LEXINGTON, Ky. — Fayette Alliance, a local advocacy organization focused on sustainable land-use planning, is marking two decades of work addressing urban sprawl and farmland preservation in Lexington-Fayette County through research, education, and policy efforts.

The nonprofit organization, founded on May 2, 2006, is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2026 with special events, limited edition merchandise, and new ways for residents to get involved. The organization's creation came in response to pressing local growth issues, as community members recognized the need to monitor and influence how the "Horse Capital of the World" was developing.

Fayette Alliance advocates for achieving sustainable, equitable growth in Lexington-Fayette County through land-use advocacy, education, and research. Over the past two decades, the organization has focused on several key issues: addressing concerns about urban sprawl, emphasizing investment in downtown and existing neighborhoods, improving infrastructure, and protecting the productive rural farmland surrounding the city.

The organization's approach emphasizes data-driven decision-making. Through independent studies, public opinion research, and policy analysis, Fayette Alliance has funded research to provide objective data supporting advocacy work, including studies on housing demand, agricultural economic impacts, and available undeveloped land.

The stakes for careful planning in Lexington are particularly high. Agriculture accounts for $2.6 billion in annual economic activity in Lexington-Fayette County, with approximately one in every 12 jobs associated with agriculture. The region's unique limestone-enriched soils make it ideal for growing corn for bourbon production and for raising thoroughbred horses, characteristics found nowhere else in the state.

Fayette Alliance has been instrumental in advocating for the preservation of Lexington's Urban Service Boundary, which protects productive farmland and unique soils from development, prevents urban sprawl, and encourages the county to grow thoughtfully. Lexington was the first city in the country to establish a USB in 1958.

Looking ahead, the Lexington Preservation and Growth Management Program must be adopted by August 31st, 2026, which will establish a new process for how decisions to change the Urban Service Boundary will be made. Fayette Alliance continues to advocate that Lexington has sufficient undeveloped land within existing boundaries to accommodate future growth while preserving the agricultural heritage that defines the region.