The Fayette Tribune, Oak Hill, W.Va.

Local News

June 13, 2012

Comprehensive plan adopted

By C.V. Moore Register-Herald Reporter

OAK HILL — Oak Hill’s comprehensive plan update is now officially in place, making the city’s zoning ordinances legally enforceable for the first time in over 30 years.

The city council voted on Monday evening to approve the planning and zoning commission’s revised plan, which it began working on in 2009. The last update to the plan occurred in 1968.

Because two council members were absent for the vote, Tom Oxley moved to table the matter until July’s meeting, but the motion failed.

Bruce Coleman, acting mayor, made a motion to adopt the plan because he didn’t think waiting would “change anything.” It passed unanimously.

A legally required public meeting about the plan was held on May 10, attended by about 15 people.

Steve Moss of the Oak Hill Planning and Zoning Commission says a few suggestions were incorporated into the plan, including the addition of Scarbro Road as an ingress/exit route and an emphasis on low-level lighting.

He says two other suggestions, both by Plateau Medical Center CEO Chad Hatfield, “don’t fall into the purview of a comprehensive plan.”

They are both related to utilities, broadband and electricity. City Manager Bill Hannabass says Hatfield feels broadband is vital for any business community, and says the hospital’s grid has far too many electrical service interruptions.

“Would we like to see (broadband)? Yes. Can the Planning and Zoning Commission mandate that? Unfortunately, no,” says Moss.

“A comprehensive plan can do a lot of things with controlling how you use your land, but you can’t tell a utility company what to do.”

He says a city ordinance already controls cell and microwave towers, and the primary goal of the infrastructure section of the plan is to ensure that infrastructure is of the highest quality to meet current and future needs of users.

Moss recommended the council vote on the plan sooner rather than later since zoning ordinances are not legally enforceable without one.

A government’s comprehensive plan legally backs up zoning ordinances, but it also analyzes assets, sets priorities, offers recommendations, and guides decisions about a community’s growth.

Moss says his goal is to begin working on another update in 2 years so as to not fall behind. The current revised plan is good for five years.

Copies of the comp plan are available at city hall and online at http://cityofoakhill.homestead.com/Linkstoothersites.html

— E-mail: cmoore@register-herald.com

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