Bardstown Road/Baxter Avenue Review Overlay District Committee
Established in 1990, the overlay district was created to "help enhance the appearance and economic vitality of one of the community's most successful and appealing neighborhood commercial areas - the stretch of Baxter Avenue and Bardstown Road running through the Highlands." The overlay district is an important shopping and business area closely linked with high quality residential areas. Within the Office of Planning, the Urban Design Team administers and manages this design and architectural review process.
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Committee Pushes for Direct Pedestrian Route from Bardstown Road to Grocery Store
Multiple committee members and residents challenged the lack of a direct walking path from Bardstown Road to the grocery entrance, citing transit riders and walkability goals.
Why it matters: The Highlands is one of Louisville's most walkable neighborhoods and a major bus corridor; forcing pedestrians through a parking lot undermines the overlay district's core design intent.
Louisville
Color PaletteBardstown Road/Baxter Avenue Review Overlay District Committee35d agoMarch 17, 2026
Committee Agrees Black-and-White Palette Needs Warmth to Fit Historic Corridor
Staff and committee members called for expanding the black-and-white color scheme to include traditional red brick found throughout the Bardstown Road corridor.
Why it matters: The overlay district's design guidelines require new construction to be compatible with surrounding historic structures; an exclusively monochromatic palette risks the development reading as a generic suburban project.
Staff and Neighbors Demand Better Treatment of 'Dead' Baxter Avenue Facade
The grocery store's loading docks and blank walls face Baxter Avenue, prompting staff and speakers to demand architectural enhancements to avoid a dead zone.
Why it matters: Baxter Avenue is a major neighborhood corridor; if the facade reads as suburban back-of-house, it could undermine property values and pedestrian activity along the entire southwest side of the site.
Overlay Committee Defers Mid-City Market Approval, Seeks Design Changes on Three Fronts
Committee unanimously continued the Mid-City Market proposal to April 21 after requesting revisions to pedestrian access, Baxter Avenue frontage, and building color palette.
Why it matters: The nearly 10-acre Mid-City Mall site is the largest redevelopment opportunity in the Bardstown Road overlay district; committee conditions will shape what residents and transit riders experience for decades.
Louisville
BROD TrainingBardstown Road/Baxter Avenue Review Overlay District Committee63d agoFebruary 17, 2026
Staff Prepares BROD for Major Incoming Case, Signals Ordinance Overhaul
Staff conducted annual training and revealed plans to modernize the BROD overlay ordinance and guidelines within one to two years while preparing for an imminent high-profile application.
Why it matters: A significant development case is expected by March 17, and the committee learned it may also undertake a comprehensive update of its overlay ordinance — the rules governing Bardstown Road corridor development.
Louisville
BROD BylawsBardstown Road/Baxter Avenue Review Overlay District Committee63d agoFebruary 17, 2026
BROD Adopts First Written Bylaws With One-Year Wait on Denied Applications
The committee unanimously adopted its first-ever written bylaws, establishing time limits, meeting order, and a one-year waiting period for resubmission of denied applications.
Why it matters: These bylaws give the committee enforceable procedural rules for the first time, preventing repeat applications and standardizing processes ahead of anticipated development cases.
Louisville
BROD CommitteeBardstown Road/Baxter Avenue Review Overlay District Committee63d agoFebruary 17, 2026
Baker Re-elected Chair, Fuller Named Vice Chair in Unopposed Votes
The BROD Committee unanimously re-elected Kendal Baker as chair and elected Christopher Fuller as vice chair for the 2026 calendar year.
Why it matters: Leadership continuity matters as the committee prepares for an anticipated high-profile development case expected as soon as March 2026.
Louisville
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