Wood County Prosecutor Pat Lefebure appeared before the Wood County Commission to discuss possible changes to the county’s ordinance governing where video lottery establishments are put. The county wants to hold a public hearing in the near future to collect ideas from the public about what will go into a revised ordinance, including having surrounding property owners and the community notified so comments can be gathered. (Photo by Brett Dunlap)
PARKERSBURG — The Wood County Commission is looking at making changes to its ordinance that governs the placement of video lottery machines in the county.
“We are going back to relook at our ordinance,” Commission President Blair Couch said.
The ordinance, adopted in 2004, spells out where such places can be established, including 1,000 feet from homes, churches, school property, playgrounds and more.
Officials said the original intent was to protect the citizens of the county as there were concerns these businesses would attract an unsavory clientele and be set up in gaudy buildings which could affect the property values of surrounding properties.
As it was originally drawn up, the ordinance had people going to the Wood County Planning Commission for a variance, but somewhere along the line it became the discretion of the county commission, Wood County Prosecutor Pat Lefebure said.
“We need to follow our ordinance as it is written,” he said. “Other counties I have seen have sent them through the planning commission.”
Others don’t have ordinances and have followed state law on the matter.
The commission wants to decide if they want to change the ordinance or do away with it completely.
If they amend it, officials have said a clause needs to be added to require notification to the surrounding property owners to allow them the chance to comment or raise objections.
“I think we need to put the burden on them to make contact with people who will be affected,” Lefebure. “We would need to make changes to better get notice out.”
They will also determine if people seeking a variance should appear before the planning commission or the county commission.
“There should be something the person requesting a variance, they should be the ones who send out the certified letters,” Couch said.
The other option is to do away with the ordinance and follow what state law says on the matter where the distance requirement from certain structures is only 300 feet.
“We can have one with more requirements, have one where people go to the planning commission and never see us,” Couch said.
The county’s compliance officer also spends a lot of time going leg work on these matters.
County Administrator Marty Seufer said the planning commission does not have an elected person on the board as they are all appointed by the commission. He raised the question if those people should be making those kinds of decisions on behalf of the county.
Officials also want something that would allow nearby community members the chance to be able to comment on whether variances should be granted.
Last Thursday, the commission voted to grant another variance for the owners of West Virginia Cafe who are looking to open two video lottery establishments at a site near the exit ramp of I-77 near Williamstown (described as Map 151, Parcels 2 and 8).
During the course of that hearing people questioned the validity of the ordinance as the commission has kept granting variances with only one in recent memory that was granted and later rescinded when new evidence was presented. Others said they have not sought a variance and have tried to abide by the county’s ordinance which put them at a disadvantage in seeking properties to build such businesses.
Couch said Monday it seemed the majority of the variances that come before them gets passed.
Commissioner Robert Tebay wants recommendations from the planning commission on what they believe is the best option.
Officials also discussed holding a public hearing where people can come before the commission to present and discuss ideas.
“We are here to listen to people,” Commissioner Jimmy Colombo said. “We should hear from the people in those areas to what they think.”
Lefebure agreed, saying that people can comment if they want an ordinance or don’t want an ordinance.
Couch thinks a hiatus should be put on these kinds of actions until the ordinance is addressed.
Officials are looking at setting up a hearing soon to address these concerns.
Brett Dunlap can be reached at bdunlap@newsandsentinel.com
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May 25, 2021 at 11:25AM
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Wood County Commission, prosecutor weigh changes to video lottery statute - Parkersburg News
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