LOUISVILLE, Ky. - It has taken almost two years of debate, but the City of Louisville has been cleared to remove the controversial John Breckinridge Castleman statue.  

The Historic Landmarks and Preservation Districts Commission approved a measure Thursday to move the statue to Cave Hill cemetery, where Castleman is actually buried.

Following a violent white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, the Castleman statue was vandalzed and continued to be so after each cleanup. Castleman served in the Confederacy, but was also an important figure in Louisville history, helping to develop the city's park system.

The repeated vandalism to the statue led to Mayor Greg Fischer creating the Louisville Public Art and Monuments Committee which set out to create guidelines for Louisville's public art. In addition to the committee, public hearings were held to get the opinions of the people. 

Mayor Fischer said "I am pleased with the Landmarks Commission decision today. Although John B. Castleman made civic contributions to Louisville, he also fought to keep men, women and children bonded in the chains of slavery and touted his role in the Civil War in his autobiography years later. We cannot and should not erase our history, but it is important that art and monuments displayed on public property reflect our values today as a welcoming city. We have an agreement in principle to move the Castleman statue to a more appropriate location within Cave Hill Cemetery where John B. Castleman is buried. Details will be finalized once the legal process is complete. "

The landmarks commission decision can be appealed to circuit court within 30 days.