By JULIE CARLE
BG Independent News
The work continues for the Bowling Green Planning Commission as they dissect,
debate and fine-tune the draft of the city’s Zoning Code before forwarding it to Bowling
Green City Council this fall.
During a special meeting Monday, members made progress on establishing
recommendations for permitted and conditional uses in the zoned areas referred to as
“neighborhood commercial (NC).”
There remains some concern that the term “neighborhood commercial” is a misnomer.
“The name of this particular zone is confusing because it’s not located in what I consider
to be neighborhoods,” said Planning Commission President Bob McOmber. “It is
commercial areas, and some of them butt up against residential areas yet the zones
themselves are commercial and not in neighborhoods.”
The NC zone “promotes a mix of lot sizes and uses to provide nearby residents with
convenient access to shops,” according to the current zoning code draft.
Member Will Airhart suggested it was important for the members “to get on the same
page for the neighborhood commercial zones” and suggested promoting flexibility in the
language.
He wants to make sure that neighborhood commercial is not viewed as a way to
preserve a past industrial character for an area, but to look forward to allow
development or redevelopment in an area.
“We want a document that is as flexible as possible so folks can come in and update
properties consistent with what they see around them. If we make it flexible so there is a
lot of conditional uses, then there’s a stop in the process and the planning director has
the ability to say, ‘no,’ and there is an appeals process built in with multiple checks,”
Airhart said.
“I believe that flexibility is really important for us,” agreed member Mark Remeis. “Who
knows what trends will be in the next five, 10 or 15 years? When I think about creating
flexibility with this draft, I’m fine with changing some areas from neighborhood
commercial to pedestrian residential, but I think having a bunch of conditional uses as
an option really makes a lot of sense. It’s not the end-all or permitted automatically, but
still has to go through a process where we have somebody or some people that are
looking at it and approving it.”
Abishek Bhati, a member of the commission, said he is concerned about making the
document too flexible. “It could create confusion and mixed messaging. We need to
have a strong document so that when somebody looks at the zoning document, they
know what is allowed and what is not allowed and then they can figure how they fit into
the process.”
Planning Director Heather Sayler offered a solution: “You could have that area
designated “pedestrian residential” instead of neighborhood commercial with the
surrounding neighborhood. You still have the option of residential and commercial. To
me that seems like a tool that is already drafted here.
“You could consider it for the areas you feel are more sensitive, where people brought
up their concerns that are having the surrounding neighborhood residential and not
have the NC right in the middle,” she said, referencing the public comments from
neighbors in the Maple Street/Buttonwood Avenue area neighborhoods.
“We need to try to figure out how we can help them. We have the opportunity to listen to
all of their comments and listen to what they are trying to say,” said Erica Sleek,
commission member. “We want life; we want walkable. We want all of these things that
seem to be happening in this neighborhood. Is it really far-fetched to find another area
to try the NC?”
Instead of voting on the options to add flexibility to the draft or change some of the
neighborhood commercial zones to pedestrian residential districts, the commission
decided to first deal with the NC conditional and permitted uses. Decisions about the
map will come at a future date.
The commission’s actions in the draft document regarding the NC zones included:
Changing “small automobile refueling station” to a conditional use rather than a
permitted use.
Increasing the allowable maximum number of days for a Bed and Breakfast to 120.
Turning down (5-4 vote) a proposal to change “bars/taverns” from permitted to
conditional in neighborhood commercial.
Following is the planned timeline for the zoning code process:
Aug. 3 is the planning commission’s next public meeting; the commission will review
edits and schedule a public hearing. Public input will be allowed.
Sept. 7, the planning commission will hold a public hearing on the zoning code and
map, and make a recommendation to City Council.
Sometime in October, council will hold the first reading of the proposed zoning code and
map, and schedule a public hearing.
Sometime in November, council will hold a public hearing and vote on the adoption of
the zoning code and map.
