March 24th, 2023

6th District Newsletter

A Note From Councilwoman Denise Gray

March has been a busy month, but I am enjoying every moment of being your councilwoman. I have been diligently working on our paving plan for the fiscal year 2024. Yes. Shaftsbury Drive will be paved. This street has been a concern not only for many of you but for me as well. During my many meetings with paving, I learned this road is considered to be a "collector road," which the city itself is responsible for paving, and not a "local road," which district councilmembers are responsible for paving. However, with the funds left by my predecessor, I am able to ensure this road is paved in the next fiscal year. 
 
In this newsletter, I am providing a list of the roads from our current fiscal year. I want you to be aware of what roads were submitted prior to my taking office that is currently being paved.
 
Besides working on district paving and potential ordinances, I have met with every Fayette County Public Schools principal within the 6th District.  I have dispersed our district's remaining neighborhood development funds. Thank you to everyone who completed an application/form. Everyone who submitted a request received funds. I will personally contact everyone who submitted a request for these funds.  Beginning July 1, 2023, the fiscal year 2024, I will receive another allotment of funds. Once the sixth district paving funds are provided, I will share a list of the roads I am able to pave after July 1. 2023.   
 
Thank you to everyone who attended our first district-wide meeting of the year. I was honored to have so many within LFUCG say yes to speaking at our meeting. I wanted everyone to learn of the process for paving and to have an opportunity to voice their concerns. We had wonderful representation from the Lexington Police Department and the Lexington Fire Department. I was especially honored that Fire Chief Jason Wells was adamant that he wanted to be in attendance.  Thank you also to the LFUCG Water Quality Division, who are residents of the 6th District, for being present.  I cannot say thank you enough to my colleagues, Vice-Mayor Dan Wu and City Councilmember At-Large James Brown for being present. You not only have me as your advocate but all three councilmembers at large as your representatives on the council. 



Denise M. Gray, JD
LFUCG District 6 City Councilwoman
Phone: 859-280-8243

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Council meetings are live-streamed and archived by LexTV. These meetings can also be viewed on cable channel 185 or online on the LexTV YouTube channel.  

6th District Paving List

Paving work on these streets will begin over the next couple of weeks, weather permitting. 

Get Involved: Senior Intern Program

Unfortunately, if you have already participated in the Senior Intern Program, you are ineligible to attend again, but will be invited to the Alumni Luncheon on June 16.

If you are interested in applying for this program or need more information contact Kristy Stambaugh, kstambau@lexingtonky.gov or 859-278-6072

Solarize Lexington 

Want to go solar? City program can help
The City has partnered with the Kentucky Solar Energy Society to launch Solarize Lexington, a new program that help households reduce their reliance on the electric grid by making it easier and less expensive to install solar.
 
“Solarize Lexington will accelerate the widespread adoption of clean renewable energy in Fayette County by residents, small businesses, places of worship and non-profits,” said Steve Ricketts of the Kentucky Solar Energy Society.
“By the formation of a city-wide buying group, those interested in installing solar can now save up to 20% on typical prices and work with a vetted installer,” Ricketts said.
The program is open to all homeowners in Lexington-Fayette County. Other property owners (non-profits, small businesses, places of worship) can also apply.
 
Participants are responsible for the (discounted) cost of solar panels and installation. Federal tax credits are available to help offset costs. All solar installations will be individual contracts between the property owner and the solar installer. Neither the city, nor the Kentucky Solar Energy Society, will assume any liability related to the installation.
 
To learn if your property qualifies, fill out the Solarize Lexington interest form. Completion of the form, available at LexingtonKY.gov/solar, does not obligate you to buy anything. The form simply provides the Solarize Lexington Team with the initial information needed to conduct a free solar assessment of your property.
 
The assessment accounts for:
  • The direction your home’s roof faces,
  • How shaded your roof is and
  • The amount of space available on your roof for solar panels. 
 
If your roof is a good fit for solar, your information will be shared with a vetted installer who will contact you to discuss next steps.  If your roof is not a good fit for solar, the reason(s) will be shared with you.
Solarize Lexington applications run through July 20. Contracting must be complete by September 14. Installation must be scheduled by the end of the year.
 
Limited funding is available to assist low-to-moderate income homeowners in going solar. Those wishing to apply for grant funds must own and occupy their homes. Do not fill out the program interest form if you believe you qualify for grant funds. Instead, visit LexingtonKY.gov/solar to confirm you meet the financial considerations. If you do, contact the Division of Community and Resident Services for prescreening.  Documentation of identity, proof of residence, homeownership, and income are required.  Grants will be available for those who qualify on a first-come, first-served basis until funds are depleted.
 
All interested residents can register for an upcoming informational workshop at LexingtonKY.gov/solar.

SPECIAL NOTE: Scammers claiming to be associated with Solarize Lexington have been reported going door-to-door. They are asking for information for use in determining whether the household qualifies for the program.
 
Neither the City of Lexington nor Solar Energy Solutions will contact you unless you complete the assessment form or contact Community and Resident Services to express interest.
 
If you have requested an assessment using the online form or by calling Community and Resident Services, please confirm that the assessor is with our selected provider, Solar Energy Solutions. Calls from the city will originate from an (859) 425 or (859) 258 number. You can ask for a name and return the call through LexCall at (859) 425-2255 to ensure the number isn’t spoofed.
 
Do not provide information to anyone else claiming association with the program. Report such individuals by calling the Police Department using their non-emergency number, (859) 258-3600.
 
To learn more about the Solar Lexington program and request a no obligation assessment, visit LexingtonKY.gov/solar.

 

Earth Hour Celebration 

LEXINGTON, Ky. (March 24, 2023) – The Lexington community is invited to participate in Earth Hour on Saturday, March 25, an opportunity to give 60 minutes of time to help the Earth through volunteering, learning or inspiring others to improve and restore our natural environment.  

In the past, Earth Hour participants were encouraged to turn off their lights for one hour, from 8:30 p.m.– 9:30 p.m. to raise awareness for energy-related causes. Now, the focus has increased to all environmental issues. Give an hour of time to improve water quality, reduce waste or recycle, conserve energy or participate in any activity that makes our community a healthier place to live, work and play.

The City of Lexington is offering an Earth Hour Night Hike at McConnell Springs, starting at 8:30 p.m. on March 25. Take a slow-paced walk along the trails of the park to show support for our planet.

Participating in Earth Hour is a great way to get in the spirit for Earth Day on April 22.

Participants who post on social media can use the hashtash #EarthHourLex to let everyone know about their Earth Hour activities.

The World Wildlife Fund is the primary sponsoring organization of Earth Hour. You can learn more by visiting lexingtonky.gov/earth-hour.

New Permitting Process 

In an effort to provide 24-hour access to permitting and zoning processes, the City today announced the launch of a new one-stop online permit discovery tool, “One-Stop Lexington.”

The new tool will allow business owners and homeowners to more easily navigate the construction permit process.

One-Stop Lexington, now live at onestop.lexingtonky.gov, involves a zoning portal, commercial construction portal, and residential construction portal. The page helps business owners and residents who are starting complex projects, like a new construction or renovation project, to more easily be guided through the City’s permitting requirements. It also provides an opportunity for developers new to Lexington to learn more about the City’s permitting and licensing requirements. The site provides a customized guide to help applicants understand the permits and licenses their project will need, as well as associated costs.

By moving this process online, the City hopes to provide reliable, targeted feedback, and give the City insight into development trends in the community.

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Register for Debris Removal 

Lexington Emergency Management wants to hear from residents who have exhausted their ability to clear storm debris from private property. This includes elderly residents, those who are medically fragile, and those with physical or developmental disabilities. This volunteer service will extend to persons who have no other means for debris removal.
 
Emergency Management is working with volunteer agencies who MAY be able to send debris, brush, and tree-clearing workers to Lexington for a series of work days. While nothing is scheduled at this time, we want to begin the registration process in order to demonstrate the need.
 
Once registration takes place, the volunteer agency will determine if it can assign work crews to Lexington to meet the debris removal needs. This is ONLY for Fayette County residents.
 
To register, please call LEXCALL at 859-425-2255, Monday-Friday, from 9 am-5 pm.
 
Preparedness information is also available via the Lexington Emergency Management Facebook page: @LexingtonKYEM, and the Division of Emergency Management Twitter and Instagram accounts: @LexKYEM.

Out & About

Attending a Public Safety legislation signing with Governor Andy Beshear, Mayor Linda Gorton, At-Large Council Member James Brown, local lawmakers, and city officials
Visiting Bryan Station High School teachers and speaking with students in the JAG Program
Visiting Dixie Magnet Elementary School for "Shark Tank" Presentations
Participating in the sixth annual First 5 Lex Book Madness experience with my favorite children's book, Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes
Visiting teachers and students at Frederick Douglass High School 

Upcoming Events

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LFUCG 6th District Website
6th District Contact Information:
Councilwoman Denise Gray - 859-280-8243 - dgray@lexingtonky.gov
Legislative Aide Tiffany Duncan- 859-280-8259 - tduncan@lexingtonky.gov



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