By Peter Kuebeck
Special to the Sentinel-Tribune
The Bowling Green Planning Commission on Wednesday voted to recommend that council approve the city’s first historic district under its Historic Preservation Ordinance.
The matter now moves on to city council for a hearing and, ultimately, a vote.
The Historic Preservation Commission has recommended the city designate a portion of North Maple Street, encompassing more than 4.7 acres, as a historic district on the local historic register.
According to a memo from Planning Director Heather Sayler to the commission, city council received the HPC’s request on Sept. 16. She noted the HPC sent the required written surveys to property owners … and the required public hearing was held on Aug. 27, after which the HPC voted to recommend that council designate the district.
According to an Aug. 28 memo from the HPC to council, the district – which would be the city’s first, if approved – would consist of 22 homes and 36 parcels.
“The HPC has been working for several months on researching the history of homes along North Maple Street, creating a FAQ sheet to help guide owners on potential questions, and a letter with the required written survey prior to starting the process of designation,” the HPC’s memo stated. It noted that 16 responses to the survey were received, with 10 owners “indicating support and six owners not in support,” though three of those properties not in support were later removed from the potential district.
Further information provided by the HPC noted that most of the structures in the area were built in the late 1800s or early 1900s “and most of the homes can be classified as ‘Gable Front and Wing’ with a ‘Folk Victorian’ design. … Overall, North Maple Street represents a typical Bowling Green residential area of the early 20th century during a time when the city was experiencing great expansion and population growth.”
Additionally, a number of prominent civic and educational leaders have been residents of the street over the past 100 years, the document stated.
According to a question on the FAQ document, asking “What does the ordinance do?”, the Historic Preservation ordinance “provides a process to protect the historic buildings and character of Bowling Green. Once a property is listed … either individually or within a district, the Historic Overlay Zone is added to the existing zoning of the property. All properties within the Historic Overlay Zone follow the Historic Preservation Ordinance.”
To follow the ordinance, if a property would require any new, major exterior work, according to the FAQ sheet, the ordinance states that the owner should file a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) with the Bowling Green Historic Preservation Commission. This (COA) shows that the proposed work is a suitable application for the structure’s architectural style, remaining historical appearance, and, in the case of a district, surrounding historical character.
The commission discussed the matter Wednesday, including some questions from member Abhishek Bhati regarding home values and concerns about the possibility of gentrification.
Commission chair Bob McOmber said during the discussion that, in reading the FAQ, that he was left with the impression that the HPC and the city “are trying to make this not onerous on people. There is a lot of leeway” to do things to a property where a COA is not required, he said. “I think the city and the HPC are trying to make this something that will not be a great burden to your average homeowner that might live in a potential district.”
The commission voted to send the matter to council with the recommendation to approve the historic district. The motion passed on a vote of 6-1, with members McOmber, Judy Ennis, Bob Waddle, Joe Phillips, Mark Remeis and Julie Broadwell voting to approve. Bhati was the lone “no” vote.
In other business, the commission heard about two subdivision matters. The first involved a preliminary plan extension for Stone Brook Estates’ second, third and fourth additions, along South Mitchell Road. The expansion would include a total of 33 lots, equaling just over 11 acres. According to a memo from Sayler to the commission, the plan proposes 13 lots as single-family and 20 as condominiums, as well as the expansion of two existing streets, Dolly Drive and JulieMarie Drive, and the creation of a new street, JessicaAnn Drive. The commission unanimously approved the extension.
The second involved the final plat for Stone Ridge Subdivision Plat 9, located at the end of Pine Valley Drive, east of Mitchell Road. According to a memo from Sayler to the commission, this request would subdivide over 8.3 acres located at the end of Pine Valley Drive and east of Mitchell Road, into 21 parcels. The property is zoned R-2 Medium Density Residential and the property owner intends to construct one-unit dwellings. Sayler’s memo noted that once approved, the final plat is taken to the Wood County Recorder’s Office to record, creating the parcels. The commission unanimously approved the plat.
