# Courthouse Area Design Review Board - February 17, 2021 > Auto-transcribed civic record · February 17, 2021 - **Permalink**: https://meetings.lexingtonky.news/meeting/5292 - **Source video**: https://lfucg.granicus.com/player/clip/5292?view_id=14&redirect=true - **Date**: 2021-02-17 - **Last revised**: February 17, 2021 - **Length**: 3,177 words > ⚠️ **Auto-generated content.** Audio from the official Granicus video was auto-transcribed with OpenAI's open-source Whisper large-v3-turbo model, run locally by The Lexington Times. Structured facts were extracted with GPT-4o; the narrative summary was written by Anthropic Claude. Verbatim wording may contain errors. See [methodology](https://meetings.lexingtonky.news/about/methodology) or [report a correction](mailto:editor@lexingtonky.news). --- ## Meeting Overview The Courthouse Area Design Review Board held a video teleconference meeting on February 17, 2021, at 2:00 p.m., presided over by Luther Andal. The board addressed two agenda items during the meeting. The board took four motions and votes, with no public comments heard during the session. Both agenda items—Applications for Authorization Permits and Election of Officers—were approved by the board. ## Attendance **Present:** - Luther Andal - Martin Summers - Samantha Castro - Erin Hathaway **Absent:** - Jordan Parker **Late:** - None ## Votes and Decisions **Approval of December 17, 2019 Meeting Minutes** [timestamp: 0:10:40] Motion by Martin Summers, seconded by Samantha Castro. The motion to approve the minutes from the December 17, 2019 meeting passed unanimously with 4 ayes and 0 nays. All four members voted in favor: Luther Andal, Martin Summers, Samantha Castro, and Erin Hathaway. **Case No. 2021-1: Facade Alterations at 115 W. Short Street** [timestamp: 0:22:11] Motion by Martin Summers, seconded by Samantha Castro. The motion to approve facade alterations for 115 W. Short Street passed unanimously with 4 ayes and 0 nays. All four members voted in favor: Luther Andal, Martin Summers, Samantha Castro, and Erin Hathaway. The approval is subject to three conditions: securing all necessary permits, submitting the final window configuration for approval, and no window tinting. **Election of Chair and Vice-Chair** [timestamp: 0:29:31] Motion by Samantha Castro, seconded by Erin Hathaway. The motion to elect Martin Summers as Chair and Jordan Parker as Vice-chair passed with 3 ayes, 0 nays, and 1 abstention. Members voting in favor were Luther Andal, Samantha Castro, and Erin Hathaway. Martin Summers abstained from the vote. **Adjournment** [timestamp: 0:31:08] Motion by Martin Summers, seconded by Samantha Castro. The motion to adjourn the meeting passed unanimously with 4 ayes and 0 nays. All four members voted in favor: Luther Andal, Martin Summers, Samantha Castro, and Erin Hathaway. ## Appointments The following appointments were made during the meeting: * **Martin Summers** was appointed to the position of Chair * **Jordan Parker** was appointed to the position of Vice-chair ## Applications for Authorization Permits [timestamp: 11:43] The board discussed and approved an application for facade alterations at 115 W. Short Street. The presentation and discussion were led by Autumn Goderwis and Jonathan Pliszka. The proposed alterations included window replacements and painting work on the building's facade. The application was presented for authorization permit approval. Following the discussion, the board voted to approve the facade alteration project for 115 W. Short Street. ## Election of Officers [timestamp: 24:32] The board proceeded with the election of officers for the Courthouse Area Design Review Board. Luther Andal and Samantha Castro were the key speakers during this agenda item. The election resulted in the approval of two positions: - **Chair**: Martin Summers was elected to serve as Chair - **Vice-chair**: Jordan Parker was elected to serve as Vice-chair The outcome of the election was approved. --- ## Decisions - **Motion** — passed (4-0): Approval of the minutes from the December 17, 2019 meeting - **Case No. 2021-1** — passed (4-0): Approval of facade alterations for 115 W. Short Street - **Motion** — passed (4-0): Election of Martin Summers as Chair and Jordan Parker as Vice-chair - **Motion** — passed (4-0): Adjournment of the meeting --- ## Full transcript Run me away Come on! Run me away We'll be right back. Bring out a sign Throw your glass That's what I can't see Look at my face We still fall on the beat Let it roll That's a time rate Let it roll That's a highway Whoa, whoa Look at the signs Who reads the wrong place Who about points Unless you're ready to raise 454 from the home of the hill The man on the road Gonna give up the bill I'm still short You know the distance is long I'd like to have a chance For the boy in the sun We're back in the cliff We're going to be going to rock We've got to keep moving If we're going to make a rock Let it go Dr. Harvey Let it go Dr. Harvey Go Yeah. guitar solo Let it go! Thank you. on the call here and just go ahead and open the courthouse area design review board for February 17th, 2021. Mr. Chair, can you please read the disclaimer that's at the top of your agenda for that? Yes, just one second. Let me bring that part up. There it is. Now, opening. Give me a second. Chair's copy. Got it. Okay. Due to COVID-19 pandemic, state of emergency in Governor Beshear's executive orders regarding social distancing, This meeting is being held via teleconference pursuant to Senate Bill 150 as signed by the governor on March 30, 2020, and Attorney General Opinion 20-05, and in accordance with KRS 61.826, because it is not feasible to offer a primary physical location for the meeting. All right. I think that should cover item one of the agenda. Item two is attendance. Mr. Parker indicated that he would not be present today. Okay. All right. So do the rest of us have to just verbally acknowledge? Let's acknowledge that the rest of the members are present. Okay. Well, we can acknowledge that the members are present as seen on video. So that would take care of item two on the agenda. Item three is the approval of the December 17th, 2019 minutes. So if there's no discussion for that item, since it is just the minutes for our last meeting, I will need a motion to approve. Move to approve. All right. Do you have a second? All right. All those in favor, please raise your hand. All those in favor of the motion passing, please raise your hand. Physically or virtually? Yeah, both, please. I guess we need it on the record. All right. So from what I can see, the motion is unanimously passed. So that will take care of item three. That brings us to item four, which is case number 2021-1, 115 West Short Street. and I would ask that staff would go ahead and give us an overview please. All right and I will go ahead and share my screen. All right this application is for review for proposed alterations to the front and side building facades for a structure at 115 West Short Street. The subject property is located on the northern side of West Short Street between North Upper and North Limestone. The lot is 1856 square feet and contains a two-story brick building with 2960 square feet above grade in the basement. Sorry I didn't mean to interrupt but you're just showing your the slide view not the full you can you expand that I have it whoops I think maybe I'm showing the wrong Let me stop my share and show the other screen maybe. Perfect. Thank you. Thank you. Great. So again, the property is located generally between sorry, between North Upper Street and North Limestone. Let's go ahead and take a look at the facade here, the street view. So it's this property here. The adjacent property at 107 through 111 West Short Street was before this board back in 2018 and was approved for substantial alterations to its facade. And that is what this photo here shows what that looks like now. So this is the current situation directly adjacent to the subject property again, which is this one with the green awning. So the applicant has indicated the desire to update the front and side building facades, including replacement of the upper windows, including the trim and framing, removal of the text that says the Calvert building and painting of that area, removal of the awning, and removal and replacement of the windows and the front door. They would also like to paint the existing unpainted brick. Additionally, they would like to install two windows along the blank facade that is adjacent to the parking access. Here we have the elevation drawings for the project. The windows are to be replaced with windows of the same size and proportion. Staff believes that aluminum clad windows are appropriate in this location. We are generally in support of all of these changes, with the exception the applicant had initially indicated that they would be interested in tinting the lower story windows. Historic preservation has indicated that that would not be appropriate here, and the applicant has agreed to that. There was also some discussion about whether or not the two windows in this side facade are adequate or if this will disappear that the windows are sort of lost in this larger facade. The applicant has responded to that with that there are some concerns about the interior layout of the second floor so that they believe that these are the appropriate side and field windows for that location. So staff is recommending approval of the authorization permit based on the principles one, two, and three of the courthouse area design guidelines, but it maintains a clear definition on the street edge that this will enhance the street level as an inviting place for pedestrians and that it relates to the traditional building in the area. Furthermore, in support of design guidelines 2.9, the material should appear similar to those used historically. 2.12, the windows should align with others in a block. 2.15, that we should develop the ground floor level of a project to encourage pedestrian activity. 3.10, that an alternative design instead of a contemporary interpretation of a traditional storefront is appropriate. 3.13, that this will preserve historic upper story windows. And 3.22, to protect historic material services. Staff has recommended three conditions, but all permits be secured from the Division of Building Infections prior to construction, that the final configuration of the windows in the side facade should be submitted for staff approval. Should that change, should this board determine that a different configuration might be necessary along that large wall, and that the windows should not be tinted. So at this time, I will go ahead and open it up to the board to discuss, and if you'd like me to put a particular slide back up so you can, I'll go back to the elevation drawings. It's probably a good place to start, and I'll turn it over to you all. All right. So I will go ahead and open it up to the board as well for discussion and questions for staff or regarding this case. Any questions or discussion? I would say it seems... I had seen that you had sent something from the applicant saying that they would agree to not tint the windows on the ground floor. I was just going to make a point that that's fairly important, you know, just for the pedestrian experience along the street edge there, from my perspective anyway. So, but I saw that they are in accordance with that. So that's good. All right. And I think we did have another comment or question. I was just going to say it's pretty clear from the staff recommendation that this meets all the guidelines. So I think it's pretty straightforward. All right. And did we have the applicant on? Because I also wanted to take any comment from the applicant as well. Hi, good afternoon. My name is Jonathan Pliska. My wife, Abby, and I own the property as AJP Properties, LLC. No, just thank you for the opportunity here this afternoon. We are excited to no longer potentially be the lone eyesore on the Short Street corridor. So thank you for your time this afternoon. Thank you very much. Appreciate it. I, too, would like to just say this is some welcome updating, and I look forward to these changes. I think they are in line with the Courthouse Area Design Review Board guidelines, as Marty pointed out. And I think it is going to add some freshening, which is strongly desired along that corridor. So it looks to be a very good update to what's there. So any other comments or questions? Yes, go ahead, Samantha. An informational question. Are you all planning to paint it that same color that's at the top? Are you guys going to paint it a whole new color? This is just a curiosity question. Yeah, no, we're going to paint it a new color. You know, I feel like we change our mind every day in terms of what that might be. We've narrowed it down, you know, to a few options here. But, no, it will be a new color and definitely a fresh, cleaner look than what's there right now, for sure. Other questions? Yep. Yeah, I'm just going to say, you know, in reading the guidelines, one thing that jumped out to me and, you know, we don't review the signs at all. That doesn't come through our board any longer. But it does say that the applicant will take down the building name and replace it with their own sign. And I just want to just point out not to sort of destroy or cover up the cornice that's there because that's an important architectural feature. Yeah, so I can speak to the kind of the future signage. So where the text that says our intention, yeah, thank you, Adam. So where it says Calvert Building right now will be replaced with the words Wealth Advisors, and then above that channel letters that read High Knoll, which is my business name, High Knoll Wealth Advisors. But in terms of, I think you're referencing that structure, that wooden structure right there. Yes. Yeah, we have no plans to remove that. In fact, we're just, the channel letters, again, that read high null will essentially sit on top of that. And then wealth advisors will replace what reads as Calvert Building currently. Okay. Thank you. All right. Other questions, comments, concerns? All right. If not, I would ask, do we have a motion? And if so, please form, formulate a motion that would be put forth to the board. board. I move to approve this project based on staff recommendations. All right. Do I have a second? I think you need to turn your volume on. Second. Okay. I have a second. All right. So we will put this to a vote. Move to approve following staff guidelines. All those in favor, please visually and also notify by raising your hand. All right. Motion passes. It looks like it was unanimous. Thank you very much. We appreciate you submitting the case, and we look forward to seeing the changes take place. Yeah, thank you so much. Thanks, everyone, for your time today. All right, and moving along, we have, that takes us through item four. We move on to item five, which is a summary of staff approval items, it looks like. Autumn? All right, we do have one item that was approved by staff in 2020. Let me share my screen again here. All right, so we received an application for the Breaking the Bronze Ceiling request to install a monument to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment. amendment and staff did approve this application and as you all probably know that monument has been installed and here are a few images of that. Okay great. I don't think we have anything in particular that we have to do in regards to that but if there's any comments or questions I'd open it up to the board okay i just i happened to see that on an international blog recently for arts and public spaces which made me pretty happy to see something in lexington show up cool just thought i'd add that to the record great all right i think that takes care of item five on the agenda moving right along item six is the election of officers so every year the board shall elect a chairman and a vice chairman nomination shall be made from the floor and the candidate receiving the majority of vote of the membership in attendance shall be declared elected for a period of one year so the first uh i guess we have two selections we need to make which is chairman and then we also have to select a vice chairman and we have to vote on that for approval. I believe that the obviously the person who is being elected abstains right from that process. So I would open it up to the board for the selection of the chairman and vice chairman. And for the record, in case anyone is unclear, Luther is obviously the chair of Marty. is our vice chair currently yeah sorry i should have added that into the record as well go back into the minutes and look it up who the vice chair was since we hadn't met in so long so just thought everyone knows because i wasn't even aware that i was vice chair all right well i would move that uh marty obviously has served well i'd i'd move that he would either be chairman or vice chairman. He just has a lot of good experience for the board, and I think that's important. Given the infrequency of meeting as well, it just helps to have some consistency going from one meeting to the next. Hopefully that changes very quickly or very soon, and especially eventually in person. But for now, in these, I guess, uncertain times, it's nice to have that consistency in place and so I guess I would leave it to you Samantha and Aaron to have that discussion as well you're on the board and you know in my third meeting I got moved to be the chairman and that happened to be well at the time it was center point that was that meeting. So just because of the small nature of this board, you're definitely thrown into the fire is what I would say. So there's decisions made every single meeting, it seems like, that may not be a case necessarily. And in this instance election, when you are maybe in your second or first meetings, and that's just the nature of how this works. I would second Marty as a chair and I wonder are we allowed to nominate Jordan as vice chair, even though he's not present? I think we can if anyone has any idea whether or not he's willing to I have no, I mean, I think those would be great selections if that's the direction of the board, for sure. I don't know if as a, as the kind of government representative on the board, I don't, I don't think I'm allowed to hold either of those positions. um so yeah i think that's correct if i remember or at least i think it would be best if we had um you know obviously uh participation from somebody who was from the the public sector so i think that it's sounding like marty martin formally say that uh would be the chairman here. And then Jordan, it sounds like has been selected maybe in absentia to, to be vice chair. I w I would think that he would be okay with that. We can validate that. And if we need to, we can conduct at our next meeting, you know, select somebody else if necessary. I think as long as legal feels that's okay, I think that's a good path to take. That should be fine. Okay. Well, let's bring it to a vote then, or actually we have to pass, we have to have to have a motion, right? So it's got to start with a motion and Samantha or Aaron, I would appreciate, well, it's going to come down to you two to one to make the motion and one to second it because Marty has to abstain. So I'll make a motion for Martin Summers to be nominated to the role of chair and Jordan Parker to be nominated to the role of vice chair. Great. And I will second that. All right. Thank you. All right. So we'll put that to a vote for Martin Summers to be the chairman of the Courthouse Area Design Review Board. And for Jordan, I forget his last name, right off the top of my head. Can you please? Parker, thank you. I'm going to slap myself on that one. Jordan Parker to be vice chair of the Courthouse Area Design Review Board. And so we'll raise that to a vote. All those in favor, please raise your hand and also acknowledge electronically. And the motion passes unanimously. and I would say congratulations Marty I'm looking forward to passing the torch on uh the truth so it's what'd you say I got my first COVID shot today too so it's quite a day that's good that's good I'm very good glad to hear that um all right well we have the uh what some would think is the best and most important vote of the day. I need somebody to put forth a motion for adjournment. And my last meeting as chair, I would request that somebody would adjourn or put forth a motion for adjournment. I make a move to adjourn. Okay. Can I get a second, please? And all of those in favor, please raise your hand in electronically knowledge. All right. We have a unanimous vote. It passes. So for the final time, I get to say that we are adjourning the Courthouse Area Design Review Board for February 17th, 2021. Well done. Well done. Thank you. Thank you. And lovers walking hand in hand, party all singing. Come on, let's play your game. Nothing to be super fun. Let's play your game. Nothing to be super fun. Now get yourself in again. Come on, still cruising up through all your easy ways. Come on, let's play your game. Nothing to be super fun. Let's play your game. Nothing to be super fun. Still cruising after all of these years. Come on, let's measure up. Nothing's a basic command. Let's measure up. Nothing's a basic command. Get yourself in here. Thank you. Come on, steer it up Little darling, steer it up