Penta asks zoning change for campus site

1/31/2005

BOWLING GREEN - Penta Career Center wants the 140-acre site where it plans to build a $90.6 million campus to return to its roots.

The center's board has asked Perrysburg Township to rezone the land for agricultural use from its current zoning of planned-unit development (PUD) for residential and mixed use. Agricultural zoning allows the construction of institutions like schools.

The Wood County Planning Commission will consider the request and make a recommendation to township trustees when it meets at 4 p.m. tomorrow at the County Office Building next to the courthouse.

School officials said the change in zoning would make the construction process proceed more easily, in part because it will not have to go through the review process required for PUDs, said David Steiner, director of the planning commission.

Penta Superintendent Fred Susor said rezoning the land for agricultural use also lets the public know the board doesn't have any other plans for the property.

"It might ease people's minds to know we're not selling off frontage for commercial development," he said. "It isn't our intent to do anything with the property but use it for the school."

The campus, which is bordered by I-75 and Buck, Bates, and Lime City roads, will feature a 520,000-square-foot building, and Mr. Susor said close to 70 acres of the land would continue to be farmed.

Also on tomorrow's agenda, the planning commission will consider revised rezoning requests for three proposed subdivisions in Middleton Township. The commission previously rejected the requests after hearing from neighboring property owners who complained the developments were too dense and would create too much traffic.

Kainaj Inc., which wants to build a subdivision on 62 acres on the east side of Hull Prairie Road just north of Five Point Road, is now asking the commission to consider a mix of R-2 and R-3 zoning, rather than all R-3, which permits two-family dwellings.

The new plan calls for single-family dwellings around the perimeter with some two-family homes in the center, Mr. Steiner said.

Rose Farley, who was denied an R-3 zoning change last April, is now asking that 61 acres on the west side of Hull Prairie Road and the north side of Five Point Road be rezoned from agricultural to R-2, which only permits single-family homes.

Catherine Melims, trustee, and Blake Stoddard, representing the Ruth Dodge estate, are also requesting an R-2 designation for 32 acres along Forst Road just west of Riverby Hills Golf Course. In December, the commission recommended the same request be denied because of concerns over getting water and sewer service to the development, Mr. Steiner said.

The planning commission will also rehear a request by Donald A. Miller to rezone 11 acres in Washington Township along River Road from a mix of agricultural and R-1 to all R-1.

The commission will also review a series of changes to the current Washington Township zoning resolution, including amendments regarding ponds.