Bowling Green · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Bowling Green public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Former South Main School listed for sale
After years of silence, the owner of the old South Main School finally replied to the commission's letters — but sidestepped the idea of local historic designation, instead asking about tax credits and repair grants. The property's fate remains on hold.
Downtown Facade Enhancement Grant
The city's facade grant program was fully subscribed this year, helping fix up downtown buildings including the Masonic Temple. The commission will ask for funding again next year.
Community concerns about AI and data centers
A resident announced a community AI walkout event raising concerns about AI's impact on jobs, healthcare and schools, balanced with acknowledgment of AI benefits like the city's new chatbot.
Stone Ridge subdivision expansion
A 72-lot, 23-acre expansion of the Stone Ridge subdivision along South Mitchell Road cleared its first hurdle. It extends St. Andrews Drive and will eventually get a Mitchell Road entrance — more rooftops and traffic coming to that corridor.
Permit compliance by contractors in Tucson Springs subdivision
Multiple board members flagged that contractors building in the growing Tucson Springs area aren't pulling permits for patios and pads, leaving new homeowners in violation without knowing it. The board suggested the city remind the contractor of permit rules to prevent repeat cases.
Future of the former South Main School
The vacant former South Main School at 437 S. Main is for sale, and the commission wants to see it preserved rather than demolished. Members weighed asking the owner for local designation versus a broader South Main historic district — both depend on owner and neighbor buy-in.
Home Depot-area deed restriction vs. city building height minimum
A private reciprocal easement agreement caps outlot buildings at 23 feet while the city code requires new commercial buildings to be at least 25 feet tall — a genuine conflict that nearly killed the Chipotle project. The compromise: build to 22 feet 8 inches with a variance.
Zoning Board of Appeals variance decisions
The ZBA denied a taller commercial building for a Chipotle site on South Main and an oversized monument sign, but approved a driveway widening on Wexford Drive.
Two new starter homes on Liberty Street near downtown
A local builder will split a narrow Liberty Street lot to build two three-bedroom, roughly 1,600-1,700 square-foot homes priced around $315,000 or more. Immediate neighbors told the commission this beats the alternatives — including Airbnbs and apartments — and welcomed the single-family infill.
South Mitchell Road estate lots and ten acres of preserved woods
Progress Point Properties will split land on the 800 block of South Mitchell Road into big estate lots and a preserved ten-acre wooded parcel, avoiding tree removal next to the Stone Ridge golf course community. Not everyone on the commission was satisfied the trees are truly protected in writing.
CDBG entitlement funding
Council authorized the mayor to apply for and administer federal Community Development Block Grant money, keeping the city eligible for community improvement funding.
Wood County Park District Grant for Black Swamp Preserve
The city's parks received a $10,000 grant from the Wood County Park District for a project at jointly owned Black Swamp Preserve.
Strategic Plan next steps
The commission walked through its ambitious strategic plan — from an endowment, to a downtown historic district, to a Boom Town building inventory. They'll tackle one goal at a time, three months each.
Fair Housing Month proclamation
Mayor Aspacher proclaimed April as Fair Housing Month, reaffirming the city's commitment to fair and equal housing and protections against discrimination in renting or buying a home.
Building activity slowing slightly
Permits are down — 69 this year versus 88 at the same point last year — though the planning director thinks it's mostly the weather. Housing starts are basically flat at 20 versus 22.
Community Reinvestment Areas amendment
Council introduced an ordinance updating the city's Community Reinvestment Areas rules in Chapter 155 of the code.
2025 Planning Department Report
New housing hit a 10-year high with 53 permits in 2025, and the department is going digital with permits and applications within a month. A downtown facade grant program and historic plaque program are coming this spring.