Parkersburg Planning Commission approves annexation, rejects ordinance change - Parkersburg News

Chris Cochrane, right, with developer RCDI, speaks with Lana Law, who lives near the property RCDI has petitioned to be annexed into the City of Parkersburg, during a Municipal Planning Commission meeting Friday at the Municipal Building. (Photo by Evan Bevins)

PARKERSBURG — The Municipal Planning Commission on Friday approved an application for a commercial property to be annexed into the city and decided not to advance an ordinance revision requiring approval for home occupations in two of the city’s historical districts.

Pike Street Land Holdings and Waters Edge Penthouse Association, doing business under the umbrella of RCDI, applied for nearly 11.6 acres along West Virginia 14 and just across Bosley Industrial Park Drive from the south Parkersburg Walmart to be brought into the city. The application said the site would be used for “commercial development to match and support existing Walmart and Lowe’s shopping center as well as FedEx and distribution to the rear.”

Chris Cochrane of RCDI said at the meeting there is a service station planned for the front corner of the property, with other retail elsewhere on the site.

Some residents of nearby Willie Lane, which is outside the city limits, attended to find out more about what was planned and whether the annexation would have an impact on what one man said was dangerous traffic in the area. Planning Commission members said the state has jurisdiction over speed and traffic signals on West Virginia 14.

Commission Vice President Eric Gumm said whatever is built there will be more regulated under municipal zoning and other codes than if it was done outside the city limits.

Parkersburg City Planner Connor LaVelle speaks during a Municipal Planning Commission meeting Friday at the Municipal Building. (Photo by Evan Bevins)

“There’s going to be a lot more regulation and oversight,” he said.

The commission approved the annexation application 9-0, with two members absent. It will now go to Parkersburg City Council as an ordinance, requiring approval on two readings before going to the Wood County Commission for their consideration.

The commission also voted 9-0 to zone the property, if annexed, as B-2, which City Planner Connor LaVelle said is the most flexible business district and could allow for residential construction as well, if the developer chose to go that route.

The commission voted 8-1, with Gumm opposed, to reject an application from residents of the Avery and Julia Ann Square Historic Districts to revise city code to make home occupations in those areas accessory conditional uses. As it stands now, home occupations are permitted by right with conditions regarding signage and how much square footage they can utilize. A conditional use requires approval from the city’s Board of Zoning Appeals.

The Washington Avenue/PHS Historic District is the only area where home occupations are conditional. Commission member John Reed said he’d spoken with the council representative for that area and they were both unaware of anyone bringing a home occupation request before the BZA.

Parkersburg Municipal Planning Commission President Charlie Matthews gestures during Friday’s meeting at the Municipal Building. (Photo by Evan Bevins)

“Why adopt it if it’s not going to be used?” he said.

City Development Director Ryan Barber, a member of the commission, said the city should be accommodating to people who work from or operate a business out of their home and he believed it would be “extremely challenging” for code enforcement to inspect and keep track of home-based businesses.

Gumm said the change was originally pitched to him, as a member of the commission’s Ordinance Review Subcommittee, as bringing the language of the other two historic districts in line with Washington Avenue’s.

In other business, the commission rejected a request to close a right of way on an unimproved portion of Hamilton Street on an 8-0 vote with President Charlie Matthews abstaining because he is a friend of the applicants. They also decided to discuss at their December session whether to move Planning Commission meetings to a different day of the week.

Evan Bevins can be reached at ebevins@newsandsentinel.com.

Parkersburg Municipal Planning Commission Vice President Eric Gumm speaks during Friday’s meeting at the Municipal Building. (Photo by Evan Bevins)

Chris Cochrane, with RCDI, discusses the property along West Virginia 14 and Bosley Industrial Park Drive the company wants to have annexed into Parkersburg during a Municipal Planning Commission meeting Friday at the Municipal Building. (Photo by Evan Bevins)

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