LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer's latest effort to reduce overcrowding at the city's impound lot is being met with pushback from the community.
Less than a month ago, Fischer announced plans for a new temporary auction lot to be created in Shively to clear up space at the Frankfort Avenue impound lot. The Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) reports it's overcrowded by hundreds of vehicles.
During a Development Review Committee meeting on Monday afternoon, project leaders opened a discussion, where Shively city officials and the public shared feedback prior to a decision by the Metro to either approve or recommend changes to the plan.
During the meeting, Shively Mayor Beverly Chester-Burton, District 3 Councilwoman Keisha Dorsey and residents objected, worrying the lot would be an environmental hazard on that part of the community near homes.
"We have residents who are right there in the back where the railroad track is located, they will be impacted as well," Mayor Chester-Burton said. "This adds insult to injury to the Seventh Street corridor."
They requested the Planning & Design Department provide a better explanation on why the location was chosen over more than 40 other contenders, and how results will be guaranteed.
Councilwoman Dorsey says residents weren't consulted before Mayor Fischer's decision was made.
"Why isn't there a dialogue around what's happening, why it's happening and how long we should expect to see it?" she said.
Ultimately, project leaders voted to approve the plan with recommended changes to the fine print.
LMPD Major Emily McKinley said this shouldn't be seen as a permanent solution, but rather a supplementary remedy to the overflow at the Frankfort Ave. tow lot. She says she's 'optimistic' that within a year, the Shively auction lot would help eliminate the backlog. At that point, she says the Metro would be able to close the Shively location.
The proposed new space on 7th Street Road -- just minutes from Shively City Hall -- would be on more than two acres of land and would fit hundreds of towed cars up for sale.
During the meeting, Mayor Chester-Burton added that the auction lot would take away from Shively's appeal, house market value and economic opportunities.
Councilwoman Dorsey echoed those concerns.
"I don’t think that having a tow lot in this area, in the middle of a business sector [is a good idea]," Dorsey said. “That was the only place that was feasible for you all out of 40 locations? The likelihood of high turnover, of folks coming in to retrieve these cars, we know is already very low.”
Councilwoman Dorsey said she's filed an ordinance to go through Metro Council that would enforce project leaders to stay true to their timeline: That the project stays temporary. She said the original plan is for the auction lot to last six months after opening.
Meanwhile, Louisville's Facility and Project Management department says it has plans to beautify the area with shrubs, trees and fencing. The department says the location is ideal because the land is flat -- limiting runoff of contaminants.
Police say online auctions haven't done the job to create space during the pandemic, so they're hoping in-person ones at the Shively location will. They say on top of taking overflow from Frankfort Ave., they'll also be able to take cars straight there after towing.
"There will be cars stored there in anticipation for auctions," Major McKinley said.
LMPD believes this is the best alternative option for right now. As far as the search for a larger permanent tow lot, Major McKinley said they'll always welcome a bigger space.
Contact reporter Isaiah Kim-Martinez at ikimmartin@whas11.com. You can follow him on Twitter (@isaiah_km) and Facebook.
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