LEXINGTON, Ky. — The Urban County Council on Thursday confirmed real estate developer Ross Boggess to the city’s Board of Adjustment, filling a vacancy that had become a point of friction between Mayor Linda Gorton’s office and council after a prior nominee was rejected in June.
Boggess, who co-hosts a development-focused podcast and has served on Lexington’s short-term rental work group, faced pointed questions about conflicts of interest, neighborhood character, and his own role as a short-term rental operator.
“I think just like if this was a court case, you have to show harm,” Boggess told council members when asked how he would weigh neighborhood objections to short-term rentals. “There’s both fear and there’s actual harm that could be added to a neighborhood.”
The exchange underscored the sensitivity of short-term rental cases before the BOA, which decides variances and conditional use permits. Council Member Liz Sheehan pressed Boggess on how he would take residents’ concerns into account, noting his earlier answer “felt like you were promoting why a short-term rental should be in a neighborhood.”
Boggess pointed to examples where conversions had benefited his own street, but acknowledged the impact can vary. “Nobody wants to invest hundreds of thousands of dollars into their primary residence…and then have a new neighbor sleep there for two nights every single week,” he said.
Council members also explored his decision-making process, his views on Lexington’s growth, and preservation concerns in historically Black neighborhoods. “We have to make sure there isn’t a weaponization of code enforcement or the crazy jump in taxes where somebody’s house has been in their family for generations,” Boggess said in response to a question from Council Member Amy Beasley.
Boggess described preparing for the hearing by reading the BOA charter “from beginning to end,” watching six months of archived meetings, and meeting with current board members. “That’s some very thorough preparation,” Council Member Emma Curtis told him.
Thursday’s vote follows the council’s June rejection of Anissa Martinez for the same seat, a rare rebuff that highlighted tensions over appointments. By law, the vacancy had to be filled within 60 days of the prior term ending.
With his confirmation, Boggess will serve through 2029 and could be eligible for up to three four-year terms.
“Thank you each,” he told the council after the vote. “I’m thankful that the mayor’s office is entertaining the appointment and hope to answer your questions.”
