Citizens oppose ‘overregulation’ in proposed Greenbrier County Zoning Ordinance

By Stephen Baldwin, RealWV

“I’d trash this whole thing.” 

That’s how the night’s first speaker, Kevin Anderson, characterized the 132-page proposal from the Greenbrier Planning Commission to adopt a new zoning ordinance. 

CLICK HERE TO READ THE PROPOSED ZONING ORDINANCE

Approximately 100 local citizens attended the Greenbrier County Zoning Ordinance Public Hearing on Tuesday night at the State Fair of West Virginia. Republican county commissioners Lowell Rose, Richie Holliday, and Woody Hanna presided at the hearing. Twenty citizens signed up to speak, with all in strong opposition to the proposal. 

Former Delegate Todd Longanacre spoke at the hearing. “Being in a red (Republican) county, we are confident in you guys to promote ordinances that deregulate us. Not put more regulations on us. That’s the whole idea of being a red county.”

More specifically, Longanacre took issue with regulations in the zoning ordinance which would regulate outdoor fireplaces and parking at home businesses.  “It says that any clients parked on your property have to maintain a standoff distance of 150 feet. That’s crazy guys. How many businesses will that impact? I should be able to park my clients on my property wherever i want so long as I’m not affecting my neighbors.”

Taso Stavrakis, over of the WV Renaissance Festival, said the previous zoning regulations have been troublesome enough, so he doesn’t understand why the county would want additional regulations which could hurt local farms. 

“Has anybody had a drone come over your farm? Anybody have the inspector come out and go through your building to see what’s in there? That didn’t seem right. I didn’t like that. I hope that doesn’t happen again.”

Adrian Williams owns a farm that has been in operation more than 200 years. She is worried that it will be zoned residential according to the new zoning ordinance, which leads her to believe she will not be allowed to garden or keep livestock on the farm. 

Alinda Perrine, who recently served as the President of the Greenbrier County Board of Realtors, cautioned commissioners that additional zoning regulations will negatively impact housing. 

“25% of all building costs are affected by local regulations,” Perrine said. “We are creating a hardship in this county. Our county has a reputation that we are so restrictive that there are landowners who want to go into White Sulphur to get out from underneath some problems our county is proposing. They’re moving into town and out of the county.”

Barbara Tuckwiller owns the farm on which Hawk Knob Cidery is located just outside Lewisburg. She is worried that it will be forced to close without changes to the new zoning regulations. “The way this section (on agritourism) is written it seems Hawk Knob would no longer be able to offer their restaurant. It attracts a lot of people. I hope that is rewritten to permit this business to continue.”

A number of people shared concerns about trailers and campers on private property. Libby Payne said, “I moved here when my dad passed away. I moved into a camper on my own property. Ever since it’s been a problem. I don’t know why I offend people. I keep it neat and clean. I’ve contributed to community, paid my taxes. I don’t see what th problem is. I’ve asked what the problem is except that people don’t like the way it looks. Then don’t look. That’s what I can afford. Let me sleep at night to help my family. West Virginia is supposed to be known for good people.”

Robert Bidish lives on a 100-acre farm with his wife, Cheryl. He raised several additional issues with regulations concerning signs and flags. “Under the sign section, it says I can’t have a flag over 16 square feet. That limits me to a 3×5 American flag. You’re telling me I can’t get a 4×6 American flag? And I have to get a permit to put up a sign above 2 square feet? Nobody could even read it. Nobody should tell me what sign I can put on a 100-acre property.”

Ford Hamilton challenged the commission to “keep this same energy” when dealing with corporate interests who may want to locate businesses such as data centers within the county. “You gonna stand up to that or just pick on little old ladies? We’re getting railroaded all the time.”

Commissioners took notes as residents spoke and listened but did not reply to their questions or concerns at the public hearing.

What happens next?

According to state code, the zoning ordinance follows the adoption of a county’s comprehensive plan. Commissioner Richie Holliday, who also serves on the Planning Commission that approved the draft and sent it to the commission, told attendees that the ordinance they were seeing was a study and report from the planning commission. 

“We do not have the right to rewrite it before presenting it to the public,” he said. 

Later, Commission President Rose said that the commission agreed with many of the comments from speakers and promised changes to the final document, at which point another public hearing would be held. 

“We ve got three very conservative people here who own farms,” Rose said of the commissioners. “We have that tender spot for not overregulating.”

Citizens are invited to a second initial public hearing on Wednesday, March 4, at 11am at the Underwood Building at the State Fair of West Virginia.