BG Planning Commission members in attendance at Wednesday’s meeting were, from left, Abhishek Bhati, Tom Stalter, Judy Ennis, Bob McOmber and Erica Sleek.
The Bowling Green Planning Commission on Wednesday recommended council approve a rezoning request for a property on South Dunbridge Road where the owner wishes to build a veterinary clinic.
The commission held a public hearing on the matter.
The rezoning request was for approximately 1.57 acres in the 800 block of South Dunbridge Road from A-1 Agricultural zoning to IE Innovation and Employment zoning classification. The request was made by Ryan Rothenbuhler, acting as agent for the owner, Vicki Frobose. In the zoning change application, it was noted that the “applicant intends to build an animal services clinic on this parcel and the adjacent parcel to the north.”
The request also relates to a proposed annexation and interim zoning request for approximately 1.52 acres in Center Township, also owned by Frobose. During its Sept. 7 meeting, the commission recommended that city council accept the annexation and the recommended IE interim zoning for that property, and those matters were recently introduced before council for their consideration.
“I think it would be a good thing for our town,” Rothenbuhler said during Wednesday’s meeting.
The commission recommended the rezoning request unanimously.
The commission also held public hearings on two proposed amendments to the new zoning code, proposed by Planning Director Heather Sayler. The first amendment, to chapter 150.44, concerns issues related to the installation of patios at residences. The second amendment, to chapter 150.72, concerns issues that have arisen regarding industrial businesses being allowed to have parking at the front of their structures.
In a memo to the commission last month, Sayler noted that under the new zoning code, patios are treated similarly to a house in terms of property setbacks. Under the previous zoning code, she said, a minimum three-foot setback was required for patios.
“Treating a patio the same as a house is beginning to cause practical difficulties for some homeowners wishing to install these and I have no concerns returning to this approach. I am also requesting the additional requirement that patios cannot be located within utility easements,” Sayler wrote. “This is to codify the approach of the Utilities Department and something that has been a typical practice when reviewing permits.”
“Having gone through a patio and zoning clearance, makes sense,” said commission member Judy Ennis.
The commission recommended unanimously that council approve the change.
Regarding the parking matter, Sayler wrote that she was proposing that the section “be amended to allow parking and vehicular accessways in front of a structure in the Innovation & Employment (IE) Zone and Interstate Commerce (IC) District – and only if the proposed location is not within the minimum front yard setback for the applicable zone/district.
“The way the new zoning code was written does not allow parking in the front yard,” Sayler continued. “This was an important community goal in certain areas, including … residential, downtown and the Gateway, especially where design standards were adopted. However, I have discovered this is problematic in areas where there will be large industrial buildings and parking lot locations that do not make sense being behind buildings.”
She further noted that the parking regulation is also becoming an issue with commercial projects, including fueling stations, banks, some retail uses, hotels, nursing homes, car washes, and schools.
“These uses are examples of situations normally needing parking and/or vehicular access ways for the drop-off and pick-up of visitors, ADA accessibility to the closest main entry, and also the same types of safety aspects as industrial. The regulation to not allow parking in the front is very appropriate when applying to a specific area for a specific look, but a common sense approach is also appropriate in some areas and circumstances,” Sayler said.
The commission recommended unanimously that council approve the change.
