Frequently Asked Questions

You should participate because your voice matters! This year’s On the Table will be the main public input process for the 2023 Comprehensive Plan, which guides how Lexington grows and changes.

If you care about Lexington’s neighborhoods, economy, environment, or how we grow - you should participate in On the Table.

On the Table Lexington is a project of CivicLex, and was previously administered by the Blue Grass Community Foundation. It is collaboratively led by a team of community leaders from across Fayette County through the On the Table Advisory Group. The Advisory Group works with and advises CivicLex Staff on project direction, execution, recruitment, and much more.

This year’s On the Table is different in a few ways. The main difference is that the process will directly shape how Lexington grows and changes over the next 20 years! Pretty crazy, right? All the input we receive through On the Table will be used to inform Lexington’s 2023 Comprehensive Plan, Imagine Lexington!

Input from On the Table will be gathered by a quick survey that you take before your conversation.

After On the Table, information from the surveys will be made anonymous and shared with our partners in the Division of Planning and at the University of Kentucky Martin School for Public Policy. Together, we’ll go through that data and make a report that we’ll send back to you!

Over the next year, all of the input from On the Table will also be used to create Lexington’s next Comprehensive Plan. In 2023, you’ll be able to see your thoughts made into policy when the plan is adopted by the city of Lexington!

We want to make sure that when folks are participating in On the Table they’re being safe. If you don’t feel comfortable attending a conversation in person, there will be lots of virtual options. You can also host one virtually if you’d like!

Masking and vaccination protocol for each On the Table conversation will be up to the discretion of the host. Make sure to use our website to find a public conversation that fits what you are comfortable with.

The beauty of this year’s OTT conversations is that they’re flexible while still providing a similar experience for everyone! As a host, you can set up a conversation however you would like - it can be public or private, in-person or virtual, in your home, at a coffee shop, or on zoom! t’s totally up to you!

The only thing we ask of hosts is that you read and follow our host guide and make sure everyone who comes fills out a survey! That’s it!

Not unless you would like to for your personal use! All of the input that we need will be included in the survey, to be taken at the beginning of the conversation.

Take a photo of each page of your survey and text it to 859-474-5444 or email it to info@ottlex.org. You can also mail it/drop it off at our office at 141 East Main Street, Lexington, Kentucky 40507.

Yes! We have a number of resources that you can use to get the word out about your table! Check out our materials page for more information.

Public Tables can be in person or virtual and are open to any community member who wants to join. They may take place in public locations like libraries, parks, restaurants, community centers, churches, workplaces, and schools.

Private Tables can also be in person or virtual, but the participants are personally invited by the host. The host will pick the date, time, and location of the table, and lead the conversation. Private tables can take place anywhere (including somewhere public, like a restaurant) but are often inside the host’s home. A private table can be a group of neighbors, friends, family members, or coworkers.

Important note: anyone can host a public or private table!

Yes! We want to make sure that everyone who is interested in joining a table can. However, if you are unable to make it to a table, you will still be able to fill out the survey that will be used for the Comp Plan, online or on paper.

We’ll post the survey close to the OTT date!

In early March, we will publish a database of in-person and virtual tables that anyone can join. If you prefer to gather privately, just get a few friends together and use our host resources to create your own!