Board approves multiple certificates of appropriateness; several applications continued or postponed

LEXINGTON — The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Board of Architectural Review approved a series of certificates of appropriateness (COAs) at its May meeting, accepting staff recommendations on multiple routine applications and taking separate action on a higher-profile commercial renovation at 509 East Main Street.

Routine approvals: The board approved COAs for permit applications across several historic districts, generally adopting staff recommendations and the board’s standard two conditions (resubmit changes to staff/board for approval prior to work; resubmit any changes that alter submitted information). Among the approvals the board moved on record at the meeting were:

- Case 09290446-E, 446 East High Street — COA approved with standard two conditions. - Case 11720396D, 396 Linden Walk — COA approved with standard two conditions plus three nonstandard conditions (final siding, door/window, and patio flooring specifications to be submitted to staff prior to issuance). - Case 01540137-N (recorded as 130/137 West Bell Court in the hearing record) — COA approved with three conditions, including lowering a carport roof pitch to 6:12 and submission of final details to staff. - Case 32930256D, 426 West Sixth Street — COA granted with standard two conditions. - Case 188444444 (recorded in transcript for 444 West Third Street) — COA approved with standard two conditions. - Case 18800462F, 462 West Third Street — COA approved with standard two conditions. - Case 1702117C, 117 Shawnee Place — COA approved with standard two conditions and an additional condition requiring two windows on the rear instead of one. - Case 00710124M, 124 South Ashland Avenue — COA approved with standard two conditions.

Continuances and postponements: Several items were continued or postponed.

- Case at 232 Eastvale Court — continued to the board’s 06/18/2025 meeting (noted by staff earlier in the agenda). - Two South Mill Street applications (329 and 331 South Mill Street) were postponed to June 2025/06/18/2025 and were read into the record as postponed. - 509 East Main Street (case 1260505-H) — the board approved portions of the COA (masonry enclosure in lieu of louvers; replacement of bamboo with columnar sweetgum trees; and other standard items) and continued the kitchen hood (exhaust ductwork) and EIFS installation portions for 60 days with the applicant’s agreement to submit proposals during the extension.

Staff approvals: Acting Chair Susan Hill read into the record that staff had administratively approved 32 minor applications (tree removals, roof replacements, small renovations, gravel refresh, fencing repairs, etc.) that do not require full board review.

Vote practice: Most motions were voiced by board members without a recorded roll-call vote in the transcript; the minutes record motions, seconds, and unanimous “ayes” on the listed approvals. When applicants were not present, the board sometimes proceeded with staff recommendations and imposed conditions.

Next steps: For continued and postponed items, staff will expect schematic drawings, product specifications and material samples where requested. The board emphasized that, when possible, applicants should submit concrete architectural proposals rather than rely on verbal descriptions at the hearing.

The meeting adjourned after board business and minutes follow-up were discussed.