By MICHAEL CRIMMINS
Glasgow News 1
Tonight, Glasgow residents have the opportunity to ask questions, express likes and dislikes, and provide feedback regarding the Planning Commission’s proposed Urban and Infill Housing Initiative.
“This is a public meeting [with] the sole purpose to engage citizens [and] what they’d like to see about this proposed regulation what they wouldn’t like to see and any comments or directions they have that’s viable,” said Planning Director Kevin Myatt.
“What we’ve been seeing is an influx of individuals that have lots in the older part of Glasgow, established subdivisions and neighborhoods that stretch back 70 or 80 years and what has happened during time is lots have gotten bigger because homes have gotten bigger…so with that we have an abundant amount of lots that [are smaller than the minimum lot size], the technical term is ‘existing, nonconforming lots,’” Myatt said. “We’re trying to write an initiative here that would allow an individual to not only be able to put a single-family home there, but a non-traditional style duplex on that property.”
Currently, Kentucky Revised Statute 100.253 prohibits local board of adjustments from allowing “the enlargement or extension of a nonconforming use beyond the scope and area of its operation at the time the regulation which makes its use nonconforming was adopted.” In Myatt’s words, the statute means the structure has to be built back in its “exact footprint” if it is torn down or destroyed.
The Glasgow Zoning Ordinance specifies that a medium density residential district, which is the only zoning classification being discussed at the meeting, requires a minimum lot size of 7,500 sq. ft. for one unit, 11,000 sq. ft. for two, 14,500 sq. ft. for three and 18,500 sq. ft. for four units.
“We have a lot of lots that are below that threshold,” Myatt said.
The housing initiative aims to make use of “nonconforming” lots and allow individuals to build duplexes on lots smaller than the minimum size by building one on top of the other rather than the traditional side-by-side layout, provided the structure doesn’t take up more than 20 percent of the lot’s overall square footage.
“It’ll look like a two-story building that will have one, simple front door so it doesn’t change the neighborhood ascetics, the characteristics of single-family homes,” Myatt said.
Myatt said this proposed initiative would provide more opportunities for housing throughout the city and potentially lessen distressed and/or dilapidated housing in the city while maintaining the “characteristics” of the neighborhood
The public meeting will be in the Glasgow Common Council chambers on the second floor of the Luska Twyman Municipal Building beginning at 6:30 p.m.
