Wheeling City Council Denies National Road Zone Change

WHEELING -- A vacant church on National Road in Edgwood will not become the site of a drive-thru bank after Wheeling City Council voted down a proposed zone change Tuesday.

Members voted 4-3 to deny the proposed zoning amendment for the two former church properties after hearing from a number of residents and business professionals both supporting and opposing the change. At the council meeting, attended by several dozen residents, members Ty Thorngate, Wendy Scatterday, Melinda Koslik and Ken Imer voted against the zone change, while members Chad Thalman, Dave Palmer and Mayor Glenn Elliott voted in favor of it.

The properties in question, 1154 National Road and 2 Laurel Ave., will remain zoned for residential use rather than for the proposed educational, medical or office use. The zone change would have allowed an unnamed bank to move forward with plans to build a $2 million new branch at the site.

"This has been a solid reminder for why I ran for City Council in the first place … to protect my city's resources, and that's our people and the things they cherish the most: their family and their homes," said Thorngate, representing Ward 5, which includes the properties and adjacent Lenox neighborhood.

"There's been some chatter that if you don't support this zone change, you're anti-business or anti-growth, but that couldn't be further from the truth," he continued. "The truth is we have families who fear that this zone change will change the overall fabric of their neighborhood."

Council suspended its regular order of business before the vote to hold an unofficial public hearing on the matter. Eight residents spoke against the zone change and four spoke in favor of it. Previously, council received a petition with more than 200 signatures from nearby neighbors opposing the change.

Three lawyers working with the bank on the proposed project also spoke at the meeting, arguing that the bank had made a number of accommodations in its plans based on residents' concerns. The bank conducted a traffic study that showed minimal impact in the area and adjusted its site layout to reduce bank traffic onto neighborhood streets.

"No one likes change but change is sometimes inevitable," said David Croft, the main lawyer representing the bank. "Our community needs to stop seeing jobs cut and start seeing ribbons cut."

Gerald Lofstead, another lawyer representing the bank, said the proposed bank would create 20 jobs and generate property tax and business and occupation tax for Wheeling.

Residents at the meeting voiced concerns similar to those raised at previous city meetings regarding the bank and zone change. Many said the change would have hindered the neighborhood's character and presented a risk to children playing on the streets with traffic from the bank.

"I think it's going to ruin the integrity of the neighborhood, a neighborhood that is intact. I can draw a line around it," resident Mario Muscar said.

Beyond safety concerns, several residents also expressed that they simply didn't want a bank near their homes.

"This neighborhood is a beautiful blend of young families who are raising awesome kids who love Wheeling. We are not against development or growth, rather we are currently providing solutions for a growing Wheeling," resident Jason Koegler said. "I ask council this: What would have more of an impact on Wheeling, committing to listening to the folks I just described to you, or making them feel like their voices don't matter? Wheeling needs all the help it can get to succeed."

Others, however, argued that the bank would bring Wheeling benefits, such as new investment, jobs and revenue.

"A common theme among longtime area residents is 'all they want to do is tear everything down until nothing's left,'" Dean Conners, owner of several downtown properties, said. "I propose that we should be cheering for new businesses, new facilities and new investment in the city."

Elliott, before voting for the zone change, said he struggled with the issue but ultimately decided to side with Wheeling's 2014 Comprehensive Plan, which designated the two properties as an area for future commercial use.

"This is the toughest issue I have been faced with in my time in office," Elliott said. "The property has been there for a while, and we have someone with a proposal, not asking for any city help, asking only for a zone change. … At this point, this is the right thing to do for the city of Wheeling."

Councilwoman Wendy Scatterday, who voted against the zone change, said the comprehensive plan also asks the city to consider buffering and smoothing the transitions between residential and commercial use.

"What we're faced with right here is one of the most challenging decisions that any body in any community can engage in," Scatterday said. "What we need to do here is to strike a balance. If you vote against the zone change, it doesn't mean you're anti-business or anti-development. The issue is about balance and how do we strike a balance for these areas that have immediate adjacencies."

Thorngate urged all city staff and members of council to work with the bank to help find a site in Wheeling to build the branch. He also encouraged residents to work with the properties' owner, Thomas Tuttle, to find solutions for the property.

In other matters, council approved an ordinance to transfer 1508 Market St. to the West Virginia Public Land Corp. The property is the former site of Kirk's Art Supplies, adjacent to the West Virginia Independence Hall, and will become incorporated into the hall's campus, Elliott said.

Council members also approved an ordinance to reduce the number of sergeant positions in the Wheeling Police Department from 20 to 15. Police Chief Shawn Schwertfeger requested the reduction at a Public Safety Committee meeting last week.

In addition, council approved spending $31,360 for asbestos abatement and emergency demolition of 43, 45 and 47 23rd St. It further approved spending $110,000 for restroom renovations at WesBanco Arena.