHAIR? CAN I MAKE A VERY BRIEF COMMENT? TRAVIS, ASSISTANT COUNTY ATTORNEY, JUST FOR ANYBODY INTERESTED, HOUSE BILL 90 DID DEAL WITH A LOT OF THESE REGULATORY QUESTIONS EXTENSIVELY, 55 PAGES WORTH. SO IT IS A DENSE READ. IT'S ALSO LOCATED WITHIN CHAPTER 216 B OF THE KRS. SO THERE'S AN ENTIRE LETTERED CHAPTER DEDICATED TO ALL THIS. SO OBVIOUSLY PLANNING STAFF WON'T BE INVOLVED IN THE MEDICAL LICENSURE AND MAKING SURE THAT THE PHYSICIANS HAVE THE RIGHT APPROVALS AND ALL SORTS OF THINGS. BUT BUT FRANKFORT HAS EXTENSIVELY SET THAT UP AND VETTED IT AND WILL BE DEALING WITH THE SORT OF STATE LEVEL CERTIFICATIONS FOR THESE THINGS. WE'RE REALLY ONLY CONCERNED WITH THE ZONING FRONT, AND WE'RE MAKING VERY LITTLE CHANGES HERE. WE ADDED THE DEFINITION AND ARE ALLOWING THEM IN C-3 BY RIGHT, WHICH IS BASICALLY JUST DOWNTOWN. SO IT'S REALLY A VERY SMALL CHANGE ON OUR FRONT. BUT THE CHANGE AT A STATE LEVEL IS PRETTY LARGE. SO I WOULD SUGGEST ANYBODY, THOSE LISTENING AT HOME WHO'S INTERESTED TO TO DIG INTO THOSE REGS. THANK YOU. TRAVIS. ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANYTHING BEFORE WE OPEN THE ROLL CALL. VOTE CHERYL, IF YOU'LL OPEN THE VOTE, PLEASE. VOTING IS OPEN. COUNCIL MEMBER RAYMOND. YES. THANK YOU. VOTING'S CLOSING CHAIR. YOU HAVE SEVEN YES VOTES. OKAY. THIS PASSED UNANIMOUSLY, AND WE CAN SEND THIS TO CONSENT, CAN'T WE? ANYBODY HAVE ANY CONCERN ABOUT SENDING A CONSENT? ALL RIGHT. IT'LL BE SENT TO THE CONSENT CALENDAR ON THE NEXT [3. O-263-25     AN ORDINANCE RELATING TO THE SOUTH CENTRAL NEIGHBORHOODS PLAN AND APPROVING ITS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AS AN AMENDMENT TO THE PLAN 2040 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN (CASE NO. 25-LDC-0010). Action Required By April 30, 2026  Sponsors: Andrew Owen (D-9) ] METRO COUNCIL AGENDA. NEXT ITEM, ITEM NUMBER 3026325. AN ORDINANCE RELATING TO THE SOUTH CENTRAL NEIGHBORHOODS PLAN, AND APPROVING ITS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AS AN AMENDMENT TO THE PLAN 2040. COMPREHENSIVE PLAN CASE NUMBER 25. DASH DASH 0010. CAN I GET A MOTION PROPERLY MOVED AND SECONDED, SIR. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS JOHN HAWKINS. I'M A SENIOR PLANNER IN THE LOUISVILLE METRO GOVERNMENT OFFICE OF PLANNING, AND I'M GOING TO TELL YOU ABOUT [01:05:04] THE SOUTH CENTRAL NEIGHBORHOODS PLAN. TODAY. WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE PLANNING AREA, THE PLANNING PROCESS, AND SOME COMPONENTS OF THE PLAN. SO IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE WE'VE HAD AN APPROVED NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN IN LOUISVILLE METRO. SO I JUST WANT TO GIVE EVERYONE A LITTLE BACKGROUND ABOUT NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING. SO AS WE KNOW, GREAT NEIGHBORHOODS DON'T JUST HAPPEN. THEY GROW AND CHANGE OVER TIME. AND WE CAN ENSURE THOSE CHANGES ARE POSITIVE THROUGH THE PLANS THAT WE MAKE. NEIGHBORHOOD PLANS ARE AN IMPORTANT WAY TO ESTABLISH THE GOALS OF A NEIGHBORHOOD AND COORDINATE THOSE ACTIONS WITH THOSE OF THE CITY. SO NEIGHBORHOOD PLANS ALLOW THE COMMUNITY TO BE PROACTIVE. THEY ESTABLISH GOALS FOR YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND COORDINATES THOSE ACTIONS WITH THE CITY. AS I SAID BEFORE, IT BUILDS A SENSE OF SHARED VALUES, OBJECTIVES, AND VISION BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY AND LOUISVILLE METRO GOVERNMENT. IT STIMULATES PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE INTERESTS, IMPROVES COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN CITIZENS AND CITY DEPARTMENTS, AND IT ALSO INVOLVES THE NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS. SO THESE ARE SORT OF WHAT NEIGHBORHOOD PLANS DO AND DON'T DO. SO A NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN AGAIN CREATES A SHARED VISION, DEVELOPS A PLAN TO GUIDE SUSTAINABLE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT, ESTABLISHES PRIORITIES AND SHARED VALUES BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY AND LOUISVILLE METRO GOVERNMENT, AND RECOMMENDS SPECIFIC STEPS TOWARDS IMPLEMENTATION. IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT A NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN DOES NOT ENACT REGULATION, SO THESE ARE POLICY DOCUMENTS THAT ARE NOT REGULATORY DOCUMENTS. NEIGHBORHOOD PLANS DON'T AUTOMATICALLY CHANGE ZONING OR FORM DISTRICTS, AND THEY DON'T NECESSARILY. THE PLAN ITSELF DOES NOT IMPLEMENT THE RECOMMENDATIONS. SO THAT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE COMMUNITY AND LOUISVILLE METRO GOVERNMENT COUNCIL OFFICE AND THE APPROPRIATE AGENCIES AND NEIGHBORHOOD PLANS ALSO DO NOT APPROPRIATE FUNDING FOR PROJECTS. SO AGAIN, THOSE RESPONSIBILITIES WOULD FALL ON COUNCIL OFFICE OR PUBLIC WORKS OR THE APPROPRIATE AGENCY, DEPENDING ON WHAT THE PROJECT IS. SO ALL NEIGHBORHOOD PLANS NEED TO BE PREPARED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PRINCIPLES THAT WE'RE ALL FAMILIAR WITH CONNECTED, HEALTHY, AUTHENTIC, SUSTAINABLE AND EQUITABLE AND SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS FOUND IN NEIGHBORHOOD PLANS ARE INTENDED TO TAKE PRECEDENCE OVER THE MORE GENERAL GUIDELINES OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, KNOWN AS PLAN 2040. SO NEIGHBORHOOD PLANS ARE REQUIRED BY ORDINANCE TO HAVE A SPECIFIC SET OF COMPONENTS AN INTRODUCTION A VISION STATEMENT THAT IS CRAFTED WITH THE COMMUNITY NEIGHBORHOOD IDENTITY SECTION THAT DISCUSSES THE HISTORY AND THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF AN AREA, AND THE MANDATORY PLANNING COMPONENTS ARE LAND USE AND COMMUNITY FARM MOBILITY AND HOUSING. THERE CAN ALSO BE OPTIONAL COMPONENTS TO A NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN. IN THIS PARTICULAR PLAN HAS A HEALTH EQUITY COMPONENT, AND THERE'S THE IMPLEMENTATION SECTION, WHICH IS PART OF THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, WHICH GETS ADOPTED INTO THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AS AN AMENDMENT. SO JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE AREAS. SO THIS PLAN IS FOR FIVE FIVE NEIGHBORHOODS SURROUNDING THE LOUISVILLE MUHAMMAD ALI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, PRESTON PARK, WILDER PARK, BEECHMONT SOUTH SIDE, AND SOUTHLAND PARK. THIS PLAN WAS STARTED INITIATED BY FORMER METRO COUNCIL MEMBER NICOLE GEORGE WHEN SHE WAS THE DISTRICT 21 COUNCIL PERSON, AND THE STUDY AREA LIES WITHIN METRO COUNCIL DISTRICTS 21 AND 25. SO HERE'S THE VISION STATEMENT FOR THE SOUTH CENTRAL NEIGHBORHOODS PLAN. SO LOUISVILLE SOUTH CENTRAL NEIGHBORHOODS ARE HOME TO DISTINCT AND DIVERSE COMMUNITIES THAT STRIVE TO PROMOTE REINVESTMENT INTO EXISTING PLACES IN THE COMMUNITY AND INCREASE CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN THEM BY PRIORITIZING HIGH QUALITY COMMUNITY FACILITIES, SAFE AND HEALTHY NEIGHBORHOODS, ACCESSIBLE AND CONNECTED PUBLIC SPACES, AND EQUITABLE ACCESS TO RESOURCES. THE NEIGHBORHOODS OF BEECHMONT, PRESTON PARK, SOUTHLAND PARK, SOUTH SIDE, AND WILDER PARK WILL ENRICH AND STRENGTHEN LOUISVILLE INTO THE FUTURE. SO HERE'S A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PLANNING PROCESS. SO WHAT ACTIONS DID WE TAKE TO GET HERE TODAY? PHASE ONE OF THE PLANNING PROCESS FOCUSED ON DEVELOPING THE EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT. SO JUST NOTING LAND USE DEMOGRAPHICS POPULATION PHASE TWO IDENTIFIED STRATEGIES TO SUPPORT THE NEIGHBORHOOD'S VISION THAT I JUST JUST RECITED. AND PHASE THREE WAS FOCUSED ON FINE TUNING THE PLAN RECOMMENDATIONS IN ACCORDANCE WITH GUIDANCE FROM THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY [01:10:02] GROUP AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS. SO HERE'S THE PROJECT TIMELINE. IT'S QUITE A LENGTHY PROJECT. SO IT STARTED IN FALL OF 2022 AND WRAPPING UP TODAY ACTUALLY. SO THIS IS THIS IS THE NEXT TO FINAL STEP IN ADOPTION OF THIS PLAN. SO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WE WE DON'T CREATE THESE PLANS WITHOUT WITHOUT THE COMMUNITY. AND THERE WERE SEVERAL COMPONENTS TO THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS. THERE WAS AN ONLINE SURVEY, TWO PUBLIC WORKSHOPS, THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY GROUP, WHICH IS A GROUP THAT IS APPOINTED BY THE MAYOR. AND IT'S A REQUIREMENT BY ORDINANCE THAT EACH PLAN HAS A COMMUNITY ADVISORY GROUP. SO THEY HAD FOUR MEETINGS. THERE WAS A PROJECT WEBSITE. OVERALL, 130 PEOPLE PROVIDED INPUT ON THIS PLAN. SO THIS WAS NOT DONE IN A BUBBLE WITH NO PUBLIC INPUT. THIS WAS DONE VERY MUCH IN COOPERATION WITH THE COMMUNITY. SO I'M JUST GOING TO GIVE A LITTLE INFORMATION ABOUT THE CONTENTS OF THE PLAN, AND WE'LL LOOK AT THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE PLAN NEXT. SO THE PLAN INCLUDES AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, WHICH AGAIN WILL BE PART OF WHAT GETS ADOPTED INTO PLAN 2040 SECTION ONE. SO PLANNING FOR TOMORROW. SO THAT'S JUST BACKGROUND ON THE PLANNING PROCESS AND THE AREA. SO SECTION TWO THE NEIGHBORHOODS TODAY. SO THERE'S A PROFILE OF EACH NEIGHBORHOOD WITH LAND USE DEMOGRAPHICS AND OTHER PERTINENT INFORMATION. SECTION THREE VISION STATEMENT AND THE SEVEN GOALS OF THIS PLAN. SECTION FOUR IS DEALS WITH ACTIVITY CENTERS. SO WE'RE TRYING TO SORT OF CREATE A CENTRALIZED AREA OF OF DEVELOPMENT AND IMPROVEMENTS IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE PLAN AREA AND STRATEGIES AND ACTION STEPS. SO THAT'S HOW WE TAKE THIS PLAN FROM JUST A A LENGTHY DOCUMENT INTO ACTIONABLE ITEMS. AND AGAIN, THAT'S REINFORCED IN THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN IN SECTION SIX THERE ARE TWO APPENDICES. ONE IS EXISTING CONDITIONS AND APPENDIX B IS THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT REPORT, WHICH INCLUDES RESULTS FROM THE SURVEY AND SOME DISCUSSION. ONLINE DISCUSSION FROM THE ONLINE FORUM FROM THE WEBSITE. SO HERE ARE THE LAND USE AND COMMUNITY FORUM GOALS. SO LAND USE ONE. ENSURE THAT DEVELOPMENT AND REDEVELOPMENT IS COMPATIBLE WITH THE FORM OF THE EXISTING AREA. SO THESE ARE OLDER ESTABLISHED NEIGHBORHOODS AND WE WANT TO KEEP THE EXISTING THE EXISTING FORM OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD CREATE ATTRACTIVE AND INVITING PUBLIC SPACES AND ENHANCE THE HISTORIC CHARACTER OF THE SOUTH CENTRAL NEIGHBORHOODS THROUGH PRESERVATION. THE HOUSING GOALS HOUSING GOAL ONE ENSURE CURRENT AND FUTURE COMMUNITY MEMBERS CAN CONTINUE LIVING IN THE SOUTH CENTRAL NEIGHBORHOODS BY INCREASING HOUSING CHOICE AND OPPORTUNITIES. SO WE WANT PEOPLE TO HAVE A VARIETY OF HOUSING OPTIONS, AND WE WANT THEM TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO LIVE THERE. WE WANT TO TO SERVE DIVERSE HOUSING NEEDS AND HOUSEHOLD COMPOSITIONS BY ENCOURAGING A RANGE OF HOUSING OPTIONS. MOBILITY GOAL. WE WANT TO CONNECT RESIDENTIAL AREAS WITH EMPLOYMENT AND ACTIVITY CENTERS BY PRIORITIZING SAFE AND ACCESSIBLE MODES OF TRANSPORTATION AND THE HEALTH EQUITY GOAL THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER. SO WE WANT TO PROTECT AND STRENGTHEN PUBLIC HEALTH EFFORTS THROUGH IMPROVED AIR QUALITY, POLLUTION REMEDIATION, AND TARGETED TREE CANOPY IMPROVEMENTS TO IMPROVE AIR QUALITY IN THE AREA. SO AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THERE ARE TWO APPENDICES. APPENDIX A IS THE EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT. EXCUSE ME, INCLUDES DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION, PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS, LAND USE, ZONING, AND OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS. AND APPENDIX B IS THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT REPORT, WHICH HAS DETAILS ABOUT THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY GROUP MEETINGS, PUBLIC WORKSHOPS, AND RESULTS FROM THE ONLINE SURVEY. SO OUR REQUEST TODAY IS WE WOULD LIKE YOU TO RECOMMEND TO THE LOUISVILLE METRO COUNCIL THAT THE SOUTH CENTRAL NEIGHBORHOODS PLAN, WITH APPENDICES BE APPROVED, APPROVED, WITH MODIFICATIONS OR DENIED, AND ALSO TO RECOMMEND THAT THE LOUISVILLE METRO COUNCIL RECOMMEND THE ADOPTION OF THE SOUTH CENTRAL NEIGHBORHOODS PLAN. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY. AS AN AMENDMENT TO PLAN 2040, EITHER AS IS OR WITH RECOMMENDATIONS OR DENIED, AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. THANK YOU JOHN. SO THOSE TWO REQUESTS, CAN WE DO BOTH OF THOSE REQUESTS IN ONE VOTE OR SO? IT'S IT'S JUST A IT'S JUST APPROVED OR NOT. AND THOSE AREN'T SEPARATED OKAY. [01:15:05] COUNCILMEMBER BATON, THANK YOU MISTER CHAIR. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. I APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'VE PUT FORTH ON THIS. EVERYTHING LOOKS GREAT. SOUNDS GREAT. YOU KNOW, HONORED TO BE ABLE TO HELP MOVE THIS FORWARD. AND YOU HAVE MY SUPPORT. MY ONE THING THAT STRUCK ALARMING TO ME AND AND THAT WAS THE AMOUNT OF ENGAGED FOLKS, YOU I THINK YOU SAID THERE'S 32 RESPONSES ONLINE AND 130 COMMENTS TOTAL. IS THAT CORRECT? THERE WERE 130 PEOPLE THAT PROVIDED INPUT ON THE PLAN. SO THAT COULD HAVE BEEN THROUGH PUBLIC MEETINGS, THAT COULD HAVE BEEN INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY GROUP. THAT COULD ALSO HAVE BEEN INPUT DURING THE 30 DAY COMMENT PERIOD THAT WE ONCE WE FINALIZED THE DRAFT OF THE PLAN, WE HAD A 30 DAY COMMENT PERIOD FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. SO AGAIN, THIS IS JUST I THINK IN MY PERSONAL OPINION, I THINK THAT'S A LITTLE LOW CONSIDERING YOUR CONSTITUENT BASE IS 30,000 PLUS POSSIBLE RESIDENTS BETWEEN THE TWO DISTRICTS. AND AND THE AMOUNT OF RESPONSES THAT THAT CAME IN OR COMMUNITY INPUT, IS THERE NOT A REQUIREMENT OR THRESHOLD THAT YOU HAVE TO MEET? AND AND THE REASON I ASK THAT IS, IS I WENT THROUGH A PROCESS JUST EARLIER THIS YEAR, WE WERE RENAMING A PARK BEFORE IT WAS OPENED UP, AND THE REQUIREMENT THRESHOLD WAS 200 TO GET SOMETHING DONE WITHIN A FEW MONTHS. AND YOU'VE ONLY HAD 130 COMMENTS OR ENGAGEMENTS SINCE 22. SO I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND HOW THAT BALANCES OUT. SO YEAH, I UNDERSTAND. SO THERE'S NO A THERE'S NOT A REQUIREMENT AS YOU DESCRIBED FOR RENAMING A PARK. THERE'S A REQUIRED NUMBER OF MEETINGS, BUT THERE IS NOT A SPECIFIC NUMBER OF TOUCHPOINTS WITH MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY. I WILL SAY ONE THING TO KEEP IN MIND IS THIS PROCESS STARTED IN 2022. SO WE'RE RIGHT ON THE HEELS OF COVID. A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE NOT REALLY EXCITED ABOUT GETTING IN ROOMS WITH OTHER PEOPLE AT THAT TIME, AND THIS IS I'M GOING TO SAY THIS IS PROBABLY THE SIXTH OR SEVENTH NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN THAT I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN. AND, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IS ALWAYS IT'S ALWAYS A STRUGGLE, YOU KNOW, IN ANY SORT OF KIND OF ENGAGEMENT WITH GOVERNMENT TO THE PUBLIC. AND I, I FEEL THAT THIS IS KIND OF A NORMAL AMOUNT OF PARTICIPATION. I WOULD LIKE IT TO BE HIGHER. MOST DEFINITELY. BUT IT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S JUST KIND OF THE WAY IT WORKED OUT. AGAIN, I THINK THE COVID SITUATION HAD A WHOLE LOT TO DO WITH IT. WELL, JUST FOR FULL TRANSPARENCY, I THINK I HAVE A SMALL PORTION THERE AS DISTRICT FIVE IS THAT SLIVER OF SOUTH SIDE THERE. AND AND I'VE, I'VE THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE HAD ANY CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS, THIS PLAN. SO IN THIS PLAN WHERE CAN WE REVIEW IT AND SEE ARE THERE ANY LAND DEVELOPMENT, YOU KNOW, REQUIREMENTS OR CHANGES OR, OR HOW DOES THE THE LAYOUT OF THE LANDSCAPE LOOK FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS TO COME AND GROW AND AND DEVELOP THESE, THIS, THESE NEIGHBORHOODS. SO THE THE PLAN IS AVAILABLE ONLINE ON THE OFFICE OF PLANNING WEBSITE. AND IT'S REALLY IT IT'S IT'S QUITE A LENGTHY DOCUMENT. BUT THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, SPECIFIC LAND USE AND HOUSING GOALS. AND BEYOND THE GOALS THERE'S ACTION ITEMS WHICH ARE ALL PART OF THE IMPLEMENTATION TABLE. THAT WOULD BE PART OF THE AMENDMENT TO PLAN 2040. I'M NOT SURE IF THAT ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION. YES. OKAY. I'M HESITANT TO TO SAY SOMETHING, BUT I'M GOING TO LET MY COLLEAGUES GO FIRST. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR YOUR WORK. THANK YOU SIR. COUNCILWOMAN RUBY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I JUST WANT TO LET YOU GUYS KNOW WHEN A NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN IS USUALLY DONE. IT'S USUALLY DONE ON ONE NEIGHBORHOOD. BUT BECAUSE THESE AREAS AROUND THE AIRPORT ALL HAVE THE SIMILAR CHALLENGES WITH NOISE AND WITH INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT AND POLLUTION, ALL OF THAT. THAT'S WHY COUNCILWOMAN GEORGE DECIDED TO DO THEM ALL AS ONE DOCUMENT. AND YES, IT'S TAKEN A VERY LONG TIME TO DO IT. THERE WAS MANY OPPORTITIE FOR COMMUNITY INPUT, AND I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT JOHN AND THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE STAFF HAVE DONE. AND I ASK YOU ALL TO PASS THIS. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN BRATCHER. SIR, HOW MANY DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY NEIGHBORHOOD PLANS LIKE THIS WE HAVE ACROSS THE STATE? THE COUNTY. SO CURRENTLY ALL OF THE ADOPTED PLANS ARE AVAILABLE ON THE OFFICE OF PLANNING WEBSITE THAT I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT NUMBER, BUT IT'S SOMEWHERE AROUND 40. AND THOSE DATE BACK TO 2002 ISH. SO WE STILL HAVE PLANS PRE-MERGER [01:20:03] THAT ARE AVAILABLE ON THE WEBSIT THE ONES PRE-MEER, TH? WEY HAVE ANY VALIDITY WIT HAPPEN IS A PLAN WOULD GET REPLACED WITH A NEW PLAN. SO BUT THE PLANS ARE INITIATED NORMALLY BY THE COUNCIL OFFICE. SO IF A COUNCIL DISTRICT DOES NOT INITIATE A NEW PLAN, IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY GET REPLACED. WE'RE CURRENTLY LOOKING AT WAYS TO TO SORT OF REFINE THAT PROCESS. BUT THAT'S IN THE VERY EARLY STAGES AT THIS POINT. AND I CAN ADD JUST A LITTLE BIT TO THAT. WHENEVER WE PASS A NEW COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, WE'VE GONE THROUG PROCESS OF ADOPTING THOSE NEIGHBORHOOD PLANS AND EXECUTIVE SUMMARIES TO THE NEW PLANS. THAT WAS DONE FOR PLAN 2040 WAS DONE PREVIOUSLY FOR PLAN 2020, CORNERSTONE 2020. SO, OR I GUESS THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN CREATED OVER THE COURSE OF 2020. SO 2040 WOULD HAVE BEEN THE FIRST TIME WE DID THAT. RE-ADOPTION IN ANY CASE, YOU KNOW, COUNCIL DOES HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY AT LEAST EVERY 20 YEARS WHEN THAT BIG CHANGE COMES THROUGH TO TO CONSIDER WHETHER OR NOT THESE SHOULD BE REINCORPORATED. AND THAT'S BEFORE ANY SORT OF NEW PROCESS WE MAY INCORPORATE REGARDING, YOU KNOW, REQUIRED UPDATES OR, OR THOSE SORTS OF THINGS. AND IF I COULD ADD, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE NOT REGULATORY DOCUMENTS. AGAIN, THEY'RE POLICY DOCUMENTS. AND THEY SUGGEST A VARIETY OF PROJECTS. IF A PLAN WAS WRITTEN 15 YEARS AGO, AND ONE OF THE COMPONENTS OF THE PLAN IS, YOU KNOW, IMPROVE PEDESTRIAN SAFETY BY REPAIRING SIDEWALKS, IF THAT HASN'T BEEN DONE, YOU KNOW, EVEN THOUGH THAT'S 15 YEARS OLD, THAT DOESN'T REALLY INVALIDATE THE NEED FOR THAT PROJECT, IF THAT MAKES SENSE. CAN I CAN I MAKE I MAKE THIS STATEMENT. YOU TELL ME IF IT'S A CORRECT STATEMENT. THESE THIS PLAN RIGHT HERE AND THE OTHERS ARE SOMETHING THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION USES DURING THEIR DEBATE IN THEIR DECISION MAKING, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE TO STICK TO IT. THAT IS CORRECT, SIR. YES. IT'S JUST LIKE GUIDELINES, NOT LAW. EXACTLY. THESE ARE THESE ARE JUST POLICY DOCUMENTS. THEY'RE NOT THERE'S NO REGULATION ASSIGNED TO THEM OTHER THAN THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY BEING ADOPTED INTO PLAN 2040. AND THEN ONE ONE LAST QUESTION. DOES. SO WHAT'S THE CORNERSTONE JUST IN 1 OR 2 SENTENCES. WHAT'S THE CORNERSTONE? 240 IS THAT A PLAN? SO PLAN 2040. YES, THAT IS THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. SO THAT'S A MORE GENERAL SET OF GUIDELINES FOR DEVELOPMENT THROUGHOUT LOUISVILLE METRO. SO IF YOU KIND OF THINK OF IT AS LAYERS, THE COMP PLAN PLAN 2040 WOULD BE SORT OF YOUR BASE LAYER. AND THEN AS YOU GO UP LAYERS WITH NEIGHBORHOOD PLANS, THINGS GET MORE SPECIFIC AND MORE DETAILED. AND THEN ONE, ONE LAST, LAST QUESTION. SO SAY YOU HAVE A SOUTH CENTRAL COUNCILMAN. WHAT WHAT'S ONE OF THE CITY'S I MEAN, THE NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU HAVE A CITY, BEACH PARK, ORGANIZED CITY. WE DON'T HAVE ANY CITIES. WELL, WHAT I'M THINKING IS LIKE, SAY, SAY THERE WAS A CITY INSIDE THIS OR ANY OTHER SAINT MATTHEWS OR J-TOWN OR WHATEVER. WHAT? AND I KNOW THIS COULD OPEN UP A WHOLE TWO HOUR DEBATE, BUT WHAT WHAT INFLUENCE DOES THAT CITY HAVE OVER WHAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION DOES? DOES THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAVE TO FOLLOW THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS TO. AND I KNOW IT PROBABLY DEPENDS ON THE CITY. SO YES, IT DOES DEPEND ON THE CITY A LOT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, SOME CITIES, SOME CITIES DO HAVE ZONING AUTHORITY AND SOME DON'T. I'D SAY PROBABLY A GOOD WAY TO THINK ABOUT THIS IS I'M WORKING FOR I'M WORKING ON A PLAN FOR FOR A SMALL CITY WITHIN LOUISVILLE METRO, WHICH IS ACTUALLY A VERY, VERY RARE OCCURRENCE. SO WE ARE WORKING WITH NOT ONLY WITH THE COUNCIL DISTRICT OFFICE THAT THAT CITY IS IN, BUT WE ARE ALSO WORKING WITH THAT CITY'S CITY COUNCIL TO MAKE SURE AS WE MOVE THE PLAN FORWARD. SO SO THEY DEFINITELY DO HAVE INFLUENCE WHEN THAT IS THE SITUATION. AGAIN, IT'S VERY RARE TO DO A PLAN FOR A SMALL CITY LIKE THAT, BUT IT HAS HAPPENED. WELL, DOES THE CITY HAVE TO FOLLOW THIS PLAN? WELL, AGAIN, THEY'RE THEY'RE I'M SORRY, I'M SORRY. DOES THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAVE TO FOLLOW THE CITY'S I GUESS I DON'T KNOW, THE INTERACTION BETWEEN THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE CITY. SO AGAIN, THAT'S A THAT'S A VERY, VERY RARE SITUATION. AND IF IF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THAT SMALL CITY DID NOT APPROVE THE PLAN, WE WOULD HAVE TO WE WOULD HAVE TO TAKE ACTIONS TO MAKE IT SOMETHING THAT THEY COULD APPROVE BEFORE IT WOULD GO TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION. THANK YOU. YEAH. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN BECERRA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. AGAIN, THANK YOU SO [01:25:03] MUCH FOR YOUR WORK AND YOUR EFFORTS ON THIS. I AGAIN, I WAS HESITANT TO TO TO MOTION THIS, BUT I, I'M GOING TO MOTION IT JUST BECAUSE I WOULD I WOULD LOVE TO REALLY JUST KIND OF DIVE INTO THIS OVER THE NEXT TWO WEEKS. SO I WANT A MOTION TO TABLE THIS PARTICULAR MOVING TODAY JUST BECAUSE I WANT TO UNDERSTAND IT, BECAUSE I WOULD LOVE TO DO SOMETHING IN THIS FACET MOVING FORWARD IN SOME OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTY, BUT I REALLY WANT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE WHAT POSSIBLE RESTRICTIONS AND OR THINGS THAT CAN BE STOPPED OR NOT STOPPED BY THIS NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN. BECAUSE AS WE CONTINUE TO WANT TO GROW IN OUR CITY AND MOVE FORWARD, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE LIMITATIONS ARE ARE THERE FOR THE THINGS THAT ARE NOT NET POSITIVE GROWTH BEFORE. BEFORE WE ADDRESS THAT. SO THIS THIS PLAN IS NON-BINDING, ENTIRELY NON-BINDING. IT IS GUIDELINES AND RECOMMENDATIONS. SO THERE'S NO STOPPING ANYTHING BASED ON THIS BASED ON THIS NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN. I UNDERSTAND. OKAY, MR. CHAIR, MY, MY MY RELUCTANCE COMES INTO PLAY OF JUST TRYING TO TRULY JUST DIGEST IT AND UNDERSTAND IT. AND I WOULD LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE TWO WEEKS TO DO THAT. WE'VE WAITED THEY'VE SPENT THREE YEARS GETTING HERE WITH MY I GUESS MY BIGGEST CONCERN COMES INTO PLAY, WHERE THE AMOUNT OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT THAT WAS THERE, AND I THINK THAT NUMBER SHOULD HAVE BEEN HIGHER. AND I WOULD LIKE TO JUST BE A LITTLE BIT MORE ENGAGED AND UNDERSTANDING OF WHY YOU'VE CAME TO HERE. AND I THINK IT'S OBVIOUSLY A GREAT PLAN. I HAVE NOTHING AGAINST THAT. I JUST WANT TO LOOK AT IT. I WANT TO TAKE TWO WEEKS TO BEFORE WE MOVE THIS, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO VOTE YES ON SOMETHING THAT I DON'T FULLY UNDERSTAND YET. SO I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO TABLE A MOTION TO TABLE IN FRONT OF US. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND PROPERLY SECONDED. SO THIS IS VOICE VOTE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED? PLEASE SAY NO. NO. SO IT'S THREE THREE. SO THAT'S FAIL RIGHT. SO. OH SO WE HAVE A I'M SORRY VOTE TO TABLE. THAT'S THE VOTE YEA OR NAY FOR YOU COUNCILWOMAN. NAY NAY. SO IT FAILS THREE TO 3 TO 4. SHOULD WE DO A ROLL CALL JUST TO BE SAFE. YES. WE CAN OPEN UP A ROLL CALL. VOTE. IS THAT WHAT'S ON THE SCREEN? SHARE? YES. OKAY. THAT'LL BE 1016. COUNCIL MEMBER RAYMOND. YES. WHAT WHAT WHAT IT ONLY IS ABOUT IS. OKAY, SO THIS SO SO SO WE DID A VOICE VOTE ON THE ON THE MOTION TO TABLE. AND THEN IN CHAMBERS IT WAS REQUESTED THAT WE DO A ROLL CALL VOTE. SO WE WOULD HAVE THE RECORD OF WHO VOTED WHAT. SO WE'RE. DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE VOTING ON. YES YES YES I'M SORRY I THOUGHT WE'D MOVED ON TO THE ACTUAL PLAN. SO I'M STILL IN A TABLE NAY TO TABLE. RIGHT. AND SO, CHERYL, WE'VE GOT A TABULATION UP HERE. IT'S NOT WE DON'T HAVE VOTES FROM CHAIR HOBSON. YEAH, IT CLOSED VERY QUICKLY. COUNCILMEMBER BIRCHER. NOW THERE'S THE VOTE. OKAY, SO WE HAVE THREE VOTES FOR AND THREE VOTES AGAINST. SO IT FAILS AND FOUR VOTES AGAINST. SO IT FAILS. OKAY. SO I DON'T HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL SPEAKERS IN THE QUEUE. DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS CONCERNS ISSUES. BEFORE WE OPEN UP A ROLL CALL VOTE FOR THE ORDINANCE ITSELF. ALL RIGHT CHERYL, OPEN UP THE ROLL CALL. PLEASE. OPEN. AND JUST SO EVERYBODY, WE'RE VOTING NOW ON THE ADOPTING OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN THAT WAS PRESENTED IN FRONT OF US. YES. VOTE. YES. VOTE IS TO ADOPT THE PLAN. COUNCIL MEMBER RAYMOND. YES. THANK YOU. VOTE IS CLOSING. CHERRY HAS SIX YES AND ONE NO. OKAY. SO SIX. YES. PRESENT. I'M SORRY. SIX. YES. AND ONE PRESENTS WITH THE PRESENT VOTE. DOES THAT HAVE TO GO TO OLD BUSINESS? OKAY. SO THIS WILL BE FORWARDED TO OLD BUSINESS ON THE NEXT COUNCIL AGENDA. OKAY. NEXT ITEM IN FRONT OF US IS [4. R-134-25     A RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE PLANNING COMMISSION REVIEW THE LOUISVILLE METRO LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE RELATING TO PACKAGE LIQUOR STORES. Action Required By April 30, 2026  Sponsors: Jeff Hudson (R-23), Khalil Batshon (R-25)] [01:30:01] NUMBER 4R-13425. A RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE PLANNING COMMISSION REVIEW THE LOUISVILLE METRO LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE RELATING TO PACKAGE LIQUOR STORES. MOTION. OKAY. THANK YOU. PROPERLY MOVED AND SECONDED. JULIA, I REALLY DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD. SO WE'RE BASICALLY JUST DOING A GENERAL REVIEW OF WHAT WE'VE GOT. AND ARE WE? THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IT'S BEEN ON OUR AGENDA. YES. I COULD MAYBE SPEAK TO IT QUICKLY. OKAY. TRAVIS, COULD YOU THE REASON MY STAFF AGAIN, TRAVIS, ASSISTANT COUNTY ATTORNEY, THE REASON STAFF MAY NOT BE SUPER AWARE BECAUSE THIS IS A COUNCIL INITIATED SORT OF FRONT END OF THE PROCESS, DEALING WITH PACKAGE LIQUOR STORES AND SOME POTENTIAL AMENDMENTS TO THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE. I KNOW COUNCIL MEMBERS VACHON AND HUDSON ARE SPONSORS, SO ONE OF THEM MAY WANT TO SPEAK TO IT. AND I'M ALSO AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS. OKAY. COUNCILMAN HUDSON, DOES THAT MEAN. OH, YEAH. COUNCILMAN HUDSON, SORRY. THANK YOU. CHAIR. YEAH. JUST TO ADD SOME BACKGROUND TO THIS WITHOUT IMPLICATING ANY SPECIFIC APPLICANT OR LIQUOR STORE, THERE WAS A LIQUOR STORE IN MY DISTRICT THAT WAS FILED. HAD FILED AN APPLICATION WITH ABC DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET FROM A HIGH SCHOOL AND DIRECTLY NEXT DOOR TO AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. AND WHEN I SAY DIRECTLY, I MEAN THEIR PROPERTY LINES ARE COLLINEAR. THERE WAS A GROUNDSWELL OF COMMUNITY OPPOSITION TO THIS, AND THE LOCAL ABC BOARD DENIED THE APPLICATION. THE NEXT STEP IN THE PROCESS IS THE APPLICANT HAS THE RIGHT TO APPEAL TO THE STATE. THE STATE BOARD CONSISTS OF THREE GOVERNOR APPOINTED PEOPLE, AND THEY JUST, WITHOUT ASKING ANY QUESTIONS, PASSED IT OR APPROVED IT RATHER. TOTALLY IGNORED THE. COMMENTS FROM THE COMMUNITY. IF THEY EVEN LOOKED AT IT AS FAST AS IT WENT, I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THEY GAVE IT ANY CONSIDERATION AT ALL. SO. A LITTLE MORE BACKGROUND ON IT IS THERE ARE NO LAWS IN THE STATE OF KENTUCKY THAT PROHIBIT A LIQUOR STORE FROM BEING RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO A SCHOOL, OR A CHURCH OR A DAYCARE CENTER OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. THERE USED TO BE, AND A LAWSUIT WAS FILED CLAIMING THAT IT VIOLATED THE CONSTITUTIONAL FREE SPEECH, AND THAT LAWSUIT WON. SO CONSEQUENTLY, THERE ARE NO LAWS PROHIBITING LIQUOR STORE FROM BEING RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO A SCHOOL. SO WHAT I'M ASKING FOR AND AND CO-SPONSOR VACHON ARE ASKING FOR IN THIS ORDINANCE IS TO ASK THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO LOOK AT THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE AND SEE IF THE CURRENT LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE CAN BE AMENDED TO ADD DISTANCING REQUIREMENTS FOR LIQUOR STORES, IN THE SAME WAY THAT WE HAVE DISTANCING REQUIREMENTS FOR RETAIL SMOKING STORES. AND THAT IS IT IN A NUTSHELL. TRAVIS. BIG NUTSHELL. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN HUDSON. TRAVIS. WE USED TO HAVE A 600 FOOT DISTANCE REQUIREMENT, I THINK, FOR LIQUOR STORES THAT I THINK WAS APPEALED TO THE SUPREME COURT AND WAS WAS STRUCK DOWN. CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT A LITTLE BIT? IS THAT CORRECT? SO I CAN A LITTLE BIT AND ADMITTEDLY THIS IS NOT QUITE IF YOU WOULD LIKE A MORE IN-DEPTH CONVERSATION ABOUT SORT OF ABC ISSUES AND THE LIKE, I MIGHT GET ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES WHO REPRESENTS THAT BODY TO COME FORWARD. MY GENERAL UNDERSTANDING OF THAT CASE IS THAT IT WAS STRUCK DOWN, BUT IT WASN'T NECESSARILY STRUCK DOWN ON THE BASIS OF THE HAVING A DISTANCING REQUIREMENT. IT WAS MORE IN SORT OF THE CONTENT OF IT. I BELIEVE IT WAS APPLIED ONLY TO LOUISVILLE. OR MAYBE I MIGHT BE CONFUSING TWO CASES HERE, BUT I THINK THERE WAS ONE SITUATION WHERE THERE WAS A SPECIAL LEGISLATION CHALLENGE AND THEN A SEPARATE MATTER IN WHICH RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS HAD THE ABILITY TO UNILATERALLY VETO AN ABC LICENSE WITHIN THEIR SORT OF SURROUNDING AREA FOR ANY REASON AT ALL, WHICH COULD INCLUDE IMPERMISSIBLE FIRST AMENDMENT REASONS. SO THERE'S SOME COMPLICATION TO THE LEGAL HISTORY HERE. THERE WAS A DISTANCING RESTRICTION THAT WAS STRUCK DOWN, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE IT WAS SOLELY ON THE BASIS OF A DISTANCING [01:35:04] RESTRICTION EXISTING. AND IT WAS RELATED TO THE ABC LICENSURE, NOT TO ZONING. SO WE'RE DISTINCT ENOUGH THAT WE FEEL COMFORTABLE FROM A LEGAL PERSPECTIVE EXPLORING THIS. YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WE'RE NOT PASSING ANY CHANGES TODAY. RIGHT. THANK YOU TRAVIS. AND THAT WAS GOING TO BE MY NEXT QUESTION. LIKE IF WE DECIDED WE WANTED TO RESTRICT BASED ON ZONING, LIKE I'M JUST MAKING IT UP ALLOWED IN C1 AND NOT C2 OR VICE OR REVERSE. THAT WAS NOT SOMETHING THAT THEY WEIGHED IN ON. THAT'S ALSO CORRECT. AND WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THAT. THAT'S PART OF OUR ZONING AUTHORITY. WE DO. AND ABC AND ABC COUNCIL FEELS THAT ZONING IS INTENTIONALLY LEFT AS AN AREA WHERE WE CAN IMPACT SOME OF THESE THINGS BY THE STATE WITHIN THE ABC FIELD. OKAY. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN BATCHELOR. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU, TRAVIS. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN HUDSON, FOR KIND OF ARTICULATING THAT MAYBE A LITTLE BIT BETTER THAN I WAS GOING TO. I WOULD LIKE TO TOUCH ON A FEW POINTS, THOUGH. THIS JUST FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE PUBLIC. AND TO UNDERSTAND THIS IS NOT A PROHIBITION ON, ON LIQUOR STORES OR, OR ANYTHING OF THAT NATURE. WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS REALLY KIND OF HONE IN ON THE CONCENTRATION OF WHERE THERE'S SO MANY IN ONE IN POCKETS OF THE COMMUNITY. AND, AND REALLY, WE'VE SPOKEN TO SOME ACADEMICS AT UOFL THAT IN A RISK TERRAIN ANALYSIS THAT IF WE CAN KIND TO. NOT NECESSARILY PICK AND CHOOSE, BUT LIMIT THE AMOUNT WITHIN CERTAIN DISTANCES OF SCHOOLS, CHURCHES, PLAYGROUNDS, THINGS SIMILAR TO WHAT WE HAVE DONE WITH THE SMOKE SHOP AND RETAIL ORDINANCE. IT WILL HELP MITIGATE THE CRIMES IN SOME OF OUR COMMUNITIES AND A LOT OF OUR COMMUNITIES, AND WE'RE LOOKING TO JUST REALLY KIND OF MAKE AND SAVE THE INTEGRITY OF OUR CITY AND OUR COMMUNITIES. THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN RUBY. THANK YOU. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ASK THAT CONSIDERATION BE MADE FOR THE DENSITY OF LIQUOR STORES ALSO, SO THAT WE HAVE SOME SORT OF A DISTANCE REQUIREMENT FROM ONE ANOTHER, BECAUSE I KNOW WE'VE HAD LIQUOR STORES COME INTO OUR COMMUNITY. THE OUTRAGE GENERALLY COMES BECAUSE WE'VE ALREADY GOT FIVE OF THEM WITHIN A HALF MILE OF HERE. SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, AS WE LOOK AT THIS, IF THERE'S A WAY THAT WE CAN RESTRICT THE DENSITY. AND SO WE HAVE HAVE THEM MORE SPREAD OUT. I WE'RE I'M SORRY, I THINK THAT WAS PART OF WHAT YOU GUYS WERE TRYING TO GET TO. IS THAT CORRECT, COUNCILMAN HUDSON? YEAH. THE THE REQUEST IS FOR PLANNING COMMISSION TO DO A GENERAL LOOK. AND IN PARALLEL, WHAT WE HAVE ALREADY IN PLACE WITH THE RETAIL SMOKING OUTLETS AND RETAIL SMOKING STORE RESTRICTIONS DO INCLUDE A DENSITY STATEMENT JUST LIKE THAT. SO SO THAT WOULD ADDRESS THAT. COUNCILMAN READ THANK YOU, MISTER CHAIR. I WAS GOING TO ASK COUNCILWOMAN RUBY WHAT IS HER DEFINITION OF DISTANCE WHEN WE'RE TALKING 600FT, 600 YARDS, TWO MILES A MILE? BECAUSE IN MY DISTRICT, I'VE GOT ONE ON EVERY BLOCK THAT THAT PRACTICALLY. WELL, I KNOW 1000FT IS WHAT'S BEING USED FOR CONDITIONAL USE PERMITS FOR SHORT TERM RENTALS. SO THAT'S SOME A BASELINE TO LOOK AT. I DON'T KNOW IF IT NEEDS TO BE LARGER THAN THAT OR SMALLER, BUT THAT WOULD BE A STARTING POINT. AND TRAVIS, I WOULD ASSUME THAT IF WE PASSED SOMETHING LIKE THAT, ANYTHING THAT'S CURRENTLY IN EXISTENCE WOULD BE GRANDFATHERED IN. YES, CERTAINLY. SO IF THERE ARE ANY, THE RESOLUTION SPECIFICALLY REFERS TO SMOKING, RETAIL STORES AND DISTANCING REQUIREMENTS THAT WE PUT IN PLACE THERE. SO IF SIMILAR REQUIREMENTS WERE IMPOSED HERE, WE'D CREATE A GREAT DEAL OF OF NON-CONFORMING USES THAT ARE ALL SORT OF WITHIN THAT. I MEAN, THE USE ITSELF WOULDN'T NECESSARILY BE NON-CONFORMING, BUT IF IT WERE TO GO UNDER OR CHANGE BUSINESSES, THEY WOULD, YOU KNOW, NEED TO SEEK SOME KIND OF MODIFICATION IN ORDER TO REOPEN IN THE FUTURE. BUT IF THEY'RE EXISTING AND THEY CONTINUE TO OPERATE, THEY MIGHT BE RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO EACH OTHER, REGARDLESS OF WHAT WE DO HERE. COUNCILMAN HUDSON, YOU'RE IN THE QUEUE. DID YOU SAY WHAT YOU WANTED TO SAY, OR DO YOU NEED MORE TIME? OKAY. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN REED. SO JUST HYPOTHETICALLY, IF A LIQUOR STORE IN A STRIP CENTER LOSES THEIR LEASE AND IS FORCED TO GO A BLOCK AWAY, BUT NOW SUDDENLY IS OUT OF CONFORMANCE OR COMPLIANCE, I SHOULD SAY, HOW DO YOU ADDRESS THAT? SO. THE LAW AROUND NON-CONFORMING USES AND ABANDONMENT IS LAID OUT PARTIALLY IN THE KRS, PARTIALLY IN CASE LAW. IT'S RELATED TO THE LAND AND THE ZONING, NOT THE USER. SO IF YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, ONE INDIVIDUAL THAT THEY LOSE THEIR CURRENT LOCATION, THEY TRY TO MOVE A NEW LOCATION, [01:40:05] WOULDN'T BE THEY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO CARRY THEIR NON-CONFORMING STATUS TO A NEW LOCATION. NOW SOMEONE ELSE COULD POTENTIALLY COME IN AND PURCHASE THAT BUILDING. IF ONE INDIVIDUAL WAS FORCED TO LEAVE, THEY COULD POTENTIALLY COME IN AND THEN CONTINUE TO USE THAT AS LONG AS THERE HASN'T BEEN A SORT OF INTERVENING USE. AND IT'S BEEN WITHIN ROUGHLY A YEAR OR SO, THEY CAN KIND OF PICK UP AND ADOPT THOSE NON-CONFORMING RIGHTS GENERALLY. SO IF, YOU KNOW, LIQUOR, LIQUOR, STORE A WENT UNDER, LIQUOR STORE B MIGHT BE ABLE TO COME IN AND USE THE SAME PLOT. BUT LIQUOR STORE A COULDN'T THEN GO NEXT DOOR AND SAY, WELL, I HAD A LICENSE OVER THERE, SO NOW IT SHOULD TRANSFER HERE. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? WE'RE CONCERNED WITH THE LAND HERE FROM A ZONING PERSPECTIVE, NOT THE LICENSE. I'LL TALK TO YOU AFTER THE MEETING. THANK. THANK YOU. SO, COUNCILMAN HUDSON, COUNCILMAN, I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS INTRODUCING THIS. I IN FACT, I, I'VE HAD I HAVE AN ISSUE RIGHT NOW IN MY DISTRICT WHERE, YOU KNOW, THE NEIGHBORS ARE ARE GOING CRAZY OVER A PROPOSAL. AND I STARTED WRITING EMAILS SAYING I HAVE REGISTERED MY CONCERN WITH LOCAL ABC, BUT THEY'RE IN SOME WAYS THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT WE CAN DO IF AT THIS POINT, THAT'S THE WAY IT FEELS TO ME. THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT WE CAN DO IF THE PROPERTY IS ZONED CORRECTLY AND IF THE APPLICANT HAS NOT GOTTEN SIDEWAYS WITH LOCAL OR STATE ABC AT THAT POINT, IT FEELS TO ME LIKE THE CURRENT KIND OF STATUS QUO IS PARTICULARLY THE STATE, BUT LOCAL AS WELL. FEEL LIKE I THINK THEY'RE WORRIED THAT IF THEY DENY SOMETHING, THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE BROUGHT INTO A LAWSUIT. AND I THINK IF WE CAN. SO I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS BRINGING THIS UP. I WAS GOING TO INTRODUCE IT, AND THEN I SAW THAT OR WAS GOING TO LOOK INTO IT AND THEN SAW YOU GUYS HAD AND I WAS LIKE, FANTASTIC. THIS IS GREAT. SO MY EMAILS AFTER THAT TO MY PEOPLE WERE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT SOMETHING WE'RE LOOKING AT TO SEE IF WE CAN. SO I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS BRINGING IT UP. AND I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO HAVE THEM DO A VERY BROAD REVIEW TO SEE WHAT WE CAN AND CAN'T DO. COUNCILMAN HUDSON, CHAIR, WE WELCOME YOUR YOUR CO-SPONSORSHIP. I WOULD BE HAPPY TO CO-SPONSOR. SO I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS DOING THAT. ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS. AND MINE ACTUALLY HAPPENS TO BE RIGHT NEXT TO SAINT JOE'S SAINT JOSEPH'S. BUT THERE ARE OTHER REASONS THAT ARE THAT ARE ISSUES AS WELL. SO OKAY, THIS IS A RESOLUTION REQUIRING A VOICE VOTE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED. THE AYES HAVE IT. SO THIS CAN GO TO THE CONSENT CALENDAR ON THE NEXT METRO COUNCIL AGENDA. ITEM [5. R-135-25     A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO ACCEPT $750,000 FROM THE U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, THROUGH THE BROWNFIELDS REVOLVING LOAN FUND (“RLF”) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT, TO BE ADMINISTERED THROUGH THE OFFICE OF PLANNING. Action Required By April 30, 2026  Sponsors: Andrew Owen (D-9) ] NUMBER 5R-13525A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO ACCEPT $750,000 FROM THE US ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY THROUGH THE BROWNFIELDS REVOLVING LOAN FUND RLF COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT, TO BE ADMINISTERED THROUGH THE OFFICE OF PLANNING. CAN I GET A MOTION PROPERLY MOVED AND SECONDED. SARAH. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. THANK YOU FOR THE TIME. IT'S NICE TO BE HERE TODAY. MY NAME IS SARAH ELLIS. I'M THE BROWNFIELDS PROJECT MANAGER IN THE OFFICE OF PLANNING, AND I PREPARED JUST A SHORT PRESENTATION FOR YOU. I WANTED TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE BROWNFIELD PROGRAM AND WHAT WE DO FOR LOUISVILLE METRO, AND THEN I'LL TALK ABOUT THE AWARD SPECIFICALLY. SO I WANTED TO START OUT BY MAKING SURE THAT WE ALL HAVE A SHARED UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT A BROWNFIELD IS, THE BLACK DEFINITION THAT YOU SEE ON THE TOP PART OF THE SCREEN IS THE EPA'S DEFINITION. AND THERE'S A COUPLE WORDS IN HERE THAT ARE BOLDED AND UNDERLINED. AND THAT IS ON PURPOSE, BECAUSE I WANT TO CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO THE PHRASES VACANT OR UNDERUTILIZED AND PERCEIVED. SO THE IMAGES THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT ON THE BOTTOM OF THE SCREEN, ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE, YOU SEE A FORM, SOME TYPE OF AUTO REPAIR FACILITY. THIS MEETS THE BROWNFIELD DEFINITION OF VACANT UNDERUTILIZED BECAUSE IT APPEARS TO BE VACANT USE. CONTAMINATION MAY BE PRESENT BASED ON THE PAST USES OF THE BUILDING. AND IT'S IT'S SITTING. WHAT YOU SEE ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF YOUR SCREEN IS AN ACTIVE SERVICE STATION. SO WHAT I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT IS THESE ARE SIMILAR USES, BUT THE IMAGE ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE SCREEN IS NOT A BROWNFIELD BECAUSE IT'S AN ACTIVE COMMERCIAL USE. THEY'RE DOING BUSINESS. HOWEVER, CONTAMINATION MAY STILL BE PRESENT BECAUSE IT'S A GAS STATION. UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANKS ARE LIKELY ON THE PROPERTY. IF THIS GAS STATION WERE TO CLOSE, IT MAY MEET THE DEFINITION OF A BROWNFIELD. SO I JUST WANT YOU TO KEEP THAT DEFINITION IN MIND AS WE WALK THROUGH THIS. THAT BROWNFIELD CAN BE SOMEWHAT OF A SHIFTING TERM DEPENDING ON THE STATUS OF THE PROPERTY. AND JUST ONE MORE SLIDE ON WHAT A BROWNFIELD IS, WHICH I'VE FOUND HELPFUL WHEN I'VE TALKED TO FOLKS IN THE PAST ABOUT IT BEFORE, IS TO SHOW YOU THAT BROWNFIELDS CAN LOOK LIKE A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS. I THINK OFTENTIMES WHEN WE THINK OF BROWNFIELD, WE'RE THINKING OF THAT PICTURE IN THE LEFT HAND TOP CORNER OF THE SCREEN, THAT IT'S A VACANT LOT. THAT IS ABSOLUTELY A BROWNFIELD SITE, BUT IT CAN ALSO LOOK LIKE BUILDINGS. SO I HAVE A COUPLE EXAMPLES. AND THESE ARE ALL IN JEFFERSON COUNTY. THE LOUISVILLE GARDENS IS ONE. IT'S A VACANT OR UNDERUTILIZED BUILDING. THERE'S LEAD BASED [01:45:01] PAINT AND ASBESTOS IN THAT BUILDING. A FEW OTHER EXAMPLES. THERE'S A FORMER COKE AND COAL FACILITY. CHURCHES MAY ALSO MEET THIS DEFINITION IF THEY HAVE LEAD BASED PAINT AND ASBESTOS IN THEM. WE HAVE ALSO A FORMER PAINT MANUFACTURING WAREHOUSE AND A CHEMICAL MANUFACTURING WAREHOUSE. SO BROWNFIELD CAN MEAN A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS. AND I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DID NOT QUOTE MY CONSULTANT HERE IN SAYING ANYTHING CAN BE BROWNFIELD UNTIL YOU PROVE THAT IT'S NOT. SO I WANTED TO DIVE A LITTLE BIT INTO THE HISTORY OF THE LOUISVILLE METRO BROWNFIELD PROGRAM, JUST TO SHOW YOU WHERE WE'VE BEEN AND WHERE WE'RE GOING. THE PROGRAM WAS STARTED IN 1998. METRO, THE CITY OF LOUISVILLE AT THE TIME, RECEIVED AN ASSESSMENT GRANT THAT WAS PRIMARILY FOCUSED ON THE WEST END, WHERE THERE WAS THE HIGHEST CONCENTRATION OF BROWNFIELDS AT THE TIME. AND I THINK SOME OLD INDUSTRY OVER THERE. SINCE THEN, WE'VE BEEN OPERATING BROWNFIELD CLEANUP, REVOLVING LOAN FUND. AND THAT'S WHY I'M BEFORE YOU TODAY. THAT FUND HAS BEEN SUCCESSFULLY REVOLVING SINCE 2007. SO QUITE SOME TIME NOW. AND REALLY THE GOALS OF OUR PROGRAM ARE TO SUPPORT THE CLEANUP AND REDEVELOPMENT OF BROWNFIELDS ACROSS ALL OF JEFFERSON COUNTY. WE SUPPORT THE CLEANUP AND REDEVELOPMENT OF BROWNFIELDS ACROSS JEFFERSON COUNTY IN TWO DIFFERENT WAYS. I'M NOT GOING TO TOUCH MUCH ON THIS TODAY, BUT OUR PROGRAM'S FUNCTIONS ARE TWOFOLD. WE MANAGE LOUISVILLE METRO OWNED BROWNFIELDS, AND THE IMAGES ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF YOUR SCREEN ARE TWO EXAMPLES. THOSE ARE BROWNFIELDS THAT HAVE BEEN REDEVELOPED, BUT THEY ARE STILL ACTIVELY MANAGED. AND WE ALSO MANAGE THE BROWNFIELD CLEANUP LOAN FUND AND THE ASSOCIATED GRANT. AND THAT IS THE BULK OF WHAT I'M BEFORE YOU TODAY. I JUST WANTED TO SHOW YOU A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON BROWNFIELD LOAN FUND AND SOME OF THE PAST ONES THAT WE'VE MADE. SO ITS PRIMARY GOAL IS TO PROVIDE BELOW MARKET INTEREST RATE LOANS FOR BROWNFIELD CLEANUP. THIS MONEY CANNOT BE USED FOR PROPERTY ACQUISITION. IT CAN'T BE USED FOR ASSESSMENTS, BUT IT CAN BE USED FOR ALL OF THE CLEANUP ACTIVITIES THAT MAY BE REQUIRED TO GET A SITE SAFE FOR FUTURE USE. THIS IS GENERALLY GAP FINANCING, SO WHEN FOLKS ARE APPROACHING US, TYPICALLY THEY HAVE OTHER FUNDING SOURCES AND THEY'RE LOOKING FOR THAT LAST PIECE TO GET THE PROJECT OVER THE HILL. AND OFTEN THESE THIS TYPE OF FUNDING CAN BE DIFFICULT TO SECURE. BROWNFIELD CLEANUP IS LEGALLY RISKY. AND THAT IS WHY THE EPA DEVELOPED A PROGRAM LIKE THIS TO TRY TO INCENTIVIZE THE CLEANUP OF THESE TYPES OF PROPERTIES. AND APPLICANTS ARE SUPPORTED BY OUR OFFICE AND OUR ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANT THROUGHOUT THEIR ENTIRE CLEANUP PROCESS. AND THEN WHAT YOU SEE ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF YOUR SCREEN, THAT SMALL TABLE. I JUST WANTED TO SHOW A FEW EXAMPLES OF SOME PAST LOANS OF COMPLETED PROJECTS THAT WE'VE DONE PRIOR YEARS. AND THEN I WANTED TO TAKE YOU TODAY TO TODAY. FOLKS MIGHT HAVE SEEN THIS IN THE NEWS, BUT WE DO HAVE A SUCCESS STORY THAT I WANT TO JUST TAKE A QUICK SECOND TO BRAG ON THE BUILDING THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF YOUR SCREEN. THIS WAS A FORMER PAINT MANUFACTURING FACILITY. THIS THIS WAS A PROPERTY WHERE THE APPLICANT APPLIED FOR $335,000 IN BROWNFIELD CLEANUP FUNDING AT A 1.5% INTEREST RATE. IT WILL TURN THE UNDERUTILIZED WAREHOUSE INTO 138 UNITS OF HOUSING. SO CLEANUP IS ANTICIPATED TO BEGIN THIS YEAR. AND THEY'RE THEY'RE SCHEDULE IS TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT BY 2027. SO THE RECOMMENDED ACTION THAT WE HAVE BEFORE YOU TODAY IS TO AUTHORIZE THE MAYOR TO ACCEPT $750,000 FROM THE US EPA THROUGH THE BROWNFIELD REVOLVING LOAN FUND COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT, TO BE ADMINISTERED THROUGH THE OFFICE OF PLANNING. AND I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A BRIEF MOMENT TO SAY, IF THIS IS A TOPIC THAT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN, I HAVE A MUCH LONGER, MUCH MORE DETAILED PRESENTATION THAT I'D LOVE TO GIVE, AND I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO SCHEDULE TIME WITH YOU. IF THERE'S ANYONE IN YOUR COMMUNITY WHO'S INTERESTED IN THIS, I WILL GO WHEREVER I'M INVITED. AND I'M HAPPY TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT BROWNFIELDS. AS MUCH AS YOU WOULD LIKE TO TALK TO ME ABOUT THEM. SO WITH THAT, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. THANK YOU. SARAH. SO JUST SO I'M FOLLOWING YOU. SO THIS ADDITIONAL 750 WILL ROLL INTO THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT'S ALREADY CURRENTLY REVOLVING THROUGH THE REVOLVING LOAN FUND. YES, SIR. SO HOW MUCH MONEY DO WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN THAT FUND? I DON'T NEED TO KNOW HOW MUCH IS HOW MUCH IS SITTING IN THE ACCOUNT AND HOW MUCH HAS BEEN LOANED OUT. BUT HOW MUCH MONEY DO WE HAVE AVAILABLE THAT THIS WILL ADD TO? WE HAVE A CURRENT AWARD OF $1 MILLION. THIS WILL ADD 750,000 TO THAT. AND I DON'T WANT TO GIVE YOU MORE DETAIL THAN YOU'RE ASKING FOR, CHAIR, BUT I DID WANT TO JUST ACKNOWLEDGE SOME OF THAT FUNDING NEEDS TO BE USED FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANT THAT THE EPA EXPECTS AND REQUIRES THAT WE HIRE. AND I'M HAPPY TO PROVIDE AS MUCH DETAIL ABOUT OUR FINANCES AS YOU WOULD LIKE TO HEAR, BUT JUST WANTED TO GIVE THAT QUALIFIER. SO IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE NOT DOUBLING OUR LOAN FUND AMOUNT, BUT WE'RE COMING CLOSE TO DOUBLING OUR LOAN FUND AMOUNT BY ACCEPTING THIS MONEY. YES, SIR. THAT'S FANTASTIC. I THINK IT'S REALLY FUNNY, ACTUALLY, THAT YOU INCLUDED BELKNAP CROSSING ON THAT SCHEDULE, BECAUSE THAT WAS MY ONE OF THE PROJECTS THAT I WAS PARTICIPATING IN. AND I THINK, IN FACT, I WAS THE GUINEA PIG ON THE BROWNFIELDS REDEVELOPMENT LOAN FUND IN 2011. AND IT WAS A GREAT PROGRAM. I'LL TELL YOU, JUST TO GIVE YOU A QUICK RECAP OF THAT PROJECT, IT WAS A SEVEN ACRE PROPERTY COMPLETELY CONTAMINATED. A LOT OF TIMES WHAT WE DO WITH THESE BROWNFIELDS IS WE JUST PUT A [01:50:02] CAP ON THE TOP OF THEM, AND THE UNDERNEATH OF IT STILL REMAINS CONTAMINATED. IN THAT CASE, WE WERE TRYING TO DO STUDENT HOUSING FOR UOFL, AND SO WE INJECTED THERE WAS UNDER THERE WAS GROUNDWATER CONTAMINATION RUNNING IN KIND OF AN UNDERWATER, YOU KNOW, RIVER UNDERNEATH THE SITE. AND WE INJECTED A MATERIAL INTO THAT PLUME OF CONTAMINATED GROUNDWATER. AND IT BASICALLY SPED UP THE PROCESS OF REMOVING THE CONTAMINANTS OUT OF THAT WATER. SO BY THE TIME WE WERE DONE DOING THAT, THAT CONTAMINATION NO LONGER EXISTED UNDER THAT PROPERTY, WHICH WAS WAS REALLY COOL. AND IT WENT FROM BEING A 200,000 SQUARE FOOT, DILAPIDATED WAREHOUSE ON SECOND SEVEN SEVEN ACRES TO BEING A STUDENT HOUSING COMPLEX NEXT TO UOFL. WORTH. WE DIDN'T DO THE DEVELOPMENT, BUT IT WAS WORTH, YOU KNOW, 40 OR $50 MILLION ON THE BOOKS NOW FOR PROPERTY TAXES. SO IT'S AN UNBELIEVABLE PROGRAM IF WE CAN USE IT, YOU KNOW, IN THE RIGHT WAYS. AND IT'S IT'S FANTASTIC. SO ANYBODY ELSE HAVE. COUNCILMAN BRATCHER QUICK LIKE THE LIKE THE BALL FIELD THERE SLUGGER FIELD DID YOU HAVE TO GO IN AND DIG THAT JUST TO HAVE A BASEBALL FIELD. DID YOU HAVE TO DIG OUT THAT. I GUESS WHAT I'M SAYING IS LET'S SAY THERE'S A PROPERTY THAT'S CURRENTLY A BROWNFIELD AND WE KNOW IT. AND THEN THAT OPERATION CEASES AND YOU JUST WANT TO MAKE A PICNIC AREA OUT OF IT. YOU DON'T NEED TO DO ANYTHING AT THAT POINT, DO YOU? SO I'M TRYING TO THINK OF THE MOST EFFICIENT WAY TO ANSWER THIS REAL QUICK. ON ON SLUGGER FIELD. YES, DIGGING WAS INVOLVED. I DO KNOW THAT EPA REGULATES THE THE CLEANUP TYPE BY THE END USE OF THE PROPERTY. SO DEPENDING ON WHAT YOU ARE DOING, THE CLEANUP METHODS WILL BE DIFFERENT AND THE LEVEL OF CLEANUP THAT YOU NEED TO ACHIEVE WILL BE DIFFERENT FOR, SAY, A PICNIC FACILITY AS OPPOSED TO RESIDENTIAL. AND I THINK REALLY WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT IS HOURS OF POTENTIAL EXPOSURE AND POTENTIAL EXPOSURE PATHWAYS ON THE SITE. AND WHAT I'VE LEARNED IS EVERY BROWNFIELD IS A SPECIAL SNOWFLAKE, SO THEY ARE ALL GOING TO LOOK A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT IN TERMS OF WHAT'S REQUIRED. THANK YOU. IT'S ENTIRELY BASED ON USE. WHAT THE WHAT THE USE OF THE LAND IS GOING TO BE GOING FORWARD AS TO WHAT KIND OF REMEDIATION YOU CAN OR CAN'T DO. OKAY. ANYONE ELSE? OKAY. THIS IS A RESOLUTION REQUIRING A VOICE VOTE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED. THE AYES HAVE IT. THIS HAS BEEN APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY AND WILL GO ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR FOR THE NEXT METRO CALENDAR. METRO COUNCIL AGENDA. ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANYTHING ELSE? THAT'S THE END OF THE ITEMS ON OUR AGENDA. ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANYTHING THEY NEED TO ADDRESS BEFORE WE ADJOURN? WITH NOTHING MORE BEFORE US? WE ARE [Adjournment Note: Agendas are followed at the discretion of the Chair. While an item may be listed, it does not mean all items will be heard and/or acted upon by the Committee.] ADJOURNED. THANK YOU ALL. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.