By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
The first public meeting held in the new Bowling Green City Building on Wednesday had a few technology bugs, but had plenty of elbow room for the nine-member Planning Commission which used to bump elbows in the old council chambers.
Not much has changed since the last time the commission met in April. Applebee’s is still working on its project on South Main Street. And Menard’s hasn’t withdrawn its proposal on South Main Street.
“I haven’t heard anything,” Planning Director Heather Sayler said.
And the new housing subdivision is moving ahead at the southwest corner of Newton and Brim roads.
Sayler noted that with the approval of a new zoning code, effective July 12, a training session is being planned to get together all the players involved. ZoneCo will hold the training for city staff, the planning commission, board of zoning appeals, elected officials and the public on Sept. 21, at 6 p.m.
On Wednesday evening, the planning commission reviewed a preliminary plan with waiver requests for Wood Acres Subdivision, located north of East Gypsy Lane Road, to the west of Wood Lane School.
Andy Knopp, an architect with Thomas Porter Architects, explained that the 18-acre subdivision will be divided into eight parcels. The property is already zoned industrial.
Initially, the Wood County Board of Developmental Disabilities plans to create two residential respite homes on two of the parcels.
Knopp explained the homes, which will each have four bedrooms, will be used as short-term respite sites able to provide care for people of all ages and behaviors. They could be used when families need a break or have a medical emergency.
“These would be facilities available that are not institutions,” he said. They will be staffed by social workers, and have areas for families to visit, Knopp said.
The rest of the parcels will be saved for future institutional development serving the developmentally disabled community directly by the Wood County Board of DD or by other state agencies or partner organizations.
The three waivers requested involved:
- Lot depth to width ratios that exceed requirements.
- A cul-de-sac street exceeding 600 feet.
- A request to not build sidewalks along East Gypsy Lane Road, since there are no other sidewalks installed along that road.
The preliminary plan for the subdivision and waivers were all approved by the planning commission.
In other business, the planning commission re-elected Bob McOmber as chairperson, Joe Phillips as vice chair, and Judy Ennis as representative to the Zoning Board of Appeals.
