Bowling Green · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Bowling Green public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Potential Local Historic Designations — Hanna House and Boom Town areas
The commission is weighing whether the Boom Town area along West Wooster should become a locally designated historic district. Supporters want to protect the street's large historic homes from demolition; skeptics worry about piling regulations on owners who are already fixing up homes voluntarily. Next step: a letter asking individual homeowners if they'd want voluntary designation for their own houses.
903 North Main Street rezone
A .238-acre parcel at 903 North Main Street would be rezoned from Pedestrian-Residential to Medium Density Residential. The public hearing is November 2, so neighbors can weigh in before any final vote.
Residential driveway-widening variances and off-street parking
The city caps driveway width at the width of the garage (here 20 feet). Fretz asked for a 4-foot overage to keep his growing family's cars off the street. The board found the modest request didn't harm the neighborhood's character.
Zoning Code Overhaul Awaiting Public Hearing
The city is fine-tuning its zoning code after its recent overhaul — mostly moving permits to a digital process, but residents will notice feather banners becoming legal as temporary signs, new lighting rules for signs, and a ban on small sheds in front yards. City Council gets the final say.
Local historic register nomination — 504 S. Main St.
Jan Knape's 130-year-old Queen Anne Victorian could join the Local Historic Register with a Historic Overlay Zoning layer. The commission recommended it unanimously; council makes the final call after a public hearing. Knape is also encouraging neighbors to seek designations.
Rezoning 22 acres at Dunbridge Road and Expressway Drive
Council finalized a rezoning of about 22 acres from Interstate Commercial to Institutional, aligning the zoning map with the 2014 Land Use Plan. This shapes what can be built near the interstate interchange.
Short-Term Rental Regulations Adopted
7,222 rentals are registered with ~2,000 inspections received, and the new short-term rental program has 34 identified units with three registered so far.
Fence height measurement from grade before mounding
The city measures fence height from the original grade, not after a homeowner adds dirt — so backfilling doesn't fix an over-height fence. The Yohe case shows how easy it is to run afoul of this rule and how sympathetic boards can be when a contractor, not the owner, causes the problem.
Accessory dwelling unit owner-occupancy rules
A corner lot vacant since 2019 will get a two-family ranch home instead of the big two-story boxes critics say are spreading through the neighborhood. Council member Herald tied it to the city's broader housing-diversity hardship.
Commercial building height minimum on South Main Street
The 25-foot minimum height for commercial buildings is tripping up national chains like Chipotle that build shorter standard prototypes. The board wrestled with whether corporate cost savings count as a 'practical difficulty' — and ultimately said no.
Sign size standards for multi-tenant commercial plazas
A new Jersey Mike's/Wingstop building at 1502 East Wooster has an old, weathered pylon sign the owners want to reface, but the 2023 zoning code caps multi-tenant buildings at two signs per business. The board confirmed the planning director read the code correctly, leaving the owners to either live with the sign or sue in common pleas court. Neighbors may notice the faded pylon stays for now.
Accessory uses zoning amendment
A long-pending ordinance updating rules for storing RVs at homes — plus civil offense classifications — was delayed again so council can review recent changes before a March 2 vote.
Historical plaque program
The commission selected Franklin Bronze Plaques after a review committee scored submissions, and a contract is being finalized. Plaque designs may be ready by the next meeting.
Township line change petition (Resolution 3904)
Council gave second reading to a resolution letting the City Attorney petition Wood County to change township lines.
Historic site designation category gap in ordinance
The commission wants to recognize places like Kermit's as "historic sites" without full building designation, but the ordinance has no such category. Creating one would require a City Council ordinance change, and it's unclear what such a designation would protect.
Commissioner retirement and east-side residency requirement
Longtime commissioner Wil Roudebush retires in May, and his replacement must live east of Main Street — a rule some members question since preservation serves the whole city. Changing it would require City Council action, and the ordinance also requires at least two professionals on the commission.
Township line change petition
A resolution introduced Monday would let the City Attorney ask Wood County Commissioners to change township lines — first reading only.
Zoning code text amendments (Chapter 150)
The city is updating its zoning code to work with digital permit applications instead of paper, and fixing real policy issues: sheds can't sit in front-yard setbacks anymore, feather banner signs would be allowed as temporary signs, vision clearance triangles get measured from the right-of-way edge, and bright signs would have to follow outdoor lighting limits. Public hearing April 1 — your chance to comment.
RV storage and civil fines ordinance
The adopted changes to Ordinance 9339 raise civil fines and give residents 14 days instead of 10 to store a recreational vehicle in a front-yard driveway.
West Newton Road rezoning (4.979 acres)
Nearly 5 acres on West Newton Road would shift from Innovation & Employment to Institutional zoning; the vote waits for a March 2 public hearing.
Recreational Vehicle Storage Rules
An ordinance updating civil offense classifications and RV storage at residences is on second reading. Ward 4's Herald says the current driveway time limits feel too tight and he may propose changes at the next meeting.
Kermit's restaurant historic designation
Kermit's, a beloved 75-plus-year-old breakfast institution, may become a local historic site — the owner supports it, and the commission will start by featuring it as a building of the month.