It was a full house for the Fayette Urban County Council meeting Thursday night, many in attendance to protest against the Bluegrass Area Development District's plan to create a re-entry facility for recently released felons at a former apartment complex on Trent Blvd.
Many of the council members appeared to be on board with the River Park Neighborhood Association, who brought forth a petition with more than 900 signatures.
The problem is the Bluegrass Area Development District is a state entity.
"State government trumps local government, so they don't really have to abide by our zoning ordinances or any of our local ordinances," Councilman George Myers said
The neighborhood alliance with support from the county government will take their argument to Frankfort, hoping to make change beyond their single issue.
"Part of what we're going to do in talking with lawmakers is remind them of what they need to do and what's the right thing to do. Hopefully the state will encourage them to do just that. Then secondly we're going to reach out to lawmakers and actually begin to look at this law and their use of state statutes and see what changes can be made to help protect communities in this kind of situation," Myers said.
No members of the BGADD were in attendance at the council meeting.
