Board approves housing and infrastructure changes for Farm 82004 at 3030 Newtown Pike

The Lexington City Farmland Preservation Board approved a housing and infrastructure request for Farm 82004, an 82‑acre property at 3030 Newtown Pike, authorizing a garage addition, remodeling of an existing wing, and a swimming pool subject to required building permits and NRCS designee approval. The motion to accept the request was made and seconded; the board signified approval by show of hands.

Staff described the proposal as a request from the pending buyers, Kyle and Mary Jane Rosenstein, who have a tentative closing around June 30. The easement on the farm traces to an earlier federal easement placed by the property owner identified in staff materials as Cobra Farm.

Beth (staff) summarized the specifics: the owners seek to infill two garage doors to create an interior playroom/mudroom, construct a new 1,686‑square‑foot garage with an enclosed connector, expand the front right wing (a 2016 addition) to enlarge the master bath by about 348 square feet, and install a swimming pool with roughly 2,361 square feet of associated pool decking. The applicants also proposed reconfiguring the existing back drive, reducing paved area from 2,614 to 2,116 square feet. Staff said the easement language permits a primary single‑family residence and associated garages and pools and that the proposed work does not affect the historic core of the Andrew Gorham house.

Tom Williams (architect) said the changes are driven by the buyers' family needs and noted, "They have 3 children. They just had a baby." He also said the team will add a window to meet building code egress where a prior nonhistoric addition created sleeping areas.

Charlie Farmer, the NRCS designee referenced in staff materials, was reported by staff to have "confirmed that he sees no problem with this" because the work was not expanding into a new area of the farm and the easement contains no impervious surface limit. Staff recommended approval contingent on issuance of necessary building permits and final NRCS signoff.

Greg Padgett (contractor) and Tom Williams (architect) attended the meeting and answered board questions about the site plan and elevations included in the board packet. One board member moved to accept the housing and infrastructure request and the motion was seconded (Hannah and Phil raised hands as seconds); the board approved the request by show of hands.

Staff will proceed with the conditions stated in the motion: ensure required local building permits are obtained and obtain final NRCS designee confirmation before construction begins. The board's action will be reflected in the June meeting minutes and in any necessary follow‑up reporting to NRCS or other funding partners.