Franklin advisory group urges small‑lot homes to keep residents; commission asks staff to study options

A volunteer group formed from Franklin’s comprehensive‑plan process proposed allowing smaller lots and smaller single‑family homes and asked the City Commission on Tuesday to authorize staff to study how zoning could enable more affordable homeownership.

The proposal, presented by Therese Rushing and Adrienne McNew of the advisory group, would add maximum lot and building dimensions, cap impervious coverage and maximum heated square footage, and allow planned residential development (PRD/PUD) tools to create starter homes the group says would be affordable to local workers. “Over 23% of our households pay over 50% of their monthly income to their rent or their mortgage,” Adrienne McNew said, citing Kentucky Housing Corporation data used by the group.

Why it matters: commissioners and presenters said rising land and building costs are pushing graduates, public‑safety employees and mid‑income residents out of Franklin. The group argued a regulatory pathway for smaller, well‑designed homes would create ownership opportunities for young workers, teachers and employees who cannot afford current starter homes.

What the group proposed and what officials said

The advisory group described several regulatory controls they believe would limit speculative development while enabling smaller homes: setting a maximum impervious lot coverage (presenters referenced a 40–45% figure discussed with planning staff), limiting maximum heated square footage, restricting building height and using PRD or PUD review to require design standards and exterior finishes. The group also suggested HOAs to manage common areas and possible requirements on rentals, though speakers acknowledged HOAs can present long‑term management issues.

“Ensuring minimum and maximum parameters … would be helpful for that smaller lot or that smaller home,” McNew said. Seth Pinson, a member of the advisory group and a University of Louisville student, said the plan could make it feasible for recent graduates to return and buy instead of renting: “This plan will allow people like me to come back to Franklin.”

Commissioners pressed on protections and implementation. Planning staff and commissioners warned that vague rules can be exploited and emphasized tools that give planning clear standards — for example, explicit maximum lot coverage, explicit maximum heated square footage, and controlled exterior materials — rather than unspecified ‘gray areas.’ Concerns included the potential for rental conversions, appraisal and financing challenges for small‑lot houses, and developer return‑on‑investment that might discourage participation.

Direction from the Commission

Commissioners did not pass an ordinance. Instead they told staff — including planning and legal — to gather sample regulations from other communities, draft possible ordinance language, and return with recommendations. Commissioner discussion repeatedly emphasized piloting the approach in a limited area to study effects before broad adoption. Scott (advisory group member) said he would “explore” regulatory models and circulate findings to the commission and advisory members.

What’s next

Staff will research comparable ordinances and development standards from peer communities, draft regulatory language that includes maximums and design standards, and report back to the commission and the advisory group. No timeline for return was specified at the meeting.

Speaker-attributed quotes in this article are taken from the meeting record and attributed to the individuals listed in the speakers section.