Lexington, Kentucky

Open Records Project Lexington Request History Kentucky Open Records Act Lexington, Kentucky State: Kentucky County: Fayette Mayor: Jim Gray Demographics Population: 279,044 Metro: 445,128 Contact Information website: http://www.lexingtonky.gov/ Lexington, Kentucky is the second largest city in Kentucky, second only to Louisville , with a population estimated at 279,044 in 2008. Lexington is often referred to as the "Horse Capitol Of The World" and is located in the heart of the Bluegrass region of Kentucky. Lexington is located in Fayette County. In 1974, the city of Lexington and Fayette County formed a consolidated municipality, the first of its kind in Kentucky. This consolidated municipality is called the Lexington Fayette Urban County Government. History Lexington was originally founded in 1775 in territory that was still considered part of Virgina. Early in its history, Lexington garnered a reputation for being a culturally advanced city and was given the nickname "Athens of The West". Transylvania University became one of the most respected academic institutions in the country and is still held in high regard to this day. The city's centralized location and proximity to smaller satellite towns made it an important trading and industrial center early in its life. Lexington was a pioneer in the state when it became the first in Kentucky to merge city and county governments into a single municipality. This entity, the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government, was established primarily to reduce the duplication of services provided by the two governments and to eliminate the need to pay two separate property taxes. Government The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government (LFUCG) is the governing body for the city of Lexington and Fayette County. Both the Mayor's office and Urban County Council are directly elected by the citizens of the city. LFUCG operates with the mission statement: "Working in partnership with the community to provide a safe and secure environment, excellent customer service, a vibrant organization, and economic opportunity empowering all to thrive." You can watch government press conferences, Council meetings and work sessions, in addition to traffic cameras at [1]. Entities and Offices of Note Mayor Council Police Fire Department Property Value Administrator Code Enforcement Public Libraries Public Schools Courts Waste Management Health Department Downtown Development Authority Purchase and Development Rights Program Transit Authority/Lextran Lexington Division of Community Corrections Lexington and Fayette County Parking Authority Key Industries Universities Lexington is host to several colleges and universities including The University of Kentucky, Transylvania University, and Bluegrass Community Technical College (BCTC). The University of Kentucky is the city's largest employer, providing jobs for 10,668 citizens. The university has a student enrollment of 26,648. Horses Lexington and the Bluegrass region of Kentucky has long been considered the "Horse Capital of The World". Keeneland, a prominent horse racing complex, hosts seasonal racing meets and holds an annual world class horse sale that attracts attention and buyers from all around the world. Nearly 200,000 Kentuckians are employed in the horse industry and the industry itself has a $3.5 billion impact on the state. Freedom Issues Formerly Proposed Changes in City Ordinances August 2008 News paper stands were in danger of being standardized, permitted, installed, and regulated. CentrePointe The CentrePointe development in downtown Lexington has caused debate due to the razing of a historic block on Main Street and the developments potential use of public financing through use of Tax Increment Financing. The proposed development qualifies under the Tax Increment Financing law only if the money it receives from public funding is used for public amenities in the development. CentrePointe has been intensely debated in Lexington for several months now. Read more about the proposed CentrePointe development here. Destination 2040 Destination 2040 is a controversial long term, central planning project for Lexington currently in the development stage. Property Rights Historic Districts often place limitations on what the property owner is able to do with their property. This is an attempt to preserve the historic qualities of the property; it is controversial, as it infringes on the property rights of the owner. Lexington Historic Districts are always a hot topic. The Fayette County PVA assesses the value of real property for the county. While effort to appraise property at a fair market value-as is called for by the state constitution-is made, there are unrealistic appraisals that do not reflect recent sale prices. Here is a write up on the process, with specific examples of unrealistic appraisals. Code Enforcement Eye sores Ordinances A complete list of all Fayette County Ordinances can be found here Sign Ordinance Sidewalk Ordinance Smoking Ban Fortune Telling is illegal,. Distributing political materials in city parks is illegal and can be punished with jail time. It is illegal for an adult to wear a Halloween Mask in any public place... even on Halloween. The Purchase of Development Rights Program was enacted by ordinance in 2000 Economic Freedom Payroll Taxes Business Lexington Downtown Development Authority Also See LFUCG Housing Market Study Fayette County Public Schools Golf Courses In Lexington Local First Lexington Lexington Disguise Ordinance Links Lexington's website References