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HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-09-2026 - no January meeting MINUTES OF THE PADUCAH BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT FEBRUARY 9, 2026 5:30 P.M. Paducah City Hall Commission Chambers Attendees: Lisa Humphrey, Mark McGregor, Vice Chair Patrick Perry, Chairwoman Carol Young Absent: Brandi Harless Staff: Joshua P. Fowler-Sommer, Planner III; Honorable Counsel Glenn Denton Guests: Jason Goins, Chris Hampton Chairwoman Young called the called meeting of the Paducah Board of Adjustment to order at 5:30 pm. The Pledge of Allegiance to the U.S. flag was recited. The roll was taken. The meeting was turned over to Josh Fowler-Sommer, Planner III, for the election of officers for 2026. Mr. Fowler-Sommer opened the floor for nomination for Chair. Mrs. Humphrey nominated Carol Young. There were no other nominations. Mr. Fowler-Sommer asked all in favor for a motion to close nominations and elect Ms. Young by acclimation. 3 Ayes (Humphrey, McGregor, Perry) Chairwoman Young opened the floor for nominations for Vice-Chair. Chairwoman Young nominated Mr. Perry. There were no other nominations. Mr. Fowler-Sommer asked all in favor for a motion to close nominations and elect Mr. Perry by acclimation. 3 Ayes (Humphrey, McGregor, Young) Mrs. Humphrey offered: I move that the reading of the minutes for September 29, 2025 be waived and that the minutes of said meeting, as prepared by staff, be approved as written. Vice-Chair Perry seconded. Chairwoman Young called for the vote. 3 Ayes (Humphrey, Perry, Young), 0 Nays *Meeting held prior to Mr. McGregor joining the board. Vice-Chair Perry offered: I move that the reading of the minutes for October 27, 2025 be waived and that the minutes of said meeting, as prepared by staff, be approved as written. Chairwoman Young seconded. Chairwoman Young called for the vote. 3 Ayes (Humphrey, Perry, Young), 0 Nays *Meeting held before Mr. McGregor joined the board. MINUTES OF THE PADUCAH BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT – continued page 2 / 6 Mr. McGregor offered: I move that the reading of the minutes for December 18, 2025 be waived and that the minutes of said meeting, as prepared by staff, be approved as written. Chairwoman Young seconded. Chairwoman Young called for the vote. 4 Ayes (Humphrey, McGregor, Perry, Young), 0 Nays Continued Petitions Case# VAR2025-0012 2404 Lone Oak Road Planner III Josh Fowler-Sommer presented the staff report. The Petitioner requests a variance of 29.26 square feet for a 117.4 square foot freestanding sign to be located at 2404 Lone Oak Road. The prescribed size for freestanding signs is 75 square feet. A variance of 13.14 square feet to permit an 88.14 square foot sign was approved for the site on August 28, 2023. However, a sign permit was issued on August 31, 2023 for 109.4 square feet. This makes the sign legal nonconforming. The correlation between the previous and current Comprehensive Plans were discussed. Mr. Fowler- Sommer stated the new Comprehensive Plan builds upon the previous plan for signage control. Two previous sign variance requests were discussed as to why they were denied. The existing sign is already a legal nonconformity. There is no basis for approval based upon KRS 100.243. Mrs. Humphrey offered: I move that this Board remove from the table case VAR2025-0012 pertaining to 2404 Lone Oak Road. I further move that this Board open the Public Hearing for case VAR2025-0012 pertaining to 2404 Lone Oak Road. Vice-Chair Perry seconded. Chairwoman Young asked all in favor? 4 Ayes (Humphrey, McGregor, Perry, Young), 0 Nays Chairwoman Young invited the public to speak. Chris Hampton, professional representative for the Petitioner with Springfield Sign, spoke. He asked if he could speak to both this Petition and the next one at the same time, as they are both the same request from the same Petitioner. Chairwoman Young agreed. Mr. Hampton stated he felt the spirit and intent of the zoning ordinance would be better served if the signage could be accommodated on one pole, as opposed to four directional signs. Mr. Fowler-Sommer stated the difference between his request of 29.26 square feet and the next case of eight square feet was because the sign portion of the zoning ordinance changed between construction dates. This resulted in a requested same size, but with two different varying amounts. Mrs. Humphrey asked for clarification on the petition. Mr. Fowler-Sommer stated how both signs became legally nonconforming. Vice-Chair Perry stated he felt an approval would set a precedence. Hearing no further public comment, Chairwoman Young asked the public hearing to be closed. Mrs. Humphrey offered: MINUTES OF THE PADUCAH BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT – continued page 3 / 6 I move that this Board close the Public Hearing for case VAR2025-0012 pertaining to 2404 Lone Oak Road. Vice-Chair Perry seconded. Chairwoman Young asked all in favor? 4 Ayes (Humphrey, McGregor, Perry, Young), 0 Nays Vice-Chair Perry offered: I move that this Board deny the petition of Springfield Sign for a 29.26 square foot variance request for a 117.4 square foot freestanding sign at 2404 Lone Oak Road. I further move that the variance be denied based on the following findings of fact: 1. A variance was already approved for the same site in August of 2023. 2. There is no legal basis pursuant to KRS 100.243. 3. Both the previous and current City of Paducah/ McCracken County Comprehensive Plan implores strategies to upgrade major corridors, with signage being one of those. 4. The sign is a legally existing nonconforming sign. Any expansion of this sign would negate the spirit and intent of the Paducah Zoning Code, specifically section 126-63 Nonconforming Uses. 5. The sign code was revised in 2022 to standardize sign sizes and enhance viewsheds. This variance would take the site away from the goals and objectives of the Zoning Ordinance instead of more conformance therewith. 6. The variance would run with the land. Any future sign could be a total of 117.4 square feet if approved which would therefore diminish community character in this area in perpetuity and dilute the goals and objectives of the Comprehensive Plan. Mr. McGregor seconded. No further questions were asked. Chairwoman Young called for the vote. 4 Ayes (Humphrey, McGregor, Perry, Young), 0 Nays Case# VAR2025-0013 3325 Park Avenue Planner III Josh Fowler-Sommer presented the staff report. The Petitioner requests a variance of eight square feet for a 117.4 square foot freestanding sign to be located at 3325 Park Avenue. The prescribed size for freestanding signs is 75 square feet. A sign permit was issued on March 3, 2023 for 109.4 square feet. This was before the new sign code took effect limiting freestanding signs to 75 square feet. The correlation between the previous and current Comprehensive Plans were discussed. Mr. Fowler- Sommer stated the new Comprehensive Plan builds upon the previous plan for signage control. Two previous sign variance requests were discussed as to why they were denied. The existing sign is already a legal nonconformity. There is no basis for approval based upon KRS 100.243. Mr. McGregor offered: I move that this Board remove from the table case VAR2025-0013 pertaining to 3325 Park Avenue MINUTES OF THE PADUCAH BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT – continued page 4 / 6 I further move that this Board open the Public Hearing for case VAR2025-0013 pertaining to 3325 Park Avenue. Vice-Chair Perry seconded. Chairwoman Young asked all in favor? 4 Ayes (Humphrey, McGregor, Perry, Young), 0 Nays Chairwoman Young invited the public to speak. Chris Hampton, professional representative for the Petitioner with Springfield Sign, spoke. He reiterated he felt it was better to have all the signage on one pole, as opposed to four directional signs. Hearing no further public comment, Chairwoman Young asked the public hearing to be closed. Mr. McGregor offered: I move that this Board close the Public Hearing for case VAR2025-0013 pertaining to 3325 Park Avenue. Vice-Chair Perry seconded. Chairwoman Young asked all in favor? 4 Ayes (Humphrey, McGregor, Perry, Young), 0 Nays Mrs. Humphrey offered: I move that this Board deny the petition of Springfield Sign for an eight square foot variance request for a 117.4 square foot freestanding sign at 3325 Park Avenue. I further move that the variance be denied based on the following findings of fact: 1. There is no legal basis pursuant to KRS 100.243. 2. Both the previous and current City of Paducah/ McCracken County Comprehensive Plan implores strategies to upgrade major corridors, with signage being one of those. 3. The sign is a legally existing nonconforming sign. Any expansion of this sign would negate the spirit and intent of the Paducah Zoning Code, specifically section 126-63 Nonconforming Uses. 4. The sign code was revised in 2022 to standardize sign sizes and enhance viewsheds. This variance would take the site away from the goals and objectives of the Zoning Ordinance instead of more conformance therewith. 5. The variance would run with the land. Any future sign could be a total of 117.4 square feet if approved which would therefore diminish community character in this area in perpetuity and dilute the goals and objectives of the Comprehensive Plan. Mr. McGregor seconded. No further questions were asked. Chairwoman Young called for the vote. 4 Ayes (Humphrey, McGregor, Perry, Young), 0 Nays MINUTES OF THE PADUCAH BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT – continued page 5 / 6 Case# VAR2025-0016 3970 Pines Road Planner III Josh Fowler-Sommer presented the staff report. The Petitioner requests a variance of 1.75 feet into the south setback for a single-family home to be constructed 23.25 feet from the secondary front property line. The prescribed secondary front yard setback is 25 feet. The new home would face Pines Road, which would make Country Club Lane the secondary front yard. A driveway is proposed off Country Club Lane into a garage of the 3,000 square foot house. Country Club Lane has an abnormally wide right-of-way at 80 feet, while most of the streets in Paducah are 50 feet in ROW width. The wide ROW pushes the home further away from the pavement than a home could most often be located. Due to the size of the home, it would blend with the local fabric of the neighborhood, with larger homes and spacious lots. This lot has never had a home on it, as it used to be a part of Westwood Country Club. Mr. Fowler-Sommer stated the Fire Prevention Division is not requesting any changes. The City of Paducah/ McCracken County Comprehensive Plan, Board of Commissioner’s Priorities (MO 3028) and the data from the Kentucky Housing Corporation were discussed. It is therefore reasonable to grant the request for a variance. Mr. McGregor offered: I move that this Board open the Public Hearing for case VAR2025-0016 pertaining to 3970 Pines Road. Vice-Chair Perry seconded. Chairwoman Young asked all in favor? 4 Ayes (Humphrey, McGregor, Perry, Young), 0 Nays Chairwoman Young invited the public to speak. Mr. Jason Goins, Petitioner’s professional representative, spoke. He stated that the 80’ ROW was abnormal for a typical ROW width and that lot One was the same width as lots Two and Three. He further stated the lot is steep on the back side, which makes it more difficult to develop. Hearing no further public comment, Chairwoman Young asked the public hearing to be closed. Vice-Chair Perry offered: I move that this Board close the Public Hearing for case VAR2025-0016 pertaining to 3970 Pines Road. Chairwoman Young seconded. Chairwoman Young asked all in favor? 4 Ayes (Humphrey, McGregor, Perry, Young), 0 Nays Mr. McGregor offered: I move that this Board approve the petition of Jim & Nancy Smith for a 1.75-foot variance request into the south setback to construct a single-family home 23.25 feet from the secondary front property line at 3970 Pines Road. I further move that the variance be approved based on the following findings of fact: 1. The City of Paducah Comprehensive Plan sets forth an overarching planning theme throughout the Plan to increase quantity and variety of housing options. MINUTES OF THE PADUCAH BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT – continued page 6 / 6 2. Goal 2 of Land Use and Community Character states: A land use allocation and pattern that advances the area’s key objectives of achieving greater housing supply and variety and supporting its economic development and tax base needs. 3. Goal 1 of Housing and Neighborhoods states: A quantity and diversity of housing options that makes living in Paducah and McCracken County attainable and inviting for a wide range of age groups and income levels, including those critical to the area’s economic success. 4. Quality Housing and Quality of Life are priorities of the Board of Commissioners, pursuant to MO 3028. 5. The site is adjacent to Country Club Lane, which has an 80-foot right-of-way. This is an unusually wide ROW for the City of Paducah, which pushes the home further back than in most other parts of the City. 6. The adjacent lots next door are vacant. 7. It is reasonable for the Petitioner to request a larger home in this subdivision, due to the character of the Westwood Hills Subdivision. 8. The home would fit with the fabric of the neighborhood, based on housing size. 9. This development would boost the supply and demand of housing in McCracken County. 10. The current number of for sale and rental units needed in McCracken County is 3,805 according to the Kentucky Housing Corporation. 11. This home would contribute to neighborhood stability and fabric. Vice-Chair Perry seconded. No questions were asked. Chairwoman Young called for the vote. 4 Ayes (Humphrey, McGregor, Perry, Young), 0 Nays New Petitions Other Business Adjournment The BOA adjourned at 6:00 pm. Approved: ______________________________________ Chairwoman Carol Young Drafted by: _______________________________________ Joshua P. Fowler-Sommer, Planner III