LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Rabbit Hole Distillery has been caught in a historical landmark review after a community petition stalled their process to rezone their property.
The NuLu-based bourbon distillery has a proposed plan to redesign their campus which would address their trucking traffic and deliveries.
A part of the redesign is to demolish two older buildings, one is located on Clay Street while the other is on Shelby Street.
When the notice to demolish was posted on their doors community members came together to sign a petition so Louisville Metro Government could consider the structures for historical landmark status.
The Metro Planning Commission tabled Rabbit Hole's motion rezone their property after acknowledging the legitimacy of the petition. A historical review report was conducted by historic preservation officer Savannah Darr, which was completed earlier this month.
The report acknowledged the historical significance the buildings have in telling the story of German immigration into Derby City.
But ultimately the report also determined the structures alone do not hold enough significance for historical landmark status.
Darr's report was presented to the Individual Landmark Technical Review meeting on Friday. It's a subcommittee of three commissioners who determine if the report should head over to the entire Historical Landmarks and Preservation Districts Commission for a vote.
In the meeting the distillery's attorney John Baker started pointing out flaws in the petition and a plea from the petition's author Keven Dohn was made.
"These properties and the structures alone have zero to do with one another nothing," Baker said.
The frustration was clear on Baker's face as he and his client have had to navigate this review's process before breaking ground on their proposed campus expansion.
"It's our position that the letter of the law here that's set forth in this ordinance needs to be followed to meet that threshold," Baker said. "In order to authorize the landmark's commission to wield that extraordinary power."
Baker said some signatures on the petition are not from residents living within the one mile radius the ordinance requires.
Darr said they've called and verified a total of 219 individuals who signed the document.
Dohn, fighting the demolition of historic properties, said some people who signed the petition also live and own property elsewhere.
"Remember in every aspect of your decisions today the intent of this law the intent of this petition process," Dohn said. "It is simply to save historic treasures from demolition if sufficient support exists."
Members of the technical review said they are not convinced this is a strong landmark case, but do feel like it's a good cause for the landmark commission. One of them acknowledged Baker's arguments and feels like it needs to be considered by the entire commission. They will also weigh-in on the petition's legitimacy in the their next meeting on October 17.
The process could be stalled again if the commission decides to table the review or they could take a vote and Rabbit Hole could adapt to their official ruling.
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