LEXINGTON – A Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council committee on Tuesday advanced two ordinances that would require carbon monoxide detectors in older residential and commercial buildings, responding to a fatal poisoning incident last year that exposed a major gap in local safety codes. The So cial Services and Public Safety Committee voted unanimously to send the proposed ordinances to the full Urban County Council, where they would mandate carbon monoxide detection in buildings constructed before 2011 when fuel-burning appliances or attached garages are present. If approved by council, the requirements would take effect six months after passage. Committee Chair Jennifer Reynolds said the proposals were prompted by a July incident in her district that left one person dead and sent 11 others to the hospital after carbon monoxide leaked through an apartment complex built before detectors were required by code. “A carbon monoxide detector could have saved a life,” Reynolds said, calling the incident devastating for residents and a wake-up call for city regulations. Lexington Fire Marshal Jeff Johnson told council members the ordinances would close a long-standing loophole in building codes. While new construction and major remodels have required carbon monoxide detectors since 2011, existing structures were largely exempt. Johnson said the proposed changes adopt standards already outlined in the International Fire Code, allowing battery-operated detectors to keep costs low. The ordinance would apply to apartments, hotels, boarding houses, assisted living facilities, hospitals, daycares and certain school classrooms, as well as single- and two-family homes where gas appliances or attached garages exist. All-electric buildings would be exempt. Johnson emphasized enforcement would mirror existing fire and property maintenance procedures, typically beginning with a notice to remedy and escalating only if violations persist. After discussion, the committee voted to forward both ordinances to council, noting that property owners would have a six-month compliance window following adoption. The committee also heard an extensive update on Lexington’s street outreach and homeless encampment response efforts, which city officials say have expanded significantly as unsheltered homelessness and cleanup costs have risen. Jeff Herron, the city’s Homelessness Prevention Manager, said Lexington has steadily increased investment in street outreach since first piloting the program in 2016. The current model, operated by the Hope Center, integrates clinical services and aims to connect people experiencing homelessness directly to housing, healthcare and other supports. Since August 2023, outreach workers have made more than 800 unique contacts, with nearly 30% of participants exiting to positive housing destinations, Herron said. A new downtown-focused outreach team is expected to fully launch this month. Herron also outlined the growing cost of homeless encampment removals, which have nearly doubled since fiscal year 2023. He said the city’s recently hired encampment coordinator has helped reduce costs by coordinating multi-agency responses and using city crews instead of private contractors when possible. The committee’s final major agenda item was an update on the Audrey Grevious Center, a therapeutic alternative school now operated by Fayette County Public Schools in partnership with the city. Principal Felicia Lindsey told council members the program serves court-involved youth ages 12 to 18, combining daily education with intensive mental health services. Students receive individual counseling, daily group therapy and ongoing transition support when they return to traditional schools. Lindsey highlighted improvements in attendance, credit recovery and behavior, along with partnerships that provide job training, mentoring and family support. She also detailed the city’s financial role, which includes $300,000 in funding, transportation services and staffing support. Council members praised the program’s outcomes and the collaboration between the city and the school district. The committee concluded with a review of its 2026 agenda and confirmed its next meeting is scheduled for Feb. 17 at 1 p.m. The post Lexington panel advances carbon monoxide detector mandate after deadly incident appeared first on The Lexington Times. ...read more read less