Petition filed to change occupancy law in Bowling Green

7/31/2008

BOWLING GREEN A petition seeking to change the city s occupancy law that limits to three the number of unrelated persons who can live in a single-family home has been filed with the city.

City Finance Director Brian Bushong said yesterday the petition will be available for public inspection in his office until Aug. 6.

At that time, the petition will be turned over to the Wood County Board of Elections, which will have 10 days to verify the signatures of registered voters and make sure there are at least 805 valid signatures before the initiative can be placed on the November ballot.

Organizers of the petition drive, which was led by the Undergraduate Student Government at Bowling Green State University, said they believe the current law unfairly targets college students.

Under their proposal, the law would be amended to allow one person to occupy each bedroom in a house provided the total number of unrelated persons in any home is a maximum of four persons.