The Planning Commission will consider changes to the Zoning Ordinance IN PERSON at their meeting on March 19, 2026 at 5:30 p.m. The meeting is scheduled to take place at the Warren County Courthouse, located at 429 East 10th Avenue, Bowling Green, KY 42101.

Summary of Changes

Below, is a summary of the proposed changes to the Zoning Ordinance. A public hearing for consideration of the proposed amendments is scheduled with the Planning Commission on March 19, 2026. If the proposed changes as proposed are recommended for approval by the Planning Commission, they will then be forwarded to the legislative bodies for final consideration. The proposed changes, as of January 20, 2026, are shown below. Each bullet point represents an area where a change is proposed, followed by a brief description and a page number reference. Click on the article title to see pages of the individual article that has changes proposed. Changes are in red, with underline text being new, and strikethrough text a deletion. The entire article with all text is listed as the last bullet point. The summary below can also be downloaded here.

 

ARTICLE 1

  • No changes proposed

ARTICLE 2

  • No changes proposed

ARTICLE 3 (only pages with changes)

  • Clarified mailed notice requirements for Certificate of Appropriateness applications (pg. 3-2).
  • Cleared up application withdrawal process for zoning map amendments following the alternate zoning process outlined in KRS 100.2111 (pg. 3-4).
  • Defined final action for zoning map amendments following the alternate zoning process outlined in KRS 100.2111 (pg. 3-5).
  • Clarified difference in review procedures for zoning map amendments heard under KRS 100.211 vs. KRS 100.2111 (pg. 3-5 and 3-6).
  • Added building permit requirements in order to certify compatibility standards for new homes constructed in single family zones (pg. 3-6).
  • Added landscaping requirements in historic areas; illumination requirements for signage in residential zones; and compatibility standards if replacing a mobile/manufactured home as permitted waivers (pg. 3-11).
  • Added section addressing property located in multiple jurisdictions (pg. 3-18).
  • Amended public review procedures for Site Development Plan applications (pg. 3-23).
  • Added flexibility for development in the Cemetery Road and Lovers Lane Overlay Districts, including additional options for staff-approved items (pg. 3-39).
  • Reiterated the developer’s responsibility to follow approved Overlay Development Plan (pg. 3-40).
  • Full text of Article 3 with proposed changes

ARTICLE 4 (only pages with changes)

  • Clarified and modernized definition of Official Zoning Map (pg. 4-2).
  • Amended minimum acreage required for Manufactured Homes in the AG zone (pg. 4-4).
  • Added Qualified Manufactured Home as a permitted residential unit type in the AG, RR, R-E and RS-1 zones (pg. 4-4, 4-6 and 4-7).
  • Removed requirement for accessory buildings/structures to be permanently affixed to the ground to better align with building code requirements (pg. 4-6, 4-13, 4-28, 4-55 and 4-63).
  • Clarified specific standards for patio homes (pg. 4-8).
  • Added compatibility standards for all new homes in the R-E and RS-1 zones (pg. 4-8 and 4-9).
  • Clarified accessory structure height requirements and amended accessory structure square footage requirements in single family zones (pg. 4-12).
  • Amended regulations for development of patio homes in the RS-1D zone, in order to allow greater flexibility for this housing product type (pg. 4-17 and 4-18).
  • Clarified fire protection requirements in the MHP zone (pg. 4-21).
  • Clarified accessory structure height requirements in multi-family zones (pg. 4-28).
  • Clarified planting requirements for calculations resulting in a fraction (pg. 4-35).
  • Added greater flexibility for interior VUA landscaping options (pg. 4-36).
  • Clarified screening requirements for service structures and equipment (pg. 4-36 and 4-37).
  • Eliminated parking requirements for residential uses in the CB zone (pg. 4-38).
  • Clarified aisle width requirements, when in conflict with fire department or public works department requirements (pg. 4-40).
  • Amended requirements for structures and service utilities/mechanicals, when located in the General Flood Plain District (pg. 4-66).
  • Clarified minimum lot size requirements for single family detached development and building coverage requirements for all single family uses in the Cemetery Road and Lovers Lane Overlay Districts (pg. 4-72, 4-81 and 4-82).
  • Added flexibility for fencing requirements in the Cemetery Road and Lovers Lane Overlay Districts (pg. 4-77, 4-83 and 4-84).
  • Amended exterior treatment requirements in the Cemetery Road and Lovers Lane Overlay Districts. Changes include minimum percentages for masonry product, adding fiber cement and engineered wood siding as permitted materials and discouraging corrugated and ribbed metal panels (pg. 4-80 and 4-86).
  • Clarified screening requirements for equipment and outside storage and added flexibility for screening options in the Cemetery Road and Lovers Lane Overlay Districts (pg. 4-81 and 4-86).
  • Added flexibility for signage promoting the public health, safety or welfare in the Lovers Lane Overlay District (pg. 4-84).
  • Full text of Article 4 with proposed changes.

ARTICLE 5 (only pages with changes)

  • Added Household Living and Group Living Uses Serving Disabled Residents Protected Under the Federal Fair Housing Act as Permitted Uses in the CB and HB zones (pg. 5-2).
  • Added Standalone Accessory Structure as a Conditional Use in AG, RR, R-E and RS-1 zones (pg. 5-2).
  • Added Health Care Facility as a Conditional Use in the CB zone.
  • Added Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) – Tier 1 and Tier 2 as new Specific Use Types in Basic Utilities Use Category and defined Permitted Use and Conditional Use eligibility (pg. 5-3).
  • Added Vape Shop as new Specific Use Type in Retail Sales and Service Use Category and defined as permitted use in HB zone (pg. 5-4).
  • Added Vertiports and Air Taxis as new Specific Use Type in Transportation-Related Uses Use Category and defined Permitted Use and Conditional Use eligibility (pg. 5-5).
  • Added Data Center as new Use Category and defined Permitted Use and Conditional Use eligibility (pg. 5-6).
  • Added new section for Standalone Accessory Structures, including characteristics and specific use standards (pg. 5-9).
  • Added Freestanding Birthing Centers as an example of a Health Care Facility (pg. 5-12).
  • Added decommissioning and bonding requirement for Merchant Electric Generating Facilities (pg. 5-15).
  • Added new section for Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), including setback and decommissioning requirements (pg. 5-15).
  • Clarified requirements for Transmission Tower and Telecommunications Tower accessory facilities (pg. 5-16 and 5-42).
  • Added new section for Vape Shops, including setback requirements, spacing requirements and prohibition of such use in certain overlay districts, and when adjacent to certain zones (pg. 5-27).
  • Clarified Heavy Industrial Service examples for heavy machinery (pg. 5-29).
  • Added Vertiports and Air Taxis to examples of Transportation-Related Uses (pg. 5-38).
  • Added setback requirement for Vertiports conduction Zone A operations as defined by the Federal Aviation Administration (pg. 5-39).
  • Added water-based cremation, casket-less burial and natural organic reduction to specific use standards for Burial-Related Use (pg. 5-39).
  • Added new section for Data Center uses, including characteristics, examples and specific use standards (pg. 5-42 through 5-45).
  • Full text of Article 5 with proposed changes.

ARTICLE 6

  • No changes proposed

ARTICLE 7

  • No changes proposed

ARTICLE 8 (only pages with changes)

  • Added definitions for Battery/Batteries and Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) (pg. 8-3).
  • Amended Breezeway definition (pg. 8-4).
  • Added definitions for Common Wall and Data Center Energy Systems (pg. 8-5).
  • Added flexibility in Lot Frontage definition (8-10).
  • Amended Manufactured Home definition and added definition for Qualified Manufactured Home (pg. 8-10 and 8-11).
  • Clarified that Merchant Electric Generating Facility includes wind electricity-generating facilities (pg. 8-12).
  • Amended Roof Line definition (pg. 8-14).
  • Amended Wall/Building Sign definition (pg. 8-17).
  • Added definitions for Vape Shop and Vertiport (pg. 8-20).
  • Full text of Article 8 with proposed changes.

APPENDIX A

  • No changes proposed

APPENDIX B

  • No changes proposed

APPENDIX C

  • New appendix. Outlines decommissioning procedures for Tier 2 Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) and Data Centers.
  • Link to Appendix C.