Work is already underway to shape recommendations for where and how the city might expand its service boundary, but the move remains controversial.
Looking to drum up support for a lawsuit alleging that the city council ran afoul of the law when it decided to add up to 5,000 acres to the boundary, the Fayette Alliance is now circulating a petition on change.org. It asks if citizens would be willing to sign and demonstrate public support for the suit.
Fayette Alliance director Brittany Roethemeier told WUKY in July that her organization isn’t out to stop growth – only that which runs counter to research and procedures already in place.
"At Fayette Alliance, we have always believed that the question has never been if we're going to grow. It's always been how," she said. "We believe that land use decisions must be made by adhering to the law, adhering to the statutes, and that they must be based on research and data."
Backers of the expansion argue the city’s affordable housing shortage demands action on the boundary, as housing prices continue to rise and some residents are finding themselves priced out.
The Fayette Alliance contends the research already available shows a boundary expansion isn’t the solution to the city’s housing issue.