Board of Adjustment Meeting

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Board of Adjustment Meeting was held on January 12, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at 200 East Main Street, Lexington, Kentucky, and was presided over by Bob Sturdivant. The board addressed a total of 3 agenda items during the session, consisting of variance or adjustment applications submitted by Barnett Bungalows LLC (PLN-BOA-25-00132), Jolly Properties 3501 Georgetown LLC (PLN-BOA-25-00133), and Sybil and Bruno Montero (PLN-BOA-25-00143). Over the course of the meeting, 3 votes were taken and 2 public comments were heard. Of the three cases considered, two — those brought by Barnett Bungalows LLC and Jolly Properties 3501 Georgetown LLC — were approved, while the application submitted by Sybil and Bruno Montero was denied.

Attendance

The following members were present at the Board meeting on January 12, 2026:

• Bob Sturdivant
• Branden Gross
• Linda Tucker

No members were recorded as absent or late.

Votes and Decisions

Three items came before the Board for a vote at the January 12, 2026 meeting.

• PLN-BOA-25-00132 — Barnett Bungalows LLC's request for a conditional use permit for an un-hosted short-term rental passed. 54:04 Specific vote counts and individual member votes are not available in the record. Approval was granted subject to conditions, including: that the use be established in accordance with the submitted application materials and site plan; that occupancy be limited to no more than 8 individuals; that all necessary permits and approvals — including a Business License, Special Fees License, and Zoning Compliance Permit — be obtained from the Divisions of Revenue and Planning prior to commencement; and that the conditional use permit become null and void upon change in ownership or if the applicant's short-term rental special fee license lapses or is revoked.

• PLN-BOA-25-00133 — Jolly Properties 3501 Georgetown LLC's request for a variance and conditional use permit for an un-hosted short-term rental passed. 1:42:56 Specific vote counts and individual member votes are not available in the record. Approval was granted subject to conditions, including findings that the use would not adversely influence the subject property or surrounding neighborhood; that all necessary public services and facilities are available and adequate; that there is no record of a short-term rental compliance issue with this application; that no short-term rentals in the area have been cited as a nuisance; that the subject property is not located in a census tract identified as vulnerable to involuntary displacement; that septic facilities are sufficient for the proposed number of users; that the property has adequate parking; that the entrance and driveway are continuously lit; and that adequate fire safety measures are present.

• PLN-BOA-25-00143 — Sybil and Bruno Montero's request for a variance and conditional use permit for an un-hosted short-term rental failed. 2:05:06 Specific vote counts and individual member votes are not available in the record. No conditions were recorded, as the request was not approved.

Public Comment

Two members of the public addressed the Board during the public comment period, both speaking in opposition to a short-term rental proposal.

• Eli Wallace 39:36 spoke against the short-term rental, raising concerns about its adverse effects on the surrounding neighborhood. Wallace specifically cited issues related to safety and community investment as central to his opposition.

• Evelyn Wallace 43:16 also opposed the short-term rental, emphasizing the discomfort caused by having strangers in the neighborhood and the broader impact such a rental arrangement could have on community safety.

Both speakers shared concerns centered on neighborhood safety and the effects of short-term rental activity on the character and cohesion of their community.

Appointments

The Board took action on several leadership appointments during the January 12, 2026 meeting. The following individuals were reappointed to their respective roles:

• Bob Sturdivant was reappointed as Chair.
• Branden Gross was reappointed as Vice Chair.
• Linda Tucker was reappointed as Secretary.

All three appointments were reappointments, retaining the existing leadership structure of the Board in their current positions.

Contested Items

• Variance and Conditional Use Permit for Sybil and Bruno Montero: The board was divided over whether to approve a variance and conditional use permit requested by Sybil and Bruno Montero. The matter proved sufficiently controversial to split the board, resulting in a tie vote. Because the motion failed to secure a majority, the variance and conditional use permit was ultimately denied.

PLN-BOA-25-00132: Barnett Bungalows LLC

Agenda Item III.C.1 54:04

The Board considered a request by Barnett Bungalows LLC for a conditional use permit to operate an un-hosted short-term rental in a Single Family Residential (R-1D) zone.

• The item was presented as an ordinance-type action requiring Board approval.
• Bob Sturdivant was the key speaker associated with this agenda item.
• The application, filed under case number PLN-BOA-25-00132, sought authorization for a short-term rental arrangement in which the property owner would not be present on-site during guest stays — the defining characteristic of an un-hosted rental.

The Board reviewed the request and ultimately approved the conditional use permit.

*Note: The available structured data does not include detailed information on specific arguments made, conditions attached to the approval, or any dissenting votes. Readers seeking the full record of discussion are encouraged to consult the meeting transcript or official minutes beginning at approximately the 54:04 mark of the meeting video.*

PLN-BOA-25-00133: Jolly Properties 3501 Georgetown LLC

1:42:56

The Board considered agenda item III.C.2, a request submitted by Jolly Properties 3501 Georgetown LLC involving two related land use approvals: a variance to reduce the spacing requirements between short-term rentals, and a conditional use permit to operate an un-hosted short-term rental on a property located in an Agricultural Rural (A-R) zone.

• Key speaker: Dalton Belcher presented the item to the Board.
• The request combined a variance — seeking relief from the standard distance requirements that regulate how closely short-term rentals may be situated relative to one another — with a conditional use permit specific to un-hosted short-term rental operations, meaning the property owner would not be present on-site during guest stays.
• The property is zoned Agricultural Rural (A-R), a designation that typically carries particular considerations for short-term rental compatibility and spacing.

The Board ultimately approved the request.

*Note: The available structured data does not include details on specific conditions of approval, public comments, or the nature of any debate among Board members. Readers seeking the full discussion are encouraged to consult the meeting video beginning at timestamp 1:42:56.*

PLN-BOA-25-00143: Sybil and Bruno Montero

2:05:06

The Board took up agenda item III.C.4, a request submitted by Sybil and Bruno Montero involving two related land use applications in an Agricultural Rural (A-R) zone:

• A variance to reduce the spacing requirements between short-term rentals
• A conditional use permit for an un-hosted short-term rental

Key speaker Dalton Belcher presented the item to the Board.

The application sought relief from the standard spacing requirements that govern how closely short-term rental properties may be located to one another, alongside authorization to operate the property as an un-hosted short-term rental — meaning the property owner would not be present on-site during guest stays.

The Board ultimately denied the request. No additional detail on the specific concerns raised or the vote breakdown is available from the provided record.