Historic zoning changes discussed; city named a ‘Purple Heart City’
Members of the Military Order of the Purple Heart accept the proclamation by Mayor Bill Sheckles designating Bardstown a Purple Heart City. Click to enlarge.
By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette
Wednesday, May 13, 2014, 11:10 p.m. — Local Purple Heart recipients were on hand for Wednesday night’s Bardstown City Council meeting for Mayor Bill Sheckles’ proclamation designating Bardstown as a “Purple Heart City.”
The proclamation noted the sacrifices members in the military have made over the years to defend their country, and stated the importance of acknowledging those sacrifices.
The Purple Heart is awarded to members of the military who is killed or wounded in combat. Several local members of the Military Order of the Purple Heart attended the meeting, bringing with them signs denoting the city’s status as a “Purple Heart City.”
Councilman Francis Lydian listens to discussion about the “road diet” Wednesday evening at the city council meeting. Click to enlarge.
NEW CITY ATTORNEY. Bardstown attorney Bruce Reynolds was named city attorney at Wednesday’s meeting of the Bardstown City Council.
Mayor Bill Sheckles administered the oath of office immediately after the council’s unanimous vote to accept the mayor’s recommendation to appoint Reynolds to the post. Reynolds replaces Bardstown attorney Tom Donan, who stepped down after more than 10 years of service.
HISTORIC REVIEW BOARD DISCUSSION. Jan Johnston-Crowe, administrator of the joint city-county planning and zoning office discussed with the council some regulatory changes that would reduce the length of time it takes to get approvals for some property changes in the historic district.
A great many of the changes in the historic district involve color choices and sign changes. Currently, the Bardstown City Council must give applications final approval before work can begin — a process that takes minimum of 20-days from start to finish. If the changes were implemented, applications that met the guidelines could be approved by the HRB chairman and the zoning administrator, and would not require city council approval. The end result would be approvals in 24 to 48 hours.
Another change discussed may remove the requirement fo city council approval for nearly all HRB applications.
If an applicant disagreed with the decision of the administrator and the board chairman, that decision could be appealed to the full planning and zoning board, Johnston-Crowe said. Individuals who disagreed with the board’s decisions could appeal them to the city council as is currently the practice.
The goal is to create a process that is responsive to the needs of those who live in the historic district, she explained. Johnston-Crowe said the next step is to create a draft for the council to review.
The next meeting of the Bardstown City Council is Tuesday, May 27, 2014.
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