Parkersburg planning commission OKs abandonment request

PARKERSBURG -- The Municipal Planning Commission on Friday approved a request that will clear the way for a company to build additional duplexes at 25th and Harmon streets.

Property owner Christopher Roush and Brookside Manor LLC are asking the city to abandon permanent utility right of way and access easements on an unimproved portion of Harmon Street north of 25th Street and a nearby unnamed alley. The street segment and alley were abandoned by the city in 1985, but the easements were retained to allow access to the property for utility work.

Brookside Manor already has single-level apartments, townhouses and duplexes in that area and intends to build eight more duplexes there, said Kyle Norris, general manager of RPG Management, which oversees the properties. Pending approval by Parkersburg City Council, construction is planned to start in the spring, he said.

The first step was taken Friday, when the Planning Commission voted 6-0, with five members absent, to approve the request and refer it to council.

Members George Angelos and Luke Peters cast their votes by phone, something the commission has allowed for some time but which is not formalized in its bylaws.

The commission discussed a proposed amendment to add the sentence "In case of emergency or unforeseen circumstances, members and/or staff are permitted to attend meetings via electronic means" to the group's rules.

"There's nothing in the bylaws that expressly prohibits this but (Assistant City Attorney) Rob (Tebay) has advised that we go ahead and amend our bylaws … to cover all our bases," City Planner Janney Lockman said.

The commission voted 6-0 to receive and file the recommendation. A vote on the change, which would then be sent to City Council for approval, is expected at the commission's Jan. 15 meeting.

Evan Bevins can be reached at ebevins@newsandsentinel.com.