The Bowling Green Planning Commission on Wednesday unanimously recommended a series of zoning code
amendments for council’s consideration.
Many of the proposed changes arose from concerns about the potential paving of residential properties.

“This is really something that’s been a concern for a while, and we’ve had an uptick in the paving of
yards,” said Planning Director Heather Sayler at the meeting, “and we thought it was a good time to
address this.”
The proposed ordinance amendments would affect Sections 150.03 Definitions; 150.16 Bulk and Density
Regulations; 150.55 Off-Street Parking; 150.90 Rear Yards; 150.92 and 150.93 (which would be renumbering
the section entitled “Open Areas Within Multiple-Family Districts” and adding “Patios”); and 150.103
Application and Issuance of Zoning Certificate.
In a letter to the planning commission, Sayler summarized the proposed changes, stating that for issues
of lot coverage they “would essentially count the square footage of all buildings and impervious
surfaces (of a property), which could not exceed a certain percentage of the lot size depending on the
zoning of R-1 or R-2 (Single-Family Residential),” in addition to other smaller changes. Lot coverage in
an R-1 zoned property could not exceed 50%, or 60% for R-2.
“The proposed Bulk and Density changes are the result of concerns from some City Council members of the
potential of the paving of entire residentially-zoned parcels,” the letter continued. “Additionally,
recent planning documents, the Community Action Plan (CAP) along with the Zoning Code Review… and
Wooster Street Redevelopment Strategy, all recommend urban design regulations be adopted by the city to
improve aesthetics and the level of quality development. In general, this does help achieve a small
portion of this overall recommendation. Lastly, while we recognize the city has hired Calfee Zoning to
begin a diagnostic of the Zoning Code, staff wanted to start sooner rather than later with these
potential code changes.”
“It’s about being environmentally friendly,” Sayler told the commission on Wednesday.
She noted that they looked at several other zoning codes in other similar college towns, including Kent,
Oxford and Athens, and many have regulations for lot coverage on the books.
“It seems out of place that Bowling Green doesn’t address lot coverage,” she said.
Sayler referenced one recent application that would have resulted in a property having lot coverage of
89%, though that plan ultimately did not take place. Commission member Will Airhard asked Sayler why
someone would what to pave so much of their yard.
“People love their parking,” Sayler replied, “especially in a college town.”
Before voting to recommend the amendments to council, commission members engaged in a detailed discussion
to clarify some language and definitions in the proposed changes, discussions which at times also
involved suggestions from City Prosecutor Hunter Brown. A series of revisions were ultimately approved.

In other business, the commission also unanimously approved a preliminary plat with waiver requests by
Blue Creek LLC to develop plats 8-14 of the existing Cogan’s Crossing subdivision. The subdivision is
located at the northeast corner of Brim and Bishop roads.
Work at the subdivision had stalled due to issues related to the Great Recession and a bankruptcy of a
previous owner. The pieces of property for the plats in question were purchased in 2011 with the
intention of using them as future plats, and have been used agriculturally in the meantime.
According to a letter by Sayler to the commission, “the property owner now desires to subdivide these
parcels, similar to what the city originally approved, adding 56 lots in Plats 8 through 14.”
“This is really approving the preliminary layout,” Sayler said, noting that the plans will have to go
through further processes, including a final plat which would be presented to the commission for
approval at a later date.
After the meeting, Sayler said she believes they are close to issuing a zoning permit for a planned new
Dunkin’ Donuts site on South Main Street, due to various approvals which were needed.
The planned restaurant was granted a utility easement last month by the Bowling Green Board of Public
Utilities. The restaurant is to be located south of the Advance Auto Parts store and north of Checker’s
Car Wash, sitting somewhat back from the road on 0.7198 acres.