Allow and encourage new compact single-family housing types.
Lexington needs more housing of all types as its population continues to grow. The 2017 Housing Demand Study shows that single-family residential options continue to be popular and will be for the foreseeable future. However, the paradigm for providing these single-family homes is shifting from the larger suburban model lots to a more compact and urban form of single-family home, such as town-homes, fourplexes, and others.
One way to provide for this type of development would be amending the regulations to allow group residential developments that include single-family housing. This compact type of development allows for shared common space and reduced maintenance, which are ideal for the senior and young-professional aged populations. Compact lots mean less time and money for maintenance, more opportunities for social interactions in shared open spaces, more economic efficiency for infrastructure services, and safer neighborhoods. Other innovative and new solutions that incorporate efficiently designed single-family housing as a component of an overall development should be explored as well.
Objective: A1a
Pursue incentives and regulatory approaches that encourage creativity and sustainability in housing development.
Objective: A1b
Accommodate the demand for housing in Lexington responsibly, prioritizing higher-density and mixture of housing types.
Objective: A1c
Plan for safe, affordable and accessible housing to meet the needs of older and/or disadvantaged residents.
Objective: A1d
Create and implement housing incentives that strengthen the opportunities for higher-density and housing affordability.
Objective: A2a
Identify areas of opportunity for infill, redevelopment, adaptive reuse, and mixed-use development.
Objective: A2b
Respect the context and design features of areas surrounding development projects and develop design standards and guidelines to ensure compatibility with existing urban form.
Objective: A2d
Implement innovative programs, such as the public infrastructure fund and land bank programs, to facilitate sustainable development, including, but not limited to, housing, affordable at all income levels, and commercial and economic activity.
Objective: A3a
Enable existing and new neighborhoods to flourish through improved regulation, expanded opportunities for neighborhood character preservation, and public commitment to expand options for mixed-use and mixed-type housing throughout Lexington-Fayette County
Objective: A3b
Strive for positive and safe social interactions in neighborhoods, including, but not limited to, neighborhoods that are connected for pedestrians and various modes of transportation.
Objective: B2a
Continue programs and initiatives to improve energy efficiency.
Objective: E1a
Continue to monitor the absorption of vacant and underutilized land within the Urban Service Area.
Objective: E1b
Ensure all types of development are environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable to accommodate the future growth needs of all residents while safeguarding rural land.
Objective: E1d
Maximize development on vacant land within the Urban Service Area and promote redevelopment of underutilized land in a manner that enhances existing urban form and/or historic features.
