Composting Pilot Program
Lexington is launching a compost pilot for Fayette Co. residents with city waste collection. You must attend a free workshop led by Seedleaf to enroll. Attendees qualify for a discounted compost unit. Space is limited. Register for the November workshop today.
Got Trees?
Do you have a large evergreen tree that is nicely shaped that you want removed from your property? If so, consider donating it for the city to use for Lexington’s holiday season celebration.
Bring holiday magic to the entire city of Lexington by having your tree chosen as the beacon of cheer and merriment. City officials will evaluate all trees and select the two chosen for the city Christmas trees. If your tree is chosen, the City and Kentucky Utilities will coordinate with the property owner to remove it in early November. There’s no financial compensation, however removal of the tree and stump grinding is free.
The chosen trees will be placed in Triangle Park and in front of the KU building on Quality Street. They will be decorated and lit Friday, Nov. 26, as part of Luminate Lexington presented by Kentucky Utilities and Baird. Help your tree live out its Christmas destiny!
The trees need to meet the following guidelines:
- 40- to 50-feet high
- 20- to 25-feet wide
- Be a Norway spruce; Colorado blue spruce; or a Douglas fir
- Have a pyramidal shape, with fullness especially at the bottom
- The body of the tree should have few or no holes
- The tree should not be growing into houses or into other trees
- Access must be provided with clearance of at least 10 feet in width, with no power lines growing in the trees
- There should be no other obstacles, such as buildings that may prevent access
- Must be able to back a low-boy trailer up to the tree and place KU trucks on either side
Property owners should call LexCall at 311 or Victoria Hamm at (859) 277-8703 if they want to donate a tree and will be contacted by the city if their tree is chosen.
Shred It
Lexington’s next Paper Shred event will be held on Saturday, November 13, 2021 between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. at 1631 Old Frankfort Pike (enter via Jimmie Campbell Dr.)
Please note:
- No wet materials will be accepted.
- No plastic binders or binder clips should be included with materials.
- Staples, paper envelopes and paper clips are acceptable.
- Participants are asked not to arrive before 9 a.m. as event organizers will be unable to accommodate anyone before that time.
- Cardboard boxes will be collected at the event and sent to the Lexington Recycling Center.
Timberrrrrrr!
At an October Council Work Session, representatives with Kentucky Utilities appeared before the Council to provide information regarding their transmission line tree-trimming work planned for Lexington in 2022—and to listen to public comment and concerns expressed by the Council and many people in attendance.
Numerous Lexington residents spoke before the Council and voiced frustrations over plans by Kentucky Utilities to uproot countless trees as part of a vegetation management program to prevent trees from falling close to lines, or growing into them.
K.U. implemented a new policy in 2014 that called for the removal of trees taller than 10 feet under the utility’s larger transmission lines.
K.U. representatives say the cutting is needed to safeguard against power outages by keeping fallen limbs and trees out of those lines. Some residents say it’s needless butchering that puts profits ahead of people and destroys one of our community’s greatest assets.
A K.U. representative said their Enhanced Vegetation Management Program is designed to “improve line safety and reliability.”
Mayor Gorton met the K.U. representatives prior to the meeting and asked that they:
- Consider potential for changes and compromise to reduce the amount of tree cutting
- Consider more robust revegetation on private and public property easements
- Provide better notification to neighborhoods and neighbors
- Allow LFUCG to provide input on the stormwater study KU intends to conduct in the Lakeside area
- Study the Kentucky geological survey maps for sinkhole impacts
- Implement at least a minimum 30-day moratorium to study and consider the above
Kyle Burns, a representative with K.U., stated, “We did come here to listen today. We come to all the meetings to listen. We wanna solicit feedback. We want to take that and continuously improve our program.”
CALENDAR
NOV 5: Tire Roundup and Disposal (old landfill)
NOV 6: Tire Roundup and Disposal (old landfill)
NOV 6: LFUCG’s Compost Workshop
NOV 13: Paper Shred (old landfill)
NOV 26: Gobble Grease Toss, 10 am to 2 pm Redwood School
This article also appears on page 20 and 21 of the November 2021 print edition of Ace.
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