About the CCPC

The City-County Planning Commission of Warren County is a joint planning unit formed under KRS 100.121 serving Warren County and the five incorporated cities of Bowling Green, Oakland, Plum Springs, Smiths Grove and Woodburn. The twelve Planning Commissioners have oversight of staff and budget, are the administrative body that implements the community’s vision based on the Comprehensive Plan, and advises the governmental bodies on Land Use and Policy Issues. The organization has an executive director that supervises all staff and activities related to the organization as allowed by the Comprehensive Plan, Zoning Ordinance and Subdivision Regulations. The CCPC organization also houses the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) responsible for coordinated transportation, public transit, bicycle, and pedestrian planning for Warren County’s urbanized area.

Primary Functions

  • Implement the Comprehensive Plan, Zoning Ordinance, and Subdivision Regulations and prepare amendments
  • Conduct public hearing on zoning map amendments, development plans, right-of-way closing, and street name changes
  • Act as a single point of contact and coordinate site development review and construction
  • Supervise the construction of streets and drainage facilities in new and redeveloped areas until acceptance by the appropriate body
  • Provides construction compliance and code enforcement as authorized in the Joint Zoning Ordinance
  • Provide support to city and county staff by maintaining floodplain maps, reviewing all developments for compliance with storm water management regulations, and maintaining the Community Rating System program for the City of Bowling Green and Warren County
  • Maintain the enhanced 911 database, assign house numbers, coordinate street names, and provide land use and other layers of information in the official community Geographic Information System (GIS)
  • Provide staff support to the Planning Commission, Board of Adjustments, University District Review Committee, Urban Growth Overlay Design Review Committee, Historic Preservation Board, and the MPO Policy Committee, MPO Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), MPO Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC)

History of the CCPC

The present City-County Planning Commission of Warren County can trace its origin to the formation of the Planning and Zoning Commission for the City of Bowling Green, Kentucky on April 23, 1954. The first Planning and Zoning Commission met for the first time on May 19, 1954 at 10:15 a.m. and consisted of the following individuals:

 

City of Bowling Green representatives – C.W. Lampkin, Ex Officio – Mayor, City of Bowling Green; Robert Graham, Ex Officio – Chairman, Public Works Board; Mrs. Wallace Barr, Sr.; Mrs. J.L. Thurber; Herbert Smith

 

Warren County representatives – Bennie Stephens, Ex Officio – Warren County Road Engineer; J.H. Barnard

 

Over the next decade, the Planning Commission had several name changes, each reflecting its changing role within the areas it served. In 1958, the Commission’s name changed to Bowling Green-Warren County Planning and Zoning Commission. On August 1, 1966, the name of the Planning Commission was changed to its current name, the City-County Planning Commission of Warren County, Kentucky. On August 24, 1966, the City of Bowling Green, City of Plum Springs, City of Smiths Grove, and Warren County Fiscal Court signed an intergovernmental agreement creating the joint planning unit and joint Board of Adjustments.

  • April 23, 1954 Planning and Zoning Commission established for the City of Bowling Green by Mayor C. W. Lampkin.
  • March 18, 1957 Subdivision Regulations originally adopted on March 4, 1957, to become effective
  • March 18, 1957, within the City of Bowling Green and within three miles of the city limits.
  • March 17, 1958 Commission's name changed to Bowling Green­Warren County Planning and Zoning Commission.
  • March 17, 1958 Zoning Ordinance/Resolution of Warren County was adopted by City of Bowling Green and Warren County Fiscal Court.
  • August 1, 1966 Commission's name changed to its present name of City­County Planning Commission of Warren County.
  • August 24, 1966 Agreement creating a Joint City­County Planning Unit, a joint City­ County Planning Commission, and a Joint City­County Board of Adjustments signed by the cities of Bowling Green, Plum Springs, Smiths Grove, and Warren County Fiscal Court.
  • October 17, 1967 Bowling Green­Warren County, Kentucky, Comprehensive Plan adopted, titled “General Plan, Bowling Green Urban Area.”
  • July 17, 1969 Land Use Plan for Warren County, Kentucky, adopted.
  • December 31, 1969 City of Plum Springs adopted Zoning Ordinance/Resolution of Warren County
  • March 22, 1972 Warren County Fiscal Court extended zoning throughout the county blanket zoned Agriculture.
  • October 23, 1972 Smiths Grove, Kentucky, adopted Ordinance prohibiting mobile homes within City Limits except in areas zoned Mobile Home Park.
  • April 17, 1975 Bowling Green Land Use Management Plan adopted.
  • April 6, 1976 Zoning Ordinance/Resolution of Warren County was readopted and reaffirmed by the cities of Bowling Green and Plum Springs and by Warren County.
  • April 6, 1976 The SubdivisionRegulations were re­adopted and re­affirmed.
  • February 8, 1978 Agreement amended creating a Joint City­County Planning Commission of Warren County, Kentucky, and signed by cities of Bowling Green, Plum Springs, Smiths Grove, Woodburn, and Fiscal Court of Warren County, recorded in Book 463, Page 559.
  • October 4, 1979 Bowling Green­Warren County Airport Master Plan Update and Off- Airport Land Use Plan adopted.
  • April 5, 1983 Binding Elements originally approved to be filed with zoning map amendment.
  • September 3, 1985 Zoning Ordinance of Smiths Grove adopted by City of Smiths Grove, adopted by Planning Commission on July 18, 1985.
  • August 10, 1987 Amended Agreement establishing Joint City­County Planning Commission and Joint City-­County Board of Adjustments, and signed by cities of Bowling Green, Plum Springs, Smiths Grove, Woodburn, and Warren County Fiscal Court.
  • June 6, 1989 Major subdivisions containing any lots less than 10 acres prohibited in Agriculture district.
  • October 20, 1989 Land farming or land spreading required to obtain Special Exception permit in Agriculture District; DRASTIC index adopted.
  • January 30, 1990 Fire protection standards required at time of filing zoning map amendment.
  • March 16, 1990 University District added to Zoning Ordinance/Resolution.
  • April 17, 1990 Bowling Green Historic Preservation Board added to Zoning Ordinance/Resolution.
  • September 20, 1991 Applications for zoning map amendment shall be served by sanitary sewer if within 1,000 feet or be on minimum 20,000 square foot lots.
  • June 13, 1995 New Sign Ordinance adopted.
  • April 4, 1996 Warren County Code Enforcement Board established.
  • March 3, 1998 City of Bowling Green Code Enforcement Board established.
  • December 15, 1998 Landscaping and Land Use Buffer Ordinance adopted by the City of Bowling Green.
  • March, 1999 Joint Agreement amended to allow City of Oakland to join Planning Commission, applying the jurisdiction of the Planning Commission throughout all of Warren County.
  • January, 2001 Urban Growth Overlay District adopted for the Cemetery Road Corridor.
  • July, 2002 Revised Subdivision Regulations enacted.
  • April 5, 2004 FEMA GRANT ­ Map Modernization Project for Warren County.
  • May, 2004 Establishment of College Hill Local Historic District and Western Kentucky University Growth Area Revitalization Project.
  • November 19, 2004 BG­WC Major Thoroughfare Plan.
  • March 2005 Smiths Grove to join/consolidate into Board of Adjustments.
  • May, 2005 Established Chestnut­Dodd Local Historic District ­ Text Amendment.
  • September, 2005 Amendment to Comprehensive Plan adopting Cedar Ridge Neighborhood Focal Point Plan.
  • October, 2007 The City­County Planning Commission in conjunction with the Comprehensive Plan Task Force began working to develop a new Comprehensive Plan.
  • September, 2012 Current Focus 2030 Comprehensive Plan adopted.
  • January, 2015 Bowling Green Warren County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) was moved to the planning commission
  • April, 2017 Current Subdivision Regulations revised and adopted.
  • September, 2017 Focus 2030 Comprehensive Plan reviewed, revised and adopted.
  • June, 2018 Current Joint Zoning Ordinances revised and adopted.
  • June, 2018 Comprehensive Development Review (CDR) process initiated.

Planning Commission Staff

Ben Peterson, AICP, GISP

Executive Director
Planning Team

Rachel Hurt, AICP

Senior Planner

James Heady

Zoning Compliance Officer

Karissa Lemon

MPO Coordinator

Amy Scott

Planner II

Vacant

Planner I
Development & Construction Team

Jacob Merriman, PE

Development & Construction Coordinator

Eric Druen

Development Specialist

Steven McWhorter

Plans Reviewer II

Natasha Smith

Plans Reviewer I

Tyler Toon

Construction Inspector
Support Team

Megan Mooney

Finance Officer

Niroj Shrestha

GIS Specialist

Jill Thompson

Administrative Assistant