Hearing on planning board ordinance set

A public hearing on an ordinance to create a new planning board was presented to the Alleghany County Board of Commissioners on Monday night.

The ordinance, which is designed to clear up any confusion by superceding any earlier ordinances, will be the topic of a public hearing scheduled for March 5 at 6:45 p.m.

The commissioners have also been receiving applications for the county's proposed new planning board, which will be made up of members from the county's seven voting districts, along with two at large members.

County Planner Amy Pardue said Monday evening that she had received 24 applications from all seven districts as of Monday, with more than one application coming from all but one district—Cranberry. In breaking down the applications, she said two were received from Piney Creek, three from Prathers Creek, eight from Gap Civil, three from Whitehead, four from Cherry Lane and three from Glade Creek.

The commissioners are planning a session on Feb. 28 at 5:30 p.m. to discuss and decide on which applications to accept for the first round of board appointments. The appointments will not be made official until after the public hearing on the ordinance.

Commissioner Doug Murphy urged the board to set up a session as soon as possible to look at the applications.

Murphy also asked what Pardue's role will be with the planning board. "She will be an arm of the board," Vice Chair J. Warren Taylor said. Mark Sanders, who said he has filed an application, asked the commissioners to place him on the planning board.

Commissioner Milly Richardson told Sanders that each term on the board will be staggered, with some receiving one, two or three year terms. She said those who do not make the first round will have their applications held and be eligible to serve after the first board members go off the board.

Which specific seats would receive which term length has not been publicly decided by the commissioners.

As for the ordinance, County Manager Don Adams explained that the planning board's operations would be up to the planners to set up, but he would expect their rules of order to be much different from the county commission's.

The ordinance lays out the basics for the board, such as its nine member roster and the fact that each member must be an Alleghany resident.

The commissioners will select the members of the planning board. If no applications are received from a township, the position for that township may then be filled by a person from another township at the discretion of the commissioners. Members of the planning board serve at the pleasure of the commissioners.

Five members of the planning board will need to be present to constitute a quorum, the smallest number required to take official action. All planning board meetings will be open to the public.

Under powers and duties, the planning board will make studies of the county and surrounding area, determine objectives to be sought in the development of the study area, prepare and adopt plans for achieving these objectives and develop and recommend policies, ordinances and administrative procedures and other means for carrying out plans in a coordinated and efficient manner.

In addition, the planning board will advise the Alleghany Board of Commissioners concerning the use and amendment of means for carrying out plans, exercise any functions in the administration and enforcement of various means.

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