The Erlanger Board of Adjustment on June 23, 2025, voted unanimously to approve a variance allowing a Dixie Highway property to be split into two lots and reducing the required side-yard setback from 10 feet to 5.19 feet.

The variance affects a roughly 2.4-acre parcel north of Dixie Highway and southeast of the railroad, where the southern portion contains Mike's Car Wash and the northern portion houses RAD Truck Works. Staff said the split would allow each business to have its own tax bill and would allow the owner to sell the car-wash parcel separately.

Patrick Dembo, senior planner with PDS staff, introduced Sean Johnson, a PDS intern, to present the staff report. Johnson summarized the request and staff recommendation: “The proposed property line will have a minimum side-yard setback of 5.19 feet from the existing RAD Truck Works building,” and staff recommended approval because the variance would not “adversely affect the public health, safety, or welfare” and would not “allow an unreasonable circumvention of the requirements of the zoning regulation.”

Johnson told the board that staff found special circumstances support the variance: more than one principal building on a lot is permitted in the CC (Community Commercial) zone, but the RAD Truck Works building is not oriented parallel to the proposed lot line, which places its corner closer to the new property line. Staff said strict application of the zoning setback would deprive the owner of a reasonable use of the land because it would prevent creating separate lots for the two existing buildings.

Jeff Talkers, an engineer with Land Consultants speaking for the applicant, said the principal reason for the lot split was to separate tax bills so Mike's Car Wash could purchase its parcel outright. “Right now there's one tax bill being split between the two businesses,” Talkers said. He added that the owner, Pat Patel, expects to sell the car-wash parcel to Mike's.

Board members asked no substantive questions during the hearing. A motion to approve the variance, made with reference to the staff report and testimony at the hearing, passed on a roll-call vote. The board recorded the vote as unanimous and closed the public hearing.

No further board items, rehearings, or preliminary hearings were discussed, and the Board adjourned.