Board of Adjustment Meeting

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Lexington-Fayette County Board of Adjustment convened on April 13, 2026, at 1:30 PM in Council Chambers at 200 East Main Street, Lexington, KY, with Bob Sturdivant presiding. The meeting covered 7 agenda items, including the approval of minutes, a public hearing on zoning appeals, board items, and staff items. Over the course of the meeting, the Board heard 37 public comments and conducted 9 votes. Minutes from a prior meeting were approved, and the session concluded with discussion of the next meeting date before adjournment.

Attendance

The following members were present at the April 13, 2026 Board meeting:

• Chad Walker
• Linda Tucker
• Bob Sturdivant
• Harry Clark
• Ross Boggess
• Brandon Gross

No members were absent or late.

Votes and Decisions

The Board considered nine items at the April 13, 2026 meeting, approving eight variance requests unanimously and tabling one conditional use permit request.

• PLN-BOA-26-00004 — EYE 4 GROUP's request to reduce the required setback for a free-standing sign from 10' to 3' passed unanimously. Conditions require the sign to be installed per the submitted site plan and a revised permit application to be submitted to the Division of Building Inspection. 46:56

• PLN-BOA-26-00011 — BRENNAN MULLINS's request to reduce the required rear yard setback from 20' to 15' and increase driveway width from 10' to 20' passed unanimously. All necessary permits must be obtained from the Division of Building Inspection prior to construction. 48:04

• PLN-BOA-26-00012 — GREG BRUMAGEN's request to reduce the required side street side yard setback for accessory structures from 50' to 22' 8" passed unanimously. Conditions include removal of an existing 293 square-foot non-conforming shed in the northeast corner of the property prior to construction. 50:15

• PLN-BOA-26-00013 — 1711 LAKEWOOD LANE LLC's request to reduce the required front yard setback from 40' to 0' passed unanimously. Construction must follow a revised site plan depicting the alternative driveway and turn-around design provided by Staff, and no water may be diverted onto neighboring properties. 52:19

• PLN-BOA-26-00017 — HOLD THE DOOR PROPERTIES LLC's request to increase the allowable height of a fence within the front yard from 4' to 6' passed unanimously. A fence permit must be obtained from the Division of Building Inspection prior to construction. 55:49

• PLN-BOA-26-00020 — GIBSON TAYLOR THOMPSON's request to reduce the required side street side yard setback for a corner lot from 30' to 15' passed unanimously. 57:19

• PLN-BOA-26-00014 — WILLIAM WOOD's request to reduce the vehicular use area perimeter buffer from 8' to 0' and reduce the zone-to-zone screening width from 15' to 0' passed unanimously. Approval of a final development plan is required before any work may begin. 1:10:28

• PLN-BOA-26-00019 — SPEEDWAY LLC's request to increase the required maximum front yard setback from 20' to 41' passed unanimously. 1:20:01

• PLN-BOA-26-00006 — BEHAVIORAL HEALTH REAL ESTATE ASSOCIATES's conditional use permit request for a rehabilitation home was tabled. 1:21:04

Public Comment

Public comment on the proposed rehabilitation home drew 37 speakers and lasted approximately two hours, with the majority of commenters expressing opposition. 3:31:14

Opposition speakers (20 total) raised a range of overlapping concerns:

• Elena Cottrell cited a lack of transparency and potential adverse neighborhood effects. 3:31:14
• Sean Milburn characterized the facility as an inpatient mental health hospital operating in a residential area. 3:34:23
• Shawna Elko drew on personal experience with mental illness to argue for appropriate placement of such facilities. 3:37:17
• Marissa Bray questioned the clarity of the facility's stated purpose and raised safety and enforcement concerns. 3:40:20
• Leah Bachmeier-Killey, Elizabeth Maggio, Leanne McLaughlin, and Steven and Anne Graham each raised concerns about impacts on neighborhood character, tenant welfare, and potential incidents. [timestamps: 3:42:34, 3:45:19, 3:48:03, 3:57:17, 4:00:06]
• Cassidy Rosenthal questioned the facility's licensing and locational appropriateness. 3:50:54
• Ryan Howler criticized the enforceability of proposed conditions. 3:54:06
• Amanda Buchanan raised concerns about community safety, application inconsistencies, and institutional creep. 4:07:44
• Anne Tramantine Brueggemann highlighted the facility's proximity to schools and student safety. 4:16:02
• Nathan Billings framed the matter as a land use question and emphasized community opposition. 4:18:04
• Additional opposition speakers — including Christian Poland, Joe Hallock, Allison Crift, Megan Thompson, Roy Kockmeyer, Michael McLaughlin, Ann Baxter, Daniel Fulton, Alicia Kazee, and Frazier Judstone — urged the board to deny the application, citing property values, risk, and inconsistencies in the applicant's arguments. [timestamps: 4:02:50–5:06:14]

Support speakers (17 total) largely drew on personal experiences with mental health and recovery:

• Erin Scussel, Kian Johnson, Sarah Pope, and Mary Henson shared personal recovery experiences and stressed the need for local treatment options. [timestamps: 4:29:34, 4:32:58, 4:41:06, 5:01:18]
• Ana Diaz argued the facility meets applicable zoning criteria. 4:38:20
• Kelly Gunning characterized opposition as NIMBYism. 4:42:48
• David Leone, Carl Quick, Hillary Nolan, Krista Haddad, Matt Otto, and Chad Sirk spoke to the integrity and quality of care at Roaring Brook and disputed claims about property value impacts. [timestamps: 4:47:00–4:58:34]

Contested Items

• Rehabilitation Home at 319 Duke Road: A proposal for a rehabilitation home at 319 Duke Road generated significant community opposition during the meeting. Residents raised concerns about safety, neighborhood character, and the enforcement of any conditions that might be attached to the approval. The structured data does not specify the names of individual speakers, the applicant, or the final outcome of the proposal.

Call to Order

13:47

Chair Bob Sturdivant called the Board meeting of April 13, 2026 to order at 1:35 PM. Sturdivant noted the presence of board members and staff in attendance. This item was informational in nature, with no debate or concerns raised.

Approval of Minutes

15:25

The board took up the approval of minutes from two previous meetings: the August 2025 meeting and the September 2025 meeting.

Board member Bob Sturdivant was the key speaker during this agenda item. The board considered both sets of minutes and moved forward with their approval.

Outcome: The minutes from the August 2025 and September 2025 meetings were approved.

Public Hearing on Zoning Appeals

21:25

The Board conducted a public hearing on zoning appeals, during which various zoning matters were brought forward for consideration, including variances and conditional use permits.

Bob Sturdivant was identified as a key speaker during this portion of the meeting. The hearing served as an informational session, providing an opportunity for the Board and the public to hear presentations related to the submitted zoning appeals.

No additional details regarding specific properties, addresses, parcel identifiers, or the outcomes of individual variance and conditional use permit requests are available from the provided meeting record. The overall outcome of this agenda item was informational in nature.

Board Items

18:21

The Board took up Agenda Item IV, a discussion segment focused on motion procedures. Brittany Smith, representing the Law Department, led the presentation on this topic.

• Presenter: Brittany Smith (Law Department staff)
• Topic: Motion procedures

The discussion was informational in nature, with Law Department staff providing guidance on motion procedures to Board members. No vote or formal action was taken as a result of this agenda item.

Staff Items

The chair opened this portion of the meeting to allow any staff members to bring forward items for the Board's consideration.

Key Speaker: Bob Sturdivant

Bob Sturdivant was identified as the key staff speaker for this agenda item. The section was designated as an opportunity for staff to present any matters they wished to bring to the Board's attention. This item was informational in nature, serving as an open forum for staff-initiated discussion rather than a specific action item or formal presentation.

No additional details regarding the specific content of any staff presentations, concerns raised, or debates are available from the meeting record for this agenda item. The outcome was informational.

Next Meeting Date

Board member Bob Sturdivant announced that the next Board meeting is scheduled for May 11, 2026, at 1:30 PM. No debate or concerns were raised regarding the date, and the announcement was informational in nature.

Adjournment

Board Chair Bob Sturdivant declared the meeting adjourned. No additional discussion or debate was recorded on this agenda item.