Vacancy on Planning Commission

There is a vacancy on the Elkins Planning Commission, and officials are accepting applications from city residents interested in being appointed to fill this volunteer position. Applications, which may be downloaded on this page, should be submitted to the city clerk’s office as soon as possible.

The Elkins Planning Commission, which meets approximately once a month, is an independent body that advises city council on matters having to do with planning and zoning. Membership consists of the mayor and one member of council, joined by five citizen members, all of whom must be residents of Elkins.

The planning commission’s primary duties  include planning and making recommendations for the city’s physical development; recommendation of zoning, or land use, and subdivision laws; and consideration of requests to amend the city’s zoning laws. The commission is not involved with code enforcement or the enforcement of zoning or any other laws.

The Elkins Planning Commission completed the city’s first comprehensive plan, a policy document describing the community’s development goals, in 2015. Under West Virginia law, comprehensive plans are required before any city or county may implement and enforce zoning laws. These plans must be updated every ten years. (Learn more about the Elkins Comprehensive Plan by clicking here.)

Since 2015, the Elkins Planning Commission has been working on an update to the city’s zoning laws, which have not been significantly amended since initial adoption in the 1950s and a revision in the 1970s. The commission’s proposed changes are not yet under consideration by council, and the commission is currently considering and making changes to its draft ordinance in response to public comments. (Learn more about the zoning update by clicking here.)

Follow the below links for more information.

• Download an application: www.cityofelkinswv.com/government/mayor-city-council/boards-commissions
• Learn more about comprehensive planning in Elkins: www.cityofelkinswv.com/government/city-clerk/planning-2
• Learn more about the Elkins zoning update: www.cityofelkinswv.com/zoning-update.

Submit applications to:

Elkins City Clerk
Jessica R. Sutton
jsutton@cityofelkinswv.com
Phone: (304) 636-1414, ext. 1211
401 Davis Avenue, Elkins, WV, 26241