2026 August 10 – FCNC Meeting on Flooding in Lexington

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General Meeting, Monday Evening August 10, 2026, 6:30PM
Tates Creek Christian Church
Fayette County Neighborhood Council
Stormwater Flooding

At our August 10, 2026, community meeting on stormwater flooding and local development, expert panelists—including Ken Cooke (Friends of Wolf Run), Dr. John McMahon (UK Biosystems & Agricultural Engineering), and Eve Miller (Division of Planning)—joined neighborhood leaders and council members to outline critical issues facing our watersheds.

The June 22 storm proved what many of us already know: downstream neighborhoods are bearing the cost of rapid upstream development. Classified as roughly a 50-year storm, it fell below Lexington’s 100-year design standard. Yet, it stranded cars on Press Avenue and South Broadway, damaged vehicles at Lexington Clinic, overtopped detention basins at Parkside and Cabot, and flooded structures in Pine Meadow.

Using the North Fork of Vaughn’s Branch as a case study, our panelists highlighted severe concerns. Watersheds above 35% impervious coverage suffer measurable degradation. Vaughn’s Branch sits at 80% developed and 40% impervious—driven largely by expanding UK campus footprint, including Commonwealth Stadium and Chandler Medical Center. Strikingly, four independent engineering studies from 1994 to 2020 placed flood elevations at the Simpson Avenue outfall at 954–955 feet, yet a post-development 2025 study suddenly claimed elevations were 1.5 to 2 feet lower. That raises serious questions about engineering discretion and a lack of independent checks on stamped models.

Fortunately, the Urban County Council has stormwater flooding on its agenda, with committee work beginning in November. Simultaneously, Planning is updating Article 19 (Floodplain Conservation and Protection), offering a chance to modernize rules and restrict prohibited floodplain uses. Note that the Appeals Committee—which granted two watershed exemptions recently, including a parking lot hardship—currently lacks downstream resident representation.

Action Steps for Neighborhoods:

  • Report Flooding: Always call LexCall 311 for a service request number. Follow up in writing with photos, dates, and times to create a permanent record.
  • Article 19 Feedback: Submit written comments directly to Eve Miller before the final draft.
  • AI Data Centers: Connect with Casey Mather (caseyrmather@gmail.com) regarding the Northside Coalition’s response to proposed data center regulations.

We are also working to bring the Division of Engineering and Water Quality to an upcoming meeting to explain how the city prioritizes flood mitigation projects. Stay engaged, show up, and let’s keep working together. 

AI was used in the creation of the image and post, edited by human.

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Ken Cooke, retired employee from the Kentucky Division of Water associated with Friends of Wolfe Run, Kentucky Water Watch, and Waterways Lex.

Dr. John McMaine, University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension, Associate Professor in the Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering with a focus on water management, stormwater, flooding, and climate resilience.

Eve Miller, Senior Planner, Long Range Planner for the Lexington Urban County Government; Eve is working on updating and improving Article 19 of Lexington’s Zoning Ordinance which deals with floodplain protection.

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