The Lexington Board of Architecture Review on Oct. 15 approved Certificates of Appropriateness for a batch of routine preservation projects and handled several contested hearings later in the agenda.

Staff told the board that 12 minor applications were approved administratively; at the public meeting the board unanimously approved COAs for 312 Linden Walk (reconstruction and site work), 137 Old Lafayette Avenue (detached garage demolition/rebuild with condition 1 removed), 497 East Main Street and 584 West Short Street (solar panel installs subject to staff review of any increase in panel height), 251 North Upper Street (roof reconstruction at Saint Paul AME Church), 702 Central Avenue (swimming pool and site work) and the rebuilding of a front porch at 107 South Ashland Avenue.

The board read two standard conditions for most approvals: (1) any changes required by other city divisions must be resubmitted to staff or the board for review before work begins, and (2) if changes are made that alter the submitted information, those changes must be resubmitted to staff for approval prior to start of work. For two solar-panel cases (497 East Main and 584 West Short) the board added a substantive condition that “any increase in the height of the panels shall be submitted to staff for review and approval prior to start of work.”

On 137 Old Lafayette Avenue, the applicant and staff agreed that the staff’s original condition requiring finished grade/seed was not applicable because the garage sits on an existing concrete slab; the board struck that condition and approved the COA with the remaining standard conditions.

The board also granted a motion to postpone consideration of a side wall at 107 South Ashland Avenue to Nov. 19, 2025, while approving the porch work at the same address.

Less contentious items were handled quickly; most approvals were voice votes with the chair calling for “aye” and the motions passing. The board closed the meeting by approving its calendar and adjourning.

Votes at a glance

- 312 Linden Walk: COA approved (voice vote; conditioned on standard conditions).
- 137 Old Lafayette Ave (Mirage Garage): COA approved with standard conditions 2 and 3; staff condition 1 struck.
- 497 East Main St (solar panels): COA approved; additional condition requiring staff review of any increase in panel height.
- 584 West Short St (solar panels): COA approved; additional condition requiring staff review of any increase in panel height.
- 251 North Upper St (Saint Paul AME Church): COA approved (roof reconstruction) with standard conditions.
- 702 Central Ave (pool): COA approved with standard conditions.
- 107 South Ashland Ave (porch): COA for porch approved; consideration of a side wall postponed to Nov. 19, 2025.

Why this matters: These routine COAs allow owners in Lexington’s historic districts to repair and maintain structures while ensuring work follows the city’s design guidelines and that staff reviews changes that could affect historic fabric.