By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
A public hearing has been set on the plan to turn the street between the new city building and the county library into a green space.
The Bowling Green Planning Commission will hold the hearing on Aug. 4, at 7 p.m., to gather public comments about vacating West Oak Street between North Main Street and North Church Street.
The one-way street currently allows westbound traffic between Wood County District Public Library and the former county senior center location – which is being used for the proposed city administration building.
The goal is to make the street go green.
“We’re discussing with the library how to build a green area between the buildings,” Municipal Administrator Lori Tretter said.
The new city building is preserving the historic front facade of the former senior center, which was previously a post office. The new government building will have a larger footprint, but it will not extend further than the current sidewalk on West Oak Street.
Details of the green space aren’t yet available, but the area will be open for use by library patrons, city building customers and staff – and the public.
“It’s for use by anybody,” Tretter said. “We think it would be a nice area for the public to use.”
During a recent meeting, the library board approved spending up to $49,595 to move its book drop on Oak Street to the other side of the library on Court Street.
Library Director Michael Penrod said city officials assured him that the library would be allowed to retain the current book drop on Oak Street, and the new city building parking lot could be designed around it.
But Penrod said when the library was renovated, it was set up to have the book drop on Court Street. The interior space is already set up for the book returns.
The change will require eastbound drivers on Court Street to cross traffic so the driver can deposit books, and then cross to get back in the eastbound lane.
In other business at the planning commission meeting, the board:
- Heard from BG Planning Director Heather Sayler that she had no update to report on the proposed Menard’s project on South Main Street.
- Agreed to continue live-streaming city planning commission meetings, even though the members are meeting in person. The majority of the commission members felt it was important to make the meetings as accessible as possible to the public.
- Approved the vacating of an alley located west and south of 615 N. Grove St., between West Merry and West Evers streets.
- Learned from Sayler that 270 zoning permits had been applied for this year, compared to 233 at this time last year.
