Power Play Imperils Preservation in Louisville

A contentious new ordinance gives Louisville's Metro Council final say in the city's landmarks decisions. Some are blaming a recent preservation victory for spurring what could be a major setback for historic preservation in Derby City.

1 minute read

September 11, 2012, 8:00 AM PDT

By Jonathan Nettler @nettsj


Branden Klayko reports on the Louisville Metro Council's recent passage of, "new rules giving the legislative body final say over all landmarks decisions," overriding a veto by Mayor Greg Fischer.

"[S]purred by the four-year-old landmark designation of Colonial Gardens, a former beer garden built in 1902 alongside one of the city's Olmsted parks," which remains vacant and deteriorating, the new ordinance has preservationists concerned that "the authority of the Historic Landmarks and Preservation Districts Commission, an appointed panel of volunteer experts, can be overturned by a political body untrained in historic preservation practices."

"Preservationists maintain that giving a political body the final say over the landmarks process unduly politicizes the process and could lead to illicit campaign contributions from developers," writes Klayko.

Monday, September 10, 2012 in The Architect's Newspaper

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I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

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