WORK SESSION — Weirton Council, along with other city officials and a representative of Mackin Engineering, met in a work session Tuesday to discuss the ongoing process of updating the city’s Unified Development Ordinance. -- Craig Howell

WEIRTON — Officials are entering the final phase of a project which will see an update and rewrite of much of the city’s zoning and development regulations.

Members of Weirton Council convened in a work session Tuesday, with representatives of the city’s Planning Commission, the Planning and Development Department and Mackin Engineering to discuss the ongoing efforts to update Weirton’s Unified Development Ordinance.

“A lot of what we did cleaned up the book,” Planning and Development Director Jessica Gumm explained of the work done over the last two years.

Gumm reviewed aspects of the zoning changes proposed under the new UDO, including adjustments to the location and permitted uses under each zoning district. The area of Main Street north of Marland Heights Road, for example, would be considered a central business district, while the portion south would be for larger, more commercial operations.

Conditional uses would still be available, but there would be certain criteria to meet in order for those uses to be granted.

“There are specific requirements they would have to follow,” she said, adding the city’s Zoning Board currently has no criteria to follow when making such decisions.

Other discussions focused on lighting regulations, with Gumm noting the city has received numerous complaints on bright outdoor lights in recent years, and signage regulations.

“That was the biggest change,” Gumm said of the adjustments to sign codes.

Ward 3 Councilman Fred Marsh expressed concern as to whether implementing the proposed UDO would have any effect on existing city ordinances, citing a 2006 ordinance enacted concerning parking for businesses which were affected by the Pennsylvania Avenue improvement project.

He was told those issues would not be affected, with code specifically addressing some of those concerns in the UDO to back up the earlier ordinance.

“There’s nothing in this that says your ordinance is less powerful or more powerful,” City Attorney Vince Gurrera said.

While the changes are designed to simplify aspects of the development code, according to Gumm, some on council said they thought it might include too many regulations.

“I see overregulation by a government,” Ward 7 Councilman Terry Weigel said, noting, in particular, a proposal which would require the owner of a bed and breakfast to live at the business.

Ward 4 Councilman George Ash, who participated by phone, said he feels the ordinance is the second-most-restrictive law in the city, only behind the business and occupation tax.

“As far as I’m concerned, we need to eliminate the UDO,” Ash said.

Gurrera, however, noted some regulations are necessary.

Gumm explained the proposed ordinance will go through some revisions, based on the work session discussions. After that the Planning Commission will hold a public hearing to accept comment from residents and businesses, before sending it to city council for its vote.