By JAN McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Open farmland on the east side of Bowling Green is slated to become home to a QuikTrip travel center catering to motorists’ needs for gas, food, even clothing items.
The Bowling Green Planning Commission voted Wednesday to replat acreage in the BG-Interstate Subdivision, located in the southeast corner of South Dunbridge Road and East Wooster Street.
The owner of the property, John Whitson, described the QuikTrip business as being an “upscale” gas station/convenience store/travel center.
“It will be a nice addition to that side of town,” Whitson said after the planning commission meeting.
Whitson owns a total of 38 acres at the location just east of Interstate 75. The land is easily accessible as motorists exit I-75. It sits just to the west of the Holiday Inn Express, and across the road from the Meijer gas station.
The timeline for the QuikTrip construction on the site is unknown, said Whitson, who is selling the land for development. QuikTrip, sometimes referred to as a “remote travel center,” has more than 1,000 sites in 17 states.
Whitson said he is hoping the addition of the QuikTrip will spur other interested developers in the remaining acreage he owns to the south on Dunbridge Road.
Preliminary roads have been constructed between Whitson’s property and the Holiday Inn connecting to East Wooster Street, and another to the south connecting to South Dunbridge Road.
Those roads will need to be redone to meet the city’s public road standards, said Heather Sayler, the city’s planning director.
Also on Wednesday evening, the planning commission approved the extension of the preliminary plan for Cogan’s Crossing subdivision plats 9-14 on the north edge of Bowling Green.
Sayler explained that plat 9 is under construction now, but an extension is needed for plats 10-14, since the preliminary plan approved on April 5, 2023, expires after a year.
Also at the meeting, Sayler presented an update on the city’s planning department business so far this year. The office has had requests for 90 permits, compared to 61 at this time last year. The office has handled plans for 10 single family homes, and two accessory dwelling units.
Sayler listed off some specific projects being worked on, including:
- An addition to Ohio Logistics in the Wood Bridge Business Park.
- Renovations at 1080 S. Main St., for a Harbor Freight store.
- An addition to the Brauthaus bar on East Court Street.
- A driveway planned at the Black Swamp Players theater on Oak Street.
- A small subdivision called Wood Acres, next to Wood Lane facilities on East Gypsy Lane Road.
