Louisville Metro government has started the process of figuring out where to move the city’s vehicle impound lot and will hold two public meetings this week.
The police department’s impound lot is currently in Butchertown. But the lot is crowded — it’s only supposed to hold around 1,800 vehicles, but often has more than 2,000. It’s in a floodplain. It’s close to a lot of upcoming development, like the soccer stadium and the waterfront botanical gardens.
The impound lot is also right on the banks of Beargrass Creek. While overall water quality in the creek is improving as the Metropolitan Sewer District works on implementing a federal consent decree and reducing sewage overflows, the impound lot is still a source of water pollution. Testing of the runoff from the lot has found traces of leaking oil, gas and transmission fluid.
But late last year, the city announced a plan to seek a new site. It’s looking for a lot that’s at least 15 contiguous acres and flat, as well as being easy to access by highway and major roads. Other requirements include a site not located in a floodplain, and zoned as an automobile parking area.
The city’s request for information also includes an option for a novel solution to the problem, if a site isn’t 15 contiguous acres but meets other requirements.
A public meeting on the future location of the impound lot was held last week; the remaining two meetings will be this week.
One will be Tuesday at Oak and Acorn, a senior citizen center at 631 S. 28th St. The last meeting will be Thursday at Butchertown Pizza Hall at 1301 Story Avenue. Both meetings begin at 6 p.m.
