Wheeling Officials to Discuss Zoning Code for Data Centers
File Photo by Eric Ayres Trending
WHEELING - Officials in the city of Wheeling are slated to meet on Tuesday to discuss the creation of a planning and zoning code article entitled Data Centers and Facilities Regulatory Authority.
The discussion is scheduled to take place before the Rules Committee of Council beginning at 4:45 p.m. prior to the regular Wheeling City Council meeting at 5:30 p.m. The discussion comes in the wake of public concerns over the past several months over the development by Silicon Foundation of a new data center and energy technology campus at the former Centre Foundry & Machine Company facility in Warwood.
According to Wheeling City Manager Robert Herron, the discussion will focus on proposals to introduce new line items in the city code to specifically address data centers within Wheeling’s city limits.
"The City Council Rules Committee will be discussing a proposed new ordinance regarding data centers," he said. "It is proposed as additional language or an additional section to the city’s zoning code."
Also on Tuesday, members of the Finance Committee of Council are slated to meet prior to the regular council meeting to review the city’s September financial report. The Finance meeting is set to begin at 5:15 p.m.
Although only three new pieces of legislation are scheduled to be introduced during Tuesday night’s meeting, a myriad of unfinished business and other action is on the agenda for the regular council meeting.
Among those items up for a vote include the third reading of a bond issue to assist the Wheeling Park Commission secure up to $20 million in revenue bonds to help finance ongoing improvements at Oglebay Park. The Wheeling Park Commission cannot borrow money for capital improvements but can designate funds to repay the city, which has helped the park secure funding in this manner in the past.
A public hearing on the Wheeling Park Commission 2026 Bond is scheduled to take place at the beginning of the regular council meeting.
Council is also expected to approve several Community Development Block Grant awards to various agencies in the city.
An ordinance up for a second reading and a vote will authorize the city manager to spend $327,562 with Alex E. Paris Contracting Co. Inc. of Atlasburg, Pa., for the Nuttal Avenue Storm Sewer Project Phase I. Cost of this work is to be charged to the city’s Water Pollution Control District.
Another ordinance slated for a vote will authorize the expenditure of $198,000 with M&G Architects and Engineers of Wheeling for architectural and engineering services for the Wheeling Police Department Headquarters sally port and site development. This work is to be charged to the City Service Fee account. The sally port was part of the original construction plan for the police headquarters in Center Wheeling, but this part of the project was put on hold when the neighboring Center Wheeling Parking Garage was closed and eventually razed.
Council is expected to approve an ordinance authorizing the transfer of $22,660 to the Greater Wheeling Sports and Entertainment Authority for lighting improvements to the Club area at WesBanco Arena. These funds are from the Arena Restricted Capital Improvement Project fund.
An ordinance authorizing a $146,800 contract with Metron-Farnier LLC of Louisville, Colorado, is up for a second reading. This contract is for programming of water meters, and the cost is to be billed to the Water Distribution fund.
A $350,428 contract with Magnegrip of Cincinnati, Ohio will be considered for fire station exhaust system upgrades. This work is to take place at Stations 2, 4, 5, 9, 10 and 11, and the cost is to be charged to the City Service Fee and be reimbursed by an Assistance to Firefighters (AFG) grant.
Council members will also consider a $148,032 expenditure with Flash Parking of Austin, Texas for a parking access and revenue control system for the Intermodal Parking Garage.
New legislation scheduled to be introduced during Tuesday night’s meeting includes an ordinance authorizing the conveyance of real property located at 146 and 148-16th St. to the Ohio Valley ADC for the redevelopment of the property.
A resolution up for a vote at the end of the session proposes a change of date and location of the next regular meeting of Wheeling City Council. If approved, council’s first meeting in November will take place on Wednesday, Nov. 4, on the campus of Wheeling University.
City Council typically meets on the first and third Tuesday of each month. However, Herron explained that the date of the next meeting is being adjusted because election day is on Tuesday, Nov. 3. Council has previously held meetings at other locations in the city, but this will be the first regular session in years held outside of the City-County Building.
"The move has been in the works for a couple of months," Herron said, noting officials wanted to hold the meeting after the nearby Washington Avenue Bridge was reopened after nearly a year. "Initially, it was going to be one of the meetings in October, but we wanted to make sure that the bridge was open."
Herron said officials also wanted to provide the public a couple of weeks’ notice about the relocation of the meeting.
"City council has met a couple of times at Wheeling University over the years," Herron said. "This is an opportunity to connect with and showcase the university while giving their students an opportunity to interact with local government."