Parkersburg holds open house for 2030 plan
Plan can be reviewed, feedback submitted online
Parkersburg City Councilman Jeff Fox, left, talks with city Development Director Rickie Yeager during an open house showcasing the city’s 2030 comprehensive plan Thursday at the Parkersburg Art Center. The plan can be reviewed and comments submitted online at www.pkb2030.org. (Photo by Evan Bevins)
Parkersburg Municipal Planning Commission Vice President Eric Gumm, left, speaks with city resident Rich Shaffer Thursday during an open house at the Parkersburg Art Center spotlighting the city’s 2030 comprehensive plan. The plan can be reviewed and comments submitted online at www.pkb2030.org. (Photo by Evan Bevins)
Parkersburg resident Eric Tucker looks at a display about the city’s 2030 comprehensive plan during an open house showcasing the draft document Thursday at the Parkersburg Art Center. The plan can be reviewed and comments submitted online at www.pkb2030.org. (Photo by Evan Bevins)
Parkersburg City Councilman Jeff Fox, left, talks with city Development Director Rickie Yeager during an open house showcasing the city’s 2030 comprehensive plan Thursday at the Parkersburg Art Center. The plan can be reviewed and comments submitted online at www.pkb2030.org. (Photo by Evan Bevins)
Parkersburg Municipal Planning Commission Vice President Eric Gumm, left, speaks with city resident Rich Shaffer Thursday during an open house at the Parkersburg Art Center spotlighting the city’s 2030 comprehensive plan. The plan can be reviewed and comments submitted online at www.pkb2030.org. (Photo by Evan Bevins)
Parkersburg resident Eric Tucker looks at a display about the city’s 2030 comprehensive plan during an open house showcasing the draft document Thursday at the Parkersburg Art Center. The plan can be reviewed and comments submitted online at www.pkb2030.org. (Photo by Evan Bevins)
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PARKERSBURG -- Parkersburg officials held an open house Thursday evening to showcase the final draft of the 2030 comprehensive plan.
With masks required and social-distancing measures in place due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, 10 people attended the event, perusing signs outlining the 115-page document that will help guide the city's economic development, land use, housing and infrastructure efforts for the next decade.
It wasn't a large turnout, but people who live, work and attend school in Parkersburg can also review the plan and submit feedback online at www.pkb2030.org.
The plan will be considered by the Municipal Planning Commission during a special meeting on Dec. 1 before two readings by Parkersburg City Council, planned for Dec. 8 and 22.
Thursday's event brought public participation in the crafting of the plan full circle, physically at least, after the effort kicked off with an open house at the art center in early February. Parkersburg residents Rich and Deborah Shaffer attended that session and were back Thursday evening.
"We just wanted to come and see what had developed from that," said Rich Shaffer, a former Wood County assessor.
Parkersburg resident Betty Camp pointed out a graph showing the city's population is expected to continue to decline over the next 10 years.
One way to address that, she said, might be establishing a retirement community that isn't for a specific income level, like some senior apartments built in recent years have been. If someone wants to move out of a large house to a more manageable residence, "we shouldn't have to lose them," Camp said.
Camp said she liked a suggestion in the plan to develop wayfinding signage to connect the riverfront at Point Park with business and residential areas.
Eric Tucker, a youth pastor at Liberty Street Church, said he came to the open house because he and his wife, a Blennerhassett Elementary teacher, want to live and invest in the city over the long term. They recently purchased and renovated a house on Juliana Street.
"Since moving to Juliana Street, we are a lot more interested in downtown Parkersburg, since it's our back yard," Tucker said. "We hope to be involved in making these positive changes happen."
The plan was produced by the city's Development Department, working with consultants from McBride Dale Clarion, the Municipal Planning Commission and a steering committee appointed by Mayor Tom Joyce.
Planning Commission Vice President Eric Gumm said he was pleased with the plan and liked the way it targets specific areas for development.
"It's more focused than the last one," he said.
Evan Bevins can be reached at ebevins@newsandsentinel.com.