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Board approves detached accessory dwelling unit and small square‑footage variance at Briar Ridge
Summary
The board approved converting an existing accessory structure into a detached ADU at 4005 Briar Ridge Road, revoked the site's prior home‑occupation CUP, and granted a small maximum‑square‑footage variance.
The Oldham County Board of Adjustments approved a conditional use permit and a modest square‑footage variance on March 20 to allow an existing accessory structure at 4005 Briar Ridge Road to be used as a detached accessory dwelling unit (ADU).
Property owner William (Adam) Baer told the board the accessory building, constructed under a prior home‑occupation approval, will be used to house aging parents. Planner John Hein reviewed the ordinance criteria, explaining that in R1 zoning a detached ADU may not exceed 25 percent of the primary dwelling’s floor area. Based on the county property valuation file, Hein said the primary structure is 4,478 square feet, making the 25 percent cap 1,194.5 square feet.
Hein reported the accessory building is about 1,298 square feet, and the owner requested a variance for an excess of approximately 103.5 square feet (roughly a 2.0‑3.0 percent variance depending on measurement source). The structure already contains a kitchen and bathroom and is served by its own approved septic system, he said. Baer and his neighbors described the lot as rural and well buffered from adjacent homes.
A neighbor who lives across the driveway, Keith Wilts, spoke in favor and told the board he and his spouse had discussed the proposal with the applicant and supported the request. Baer said the structure would not be converted to a short‑term rental and that he would not expand the unit’s living area beyond the current footprint, although a rear deck is planned.
The board first voted to revoke the property's previous conditional use permit for a home occupation (issued in 2002), then approved the new CUP authorizing the detached ADU, subject to conditions that the ADU not be used as a short‑term rental and that its interior living square footage not be increased (a small rear patio was exempted from the living‑space restriction discussion). The board also approved the requested maximum‑square‑footage variance (approx. 103.5 square feet) limited to this application.
Ending: The owner must comply with standard permitting and building‑code requirements for any finishing work and may not market the unit as a short‑term rental; staff will record the CUP and revocation according to county procedure.
