Board of Adjustment Meeting

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Division of Planning, Planning Services Section, Board of Adjustment convened on August 11, 2025, at 1:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at 200 East Main Street, Lexington, Kentucky. The board worked through a full agenda of 12 items, consisting of 9 variance requests and 3 conditional use permit applications submitted by various individuals and entities. Across these items, the board took 12 votes: 8 items were approved, 2 were denied, 1 was withdrawn, and 2 conditional use permits were approved alongside 1 that was denied. One public comment was heard during the course of the meeting. No presiding officer is identified in the available meeting record.

Votes and Decisions

The Board acted on twelve items at the August 11, 2025 meeting. Vote counts and individual roll call results were not recorded in the available data.

Variance Requests — Passed

• PLN-BOA-25-00011: A variance request by KY-263 2FRIENDS LLC to increase billboard height and reduce setback was approved. Conditions require the billboard to be relocated to the front of the property and that all necessary permits be obtained.
• PLN-BOA-25-00080: A variance request by Christina Howard to increase driveway size and reduce front yard setback was approved, moved by Mr. Gross and seconded by Mr. Clark. Conditions require construction per the revised site plan and that permits be obtained. 1:52:35
• PLN-BOA-25-00088: A variance request by Community Ventures Properties, LLC to reduce front yard setback was approved. Conditions require construction per submitted materials and that permits be obtained.
• PLN-BOA-25-00089: A variance request by Distinctive Design Remodeling to increase accessory structure height was approved, moved by Mr. Gross and seconded by Mr. Clark. 1:49:42
• PLN-BOA-25-00093: A variance request by Randy & Stephanie Lambert to reduce front yard setback was approved, moved by Mr. Walker and seconded by Mr. Gross. Conditions require construction per submitted materials and that permits be obtained. 2:37:42

Variance Requests — Failed or Withdrawn

• PLN-BOA-25-00074: A variance request by Tamara Robinson to reduce side yard setback and increase driveway width was withdrawn.
• PLN-BOA-25-00090: A variance request by Tom Sulkowski to reduce front and side yard setbacks failed.
• PLN-BOA-25-00094: A variance request by Gibson Taylor Thompson to reduce front and side yard setbacks failed, moved by Mr. Gross and seconded by Mr. Persily. 3:05:20
• PLN-BOA-25-00095: A variance request by Gibson Taylor Thompson to reduce side yard setback failed, moved by Mr. Clark and seconded by Mr. Persily. 3:19:05

Conditional Use Permits

• PLN-BOA-25-00073: A conditional use permit for an un-hosted short-term rental by Sayed Saghaian was approved, moved by Mr. Walker and seconded by Mr. Clark. Occupancy is limited to six individuals. 3:29:44
• PLN-BOA-25-00086: A conditional use permit for an un-hosted short-term rental by Lot Development, LLC was approved, moved by Mr. Clark and seconded by Mr. Persily. Occupancy is limited to eight individuals. 3:32:09
• PLN-BOA-25-00082: A conditional use permit for an un-hosted short-term rental by House & Home LLC failed, moved by Mr. Clark and seconded by Mr. Persily. 3:58:17

Public Comment

One member of the public addressed the Board during the public comment period. 3:23:23

• Daniel Savanto spoke in opposition to a short-term rental item before the Board. Savanto raised concerns about the impact of un-hosted short-term rentals on the character of the neighborhood, expressing worry that the area was becoming increasingly commercial in nature. He also described a specific incident involving dogs from a rental property, which he presented as an example of the problems associated with such rentals in a residential setting.

Contested Items

Two items on the August 11, 2025 Board meeting agenda generated notable disagreement, resulting in outcomes that diverged from either staff recommendations or community input.

Variance Request – Randy & Stephanie Lambert

The Board approved a variance requested by Randy and Stephanie Lambert despite a staff recommendation for disapproval. The split vote among board members signals that the decision was not straightforward, with at least some members aligning with staff's position against granting the variance. The specific grounds for staff's disapproval recommendation and the nature of the variance itself are not detailed in the available record, but the outcome — approval over staff objection — reflects a meaningful divide between the Board's judgment and the administration's assessment.

Conditional Use Permit – House & Home LLC

The Board denied a conditional use permit sought by House & Home LLC, a decision that came despite the applicant making arguments in favor of approval and having the support of the surrounding neighborhood. The basis for denial was the property's proximity to other existing short-term rentals, suggesting the Board applied a density or concentration standard to its review. In this case, the disagreement was not primarily between board members but between the Board's ultimate decision and the position of the applicant and neighboring residents who had voiced support. The denial indicates the Board weighed locational criteria more heavily than community endorsement or the applicant's arguments.

Together, these two items illustrate the range of tensions that can arise in land use proceedings — one where the Board overrode its own staff, and another where it declined to follow the lead of the immediate neighborhood.

Variance Request by KY-263 2FRIENDS LLC

The Board considered case PLN-BOA-25-00011, a variance request submitted by KY-263 2FRIENDS LLC involving two proposed modifications to billboard regulations.

The applicant sought:

• An increase in the maximum allowable billboard height from 40 feet to 45 feet
• A reduction in the required setback from 150 feet to 70 feet

Staff reviewed both requests and issued a split recommendation prior to the meeting. Staff recommended approval of the height variance, finding sufficient justification for the additional 5 feet. However, staff recommended disapproval of the setback reduction, which would have cut the required distance from 150 feet to 70 feet — less than half the standard requirement.

The Board ultimately voted to approve the variance request. No key speakers were recorded in the available meeting data.

Variance Request by Tamara Robinson

Case No. PLN-BOA-25-00074

This agenda item concerned a variance request submitted by Tamara Robinson involving two components: a reduction in the side yard setback and an increase in driveway width for her property.

Prior to the board's consideration, staff recommended withdrawal of the driveway width variance portion of the request. The item was ultimately withdrawn.

No additional details regarding key speakers, specific debate, or concerns raised during the meeting are available in the record for this item.

Variance Request by Christina Howard

Case No. PLN-BOA-25-00080 1:52:35

The Board considered a variance request submitted by Christina Howard seeking to increase driveway size and reduce the front yard setback on her property.

Mr. Gross presented the item to the Board. Staff reviewed the request and recommended approval of lesser variances than those originally sought by the applicant, indicating that the full scope of the requested relief was not fully supported but that a reduced variance could be justified.

The Board ultimately approved the variance request.

Variance Request by Community Ventures Properties, LLC

Case No. PLN-BOA-25-00088

The Board considered a variance request submitted by Community Ventures Properties, LLC seeking to reduce the required front yard setback from 20 feet to 15 feet.

Staff recommended approval of the request prior to the meeting. No key speakers were recorded in the available meeting data for this item, and no specific concerns, debate, or additional presentation details were captured in the record.

The Board approved the variance request.

Variance Request by Distinctive Design Remodeling

Case No. PLN-BOA-25-00089 1:49:42

The Board considered a variance request submitted by Distinctive Design Remodeling seeking approval to increase the permitted accessory structure height beyond the standard allowance. Specifically, the request asked to raise the maximum height from 17 feet 8 inches to 18 feet 8 inches — an increase of one foot.

Mr. Gross was among the key speakers during the discussion of this item.

Staff had initially recommended disapproval of the variance request prior to the meeting. Despite that recommendation, the Board ultimately voted to approve the variance, allowing the proposed accessory structure to be built to the requested height of 18 feet 8 inches.

The available data does not detail the specific arguments made in favor of or against the request during deliberations, nor does it specify the vote count or any conditions attached to the approval.

Variance Request by Randy & Stephanie Lambert

2:37:42

The board considered agenda item PLN-BOA-25-00093, a variance request submitted by Randy & Stephanie Lambert seeking to reduce the required front yard setback from 40 feet to 0 feet.

Mr. Walker was the key speaker on this item. Staff had reviewed the request and formally recommended disapproval of the variance, reflecting concerns about the significant magnitude of the proposed setback reduction — a complete elimination of the 40-foot front yard setback requirement.

Despite the staff recommendation against approval, the board ultimately voted to approve the variance request.

*Note: The available data does not include detailed information on the specific arguments presented in favor of or against the request beyond the staff recommendation, nor does it include the vote count or individual board member positions.*

Variance Request by Gibson Taylor Thompson

Agenda Item: PLN-BOA-25-00095 3:19:05

The Board considered a variance request submitted by Gibson Taylor Thompson seeking to reduce the required side yard setback from 5 feet 6 inches to 2 feet.

• Presentation: Mr. Clark presented the item to the Board, outlining the nature of the request and the staff position on the matter.
• Staff Recommendation: Staff recommended disapproval of the variance request.
• Outcome: The Board denied the variance request.

No additional speakers, debate details, or specific concerns raised during discussion are reflected in the available record for this item.

Conditional Use Permit for House & Home LLC

3:58:17

The Board considered application PLN-BOA-25-00082, a request submitted by House & Home LLC for a conditional use permit to operate an un-hosted short-term rental.

Presentation and Staff Recommendation

Mr. Clark presented the item to the Board. Staff recommended disapproval of the application, citing the property's proximity to other existing short-term rentals in the area as the basis for the recommendation.

Outcome

Following the presentation, the Board denied the conditional use permit request, consistent with staff's recommendation.