May 24, 2012
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- A decision to change a zoning ordinance isn't flying well with neighbors in Charleston.
The Municipal Planning Commission met Wednesday to talk about the proposed changes. Officials say these changes are needed because the original wording of the ordinance was confusing, or people challenged its interpretation.
While much of the ordinance will remain the same, it does expand the definition of a front yard.
Before, the ordinance defined a front building line as the closet point of the foundation to the street running parallel to the house. If the house was skewed to the street, that created a small triangle in the front, which in turn created a loophole. This ordinance clarifies it goes all the way up to the house.
In the front yard, homeowners are not allowed to have boats, RVs and trailers. If someone's house is on a corner lot, they essentially have two front yards. It's this rule that has some homeowners upset.
"It's just not right," homeowner Wes Holliday said. "There's a few people on City Council who don't like boats and RVs, and they're just taking it out on everybody."
City Planning Director Dan Vriendt said, "Like I said, this affects a very minute number of parcels in the city and really the three gentlemen (who spoke today), these are the three properties that we've kind of had a problem with that brought this to our attention."
The ordinance was approved Wednesday by the Planning Commission, Wednesday.It will go before City Council for a final decision.
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