Danville commission denies rezoning request for 540 Adams Street

The Danville Planning & Zoning Commission voted unanimously to deny a zoning map amendment for 540 Adams Street that would have changed the property from single-family R1A to multifamily RM3.

Staff introduced the application as a request by Hawk Properties LLC (record) to rezone 0.389 acres at 540 Adams Street to RM3. Staff said the current future land use map shows the site as moderate-density residential and noted the property historically functioned as a fiveplex but lost nonconforming status after an extended period of abandonment. Staff also flagged technical issues: a platted 15-foot alley at the rear of the lot that appears abandoned, parking-layout shortfalls relative to the zoning ordinance, and the need for building permits, inspections and fire-safety approvals if the property moves forward as multi-family housing.

Applicant representative Brandon Chevlin said his client (identified in the record as Empock/Empire Properties LLC) is renovating the structure without expanding its footprint and is proposing a fourplex rather than the historic fiveplex. Chevlin said the alley “does not appear to have any remnant left” in aerial imagery and argued a renovated, occupied building would be preferable to a long-vacant, deteriorating structure.

Neighbors urged denial. Lauren Flowers, owner of 535 Adams Street, said the neighboring property “was condemned in 2023” and described the project as effectively new construction that would be out of character on a narrow, dead-end street. Thomas Owen, a resident at 543 Adams Street, told the commission the house had been abandoned for more than two decades and that asbestos exposure during gutting had harmed his household. Multiple residents raised similar concerns about emergency-vehicle access on the narrow street, the adequacy of sewer and utility infrastructure, the narrow driveway/alley configuration and prospective on-street parking pressure if more households occupy the site.

The applicant’s contractor, Elliot Cannon, who said he performed the renovation work, told the commission he had professional asbestos testing done in Lexington and “found no signs of asbestos,” and said the owner had invested in renovations and could provide additional driveway/parking on an adjacent parcel.

Commissioners debated whether approving RM3 at the end of a block zoned R1A would set an undesirable precedent, noting there is no contiguous RM3 zoning nearby, and questioned whether the street width, parking and emergency access could accommodate additional households. Commissioners also discussed inconsistency between the future land use map and other parts of the comprehensive plan and sought clarification about a renovation building permit noted in staff records (staff said a renovation permit for 1,700 square feet was applied for while the building footprint was discussed as roughly 3,500 square feet). The commission emphasized that building permits, inspections and occupancy decisions are separate from a zoning map amendment.

A commissioner moved to deny the RM3 rezoning request, citing lack of contiguous RM3 zoning, inconsistency with the neighborhood’s scale, and street-width/parking limitations; the motion was seconded. The commission took a voice vote and the motion to deny passed unanimously. Staff advised that the commission can only act on the application before it and suggested applicants consider proposals consistent with the neighborhood if they reapply.

The hearing was followed by routine business (auditor scheduling and adoption of the 2025 meeting calendar) and the meeting adjourned.

What this means next: The RM3 rezoning application for 540 Adams Street is denied. Any future effort to permit multi-family occupancy would require the owner to submit altered zoning requests or site plans that address parking, emergency access, alley ownership/abandonment questions and code-compliance documentation at the building-permit stage.