LEXINGTON, Ky. — The Urban County Council met Thursday evening to address a slate of ordinances and resolutions focused on zoning modifications, budget adjustments, and the allocation of federal opioid settlement funds.

Among the most significant items on the agenda was an ordinance seeking to amend council appropriations for projects funded by opioid abatement settlement funds. Council members have deliberated extensively on spending approximately $9 million in opioid settlement money the city currently holds, with an estimated $30 million expected over 18 years.

During an April 21 work session, council members agreed to allocate $3 million to fund a community grant program targeting nonprofits offering evidence-based opioid prevention, treatment, recovery and support services. Council members also reserved $2.2 million for recommendations from the city's Homelessness Task Force addressing substance use disorder among Lexington's unhoused population.

The council also addressed zoning matters, advancing two first-reading ordinances to change zones from agricultural to residential use. One ordinance would convert approximately 39 acres at 3515 Richmond Road from Agricultural Urban to medium-density residential zoning, while another would modify nearly 2.77 acres at 4184 Todds Road from mixed agricultural and expansion area residential zones to expanded residential use.

The council approved advancing modifications to conditional zoning restrictions for property at 532 and 550 South Broadway and 659 Plunkett Street in the Corridor Business zone on second reading, with the planning division reporting an 8-0 conditional approval.

Additional items included multiple budget amendments and appropriations, position changes within the Division of Water Quality, and several resolutions authorizing engineering services agreements, facility usage agreements with youth baseball and softball leagues, and mutual aid agreements with neighboring jurisdictions for emergency response.

The council also accepted bids for equipment and personnel to manage storms, disasters and emergencies from nine vendors, and authorized execution of a memorandum of understanding with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints for placement of missionary volunteers with the Department of Social Services.