A rape crisis center in western Kentucky is working to prevent the construction of a gas station near its Paducah campus.
Lotus is the Purchase region’s sexual assault and child advocacy center. The organization is circulating a petition encouraging the city to block the construction of a Huck’s facility adjacent to their facility. Lotus Executive Director Lori Brown told WKMS the campus is a “sanctuary” that would be damaged by a high-traffic gas station.
“Here we have created this sanctuary here on our property and to have a Huck’s, which is one of the highest levels of activity and traffic kinds of businesses right there, it would disrupt everything happening on this campus,” Brown said.
The petition alleges the Huck’s facility will bring new barriers to client services through traffic congestion, light pollution, environmental damage and health risks. The Lotus campus features green spaces, an art therapy studio and a holistic healing center.
The fate of the proposed Huck’s construction project ultimately lies with two city government panels. Senior Paducah City Planner Josh Sommer said the process involves several steps that could take several months.
“The first [step] is a recommendation that has to be made from the Planning Commission to the Board of Adjustment,” Sommer said. “The Board of Adjustment is the body that actually holds the official public hearing and can adopt the conditional use with any conditions they see fit to make it fit to the neighborhood better.”
The Planning Commission is currently seeking additional information from Huck’s owner Martin & Bayley including a traffic study. Martin & Bayley did not respond to a request for comment from WKMS.
