By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Bowling Green City Council voted Monday to help revitalize the East Side of the city, to rezone acreage on the north side for a senior residential facility, and to explain the delays for action on green space in the center of the city.
Council unanimously voted to contract for services to develop a strategic revitalization plan for the northeast and southeast neighborhoods in the city.
“We’ve been talking for a very long time about improving the neighborhoods” on the East Side, council president Mike Aspacher said. “This will provide the tools for us to make real progress in 2016.”
Aspacher warned, however, that the work will take time.
“I’m thrilled to see that we’re moving forward,” council member Daniel Gordon said, adding that residential neighborhoods are the “core fundamental issue gripping Bowling Green.”
Also on Monday, council approved changing the zoning for the recently annexed 31 acres at the northeast corner of Haskins and Newton roads. The property is across Newton Road from the city’s community center.
The acreage was changed to institutional zoning to allow for the building of a senior living facility by HCF Inc. The new facility will replace two aging nursing home facilities on West Poe Road.
“It seems like the appropriate zoning for the property,” council member Bruce Jeffers said.
The owners also made a commitment to the city to “deal in a responsible manner” with the old facilities on Poe Road, Aspacher said.
In other business, council also answered questions from a city resident about the future of the West Wooster Street site once used for the junior high. The resident asked if the city was reversing the decision made by a citizens task force that the property be left as green space in the downtown.
Aspacher explained that council had not reversed that course, but was doing its due diligence by asking for a site analysis to see if the property could house both a new city building and green space.
Aspacher assured the resident that city officials share the community’s interest in moving ahead with plans for the property.
In other business, council:
- Heard a series of community focus groups will be held on parks and recreation. The meetings will be April 6, 13 and 20, and May 11 and 18, all at 7 p.m., in the community center.
- Learned from Daryl Stockburger that city residents in the gas aggregation program will see a decrease in costs.
- Heard about the second annual Interfaith Breakfast planned for March 22, from 7:30 to 9 a.m., in the junior fair building at the Wood County Fairgrounds.
- Listened as students from Bowling Green State University described plans for the annual Dance Marathon to benefit the Children’s Miracle Network on April 2 and 3.
- Set a meeting for March 21 at 4:30 p.m., for finance committee review of the proposed park and recreation levy.
