When it comes to describing the role and responsibilities of the Wheeling Planning Commission, city Vice Mayor Jerry Sklavounakis is absolutely right.

Taking to council floor this past Tuesday, Sklavounakis addressed concerns raised over the past two weeks on how the planning commission handled two proposals from local business owners — one an optometrist’s office, one a car wash — seeking to locate in a properly zoned space on the lower end of Mount de Chantal Road.

Sklavounakis said commissioners, all of whom are appointed volunteers, have to consider many factors when performing a site plan review. Traffic. Infrastructure. Water runoff. Neighborhood impact. Zoning requirements.

“Taking into consideration traffic patterns is part of their jobs,” Sklavounakis said. “They should absolutely take that into consideration when they’re making determinations. That’s not the only thing they should take into consideration. There are many (other) variables.”

He’s absolutely correct. Planning and zoning are an important factor for any city. The last thing anyone wants is for the city to OK a project or development that turns out to be detrimental for an area.

But there are other factors at work here. The site in question is properly zoned for these businesses. There are real concerns, given statements made at the April meeting, as to whether the property owner will be able to utilize his land — or if the city will continue to put roadblocks in the way of its development.

And then there’s approach. Wheeling bills itself as the “Friendly City.” The meeting in April was anything but open and friendly. That’s something to remember.

These points are particularly important now, as the planning commission is set to meet Monday evening to consider at least one of the proposals. If one proposal or the other simply won’t work, fine. If one or the other is just not the right fit due to traffic or water runoff concerns or another legitimate reason, fine. But don’t work off the idea going in that a project is simply not a good fit … because.

That’s unfair.

There are real questions the developers of both projects — particularly the car wash — need to answer. That’s not in question. A traffic study is part of every site plan review, and the planning commission was correct to push the request back to allow the developer to present those findings.

But in 2025, Wheeling needs to be open for business. Wheeling cannot afford to be looked at as a business-unfriendly city. As we noted last week, the city’s population is declining about a half-percent each year. We can’t afford to turn away legitimate business proposals without a valid reason.

The planning commission on Monday has a chance to show a better way forward — whether the projects in question work for that neighborhood or not.

Let’s hope that’s the approach taken.