By JAN McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Bowling Green City Council made way Tuesday for more housing on the north edge of the city by approving interim R-2 zoning for 67.7 acres currently zoned agricultural.
Last month, council approved the annexation of the property petitioned by Robert W. Maurer along the 14000 block of Bishop Road. The R-2 zoning will allow for medium density residential development, including two-unit dwellings.
Prior to the vote Tuesday evening, City Council held a public hearing on the interim zoning request. No one from the public spoke.
“This appears to be in compliance with our plan – it creates the opportunity for additional housing,” council member Greg Robinette said.
Also at Tuesday’s meeting, council voted to authorize an agreement with the Ohio Department of Transportation for the construction of a roundabout at the intersection of Brim Road and Bishop Road – next to the newly zoned property.
The agreement allows the city to advertise for bids and enter contracts for design, engineering, right-of-way acquisition, construction, and other services for the project.
On the southern edge of the city, council gave its approval to sign an agreement with ODOT for the installation of a pedestrian hybrid beacon at the intersection of West Gypsy Lane Road and the Slippery Elm Trail.
Robinette said he recently received unsolicited praise for the city from a parent who appreciates the new pedestrian hybrid beacon at West Wooster Street and Maple Street. The parent said she no longer has to take her Buttonwood Avenue family to the police station to cross Wooster Street when taking her children to City Park.
In other business at Tuesday’s meeting, council heard the first reading of an ordinance renewing the temporary reduction and moratorium of certain residential building permit fees. Between 2023 and 2025, council passed ordinances that waived some fees for new residential construction until Dec. 31, 2025.
The waived fees included sidewalk staking, subdivision plan approval, zoning permits, construction inspection, excavation permits and utility related fee waivers.
The program is credited with positively impacting housing starts in the city. In 2022, the city had 22 new homes built, compared to 48 in 2024. So far this year, the city has seen more than 40 housing starts. It is being recommended that council extend the same waivers through Dec. 31, 2027.
Also at the meeting:
- Council heard the first reading of an ordinance authorizing the city to purchase property for a new fire station and fire division headquarters on the north edge of Bowling Green. The 4.26-acre site is located on Newton Road, just to the east of the BG Community Center. It is currently owned by Robert and Patricia Maurer. The acreage comes with a price tag of $240,000 for the city. According to the proposed ordinance, the property has an appraised market value of $639,000, but the Maurers have agreed to gift a portion of the property to the city.
- Council heard the first reading of an ordinance authorizing the city to enter contracts for the installation of a fluid-applied membrane roof at the 20-year-old Bowling Green Community Center. The membrane system, which is approximately 60% of the cost of a full roof replacement, comes with a 20-year warranty.
- Debbie Thompson told council of the Fall Walk Audit planned for Sept. 14-28. Volunteers will be asked to again observe intersections and crosswalks to identify ways to improve pedestrian safety and accessibility. This audit was specifically scheduled so the local schools and BGSU students would be back in session. Anyone interested in volunteering can sign up on the BGSUserves platform, or by sending an email with “walk audit” in the subject line to bowlinggreensong@gmail.com, or by contacting BG SONG at 419-356-3330.
- City Planning Director Heather Sayler reported that Heritage Ohio has selected Bowling Green’s historical signs as one of the three finalists for the Best Downtown Placemaking award. That award is given to communities that are actively engaged in efforts to enhance their downtown’s appearance with the intention of creating public spaces that promote people’s health, happiness and well being through a program of streetscape improvements. The award ceremony will be held Oct. 15.
- Mayor Mike Aspacher talked about the annual Black Swamp Arts Festival being held in downtown Bowling Green this weekend. Volunteers spend the entire year planning the nationally-recognized event, he said. “We should be very proud to be home of the Black Swamp,” Aspacher said.
