Board Of Adjustments Okays Short Term Rental On Beaumont Inn Drive
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Robert Moore
Herald Staff
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The Harrodsburg—Mercer County Joint Board of Adjustments and Appeals has approved a new short-term rental near Harrodsburg’s historic Beaumont Inn.
At their regular meeting on Friday, April 24, the board of adjustments unanimously approved a conditional use permit for Daynabrook Farmhouses LLC to operate a short-term rental at 615 Beaumont Inn Drive. The property is zoned R-2 (High Density Residential).
Attorney Heather Warren of Arvin and Manning PLLC in Nicholasville represented the applicant. Warren said city ordinances have been amended to allow the conditional use of R2 properties as short-term rentals, subject to certain conditions. The attorney noted several other nearby properties, including one across the street that was used as a short-term rental until 2024. She said she was unaware of whether there had been any complaints with the previous short-term rental. Warren said the applicant wanted to build a single residential structure.
“This is going to look like a house,” said Warren, who said there was no issue with the scale or site design. She told the board the property would have no adverse impacts on surrounding properties and she said diverse economic use supported by the goals of the county’s comprehensive plan.
Warren said there were “exciting things” happening in Harrodsburg.
“With that comes a need for lodging—and diverse lodging,” Warren said.
The board also heard from the public. Carolyn Cole said she was a rental property owner in Harrodsburg and asked to see the plat.
Cole said the property Warren had referred to as a short-term rental, which hosted an interactive version of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” in 2023, was a single family home that had been used for overflow guests from the Beaumont Inn. Cole called the Beaumont Inn a historical place in Harrodsburg that could “easily be destroyed by your decision.” She said local property owners would need to seek help with the police to handle any issues.
