Mill Ridge Farm helps a plan that will place a brand new sewer pump station on its property as a result of it believes it is the most suitable choice to handle present environmental issues and supply for the group, however some Lexington space Thoroughbred farm homeowners oppose the plan they imagine would weaken present requirements defending Fayette County farms from growth.
Mill Ridge Farm believes the plan it helps is one of the best of three choices being thought of by the Lexington-Fayette City County Council. Mill Ridge co-owner Value Bell stated the situation is one of the best long-term choice to handle present issues with the system, which embody overflows on the farm’s land whereas offering new wetlands and assembly necessities of already deliberate development in Lexington and Fayette County.
Opponents of the Mill Ridge Farm choice imagine it will weaken city service boundary requirements which have helped defend Fayette County Thoroughbred farms for many years.
These two sides clashed at an April 14 LFUCC assembly, the place performing commissioner of environmental high quality and public works Charles Martin introduced the professionals and cons of three attainable choices for the sewage pump station that included overhauling the present pump station on Mint Lane, placing in a brand new pump station at Mill Ridge, or placing a brand new station on property of the Blue Grass Airport.
A advice, or probably a choice, on a type of three places may come as quickly as April 28, when the LFUCC meets for a scheduled 3 p.m. ET work session.Join BloodHorse Day by day
On the April 14 assembly, Martin famous that the most cost effective choice is overhauling the present pump station at an estimated $19.6 million. A comparable new pump station on the Mill Ridge Farm property, known as the Bowman Mill Highway location, would price an estimated $24.9 million however may present operational financial savings going ahead. The excessive price of the airport location, estimated at $48.4 million, all however eliminates that choice.
Martin has famous {that a} choice is required quickly to make sure Environmental Safety Company deadlines are met. Citing metropolis information, the Lexington Herald-Chief stories that the Mint Lane pump station has had greater than 13.1 million gallons in sanitary sewer overflows since Jan. 1, 2015.Â
Mill Ridge Farm has been most impacted by that air pollution. Bell stated on the April 14 assembly that relocating the pump station to the Bowman Highway location may flip that unfavorable into an environmental optimistic. He stated that is the most important motive Mill Ridge helps the thought.Â
“Relocating the pump station to Bowman Mill permits a state-funded wetland restoration undertaking alongside Cave Creek to maneuver ahead,” Bell stated. “Kentucky Fish and Wildlife would place a everlasting conservation easement alongside 25 acres. It repairs years of environmental injury attributable to 13 million gallons of overflows, and it creates the chance for public inexperienced house, a future path connection, and finally, significant group entry alongside probably the most stunning corridors in Fayette County.
“A required infrastructure funding may turn into a long-lasting group asset.”
Guide Andrea Drayer of Therapeutic Habitats applauded Mill Ridge Farm on that dedication, noting that growth has claimed 81% of Kentucky wetlands. She stated it is uncommon to discover a personal landowner keen to create new wetlands.
Opponents of the Bowman Mill Highway location stated shifting ahead with such a plan could be taking place a slippery slope on the subject of defending the Fayette County farms that make the Lexington space such a sexy place to dwell. Darby Dan Farm proprietor John Phillips, talking on behalf of the Lexington-Frankfort Scenic Hall board of administrators on the April 14 assembly, opposed the Mill Ridge location.
Photograph: Anne M. EberhardtThe most important entrance to Darby Dan Farm in Lexington
Phillips believes it is a step towards creating the Mill Ridge Farm property and is anxious making this exception would make it simpler for different farm homeowners to seek out methods across the city service boundary guidelines.
“Inserting a brand new sewer pump station and adjoining tank outdoors the city service boundary for the advantage of personal people in anticipation of enlargement someday sooner or later is a horrible precedent,” Phillips stated. “Such a choice flies within the face of a long-standing follow of holding such public infrastructure funding contained in the city service boundary. Shifting the Mint Lane Station outdoors the USB would sign an implicit future enlargement.Â
“Such a choice would encourage landowners adjoining the city service boundary to supply artistic enticements to town for related objectives. One can simply think about landowners, together with some alongside Previous Frankfort Pike, making an attempt to make use of this potential, ill-conceived transfer as a precedent to ignore the USB for his or her personal profit on the expense of their neighbors, and the group.”
Airdrie Stud president Bret Jones famous that he is been associates with Value Bell for years—and would not anticipate a change in that regard—however on this subject is against the Mill Ridge Farm location.
“These are those who I respect, however they’re those who sadly I really feel obligated to oppose at present,” Jones stated on the latest assembly. “I imagine this land round Lexington is what makes Lexington this unimaginable place that everyone knows. To go across the course of that has been in place, to set that precedent, to essentially give a playbook to people who find themselves not as well-intentioned because the Bell household, could be completely catastrophic for this metropolis. I believe it’s unhealthy coverage.”
On the April 14 assembly, Bell stated the Mill Ridge Farm location wouldn’t weaken the city service boundary as a result of the present location is already outdoors that boundary. Bell pointed to a 2025 survey that claims the prevailing pump station is outdoors the boundary. Later on the assembly, Martin agreed that, on the very least, components of the substation are outdoors the boundary.
“There was a coordinated effort to border this infrastructure choice as an enlargement of the city service boundary. That framing just isn’t supported by the information, nor the coverage of this authorities,” Bell stated. “The concept inserting infrastructure outdoors the boundary would characterize a ‘harmful new precedent,’ is solely not correct.”
Bell famous that Mill Ridge Farm is all too effectively acquainted with the issues of the present location, which the LFUCC would goal to handle below any of the three plans.
“Since 2015, the Mint Lane pump station, which is positioned on our property with out our permission, has overflowed 28 instances, discharging almost 13 million gallons of untreated sewage onto our farm and into Cave Creek. That is the equal of 20 Olympic-sized swimming swimming pools of uncooked, untreated sewage,” Bell stated.
Bell stated the Bowman Mill choice would supply some benefits to refurbishing the present location, together with addressing deliberate added growth within the space.
“The Bowman Mill website sits at a decrease elevation downstream alongside Cave Creek. Which means gravity, not equipment does the work,” Bell stated, including that long run this might lead to decrease power use and fewer mechanical pressure. “As director Martin typically says, ‘Gravity works free of charge and it would not take a time off.'”
Bell stated that whereas the overhaul of the Mint Lane Station would carry it as much as requirements, it will not permit enlargement for any future growth wants. He stated the Bowman Mill website would permit each, and stated Martin has reported that he anticipates a necessity for larger capability to handle already deliberate developments. Bell stated April 21 that these deliberate developments don’t embody Mill Ridge Farm, but when any a part of Mill Ridge Farm is developed down the road, these plans would face their very own evaluation.
“If we select the choice that solely meets at present’s necessities, we restrict tomorrow’s alternative,” Bell stated of assembly the necessities of already deliberate growth.
