The Jefferson County Planning Commission formally delivered the draft of the “2045 Comprehensive Plan” to the County Commission on October 17. This started a 90 day window for the County Commission to schedule a vote to adopt, amend, or reject the comprehensive plan and the accompanying future land use guide.
The County Commission’s first order of business after receiving the draft was to schedule a public hearing, which will take place at Jefferson High School (4141 Flowing Springs Rd, Shenandoah Junction) on Wednesday, December 4. The formal public hearing (where the commissioners listen to comments, but do not respond) will begin at 6:00 pm in the auditorium; there will be an “open house” session from 5:00 to 6:00 outside of the auditorium that will allow commissioners and planning department staff to engage in discussion with residents. The final vote is expected to be scheduled in January.
Copies of the draft plan and land use guide are posted on the county website (link). The deadline to email comments to Complan2045@JeffersonCountyWV.org is December 11.
What’s Next: Questions About Zoning
Once the comprehensive plan and future land use maps are approved by the County Commission, the next step in the planning process is to update the county zoning ordinance to align it with the land use classifications in the Comprehensive Plan.
Objective 1.4, which calls for the County to “Research and review prospective additional land uses in all zoning districts” continues to be the focus of questions from the public and at least one county commissioner.
During the October 17 presentation, Mike Shepp, President of the Planning Commission and Luke Seigfried, County Planner, indicated that Objective 1.4 should be interpreted as a guide to the process, and not in and of itself a justification, for defining additional land uses in the zoning ordinance. More specifically, Objective 1.4 calls for any proposed new land use to be researched and reviewed by staff, taking into consideration best practices identified for that specific use and community input related to its local impact.
After the October 17 meeting, Dr. Christine Wimer, president of Jefferson County Foundation, provided a summary of her organization’s analysis: “Our concern with Objective 1.4 is that it may be used to undermine zoning. This objective contemplates additional land uses of all types, in all zones, and does not indicate what the criteria of the “research and review” should be for a land use to be added to one or all zones. There is also no standard for public engagement that is defined as part of this objective. If any and all uses can be added to any zoning district, why have zones? If land owners cannot rely on the zones limiting development to appropriate uses, then the whole purpose of zoning is undermined.”
By Steve Pearson