Greenspace Trust

“The mission of the Greenspace Trust is to preserve, protect, enhance and maintain the open space throughout the Lexington Urban Service Area and Fayette County.”

The Lexington-Fayette County Greenspace Commission was established by ordinance in 1990 as a citizen-based advisory group to the Urban County Government to incorporate into policy the preservation, management and enhancement of the County’s unique and special character for the economic, educational and general health, safety and welfare of the public.

The Greenspace Commission is the sole member of the Greenspace Trust, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization created in 2002 that assists in implementing and monitoring the Coldstream EPA Consent Decree Project.

Greenspace in Lexington-Fayette County encompasses more than the beautiful rural countryside and urban parks; it includes all of the Urban County’s natural, cultural, historic and visual resources that contribute to the Bluegrass identity and quality of life. A network of greenways serves as a key feature of this system in Fayette County. These corridors connect people to activity nodes (parks, schools, business areas and neighborhoods) while also providing linkages to habitats for wildlife.

Meeting schedule and location

2024 Meeting dates

Jan. 17
Feb. 21
March 20
April 17
May 15 – Off campus
June – No meeting
July 17
Aug. – No meeting
Sept. 18 (regular meeting at 3 p.m.)
Greenway Master Plan Update at 5:30 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 26 | 9 a.m. – noon
Coldstream Easement Review & Volunteer Day
Coldstream Regional Park Tank
Nov. 20
Dec. – No meeting

Meetings are on the third Wednesday of each month from 3 – 4:15 p.m. at various locations. Click on the meeting materials link to see the next location.

Meeting Materials

Elected officers

Chair – Russ Turpin

Vice Chair – Jessica Voigt

Secretary – Noland Aull

Treasurer – Ken Cooke

Examples of greenspace include:

Rural cultural landscapes, including patterns of fields and pastures; houses and outbuildings; barns and fences; rural roads; rural settlements, etc.
Farms, working lands
Natural, undisturbed or re-vegetated natural areas and habitat
Natural resource areas, including prime and soils of statewide significance, streams and floodplains, flora and fauna
Forests, woods, tree stands, fencerows, riparian vegetation, significant trees, venerable trees
Kentucky River and Palisades, urban and rural conservation greenways and other environmentally sensitive or geologic hazard areas
Scenic rural roads and vistas
Scenic urban streets such as boulevards and parkways
Street trees and green medians
Special Design Areas, Scenic Resource Areas (Expansion Area)
Sports fields, golf courses
Trails
Parks
Gardens, including community, ornamental, therapeutic; sculpture
Cemeteries, arboretums
School grounds, college campuses, church lawns, office parks
Development patterns and structures that recall the County’s founding and history, including historic sites, districts and landscapes found in rural areas, traditional neighborhoods and downtown
Some open spaces usable as greenspace, including landscaped plazas, courtyards, sidewalk furnishing zones; landscaping and public art, stormwater basins, reservoirs, amphitheaters and pavilions, rail and utility corridors, landscaped gateways and neighborhood entrances