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On Thursday, June 20th the Louisville Metro Council unanimously passed the Capital and Operating Budgets for our city. The budget, which came as a result of dozens of hearings and even more negotiation, sets our community’s spending priorities for the coming year. While most of Mayor Greenberg’s spending was kept intact, changes were made to address areas that most concerned members of the Metro Council.
Heading into FY25, I and many of my colleagues placed a heavy focus on funding safety, roads, and parks. Unfortunately, after getting the mayor’s budget, it became apparent that funding for paving, safety enhancements and parks maintenance were significantly underfunded. As a result, I and others on the Metro Council began working to find a means for adding nearly $12 million in support to help reach our goals.
The Council’s amendment to the Mayor’s Budget Proposal achieves the following:
- $30 million in total road paving (as recommended by Public Works as part of our ten-year plan for fixing our streets)
- $4.3 million in total for street markings and signage to improve safety for motorists
- $2.9 million to address deferred maintenance at our parks (play equipment, paving, lights, restrooms)
- Reinstating cuts made to the Soil and Water as well as partial funding for Cooperative Extension Offices
- Increasing funding for Community Ministries to adjust to changing population demographics within cutting funding from some areas.
Looking Ahead to the next year:
The budget passed on Thursday is better than what was presented by Mayor Greenberg. It was the result of bipartisan work conducted over more than two months. The final budget spends less on personnel/operations and more on capital projects such as roads and parks, but some of the spending within this budget remains concerning. Despite reducing operational expenses by 10 million, I believe that the continued growth of services, the loss of American Rescue Plan (ARP), Build Back Better (BBB) and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) funding in the coming years, as well as an economic slowdown could be hard to overcome. I and members of the minority caucus argued to slow the growth of personnel and require that grants such as Municipal Aid for Roads program dollars be used for construction of roads. While we were successful in making some of these changes, we still face tough decisions in the future if leaders don’t embrace the need for making smart choices today to avoid hard choices later.
I hope this budget update is of help. If you have any questions about the contents of the Louisville Metro Budget, please know that a copy will be posted online at https://louisvilleky.gov/government/management-budget/fy25-budget. In addition, my office would be happy to answer any of your questions should you call, email, or see me at one of my upcoming meetings.
Sincerely,
Stuart Benson
574-1120
Safety Improvements, Paving, Sidewalks and Parks Receive boosts in Metro Council’s Budget Proposal
Eight years ago, the Metro Council, working with the Metro Public Works Department set a plan to significantly increase Metro’s annual investment in paving. At that time Metro typically spent less than $3 million on repairing our roads. Since creating that plan, the Metro Council has stayed the course and kept road funding at over $20 million, reaching over $30 million for the past two years. Reaching this funding goal annually has not been easy, as both the current and previous Mayors have attempted to underfund paving over the course of of the past eight years, but the Metro Council has stuck to its goals and has managed to find the funding needed to help improve our roads to a state that best serves the people of Jefferson County.
This year Mayor Greenberg underfunded paving by $8 million. This lack of funded set us up for one of our biggest challenges, but working together, the members of the Metro Council we again able to meet our goal of $30 million and stay true to our plans for bringing all Metro roads into a safe condition within the next few years.
Building Momentum in other aspects of Metro Government
After achieving annual success funding paving, the Metro Council began to shift focus to other aspects of local government such as street markings, bridge repair, sidewalk repair and fixing our parks. This year, just as with paving, we were left to fight to fully fund aspects of the budget focused on deferred maintenance.
Fortunately, as with paving, the Metro Council was able to increase our investment in parks maintenance, street signage and markings (adding easier to see lines on paved streets) as well as continued focus on fixing bridges and dams. Catching up in on deferred maintenance isn’t necessarily the kind of thing that gets you many accolades, but it an essential part of living up to our responsibility to serve the people of Louisville.
In the next year we anticipate seeing improvement to the following parks In District 20:
- $150,000 investment for additional parking & maintenance in Charlie Vettiner Park
Neighborhood meeting for a change in zoning from R-4 to C-2 and Detailed District Development Plan to allow a business park on approximately 11.4 acres located at 16223, 16301 & 16305 Shelbyville Road and 211 Johnson Road
Dear Neighbor:
We are writing to invite you to a meeting we have scheduled to present neighbors with our zone change and Detailed District Development Plan (DDDP) to allow a business park to be located as above. Accordingly, we filed a plan for pre-application review with the Office of Planning that was assigned case number 24-ZONEPA-0075 and case manager Jay Luckett.
The applicant is proposing several office buildings, a home for the infirmed and aged, medical office building and retail building. We would like to show and explain this plan to neighbors so that we might hear what thoughts, issues and concerns you may have. In that regard, a meeting will be held on Tuesday, July 2, 2024, beginning at 6:00 p.m. at the First Baptist Church Eastwood in the Multi-purpose Building located at 16122 Eastwood Cut Off Road, Louisville, KY. (Park in the upper parking lot via the frontage road that runs in front of the church. Access the frontage road from either Eastwood Fisherville Road or Eastwood Cut Off Road. Enter the Multipurpose Building located in the rear of the parking lot through the door located on the left side of the building. Go down the stairs to the meeting room. Wheelchair access is available through the back door.)
Please click here for the information listed below:
- The development plan sheet
- LOJIC site location zoning map sheet showing the location of the site
- Detailed summary sheet of the project
- Contact information sheet and Information on how to obtain case information online from PDS’ online customer service portal
- PDS’ “After the Neighborhood Meeting” sheet If you are unable to attend the meeting, or have any questions or comments, please feel free to email or call me at the number listed above. We look forward to our opportunity to visit with you.
JYSA Youth Soccer Fall 2024 Registration will be held on
Tuesday, June 25, 2024 from 5:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, June 29, 2024 from 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
at
The Jeffersonian (Jtown Community Center)
10617 Taylorsville Road 40299
Age groups for players with birth years 2006 through 2020
*Players do not have to live in Jtown to join us.
*Practices are held at Pope Lick Park.
For more information:
www.jysarec.com
email jysarec@gmail.com
6/20/2024 - Sweets & Sirens
Walmart - 3706 Diann Marie Road
2:30pm - 4:30pm
7/2/2024 - LMPD Stop the Violence Event
Kroger - 9501 Westport Road
6pm - 8pm
Earlier this month, members of the Metro Council requested a meeting with LMPD to discuss the increase of car thefts that are impacting our community. We wanted to learn more about the department’s efforts to combat this issue as well as any obstacles that were preventing officers from being able to apprehend the people involved in these criminal acts.
During this meeting we were told of the efforts already underway as well as ongoing plans to apprehend the groups of individuals who were organized in striking a variety of neighborhoods throughout the city. We also reviewed the needs of the department related to additional cameras as well as the need to review mask policies that have led many criminals to use COVID-era masking as a means for preventing our cameras and police from being able to identify those driving stolen vehicles and attempting to remove items from cars.
Since our meeting, we are happy to report that LMPD has had success arresting a number of people in connection with these crimes and continues to follow up on other leads. Unfortunately, their actions alone can’t solve this problem. We need to have judges who will hold those convicted of these crimes accountable and we need your help as well.
According to police nearly 80% of car robberies and thefts are due to vehicles being unlocked with valuables readily available and in sight. In addition – many of the vehicles stolen aren’t hot-wired like we see in the movies, but rather the result of an owner leaving their unlocked car with the keys or car fob, in the car. Please make sure you are locking your cars and removing valuables from sight whenever you leave your vehicle. Please remember, that we are working hard to get more officers on the streets, but we can all help create a safer neighborhood by taking these preventative steps.
The Louisville Zoo is celebrating the start of summer this weekend with a great ticket discount. This weekend only, June 22 and 23, 2024, adults ages 12 – 59 can enjoy general admission for only $20. Children (ages 3 – 11) and seniors can enter for only $15 per person. Children two and under are always free. The Zoo encourages guests to prepare for the weather with refillable water bottles, cooling off at indoor air-conditioned spaces, and visiting the popular Glacier Run Splash Park — free with Zoo admission or membership. Plus, be sure to pick up free cups of ice water at concession stands or stop by a Louisville Water Company bottle refill station located inside the African Outpost, near the entrance to the Islands’ Pavilion and on the Zoo’s main plaza.
Guests will want to stop in and see their favorite new mates — the Zoo’s recent additions, male koalas Dharuk and Telowie — along with red panda, Sundara, in his new habitat and, of course, elephants Punch and Mikki, ahead of their move to The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee in 2025.
The Zoo kicks off summer with a full slate of activities including movie nights for both adults and kids as well as character days.
Movie Nights in the Oasis Field
The Zoo is celebrating the summer with a movie series under the stars! Enjoy Late-Night Date Night features or Cinema Safari films for the younger set. Join the Zoo staff in the Oasis Field at sundown to watch on our giant inflatable screen. Gates opens at 8 p.m. The movies start at sundown. Tickets are $5 for non-members, free for Zoo members. Tickets must be purchased at the gate and cannot be purchased online. Concessions will be available for purchase. Guests are encouraged to pack their own blankets and lawn chairs.
- June 21: “Barbie” Presented by Mercy Academy
- July 26: “Top Gun”
Cinema Safari is sponsored by Great Clips
- July 12: “Trolls Band Together”
- August 9: “The Super Mario Bros. Movie”
- September 13: “Haunted Mansion”
Meet Me at the Zoo
Meet and greet some of your favorite storybook characters free with Zoo admission or Zoo membership on the following days:
- July 20 & 21: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Santa’s Summer Safari
- Enjoy meeting Santa and Mrs. Claus on their summer vacation and recall cooler times with winter-themed holiday enrichment for animals and games for the kids.
- August 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Super Back to School Bash
- Start the new school year with two favorite video game heroes who happen to be brothers and their princess pal. Presented by Norton Children’s
Zoo Hours
The Zoo is open daily year-round. Spring/summer hours are 10 a.m. ─ 5 p.m. (stay until 6 p.m.). The Zoo is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. Visit louisvillezoo.org for more info.
***
The Louisville Zoo, the State Zoo of Kentucky, is the top, non-profit, paid attraction in the state. The Zoo is dedicated to bettering the bond between people and our planet by providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for visitors, and leadership in scientific research and conservation education. The Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).
24-DDP-0041 The Kingdom Center 12610 TAYLORSVILLE RD 40299 20 05/13/2024 06/26/2024 Jay Luckett
A Detailed District Development Plan to construct 16,974 sq ft for a religious institution on 4.26 acres in the PD zoning district
June 29
8am-1pm
For directions click here.
The Office of Planning’s Library Hours return in 2024! City Planners from Louisville Metro’s Office of Planning will be available to answer questions about zoning (What is zoning? Why does it matter?) and discuss the ongoing LDC Reform project, including Middle Housing. We want to hear about your neighborhood and discuss what the reform means for you!
Iroquois
Tuesday, July 30
3 - 7 PM
South Central Regional
Tuesday, August 13
3 - 7 PM
Bon Air
Tuesday, August 27
3 - 7 PM
Newburg
Tuesday, September 10
3 - 7 PM
Shively
Tuesday, September 24
3 - 7 PM
These conversations are part of the ongoing Land Development Code (LDC) Reform. The LDC Reform is an equity focused approach to revise the LDC consistently with Plan 2040 to allow for increased housing choices and opportunities in new and existing neighborhoods, to create procedures and regulations that are easier to use and increase the quality of life by reducing the concentration of environmental hazards near housing.
If you have questions or want to learn more, contact ldcreform@louisvilleky.gov or (502) 574-5860/(502) 574-8272
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