What does RS-1A zoning mean in Bowling Green?

RS-1A is one of four single-family residential subdistricts under the Bowling Green Zoning Ordinance, distinguished from RS-1B/C/D primarily by minimum lot size. It permits standard-density detached single-family housing.

How do I find the zoning for an address in Bowling Green?

The City-County Planning Commission of Warren County maintains an interactive zoning map covering both Bowling Green and the surrounding unincorporated county; parcel searches there return the base district and any applicable overlay suffix.

Who administers zoning in Bowling Green, the city or the county?

Both — the City-County Planning Commission of Warren County reviews development for the City of Bowling Green and unincorporated Warren County jointly, though each jurisdiction maintains its own zoning ordinance text.

Bowling Green, Kentucky · city zoning districts · 16 districts

Bowling Green, KY zoning map & districts

Bowling Green is Kentucky's fastest-growing mid-size city, and zoning is administered jointly with Warren County through the City-County Planning Commission of Warren County, which reviews both city and unincorporated-county development under coordinated but separate zoning ordinances. Many base districts carry an optional "/BE" bonus-elevation or overlay suffix tied to floodplain and design standards, so a parcel's effective requirements can differ from the base district alone.

The code Bowling Green Zoning Ordinance

Bowling Green zoning map

The City-County Planning Commission of Warren County administers zoning for both Bowling Green and unincorporated Warren County; parcel zoning is available through the Commission's interactive GIS zoning map.

There is no link to the official map here yet — confirm current district boundaries directly with the Bowling Green planning or zoning department.

A published summary is never the authority. The adopted ordinance and the city's official zoning map govern, and both change — verify the district and every standard on your parcel before you rely on it.

How zoning works in Bowling Green

Residential zoning is split into four single-family subdistricts (RS-1A through RS-1D) by lot size, plus a graduated multi-family series (RM-2 through RM-4). Commercial districts range from neighborhood-scale (NB) to highway-oriented (HB) and downtown (CB), and the ordinance includes both Planned Unit Development (PUD) and Mobile Home Park (MHP) districts for specialized development types.

Bowling Green zoning districts by family

The 16 district codes below are the ones that decide most projects in Bowling Green, grouped by what they are for rather than by the order the ordinance prints them.

Key districts in the Bowling Green Zoning Ordinance — a curated reference, not the exhaustive list. Confirm against the current adopted code.
Code	District	What it is for
Residential 6 districts
RS-1A	Single Family Residential	Standard-density detached housing; one of four single-family subdistricts (RS-1A–RS-1D) differentiated by lot size.
RE	Residential Estate	Large-lot, low-density single-family residential.
RM-2	Two-Family Residential	Duplex housing.
RM-3	Townhouse/Multifamily Residential	Attached townhouse and moderate-density multifamily development.
RM-4	Multifamily Residential	The highest-density apartment district.
MHP	Mobile Home Park	Manufactured housing communities.
Mixed-use 2 districts
OP-C	Office and Professional Commercial	Office and limited commercial uses, often as a transition zone.
OP-R	Office and Professional Residential	Office uses compatible with adjacent residential neighborhoods.
Commercial 3 districts
NB	Neighborhood Business	Small-scale retail and services serving nearby residential areas.
HB	Highway Business	Auto-oriented commercial uses along major corridors.
GB	General Business	General-purpose commercial uses.
Downtown / core 1 district
CB	Central Business	Downtown Bowling Green's core commercial district.
Industrial 2 districts
LI	Light Industrial	Light manufacturing and distribution uses.
HI	Heavy Industrial	Heavier manufacturing and industrial uses.
Special purpose 2 districts
AG	Agriculture	Agricultural and very low-density rural use.
PUD	Planned Unit Development	Master-planned development approved under a binding site plan.

Bowling Green zoning — common questions

What does RS-1A zoning mean in Bowling Green?: RS-1A is one of four single-family residential subdistricts under the Bowling Green Zoning Ordinance, distinguished from RS-1B/C/D primarily by minimum lot size. It permits standard-density detached single-family housing.
How do I find the zoning for an address in Bowling Green?: The City-County Planning Commission of Warren County maintains an interactive zoning map covering both Bowling Green and the surrounding unincorporated county; parcel searches there return the base district and any applicable overlay suffix.
Who administers zoning in Bowling Green, the city or the county?: Both — the City-County Planning Commission of Warren County reviews development for the City of Bowling Green and unincorporated Warren County jointly, though each jurisdiction maintains its own zoning ordinance text.

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The parcel layer lands in the order demand does. Illinois went first because that's where the deals were; the next state is decided by who tells us what they're trying to underwrite. Tell us where you're building and what you wanted to run — you'll hear from us when Kentucky opens, and sooner if we need a test parcel.

Keep reading

← Kentucky zoning — who holds the zoning power in Kentucky, under which enabling statute, and the reforms that override local rules.

Other Kentucky cities

The zoning reference → — every state, plus city-level district guides like this one.

Bowling Green zoning summaries on this page are provided for information, not legal advice. Confirm every project against the current adopted code for the jurisdiction.