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Commission permits residential building on small industrial lot at 102 N. Oak Street
Summary
The Planning Commission unanimously approved a waiver allowing residential use on a 0.08-acre I-1 lot at 102 North Oak Street in LaGrange, enabling the applicant to pursue a two-unit duplex subject to a setback variance from the City of LaGrange.
The Oldham County Planning Commission unanimously approved a waiver March 25 allowing residential use on a 0.08-acre parcel at 102 North Oak Street in LaGrange that is zoned I-1 (light industrial). The commission’s vote was 9-0.
What the applicant requested: Platinum Homes LLC sought permission to build a two-story, approximately 990-square-foot duplex-style structure on the vacant lot where a residence once stood and later burned. Planner John Hein told commissioners the property is small (about 0.08 acres, roughly 3,400 square feet) and surrounded in part by residential buildings despite the industrial zoning designation. The applicant said the proposed two-family building would better match surrounding uses than an industrial use that the lot cannot physically accommodate.
Staff context and precedent: Planner Hein noted previous cases in which the commission allowed residential use in industrially zoned lots where the parcel size and surrounding land uses made industrial development impractical. He also explained that approval of the waiver does not change the zoning map; it permits residential use on this site only. If the waiver is granted, the applicant must obtain a setback variance from the City of LaGrange Board of Adjustments and Appeals before a building permit can be issued.
Applicant presentation: Attorney Stacy Ginn presented on behalf of Platinum Homes LLC (owner Lance Hall). Ginn said the proposed duplex “comports really well” with small-lot residential classifications (she referenced R-4A standards as a point of comparison) and argued a waiver was necessary because strict compliance with an industrial designation would make reasonable redevelopment impossible. Ginn said the design maximizes use by building up rather than out, and added that the company has a record of building small residential projects in the area.
Commission action and conditions: Commissioner Krauss moved to approve the waiver, incorporating standard conditions: the waiver applies only to the plan reviewed at the March 25 public hearing, and the applicant must obtain the required setback variance from the City of LaGrange Board of Adjustments before obtaining a building permit. Commissioner Davis seconded; the motion passed 9-0.
Implementation notes: Because I-1 dimensional standards (setbacks and lot size) would otherwise preclude most industrial uses on this parcel, the commission and staff framed the waiver as a practical solution for a lot that historically contained a residence and is now surrounded by residential uses. The actual dimensional standards and final approval for construction will be handled by the City of LaGrange Board of Adjustments when the applicant seeks the necessary variances and applies for permits.
Caveat: The approval is site-specific and does not rezone the property; future changes in use or additional units would require separate approvals from the appropriate bodies.
