Board approves detached accessory dwelling unit for Mint Springs Branch property split by county line; owner must not use ADU as short‑term rental

Oldham County’s Board of Adjustments on Oct. 16 approved a conditional use permit to allow a detached accessory dwelling unit (ADU) on a parcel split by the Oldham–Jefferson County line at 6612 Mint Springs Branch Road in Prospect.

Planning staff explained the site crosses the county line: the partially built 3,687-square-foot house on the Oldham County parcel would be designated as a detached ADU, while the applicant proposes to construct an 11,020-square-foot primary residence on the Jefferson County side. Staff placed a stop-work order on the Oldham-side construction while the ADU request was pending; Jefferson County officials are holding a related permit pending Oldham County approval.

Owner Amanda Sweet said the smaller structure was originally permitted as a primary dwelling so the family could occupy it earlier; the plan now is to have that structure serve as an ADU for visiting family members while the larger primary house is built across the county line. Sweet provided signed neighbor letters supporting the request.

The board approved the ADU conditional use, subject to the standard limitation that the ADU not be used as a short-term rental property and that the approval apply only to the plan presented at the Oct. 16 hearing. Board members noted the unusual cross-county circumstance — where the parcel and access drive cross the county line and separate jurisdictions have different permitting rules — and the board acted after confirming the Jefferson County permit process is holding the larger-house permit pending Oldham’s ADU approval.