Planning Commission to Conduct Meeting Online
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WHEELING -- City officials in Wheeling are expected to hold upcoming meetings in a virtual format online in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and the first major meeting slated for cyberspace is the next Wheeling Planning Commission meeting, which is scheduled for Monday evening.
Because government orders restrict gatherings due to the coronavirus pandemic, the planning commission meeting will not take place in Wheeling City Council chambers where they are usually conducted.
Instead, the meeting slated for 5 p.m. Monday will be live streamed on the Wheeling WV City Government Facebook page.
The public will still have the opportunity to observe the proceedings and provide input where appropriate, according to Assistant Director of Economic and Community Development Tom Connelly.
"All meeting materials and staff reports are available from the 'News & Notifications' button found on the bottom right of city's website at wheelingwv.gov," Connelly said. "Monday's meeting contains three agenda items, only one of which contains a public hearing component."
Connelly said one item on Monday's agenda is a zone change request for 102 Carmel Road, which does require a public hearing.
Citizens can offer their comments for this hearing in a number of ways:
* Email Connelly at tconnelly@wheelingwv.gov up until 4 p.m. Monday.
* Enter comments into the Facebook live stream beginning at 5 p.m.
* Mail written comments via U.S. mail to Connelly at 1500 Chapline St., Wheeling, WV 26003, ensuring arrival by Monday.
* Call into the Zoom meeting by dialing 646-558-8656, enter Meeting ID 651 939 471 and follow the prompts.
Jeffrey Morris of The Monastery LLC is seeking a change in the zoning classification of approximately 2.5 acres of land he owns at the 102 Carmel Road address, a landmark known to local residents as the former Mt. Carmel Monastery. The request is to change the zoning from Educational Medical Office (EMO) to C-2 General Commercial in order to renovate and convert the existing 21-unit apartment building into a 23-26 room hotel with a restaurant, bar and event venue.
Hotels are not a permitted use in the existing EMO zone, or the C-1 Neighborhood Commercial district, therefore a request to the C-2 zone is being made.
The area being considered for a zone change is located in the "Suburban Residential Core" land use area, according to city maps.
"The former Mt. Carmel Monastery has fallen into cosmetic disrepair, and the mechanical systems are in desperate need of complete overhaul," Morris wrote in a letter to the city when seeking the zoning appeal. "I have been in love with this building since I was a child, and it always saddened me to see it slowly slip into disrepair."
City staff members reviewing the project are recommending approval of the petition based on information presented in the application and the project's comprehensive plan.
"The commission will be taking comments in any way they are submitted for that topic," Connelly noted. "Based on the level of calls since the hearing was advertised, I'm not anticipating an overwhelming number of comments nor do I believe the format will prevent someone from expressing their thoughts and opinions on the request. The other items will entail a review discussion between the applicants and the commission and can still be observed via the live stream. All of these items were scheduled prior to the governor's order, and each of the applicants were given the option to have their requests tabled until a future date, however each preferred to proceed as these approvals, if granted, are first steps in a longer project timelines."
Connelly said the other two agenda items are not public hearings, so comments will not be taken, however citizens are still able to observe the proceedings as with any public meeting. They include new business on a site plan review for new construction at 231 Warwood Ave. In 2009, the original site plan for the property was approved to include retail, restaurant and personnel service establishments, but the northern portion of the property was never developed. The new proposal from Teda J. Family LP calls for the construction of an 84-feet by 94-feet building with 35 parking spaces to be completed by September of this year.
Unfinished business slated for Monday's meeting includes ongoing discussion about the special area plan and comprehensive plan admendment for the proposed GC&P Development. A public hearing for this issue is still slated to take place at 5 p.m. on May 11 at West Virginia Northern Community College's B&O Auditorium. The public hearing was scheduled to take place at the venue because officials expect a large crowd of residents to attend and voice opinions about the proposed project.
It is unknown if the government order prohibiting public gatherings because of the pandemic will still be in place next month, officials noted. City leaders said the next meeting date and venue change to WVNCC will remain in place unless further discussion prompts a change.
"At this time, no changes have been made to the GC&P public hearing date and location as that will require action by the commission, which I anticipate a discussion on Monday, Connelly said.