Lexington City Zoning Code
ARTICLE VII
Institutional District I-1
§ 420-7.1 Intent.
The purpose of this district is to provide for orderly development of major institutions such as colleges, universities and medical campuses in accord with approved master plans for these institutions, with minimum procedural delay, and at the same time to ensure coordination of institutional development with surrounding land uses and the overall fabric of the City, the City's Comprehensive Plan and applicable City codes and ordinances.
§ 420-7.2 Overlay concept.
To enable the district to operate in harmony with the plan for land use and population density embodied in this chapter, the Institutional District I-1 is created as a special district to be superimposed on base districts contained in this chapter and is to be so designated by a special symbol on the Zoning District Map.
§ 420-7.3 Permitted uses.
A building and/or land shall be used for the following purposes:
A.
Insofar as uses are generally consistent with the base district, public and private schools, colleges, universities, medical campuses and other educational or research institutions which have been approved as part of a master plan as set forth herein below, and including hospitals and other medically related facilities, dormitory or other student housing, university-administered fraternity and sorority houses, other fraternity and sorority houses with conditional use permits, staff and faculty housing, classroom, library, religious, administrative, recreational, athletic, alumni, parking and service facilities, signs and other accessory uses owned by or operated under the control of such institution.
§ 420-7.4 Conditional uses.
§ 420-7.5 Area and bulk regulations.
For uses, buildings and structures approved as a part of an institutional master plan, the approved conditions shall control all matters covered by the plan, including lot area, lot width, street frontage, setback, height, yards, parking and signs. Uses, buildings and structures not within the area of or not a part of an approved institutional master plan shall be subject to regulations for lot area, lot width, street frontage, setback, height, yards, parking and signs applicable in the district where they are located.
§ 420-7.6 Master plan.
A.
Contents. The City Planning Commission may recommend to the City Council a master plan for all or part of the I-1 District. Such master plan shall be submitted to the Commission by the owner or owners of the property. The plan shall include a graphic representation of the following information at a suitable scale, together with necessary explanatory material:
(1)
The boundaries of the area involved and the ownership of properties contained therein, as well as all existing public streets and alleys within and adjacent to the site.
(2)
The location and use of all existing buildings on the site, as well as the approximate location, height, dimensions and general use of all proposed buildings or major additions to existing buildings.
(3)
The location of all existing parking facilities and the approximate location of all proposed parking facilities, including the approximate number of parking spaces at each location and all existing and proposed means of vehicular access to parking areas and to public streets and alleys. Any proposed changes in the location, width or character of public streets and alleys within and adjacent to the site shall also be shown on the plan.
(4)
The general use of major existing and proposed open spaces within the site and specific features of the plan, such as screening, buffering or retention of natural areas, which are intended to enhance compatibility with adjacent and nearby properties.
B.
Action by Planning Commission; amendments.
(1)
The Planning Commission shall approve the master plan when it finds, after reviewing a report from the Zoning Administrator and after holding a public hearing thereon, that the development shown on the master plan is in compliance with the requirements of the Institutional District I-1 and other applicable provisions of this chapter; that such development will not be detrimental to the public health, safety and welfare or unduly injurious to property values or improvements in the neighborhood and will not be in conflict with the policies and principles of the City's adopted Comprehensive Plan; and that adequate public services are or reasonably will be available. Otherwise, the Commission shall disapprove the plan.
(2)
The action of the Commission shall be based upon a finding of fact, which shall be reduced to writing and preserved among its records. The Commission shall submit to the Council a copy of its finding and a copy of the master plan, together with its recommendations.
(3)
Amendments to the master plan may be accomplished by the same procedure as for an original application.
§ 420-7.7 Approval of zoning permits; notification of violation.
Upon approval of the master plan by the City Council, following a public hearing thereon, necessary zoning permits may be approved by the Administrator if such permits are deemed to be in compliance with the provisions of this chapter and substantially in accordance with the approved master plan or subsequent amendment thereto. If at any time after approval of a plan or its amendment the Administrator finds the plan or provisions of this chapter to have been violated, the City Council shall be so informed.
§ 420-7.8 Site plan required.
Site plans are required to be submitted in accordance with the requirements of Article II of this chapter. Where construction of major facilities, such as new buildings, major additions, vehicular accessways, or parking areas, is proposed within 200 feet of the boundaries of an area for which a master plan has been approved or within 200 feet of a public street, the site plan must be submitted to the City Council for approval after receiving a recommendation from the Planning Commission. In addition, if the base district is part of the City's historic area, construction, reconstruction, alterations, repairs or demolitions shall be subject to architectural review in accordance with the requirements of Article VIII of this chapter.
§ 420-7.9 Design review required.
Design review is required for all facilities in accordance with the requirements of Article II of this chapter.