© 2024 WUKY
background_fid.jpg
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

"The Summit" Development Gets Initial Hearing in Long Approval Process

LEXINGTON, Ky. - A proposal to develop property at the corner of Man o’ War and Nicholasville Road got its first hearing Thursday before a committee of the Lexington Planning Commission.

Bayer Properties wants to open “The Summit” – a combination of residential space, retail shopping, and possibly a hotel.

“This is unique in the relationship that they’re proposing with these different zones. It's very different from what we’re used to seeing,” said Tom Martin, a staff member in the city’s planning department.

Bayer has several issues to address in its preliminary development plan, including clarifying how many residential dwellings and parking spaces will be available, how the property will handle storm water, and access points from Nicholasville Road and Man o’ War.

“It’s April. So it could very well be the fall before they’re in a position to start pulling permits and start actually moving some dirt around,” said Martin.  

Attorney Nick Nicholson, who represents Bayer, says the state Transportation Cabinet has already given preliminary approval of a new traffic light on Nicholasville Road for The Summit’s main entrance. The more difficult issue will be access from Man o’ War.

“We need basically a release valve on Man o’ War in order to make sure that people aren’t jumping to the neighborhoods to increase traffic on residential roads. If we want the neighbors to be happy-- which we do-- we have to have the access on Man o’ War.”  

Developers would like to have a “right-in-right-out” turning lane on that side of the property, but the city has traditionally restricted access from Man o’ War to specific intersections.

Bayer Properties has built other “Summit” shopping centers in Louisville, Birmingham, and Reno.

Lexington native Brenna Angel anchored local morning newscasts for WUKY through May 13. She joined the station in March 2010 after previously working for WHAS-AM in Louisville.