On Wednesday, April 24 at 7:00 pm The Observer hosted a panel discussion on the growth that is expected to affect Shepherdstown-area residents in the next decade. Following the presentations, the panel took questions from the audience participants. The panel discussion was intended to help inform residents about the issues that will be discussed at several upcoming meetings.
Upcoming Public Meetings & Opportunities to Engage
April 30 (Tuesday): Shepherdstown’s Planning Commission will hold a special meeting and public hearing on the Shepherdstown Comprehensive Plan Review Steering Committee’s report on April 30 at 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm at the War Memorial Building (second floor).
May 7 (Tuesday): Jefferson County’s Planning Commission has scheduled a public workshop to be held during its regular meeting on May 7 at 7:00 pm in the Charles Town Library basement meeting room to review the proposed concept plan for Birdhill subdivision north of Kearneysville. The meeting agenda also includes several waivers requested for this subdivision to allow for higher density (i.e. more housing units). The Planning Commission approved the landowner’s request to change the zoning on this parcel from rural to residential growth in 2021. The Planning Commission staff reported that the rezoning request was not consistent with the county’s comprehensive plan, but the Planning Commission approved the request, noting that the installation of public water and sewer to service the nearby Rockwool factory constituted a significant change to the area that justified the rezoning request.
May 13 (Monday): Jefferson County’s Planning Commission will hold its Final Public Input Meeting on May 13 at 7:00 pm at Jefferson High School (4141 Flowing Springs Rd, Shenandoah Junction). The commission will take public comment on the proposed Future Land Use Map and the comprehensive plan action items.
Panel Discussion Recap
Showing the interest that Shepherdstown residents have about future development in the area, The Observer’s April 24 online panel discussion moderated by Editor-in-Chief Steve Pearson drew more than 60 participants.
[Watch the recording of the panel discussion]
Panelist Presentations
Jefferson County planner Luke Seigfried described work currently underway to update the county’s comprehensive plan by December 2024. He noted how the county’s planning includes the area around the Corporation of Shepherdstown and invited Shepherdstown-area residents to provide input into the county’s plan. Of particular importance are areas immediately surrounding town boundaries: the growth management boundary and preferred growth area, which were county-designated as such in 2014 to accommodate future growth around Shepherdstown.
Seigfried also noted that the final public input meeting on the county’s plan will be on Monday, May 13 at 7:00 pm at Jefferson High School. Written comments are welcome, he said, and the most useful comments are focused on a specific location and state a specific action or request.
[Read more: The Observer’s coverage of county’s comprehensive plan update process]
Panelist Phil Baker-Shenk chaired the Shepherdstown Comprehensive Plan Review Steering Committee which submitted its findings and recommendations report to the Town Planning Commission in late February after more than 1,100 hours of work.
[Read more: The Observer’s coverage of the Shepherdstown comprehensive plan update]
The Review Committee’s report found that Shepherdstown’s 2014 Comprehensive Plan (which under law must be updated by December 2024) was underused by the Town with no structure put in place to support implementation.
Baker-Shenk emphasized that maintaining Shepherdstown’s “crown jewel” status as a distinctive historic university town is essential to residents’ quality of life and the town’s economic base which benefits from tourism. He highlighted the Review Committee’s recommendation for the town to “strategically and selectively” pursue proactive strategies in coordination with the county to protect land use and community character, using tools such as easements, special zoning restrictions, financial incentives, and small-scale annexation.
Dr. Christine Wimer, President of the non-profit Jefferson County Foundation, gave a short presentation on the region’s groundwater flows and karst geology. Wimer explained the importance of planning for water quality protection and availability, and described how Jefferson County Foundation has advocated successfully for the consideration of such issues in the recent updates of the Ranson comprehensive plan and zoning ordinance.
[Watch the recording of the panel discussion]
Participants’ Questions
Participants had many questions following the presentations – more than panelists were able to address during the April 24 Q&A session. The Observer has collected these questions — see below — and plans to share them with Shepherdstown and Jefferson County officials prior to their upcoming comprehensive plan meetings.
Shepherdstown’s Comprehensive Plan
- What is the schedule for updating the Shepherdstown Comprehensive Plan?
- Can Shepherdstown get access to professional land use planning services from the County so the town can understand and leverage all available tools?
- Who is responsible for Shepherdstown’s comprehensive plan? How do we avoid it being ignored again for the next 10 years?
- Growth Management Boundary — Preferred Growth Area — Annexation: How can the Town of Shepherdstown engage with Jefferson County to help shape development in the designated Growth Management Boundary and Preferred Growth Area? Will the County Planning Department proactively reach out to the Shepherdstown government regarding planning in the Growth Management Boundary?
- Does annexation of land into town increase property taxes or add taxes to residents?
- At a high level, what are the steps needed to annex land currently in the growth management boundary? Which citizens/residents need to be involved to initiate such annexation?
- How can Shepherdstown influence the kinds of stores and developments around our town?
County Comprehensive Plan
- How does the County Planning Commission and County Commission use the County Comprehensive Plan and when can they depart from it?
- Infrastructure: With all the housing and other development, how are we going to handle all of the necessary infrastructure to support new residents and other activity?
- Traffic: What can be done to address safety issues with the railroad crossings, including train stoppages that prevent emergency personnel from accessing the eastern part of Shepherdstown?
- What are the changes to the traffic pattern on Flowing Springs that will affect Shepherdstown.
- Water: How will the comprehensive plan, and the county in general, protect groundwater and plan for water being available? Who is responsible for monitoring groundwater availability/quality? Any plan to do that?
- Solar: Are there any plans for the proposed local solar farms to be structured so they are multi-purpose–for grazing, crops, etc?
Published 2024 Apr 11 (initial announcent of forum); Updated 2024 Apr 27 to include summary of forum, upcoming meeting dates, and video link.
By Staff Contributor