Lynn Dodrill discusses Bethany Church’s offer to purchase 906 Lynn St. during an Urban Renewal Authority meeting Tuesday at the Parkersburg Municipal Building. (Photo by Evan Bevins)

PARKERSBURG — The city’s Urban Renewal Authority this week approved the sale of two lots to churches and voted to table the question of whether to acquire a property via eminent domain.

The authority, which consists of all members of Parkersburg City Council, voted 8-0 to approve the sale of 416 12th St. to the Cross Church for $2,000, with Council President Mike Reynolds absent.

A representative of the Cross Church said the 12th Street site is separated from the Market Street church by one lot, although they would like to eventually acquire it as well. Their application indicated they would clean and mow the property for now.

The application by the Bethany Church to purchase a lot at 906 Lynn St. for $150 was originally brought before the authority in June but was tabled after members requested confirmation of the offer’s approval by the church’s trustees.

The application to purchase listed possible uses as parking or the site of new Sunday school rooms or a chapel. Church representative Lynn Dodrill noted Bethany had recently disassociated with the United Methodist Church and hoped to use the property to grow and “be a bright spot in our community.”

Councilwoman Wendy Tuck said the church has “been a real important part of that Lynn Street area for a long time.”

The offer was accepted on a 5-3 vote, with Councilwoman Sharon Kuhl and Councilmen Andrew Borkowski and Rob Moore opposed.

The authority also voted 8-0 to table a recommendation from the city’s Building Enforcement Agency to acquire 315 Franklin St. via eminent domain. The owner appeared before the BEA multiple times between December 2023 and March 2025, City Planner Calaya Rake said, and while the roof had been repaired, no other permits to address code violations had been pulled.

Kuhl made the motion to table the issue, citing multiple liens on the property and the roof repair. An appraisal of the property set the fair market value for an eminent domain purchase at $76,000.