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2045 Goals & Objectives

Imagine Lexington 2045 Goals & Objectives

Informed by Lexington residents, the Goals & Objectives are the backbone of Imagine Lexington, its themes, and the resulting policies. Their key purpose is to ensure that the urban growth boundary and other long-range planning issues address needs for new urban development and contribute to the prosperity of Lexington. The community is currently in the process of reshaping our Goals & Objectives. This process consists of public input, data analysis, research of best practices, and discussions with local decisionmakers.

On February 16, 2023 the Planning Commission held a public hearing on the Goals & Objectives proposal.  After robust comment and Commission discussion, the public hearing was continued.

On February 23, 2023 the public hearing resumed and the Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval of the proposed language linked below.

The Planning Commission's recommendation is now under Council Review.

Council Committee of the Whole Process

The Council is hosting a series of public meetings in the Council Chambers on the Goals & Objectives:

  • April 19, 2023 @ 10AM
  • April 26, 2023 @ 10AM
  • May 9, 2023 @ 5PM – public input opportunity
  • May 17, 2023 @ 10AM

The packet below contains links to all of the information the Planning Commission considered when making their recommendation, and is what the Council will review while making the final approval.

Council Packet

Planning Commission Recommended Goals & Objectives

Summary of Proposed Changes

Major Themes of Proposed Changes
Preamble & Mission Statement Changes
Theme A Proposed Changes
Theme B Proposed Changes
Theme C Proposed Changes
Theme D Proposed Changes
Theme E Proposed Changes
Theme F Proposed Changes

Data Collection - A Sound Foundation

You can't plan for where you want to go until have a solid understanding of where you are. Imagine Lexington 2045 is rooted in comprehensive data collected from a variety of sources that look at local existing conditions as well as national, regional, and local trends. This data was compiled in the display boards below, which were presented to the Planning Commission in March 2022 as a basis for recommended changes to the Goals & Objectives. Click on each image below to explore the data.

Public Input - A Community Vision

Comprehensive planning touches the lives of everyone in the community whether they are aware of it or not. It affects buildings, roads, open space, community facilities, the environment, jobs, and everything in between, so it is vitally important to incorporate as many voices as possible into its creation. Imagine Lexington 2045 is building on the original Imagine Lexington 2018 Comprehensive Plan, and its unprecedented public outreach strategy, with even more intentional public engagements.

On the Table 2017 was an incredible success for the 2018 plan, moving participation in the planning process from hundreds to thousands. This time On the Table has been incorporated yet again, but this time with a new collaborative partner in CivicLex and a more specific focus on the Comprehensive Plan. The results are a wealth of information that will live on well beyond the life of this planning process and will provide civic groups and interested organizations with a vast amount of data that is sortable and customizable to answer a wide variety of questions about preferences for Lexington’s future.

In addition to On the Table, outreach through Commerce Lexington solicited the opinions of the business community in Lexington through an intentional focus group process. This process provided staff the ability to hear directly from business leaders in the community. Staff not only heard from businesses, but through an outreach to civic organizations, heard from ten different groups that focus on the environment, neighborhoods, renters, smart growth, and other topics. Additionally, input was received from internal Divisions within the LFUCG as well, as they were asked to lend their expertise to our future growth strategy.

Each of these important inputs have been organized and summarized here in the Public Input Report below, to show common themes and topics discussed by the participants. What results is an immense amount of data that gives insights into the thoughts of those who are invested in Lexington's future.

Next Steps

The Planning Commission's recommendations are being forwarded on to the Urban County Council following their unanimous approval recommendation on February 23, 2023.  Once the Council formally receives the recommendation, they have 90 days to formally adopt them as the foundation for the Elements & Implementation portion of Imagine Lexington 2045. The Council will set up their own process for deliberating on the Goals & Objectives. After they are adopted, the Planning Commission alone will approve the Elements & Implementation portion of the plan, completing Imagine Lexington 2045.