This conceptual artwork shows details of a proposed mixed use development on a 55-acre site above Woodsdale in Wheeling by GC&P Development LLC.

WHEELING — Citizens looking forward to offering their thoughts on the proposed GC&P Development project on the hilltop above Woodsdale will have to wait at least another month — if not longer — to do so.

Members of the Wheeling Planning Commission on Monday night discussed the dilemma of how a public hearing with a large number of people can be held while social distancing regulations are upheld in light of the ongoing pandemic. Currently, state restrictions prohibit gatherings of more than 25 people, even with other social distancing precautions practiced, local officials noted.

Additionally, members of the city’s planning commission said they still wished to have additional information about the project before a public hearing takes place. On Monday, planning commission members received a long-awaited report on a traffic study related to the project, but the extensive report prepared by Stahl Scheaffer Engineering was around 830 pages in length and was presented to the membership not long before the meeting began, they stressed.

“We just received this information literally an hour ago,” Howard Monroe, planning commission member, said. “I have literally not even opened the file yet. It’s not possible to have any kind of conversation about it today.”

A public hearing on an amendment to the comprehensive plan for the site was originally scheduled for Monday, then last month it was rescheduled to June 8 because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, the planning commission members continue to await reports from various entities that will be needed before a final recommendation can be made on the matter.

Tom Connelly, assistant director of the Wheeling Economic and Community Development Department, said he and the City Solicitor Rose Humway-Warmuth, have taken steps to have an independent geotechnical study performed, as the planning commission members voted during last month’s meeting to pursue.

“We’re close to getting that approved,” Connelly said. “Hopefully we’ll be under contract here soon and intend to have a report for the commission prior to the June meeting.”

In order to give the city officials a chance to review the traffic study, have a geotechnical report performed and submitted by an independent consultant and have a follow-up on the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, the city solicitor noted.

“Even if there was no social distancing, it doesn’t seem feasible to have a public meeting in June,” Humway-Warmuth said.

Michael Hooper, attorney for GC&P Development LLC, said Thrasher Engineering was completing a preliminary land development permit summary, and Ascent Resources was handling a lot of geotechnical reports for the developer as well. Ascent was finalizing updated maps dealing with mining questions that have been raised and has been in extensive discussions with the West Virginia DEP, Hooper said.

All of the experts and engineers will be present to answer questions at the final hearing, Hooper added.

“I want to make it clear that part of our reports are that with our plan of development, the work that will be done on the site will in essence mitigate 50 percent of the storm water runoff from that hill that affects Woodsdale,” Hooper said. “I understand that’s very topical. In addition to the tax benefit … the storm water mitigation is an integral part of the project.”

Planning commission members moved to cancel the public hearing slated for June 8 with plans to reschedule it a later date. In the meantime, planning commission members said they hoped to have all of the reports in hand and have representatives of various agencies involved on hand to answer questions at the June 8 planning commission meeting.

Officials noted that as the economy slowly opens up and social distancing restrictions are relaxed, the situation may change in terms of limitations for future public hearings. It was unclear whether or not the June 8 meeting will have to take place virtually or if it can be held in person, officials noted.

Connelly had arranged for a public hearing to take place at a larger venue, but according to interpretation of the state’s current public distancing restrictions, the gathering limitation of 25 people applies regardless of how large the space may be — even if it was a massive venue like WesBanco Arena

“Tom had the White Palace ready to go,” Wheeling Planning Commission Chairman Jeff Mauck said. “Have you ever been upstairs at the White Palace” It’s huge. Yet, the load limit is 25 people in that huge space. Even in the arena you’re limited to that number”

Officials said they planned to make a decision on June 8 if a public hearing could be scheduled on July 13, when the next meeting is scheduled to take place, or if it has to be held at a later date.

“I think we also have to consider that some of the folks who may want to be involved may not want to come out to a public hearing,” Monroe said, noting that health concerns may preclude people from participating in person even if it is permitted at that time.