The commission is considering a new, 276-page document that will determine how growth will occur in the county in coming years.
Under the proposal, builders will no longer be able to put subdivisions in the middle of a rural area with a so-called LESA scoring system, and areas that are residential will stay residential and areas set aside for agriculture will remain that way, said Commissioner Greg Corliss. Most of the county's land would remain in an agricultural zone under the plan.
Electronic copies of Jefferson County's proposed new land use laws and information about the six public meetings can be viewed at the county government's Web site at www.jeffersoncountywv.org.
Hard copies of the plan can be reviewed at each of the county's public libraries as well as the library at Shepherd University, according to the county's Web site. Hard copies can also be viewed at the Jefferson County Clerk's Office in the Jefferson County Courthouse and at the Jefferson County Commission office at 124 E. Washington St., in Charles Town, W.Va. Copies can be purchased for $20 apiece at the county's planning and zoning department at 104 E. Washington St.
Regarding the public meetings, Corliss said it will be helpful if residents comment on parts of the plan rather than expressing their philosophical ideas about land use. An overview of the plan will be presented at the meetings, Corliss said.
Public hearing
What: The first of six public meetings to give Jefferson County residents the chance to give input on new land-use regulations
Who: Shepherdstown district residents
When: Today at 7 p.m.
Where: The Shepherdstown Men's Club, 102 E. German St., Shepherdstown, W.Va.
