Bowling Green pastors and residents sue city over recent zoning change

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BOWLING GREEN, Ky.- Several city residents, in addition to three church pastors are suing the city of Bowling Green after a recent zoning change.

The lawsuit was filed December 18 in Warren County Circuit Court.

In it, two residents and the pastors at 11th Street Baptist Church, New Birth Missionary Baptist Church and Seventh Street Baptist Church, allege the City of Bowling Green Board of Commissioners and the City-County Planning Commission of Warren County violated state law and its own Comprehensive Plan, when officials approved a zoning change from Two-Family Residential to General Business for multiple historic homes on Kenton Street and Greenwood Alley. Only two of the seven homes are currently occupied by renters.

According to the lawsuit, the owner of the properties, CSR BG Investments, originally planned to seek a zoning change from Two-Family Residential to Townhouse/Multi-Family Residential, with plans to build apartments.

Yet, in August, CSR decided to seek a zoning change to General Business with plans to build contractors garages, according to the lawsuit.

The Plaintiffs allege they were never notified of the change.

In September, the City-County Planning Commission of Warren County voted in favor of the zoning change. The Plaintiffs allege that no one was allowed to see revisions to the new plan, calling it a lack of due process.

On November 5, the Bowling Green City Commission first voted against the zoning change by a 3-2 vote, but approved it at a meeting on November 19 by a 2-1 vote. The Plaintiffs allege that a number of minority residents were not allowed to speak during the meeting.

The Plaintiffs are asking a judge to deny the city’s decision to grant the change.