Fayette County school board to review land transfers near new RISE STEM Academy

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) - The Fayette County Board of Education is set to review paperwork for the transfer of 12 small parcels near the new RISE STEM Academy for Girls, in an arrangement the district says will relieve it of future costs associated with a private road.

The board’s planning meeting is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Monday. Agenda documents recommend the revised property-transfer applications for a consent vote at the board’s Nov. 23 regular meeting.

Fayette County Public Schools says it became a half-owner of The Lane, a private drive used by residents to reach their homes, when it acquired the property for the school. The district says it does not need the road for school purposes.

According to the district, the board declared its interest in The Lane surplus in July and approved initial state project applications, known as BG-1s, to transfer the property to adjoining homeowners.

In exchange for the parcels, the participating property owners would relinquish any rights they may have to use a separate unnamed private lane along the western boundary of the school property, according to the agenda documents. FCPS also plans to give up its use of The Lane and avoid future costs and responsibilities associated with the road.

“Tonight’s action is procedural as KDE requires a revised BG-1 to be entered into its systems before a project can be closed and a BG-5 can be submitted,” the district said in a statement.

The 12 parcels total approximately 0.219 acres and have a combined appraised value of $25,652, based on the individual figures in the agenda documents. FCPS says no money is being exchanged; instead, the arrangement provides for the release of access rights and avoidance of future costs.

The documents identify parcels adjacent to 11 addresses on The Lane and one on Port Royal Drive. They say oner property owner declined to participate and that the board-owned portion of the road in front of that home is being transferred to an adjoining neighbor.

The district also agrees to maintain a privacy border made up of existing and new vegetation along the portion of its property adjoining The Lane, according to the agenda documents.

District says transfers are separate from eminent domain action

FCPS says the proposed transfers are not connected to its eminent domain action involving other property owners near the school.

WKYT reported in November 2025 that the district had filed for eminent domain to acquire portions of homeowners’ property for a bus lane at the new RISE STEM Academy for Girls. Some neighbors opposed the move and raised concerns about noise, flooding and damage to their property. The district said at the time that eminent domain was the least disruptive option.