By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Bowling Green City Council took the first steps Monday to annex 103 acres, to encourage economic development, and to work on major improvements on South Main Street.
Council heard first readings of ordinances involving 103 acres on the north edge of Bowling Green. The acreage, in Center Township at the southeast corner of Ohio 25 and Nims Road, is owned by Maurer Family Farms, which requested annexation to the city.
The property is currently agricultural.
A second ordinance asks that the land be assigned interim zoning of industrial. There are no specific plans for the site, but the zoning change will make it more marketable to potential industrial users. The Planning Commission will consider the zoning classification at its December meeting, and forward the recommendation to City Council, which will then hold a public hearing on the change.
Also at Monday’s meeting, City Council heard the first reading of a resolution establishing the boundaries of the Bowling Green Community Reinvestment Area in the city and designating a housing officer to administer the program.
The city uses CRAs as an economic development tool to attract new development or redevelopment. CRA agreements allow for the abatement of property taxes for a specified time period.
This legislation would combine several of the city’s existing CRAs and expand the map to include the entire city and future annexations.
This change is being recommended to ease the administrative burden of administering numerous CRAs, to eliminate the “piecemeal” approach the city has been using in adding areas, and to encourage opportunities for economic development and reinvestment in the community.
Passage of this resolution does not authorize any tax abatements – which under state law require separate approval.
The city has been using CRAs for decades. The main application has been for industrial and commercial development. This legislation includes provisions for a residential program on investments over $50,000 and allows for up to a 50% abatement for a 10-year period on the investment amount.
The commercial and industrial provisions are similar to those currently in place in most of the city’s CRAs – allowing for 100% abatement for up to 15 years.
The city and Bowling Green City Schools and Penta Career Center have agreed that those abatements include a payment in lieu of taxes to the school districts. Those agreements are completed with the schools and brought to City Council with abatement recommendations.
Council also heard the first reading of an ordinance authorizing an agreement with the Ohio Department of Transportation to enter into contracts for design, engineering, right-of-way acquisition, and construction for improvements on South Main Street from Ordway Avenue to the south corporation limit.
The improvements include a water main replacement, pavement resurfacing, and intersection improvements at Napoleon Road.
The utility upgrade is planned for 2023/2024, and the paving project will occur in 2025.
The first portion of the project will be the installation of a new water main from Ordway to Gypsy Lane Road. The project will upsize aging water mains to improve service to customers as well as maintain fire flows. The work is also needed to prepare for water main replacement work planned on Kenwood Avenue in the next few years.
The second portion is the resurfacing of South Main Street from Ordway to the south corporation limit. This work will include base repairs, a 10-foot wide shared use path on the west side of South Main from Napoleon Road to Gypsy Lane Road, upgrading the traffic light at Napoleon and South Main from a span-wire light to aluminum mast arms, and ADA ramp improvements.
Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments and the Ohio Department of Transportation funding will pay for approximately 80% of the roadway improvements. Identifying the location for a potential new mid-block crosswalk will also be a part of the engineering activities, with potential funding applications to be made later.
