Bardstown City Council rejects 2 of the city’s 4 proposed hotel projects
14th District Sen. Jimmy Higdon and 50th District Rep. Chad McCoy present Oreo, the Bardstown Fire Department’s mascot, with recognition of a job well done in promoting fire safety among children of all ages.
By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette / WBRT Radio
Tuesday, Nov. 27, 2018 — The Bardstown City Council voted to deny two of the four hotels whose Development Review Board (DRB) recommendations the council was asked to review at its meeting Tuesday night.
Councilman John Kelley made the motion to reject the two hotel projects. His motion was based on the fact both projects’ applications were incomplete, and both exceeded the maximum building height.
The unanimous votes were cast after the council discussed at length the applications missing information and the fact both exceeded the allowable height guidelines for a city structure.
The council unanimously approved the DRB’s recommendations for the proposed Fairfield Inn and Holiday Inn Express hotel projects. The four-story hotels would offer 92 and 80 rooms, respectively.
The DRB had approved — with extensive conditions — the applications for a LaQuinta Inn and a Sleep Inn Mainstay. The council had the option of either approving the DRB recommendation or denying it.
Councilman John Kelley said he felt both applications had so much missing information he could vote to approve either one.
Both hotel designs exceeded the 50-foot height limit, a problem that officials representing the projects had yet to solve. Both proposed hotels buildings adhered to the 50-foot height limitation; however, both buildings will have roof mounted equipment, and both plan to use parapets of different heights to screen the roof-mounted equipment. The parapets are the structures that violate the 50-foot limit.
Both hotels had several items that were still incomplete on their DRB applications; however, the 50-foot limit was a stumbling block. The DRB meeting minutes indicated that representatives for the applicants would commit to changes to the address the height issue.
The city council members clearly backed the DRB’s desire to enforce the 50-foot height limitation. Councilman John Kelley made a motion to deny the La Quinta Inn’s DRB application because of the height issue and the lack of other needed information missing from the application. His motion was backed by the council’s unanimous vote.
Mayor Dick Heaton administers swears-in Amanda Beard, the city’s newest addition to the Bardstown Police Department.
The council next voted unanimously to deny the Sleep Inn Mainstay’s DRB application for the same reasons.
According to Planning Director Janet Johnston-Crowe, both applicants will have an opportunity to file new — and presumably more complete — applications.
The city’s zoning regulations are on the planning commission website, as are its development review guidelines, Johnston-Crowe explained. A Development Review Board applicant should be aware of the guidelines and be prepared to submit a project that meets them.
PAWNBROKER ORDINANCE APPROVED. The council gave its final approval of an update to the city’s ordinance governing pawnbroker licenses. Among the changes to the 1958 city ordinance are a requirement for the City Attorney to review the application and related information prior to its review by the city council.
The changes also set the look-back period for convictions related to larceny or obtaining money under false pretense to five years. The revisions also require pawnbrokers to have a $1,000 bond.
CREEKVIEW COURT SIDEWALK WAIVER. The council approved a sidewalk waiver request for an extension of Creekview Court. City Civil Engineer Jessica Filiatreau explained that the lay of the land made it impractical to require sidewalks on both sides of Creekview Court. The waiver the council approved will require a sidewalk only on the north side of Creekview Court. The sidewalk will extend to East John Rowan Boulevard and connect with the existing multi-use path.
Tuesday’s meeting marked the final council meeting for City Attorney Tim Butler. Bardstown attorney Audrey Haydon will replace Butler beginning next month as city attorney.
In other business, the council:
— was told the cemetery committee recommended raising the city’s cemetery plot prices.
The committee recommended setting the price city residents pay for a plot in the front part of the cemetery at $950, while a lot in the back parts would sell for $850. County residents would be asked to pay $1,500 for a burial plot near the front of the cemetery, and $1,200 for a plot in other areas of the cemetery.
The committee also recommended setting the price to open a grave during regular business hours at $500, while an opening on overtime or other off-hours would cost $700.
The council took no action on the recommendations at its meeting Tuesday evening, but will consider the matter at an upcoming meeting.
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