Beechmont Neighborhood Association

Old Louisville/ Limerick seek independent zoning powers

A first time

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Local/Regional » Neighborhoods » News Item Wednesday, August 7, 2002

Two neighborhoods want control over land use
Old Louisville, Limerick seek zoning status
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By Sheryl Edelen
sedelen@courier-journal.com
The Courier-Journal


Stately homes along St. James Court in Old Louisville sit across from the court's historic fountain.



Two of Louisville's oldest neighborhoods may become the first in the state to see their neighborhood plans become law.

The Board of Aldermen has asked the Louisville-Jefferson County Planning Commission to hold a public hearing on the proposed designation of the Old Louisville and Limerick neighborhoods as a single Traditional Neighborhood Zoning District.

The designation would give teeth to the Old Louisville and Limerick plan in that developers and real estate brokers could no longer view it as a set of recommendations that could be ignored.

The plan, developed by the two neighborhoods, would be law, thus forcing property owners to adhere to the original uses of buildings and lots. Existing non-conforming uses would be grandfathered.

For example, a single-family home that has been converted into apartments could remain that way, but the number of apartments could not be increased.

''This will preserve intended property use,'' said Old Louisville Neighborhood Council President John Sistarenik.

''For example, if you live in a part of Old Louisville that primarily has single-family homes and you want to take one and split it up into apartments, you're not going to be able to do that,'' he said.

One goal of the designation is to connect land use to historic preservation, said Charles Raith, the city's urban design administrator.

''It's easy for people to forget that Old Louisville is a neighborhood as they zoom through on Third Street,'' said Raith, an Old Louisville resident. ''But this would help Old Louisville regain and retain its neighborhood character.''

The idea for the district is rooted in state law covering land use and zoning regulations. It was recommended to the Board of Aldermen last year by a neighborhood task force as part of its amended Old Louisville/Limerick Neighborhood Plans.

Other changes designed to preserve the character of Old Louisville and Limerick include successful pushes to return sections of St. Catherine and Oak streets to two-way traffic and to remove on-street parking restrictions from the Oak Street business corridor and surrounding streets.

Sistarenik said he suspects that in seeking the designation, Old Louisville and Limerick may start a trend.

Still, according to state law, only neighborhoods existing before Nov. 22, 1926, are eligible for the district designation.

Bob Bajandas, a task force member and Old Louisville resident, said that means the Cherokee Triangle and parts of the Highlands could follow suit. But he added that such designations come with a cost.

''We first began talking about this concept in 1998. Do you know how many neighbors -- all volunteers -- put in hundreds of thousands of hours? Not everyone may want to do that. I would say that a lot of neighborhoods could benefit . . . but if many would be willing to put in the time and effort is the question.''

Old Louisville and Limerick are already designated as city historic preservation districts. Other neighborhoods with historic designation are: West Main Street, the Parkland business district and the Cherokee Triangle.


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