In The News
Citizens oppose ‘overregulation’ in proposed Greenbrier County Zoning Ordinance
therealwv.com - Mar 4, 2026 - Stephen Baldwin
“I’d trash this whole thing.”
That’s how the night’s first speaker, Kevin Anderson, characterized the 132-page proposal from the Greenbrier Planning Commission to adopt a new zoning ordinance.
CLICK HERE TO READ THE PROPOSED ZONING ORDINANCE
Approximately 100 local citizens attended the Greenbrier County Zoning Ordinance Public Hearing on Tuesday night at the State Fair of West Virginia. Republican county commissioners Lowell Rose, Richie Holliday, and Woody Hanna presided at the hearing. Twenty citizens signed up to speak, with all in strong opposition to the proposal.
Former Delegate Todd Longanacre spoke at the hearing. “Being in a red (Republican) county, we are confident in you guys to promote ordinances that deregulate us. Not put more regulations on us. That’s the whole idea of being a red county.”
More specifically, Longanacre took issue with regulations in the zoning ordinance which would regulate outdoor fireplaces and parking at home businesses. “It says that any clients parked on your property have to maintain a standoff distance of 150 feet. That’s crazy guys. How many businesses will that impact? I should be able to park my clients on my property wherever i want so long as I’m not affecting my neighbors.”
Taso Stavrakis, over of the WV Renaissance Festival, said the previous zoning regulations have been troublesome enough, so he doesn’t understand why the county would want additional regulations which could hurt local farms.
“Has anybody had a drone come over your farm? Anybody have the inspector come out and go through your building to see what’s in there? That didn’t seem right. I didn’t like that. I hope that doesn’t happen again.”
Adrian Williams owns a farm that has been in operation more than 200 years. She is worried that it will be zoned residential according to the new zoning ordinance, which leads her to believe she will not be allowed to garden or keep livestock on the farm.
Alinda Perrine, who recently served as the President of the Greenbrier County Board of Realtors, cautioned commissioners that additional zoning regulations will negatively impact housing.
“25% of all building costs are affected by local regulations,” Perrine said. “We are creating a hardship in this county. Our county has a reputation that we are so restrictive that there are landowners who want to go into White Sulphur to get out from underneath some problems our county is proposing. They’re moving into town and out of the county.”
Barbara Tuckwiller owns the farm on which Hawk Knob Cidery is located just outside Lewisburg. She is worried that it will be forced to close without changes to the new zoning regulations. “The way this section (on agritourism) is written it seems Hawk Knob would no longer be able to offer their restaurant. It attracts a lot of people. I hope that is rewritten to permit this business to continue.”
A number of people shared concerns about trailers and campers on private property. Libby Payne said, “I moved here when my dad passed away. I moved into a camper on my own property. Ever since it’s been a problem. I don’t know why I offend people. I keep it neat and clean. I’ve contributed to community, paid my taxes. I don’t see what th problem is. I’ve asked what the problem is except that people don’t like the way it looks. Then don’t look. That’s what I can afford. Let me sleep at night to help my family. West Virginia is supposed to be known for good people.”
Robert Bidish lives on a 100-acre farm with his wife, Cheryl. He raised several additional issues with regulations concerning signs and flags. “Under the sign section, it says I can’t have a flag over 16 square feet. That limits me to a 3×5 American flag. You’re telling me I can’t get a 4×6 American flag? And I have to get a permit to put up a sign above 2 square feet? Nobody could even read it. Nobody should tell me what sign I can put on a 100-acre property.”
Ford Hamilton challenged the commission to “keep this same energy” when dealing with corporate interests who may want to locate businesses such as data centers within the county. “You gonna stand up to that or just pick on little old ladies? We’re getting railroaded all the time.”
Commissioners took notes as residents spoke and listened but did not reply to their questions or concerns at the public hearing.
What happens next?
According to state code, the zoning ordinance follows the adoption of a county’s comprehensive plan. Commissioner Richie Holliday, who also serves on the Planning Commission that approved the draft and sent it to the commission, told attendees that the ordinance they were seeing was a study and report from the planning commission.
“We do not have the right to rewrite it before presenting it to the public,” he said.
Later, Commission President Rose said that the commission agreed with many of the comments from speakers and promised changes to the final document, at which point another public hearing would be held.
“We ve got three very conservative people here who own farms,” Rose said of the commissioners. “We have that tender spot for not overregulating.”
Citizens are invited to a second initial public hearing on Wednesday, March 4, at 11am at the Underwood Building at the State Fair of West Virginia.
Big win for historic preservation in battle at quaint Middleway, West Virginia
Connect Bridgeport - Mar 3, 2026 - Jeff Toquinto
For the second time, a proposed seven-figure new subdivision of property that would result in six new homes on property in an established neighborhood in Bridgeport received preliminary plat approval.
On Dec. 8, the preliminary plat by NOVA Builders Group, LLC, of which Claude J. Ryan serves as the managing member, was okayed with required approval of the Bridgeport Board of Zoning Appeals.
At that December meeting, property at 232 West Olive Street was being reviewed to be future sites for six residential units on six lots. The property would see the construction of six 1,335 square-foot homes with estimated prices between $315,000 and $335,000.
The reason it needed to go before the Board of Zoning Appeals was four of the six lots originally were for 5,696 square feet and two of the lots were just over 6,000 square feet. New home construction requires lots to be 6,000 square feet unless a variance is granted. The Zoning Appeals board did not grant those variances, as well as an issue with a common driveway length and the number of homes served by said driveway at a meeting held Jan. 13.
To meet the requirement of 6,000 feet, NOVA Builders has agreed to purchase a strip of land to add to the property that allowed all six lots to meet that requirement. NOVA also changed from a common driveway (which needs to serve four or less) to a private driveway. Community Development Director and Planning Commission member Andrea Kerr said a private driveway, which is wider, has no restrictions for number of homes.
With the changes made, NOVA submitted a new preliminary plat for approval Monday, March 1. Before the vote was taken, there were nearly 45 minutes of discussion.
Long-time City Resident Mike Shahan spoke during the public comments about the opposition he said came from residents of the 200 and 300 blocks of West Olive Street. He also presented the Commission with a petition.
Shahan emphasized more than once that the opposition was not to the development. He also said that although the architecture proposed does not necessarily fall in line with the existing community that “density is the concern, not architecture.”
After lengthy back and forth – and generally cordial – between Commission members, NOVA officials, and a few residents that gathered, the vote was taken to approve the preliminary plat approval. The vote on final approval would come at a meeting set for April 13.
Before the vote, several members expressed their thoughts on what may happen at the next meeting. And it was not unanimous.
“They meet all the criteria. Legally, to me, it looks like they meet all the criteria,” said Commission President Rodney Kidd.
While Commission Members Doug Gray and Harry M. “Hank” Murray agreed with Kidd, they also cautioned Ryan that their vote could be a negative if the community shows up and shows disapproval. The reason for providing caution was due to the costs incurred putting together a final plat from engineering work to survey work and more.
Commissioner Jamie Parker did not state his position during the meeting. Members Melissa Ashburn and Bob Greer were not in attendance.
Following the meeting, Ryan was asked if he was moving forward with getting the final plat approval. He said he was not sure at this time.
West Virginia Office of Energy launches federally funded Grid Resilience Planning Project
wvnews.com - Mar 2, 2026 - Staff Reports
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia Office of Energy (WVOE) has launched a new initiative to modernize the state’s electric grid and improve service reliability during extreme weather events.
The West Virginia Resilience Planning Project (WVRPP) is now accepting applications for projects focused on strengthening critical infrastructure. Funded through the U.S. Department of Energy’s Grid Resilience State and Tribal Formula Grant program, the project aims to reduce the frequency of power outages and enhance long-term grid stability.
“Strengthening the resilience of West Virginia’s electric grid and ensuring that residents receive reliable electric service are priorities for our state,” said Nicholas Preservati, Director of the WVOE. “This program allows us to take a strategic, statewide approach to planning for future challenges”.
The initiative supports a variety of resilience-focused activities, including system planning and grid hardening. These efforts are designed to protect essential services for homes and businesses across the Mountain State.
“Reliable electric service is essential for homes, businesses, and critical services,” said Brooke Jones, WVRPP Program Manager. “This program supports resilience efforts that help ensure West Virginians can count on their electric grid, even during challenging conditions”.
Applications are being accepted on a rolling basis. Interested parties must submit their proposals via email to WVOEInfo@wv.gov with the subject line “WVRPP Application”.
Complete guidelines and program details can be found at energywv.org.
Public comments unheeded, questions unanswered after Penzance data center announced.
Charleston Gazette Mail - Mar 2, 2026 - Mike Tony
Fairmont Planning Commission passes 100-home development over for city council approval
wvpress.org - Feb 26, 2026 - Esteban Fernandez
Fairmont — The City of Fairmont is clearing the way for a major housing development in the near future.
It may even be one of the most significant projects in city history.
“This has the potential to be probably the single largest housing investment in the City of Fairmont in several decades,” City Manager Travis Blosser said at a Planning Commission Meeting on Jan. 21.
On Feb. 24, Fairmont City Council held a workshop meeting to go over zoning changes recommended by the Planning Commission. Communications Manager David Kirk said the purpose of the meeting was to give Council a chance to become familiarized with what they will be responsible for voting on sometime in March.
The zoning changes recommended by the Planning Commission are being sought by two different projects. Veritas Contracting asked to have a property located on Fairmont Avenue north of 1565 Fairmont Ave. rezoned to Main Corridor Commercial. John and Carrie Menas applied to have a property off of Kaufman Drive rezoned to neighborhood residential.
The Menas project is the larger of the two, totaling about 41 acres while the Veritas project is 0.62 acres.
“Their plan is approximately 40 patio homes, another 60 single-family homes, some larger state homes and some town homes as well in this development,” Keith Axton, Ascent Consulting and Engineering project engineer, said at the Jan. 21 meeting. “In this development, it will go all the way from (US) 250 down to the riverfront.”
The Veritas project involves building around four or five townhouses on its rezoned parcel. City Planner Shae Strait advised rezoning on the Veritas project be changed to neighborhood residential zoning in order to prevent businesses like car washes, bars, hotels, motels, drive-thrus and other uses that could become a nuisance to neighborhood residents.
The larger Menas project would proceed in phases, with the first phase creating about 40 new housing units. Strait said at the Feb. 24 workshop that the rezoning would allow new streets to be created to service the development.
“The intent is to create a small network of city streets that will go down the property toward the Tygart River,” Strait said. “It will be developed in three to four phases and a roughly hundred or more housing units will be developed.”
Strait said two major roads will also be developed. Kauffman Drive will be upgraded, he said, and a new road is being proposed to service a long term care home in the area.
Both petitions will be folded into one ordinance, since the petitions are across the street from each other. A representative from Veritas had no objection to City’s recommendation to their zoning change.
Blosser said the Menas project is pretty advanced in their planning process. Blosser said the ambition of the project made him initially wary.
A spaced approach would ensure the project works favorably for the city, he said. Blosser also brought up past development projects that fell through because the city required proper connectivity to its roads and sidewalks for developers looking to build large projects.
“The prior folks who were involved in this didn’t like that, because that was going to make them have to spend some money,” Blosser said. “Yeah, it was going to make them spend money and do the development correctly. Which, is what the Menas are doing here.”
Weirton Planning Commission gives preliminary approval for new housing development
Weirton daily times - Feb 19, 2026 - Craig Howell
WEIRTON — The initial plans for a new housing development, proposed by a Steubenville-based Catholic trade school, were discussed by members of the Weirton Planning Commission Wednesday.
Commissioners held a public hearing, and gave preliminary plat approval for a new subdivision which has been proposed for construction on property which once was home to Liberty Elementary School.
Representatives of the College of St. Joseph the Worker, which owns the property, and Triad Engineering Inc. were on hand for the request, along with six residents who live near the property in question.
“This is a preliminary plat approval,” explained Weirton Planning and Development Director Mark Miller, who explained the proposal still needs to go through various stages of review from municipal departments, and may see revisions before any final plan can move forward. “We’re not doing anything final tonight.”
Ray Burns of Triad Engineering explained aspects of the proposal.
“It’s proposed for 11 lots,” Burns said. “The houses are going to be built by the college students themselves.”
Burns said they anticipate to construct two houses each year, working to develop the property as they go. He also noted there are no plans for any major grading of the property.
Current proposals are for 11 single-level homes, according to Chad Rosemont, who was on hand to represent the college. While the students’ construction will be a part of their education, the work will be overseen by licensed and certified instructors.
“We’re not going to stick a bunch of houses out there at substandard quality,” he said, adding some of the college’s 62 students currently are constructing a house in Toronto.
Miller reiterated the development will go through all of the permitting, code approvals and other reviews as are performed for other developments in the city.
Some of the residents asked questions about the type of homes planned, with officials noting they will be single-family dwellings, with an estimated price of between $300,000 and $400,000. There are plans for each house to have room for two off-street parking spots, with a cul-de-sac proposed for the area, and underground utilities.
“That would be quite an impact,” noted Commissioner Enzo Fracasso, of any effects on the surrounding neighborhood.
Public Works Director Allen Hess said he has some concerns about the proposed storm water management system, and several residents asked about the possibility of increased traffic and whether there will be a need to widen any parts of High Street or Wirt Street.
The commission explained there will be additional meetings to review the plans before any final decision is made, with opportunities for residents to provide input or express concern.
“Any reasonable comment will be heard by this commission,” said Commissioner Anthony Capp.
Miller raised the option of the commission hosting a public workshop before any vote is taken, explaining the city had sent letters to more than 50 neighboring homes to raise awareness of the proposal prior to Wednesday’s meeting.
Mon County Planning Commission approves St. Clair Hill Road development to move forward, County Commissioner Arnett approves
wajr.com - Feb 18, 2026 - Staff
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — A proposed residential development that is planned at the corner of West Run Road and St. Clair Hill Road has received site plan approval on a county level.
The Monongalia County Planning Commission approved the updated site plan that was proposed by property developer Alghadban LLC during their regular meeting in February, which will include improvements to a portion of St. Clair Hill Road ahead of the construction of the townhomes expected to be a part of Sunflower Village. Monongalia County Commissioner Jeff Arnett pointed out the approval during the commission’s regular meeting on Wednesday, where he expressed appreciation in seeing the project move forward after multiple attempts to obtain planning commission approval.
“The planning commission was an interesting meeting (to attend), it was a true example of how the planning is working to a certain extent,” said Arnett.
The Sunflower Village development is expected to consist of 108 townhomes on 12 acres of property, with the developer offering to widen and improve the entirety of St. Clair Hill Road. This will also include improving portions of the road that intersect both West Run Road and Bakers Ridge Road, as well as constructing driveway skirts for the neighbors along St. Clair Hill that are compliant with standards put in place by the West Virginia Department of Highways. After multiple attempts to move forward in response to concerns from members of the planning commission, Arnett is glad to see the project move towards the next stage of development.
“It was a developer with a project off of West Run, and it was the third meeting where his proposal was brought before the Planning Commission,” said Arnett. “And I’ll give credit to our planner downstairs who worked with the developer.”
The adjustments that were agreed to as part of the Monongalia County Planning Commission’s approval were made in cooperation with County Planner Andrew Gast-Bray. This included detailed plans on how each phase of the project will be implemented with the initial work focused on the lower portion of St. Clair Hill Road, including its intersection with West Run Road, in order to provide equipment access to the development property. With construction of actual units expected to take place after the road improvements are made, Arnett expressed appreciation towards the county staff who helped the proposal turn a positive corner.
“The planner downstairs who worked with the developer and with the concerns of the committee members to continue to tweak that over several months,” said Arnett, detailing the efforts taken on a county level to make the project be presented the best way possible. “To get it to a point where it became a project that was viable.”
The work that will take place to allow for the Sunflower Village development to move forward is expected to begin within the next year with up to a ten-year window to complete the work. This is part of the Morgantown Monongalia Metropolitan Planning Organization’s Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP). With the proposed site of the Sunflower Village development located within a high-density residential (R-4) zone of the county’s West Run Planning District, Arnett emphasized Gast-Bray’s effort to make everything move forward on the third presentation in front of the County Planning Commission.
“It was passed with some conditions at the meeting on Wednesday, so I just wanted to give a shout-out to our planner, Andrew Gast-Bray,” said Arnett. “He did a really good job working with the developer and working with the concerns of the committee members for safety and other concerns.”