When Bridgeport City Council considers a rezoning request this evening by the owner of a local business, it will vary from the request they considered during the June 14 meeting. The rezoning issue involving Abraham Linc is just one of several items before Council this evening.

 

The meeting begins at 7 p.m. There is no work session prior to the meeting.

 

During the previous meeting, Council tabled acting on the recommendation of the Bridgeport Planning Commission to rezone 5.76 acres acquired by Darren Abraham, the president and chief executive officer of Abraham Linc, was looking to rezone roughly 1.75 of those acres from Residential-1 (single family units) to Business-2, which would allow for large scale commercial business.

 

The rest of the acreage he was looking to rezone from R-1 to Residential-3 (single family, duplex and multi-family residential units). Since Council opted to table the matter in order to look at the property and have more time to evaluate the situation, the rezoning request has changed.

 

Abraham still will request to rezone the 1.75 acres directly abutting his existing business on Main Street to B-2. However, he will not be requesting at this time to rezone the rest of the property to R-3.

 

“I went back to Darren the day following the last Council meeting and explained Council had tabled the matter and we talked about the rezoning. His immediate need is for the property that will become a parking lot off the dock area as part of a planned expansion,” said Spellman. “He came to the conclusion since he doesn’t have plans for the remainder of the property to leave it as R-1. Darren can always come back at a later date and ask for a rezoning if he does develop plans for the property.”

 

Because of that, the request has been amended. Spellman said that may alleviate concerns regarding the rezoning request. He said ruing the public hearing in front of the Planning Commission, as well as those that showed up but didn’t speak at the recent Council meeting, the property they own at the Rosewood Heights subdivision abuts against the property that will be left R-1, Spellman said.

 

“We’ve sent everyone in attendance an email of the revision,” said Spellman. “There were some concerns about additional noise, but Darren explained the noise issue at the planning commission meeting.”

 

In other business this evening, Council will be asked to authorize City Manager Kim Haws to enter into a contract of engagement with Bowles Rice, LLP to serve as bond counsel for the indoor facility. Once the project begins, the city will have to issue bonds to pay for the project’s construction.

 

“We’re taking another step in the process of making sure the funding mechanism will be in order when we’re ready to go,” said City Clerk Andrea Kerr. “We already have a finance committee, which is the group that has recommended utilizing this company as bond counsel. We’re trying to stay ahead of the game and move the process along. If approved, this will do that.”

 

The indoor recreation complex recently saw Council approved a $1.999 million contract for Omni Associates out of Fairmont to handle design and other responsibilities on the project. Although a total price for the project has not yet been determined, numbers exceeding $20 million have been discussed.

 

The project will be funded by an additional 1 percent sales tax that went into place on July 1 of 2016 in the City of Bridgeport. The first year of collections from that fund will be in by the end of this month. Financial institutions have told the city they need six to 10 quarters of consistent revenue from the sales tax before being able to issue the bonds to pay for the facility.

 

Also tonight, Council’s only unfinished item of business involves a second reading of an ordinance for “utility clearance.” The ordinance deals with maintaining wires, poles, conduits and underground transition of lines along and under city streets. Franchise agreements determines the maintenance of those items and more than one of those agreements have expired with this ordinance addressing the new arrangements.

 

Council will be asked to pass resolutions to become a participating employer of both the West Virginia Municipal Police Officers’ and Firefighters Retirement System. Kerr said the city is already involved with the organization and the request for a formal resolution came from the agency.

 

The only other items of business involve approving the 2017-18 Bridgeport Cemetery Budget and certifying the election results. The canvass of the election took place Thursday.

 

There will be a report from Haws and Mayor Robert “Bob” Greer, which will be his final mayor’s report. Greer will assume a seat on Council, while newcomer Andy Lang will be the city’s mayor when the first meeting is held in July.

 

The meeting at the Bridgeport Municipal Complex is open to the public. There is a public forum near the start of each meeting for anyone wishing to address the city’s governing body.

 

Editor's Note: Top photo shows Community Development Director Randy Spellman at a 2017 Planning Commission meeting, while Council members Lowell Maxey, left, and John Wilson are shown at a Council work session. Bottom photo is of City Clerk Andrea Kerr.