FAYETTE COUNTY, W.V. (LOOTPRESS) – On Friday, the Fayette County Commission held a public meeting, and, after hearing comments from residents, voted to do away with the Route 19 Corridor Management Plan and its overlay in the Unified Development Code (UDC).
On May 10, the Fayette County Planning Commission held a meeting at the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Building to hear public comments concerning the possible amendment or removal of the Route 19 Corridor Management Plan proposed by the Fayette County Commission.
The Route 19 Corridor Management Plan was adopted to improve the economic aesthetic of the coordinator and is meant to enrich the quality of life and preserve the natural scenic beauty of the county. This is accomplished by enforcing that businesses outside of city limits cannot be within 1,000 feet of Route 19, Route 60 and Route 16. Its overlay in the UDC restricts rezoning.
After hearing from numerous residents, the planning commission recommended that the county commission undertake a review and conduct a study to determine how the community feels about the possible amendment and what changes, if any, they want to see be made to the plan.
During a regular meeting held on May 21, 2021, the commission was set to either approve or deny the planning commission’s recommendation; however, they decided to postpone the decision altogether after New River Gorge Regional Development Authority (NRGRDA) Executive Director Jenna Belcher stated that her team could provide the funding for a comprehensive study.
Since then, Belcher has been working to compile this survey, which will include information on traffic studies, housing infrastructure, potential revenue, and even an incentive study focused on Fayette County’s outdoor recreational economy- to get a well-rounded view of where the county currently sits and what changes need to be made.
This study will be ready before the commission has to update its comprehensive plan this fall. Commissioners agreed that even without the Route 19 Plan in place, the survey will help them develop the new comprehensive plan.
Before opening the issue to a public hearing, Commissioner Tom Louisos, who has long advocated for the removal of the Route 19 Plan, addressed the gallery.
“There are some people in Fayette Couty without water or sewer. The Route 19 Plan restricts development,” he said, explaining that the plan is keeping portions of the county from receiving basic utilities. “Everyone in the county should have a chance to have running water and sewer.”
Back in May, residents who were against the removal of the plan stated their opposition stemmed from a fear that more development would mean Fayette County would be overrun by businesses and ultimately lose its iconic scenic beauty.
“We want to keep the scenic, scenic, and the developed, developmental,” Louisos assured, before asking if anyone could explain why the commission shouldn’t get rid of the plan.
A couple of residents shared their thoughts on Friday, all seeming to reiterate that of the majority of the county which didn’t want to see the 20-year-old plan eradicated but altered to fit present-day needs.
To further prove his reasoning behind wanting the plan gone, Louisos referenced a recent letter stating that a Dollar General wanted to place a store in the Glen Jean area but wasn’t approved because of the Route 19 Plan, which requires potential developers to fill out a 127-question form.
According to Fayette County Commission President John Brenneman, most of those who have built along Route 19 were only approved because they were able to slip through the cracks by not completely filling out the questionnaire.
“It isn’t right. Those who did fill it out complete were turned down,” he explained.
Prior to the vote, Brenneman also stated that even if the commission did eliminate the plan, they would still have the ability to reject unsavory developments. Brenneman made a personal vow to not approve any strip malls, billboards, video stores or gas stations along Route 19 to help preserve its attractiveness.
“We are all interested in keeping the quality of life the way it is here,” said Commissioner Allison Taylor, calling the Route 19 Plan “unnecessarily restrictive.”
“I am voting to eliminate the cumbersome process to apply for zoning. Once they apply, we still have control on what will happen. I think we are all very interested in keeping the greenspace and not creating eyesores along Route 19. We want to get out of the way of people like the Dollar General store because they bring jobs with them.”
At the end of the public hearing, Commissioner Louisos made the motion to remove the Route 19 Corridor Management Plan from the county’s comprehensive plan, as well as remove the 9005 overlay from the UDC.
Both motions were passed unanimously by the commission.
