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JEFFERSON COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE
PLAN Jefferson
County Planning Commission 1994
[[Jefferson County, WV.
This plan & the ordinances to carry it out are at http://www.listeners.homestead.com/. The Zoning map is there
too. The only official copies of the plan & ordinances are in the
files of the County Clerk. Neither Jefferson County nor P Burke assumes responsibility
for errors. Please report all problems to listener‑owner@yahoogroups.com
so improvements can be made. Editor's notes are in double brackets; these are
not part of the adopted plan.]]
JEFFERSON COUNTY
COMMISSION
Edgar Ridgeway,
Middleway District
R. Gregory Lance,
Charles Town District
James G. Knode,
Shepherdstown District
Herbert S. Snyder,
Harpers Ferry District
Gary M. Kable, Kabletown
District
Leslie D. Smith, County
Administrator
JEFFERSON COUNTY
PLANNING COMMISSION
Scott Coyle, Pres.
H. Richard Flaherty,
Past Pres.
Betty Roper, Vice Pres.
Ernest R. Benner,
Sec/Treas.
Samuel J. Donley, Jr.
Paul W. Griger
Carolyn Hoffman
Rosella Kern
*James G. Knode
Lyle Campbell Tabb, III
Gilbert Page Wright, Jr.
*Representative from the
County Commission
PLANNING COMMISSION
STAFF
Paul J. Raco, Director
of Planning & Zoning
Rebecca F. Burns,
Executive Secretary
Paula Coomler Markstrom,
Permit Officer/Assistant
John C. Laughland, P.E.,
County Engineer
Natalie G. Parks,
Consultant
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The Jefferson County
Planning Commission and Staff would like to thank all of the Jefferson County
Boards and Commissions for their involvement in the writing of this Plan. The
Commission would also like to thank Region 9 Planning and Development Council
Staff for their data and Craig Yohn for his work on the Waste Water and Water
Resources chapters. Finally the Commission would like to thank all of the
public who participated in the preparation of the Comprehensive Plan.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PART I
PART II
PART III
Law
Enforcement and Emergency Services
Parks,
Recreation, Culture and the Arts
Industrial
and Commercial Land Use
LIST OF TABLES
PART II
1 Place of Birth and Residence Five Years Before the Census for
190, 1980 and 1990
2 Population Change from 1960 to 1990 by Jurisdiction
3 Population Changes by Age and Sex
4 Marital Status for 1970, 1980 and 1990
5 Years of School Completed by Residents 25 Years and Older for
1970, 1980 and 1990
6 Income of Families for 1970, 1980 and 1990
7 Population Projections
8 Population ‑ Households
9 Periodic change in Households
10 Housing Profile ‑ 1990
11 Incorporated and Unincorporated Housing Growth
12 Trends in Housing Occupancy
13 Housing Structure
14 Building Permits
15 Median Value, All Housing Sales Panhandle and
Surrounding Counties January 1, 1991 ‑ December 31, 1991
16 Estimated Values of Single Family Residential
Structures ‑ Jefferson County
17 Median Value, Owner‑Occupied Units, 1990
18 Contract Rents (Monthly)
19 Substandard Housing 1980 to 1990
20 Housing Needs for Jefferson County Based on
Assessment of Substandard Housing
21 Age of Year Round Housing Units
22 Profile of Household ‑ 1980 versus 1990
23 Source of Sewer and Water ‑ 1980 versus
1990
24 Future Housing Needs Forecasts
25 Farm Statistics
26 Farm Tenure
27 Sex by Labor Force Status, Persons 16 Years
and Older
28 Work Force Mobility
29 Average Annual Wage in Jefferson County Industries
30 Persons Employed Age 16 and Over by Occupation
for 1970, 1980 and 1990
31 Employment by Industry for 1970, 1980 and 1990
32 Retail Trade, Establishments and Sales for
1977, 1982 and 1987
33 Wholesale Trade Establishments and Sales for
1977, 1982 and 1987
34 Service Establishments and Sales for 1977,
1982 and 1987
35 Manufacturing Industries‑Establishments
and Sales for 1977, 1982 and 1987
36 Major Employers in Jefferson County
37 Industrial Site with Infrastructure
38 Undeveloped Industrial Properties
39 Industrial/Commercial Zones
PART III
40 Road Mileage by Class‑‑State
System
41 Average Daily Traffic at Selected Locations
42 Summary of Traffic Problems in Jefferson
County
43 Groundwater Use in 1988
44 Jefferson County Water Systems
45 Wastewater Treatment Plants
46 State, County and Local Police Protection
47 Police Calls in Jefferson County for 1983‑1985
and 1987‑1991
48 Emergency Operations 1987 to 1991
49 Public School Facilities in Jefferson County
50 Average Number of Pupils Per Household
51 Parks in Jefferson County
52 Rare and Endangered Species From either the
Federal List or Rangewide Status
LIST OF MAPS [[not yet
available electronically]]
PART II
1 Tax Districts
PART III
2 Highway Classification System
3 Highway Problem Areas
4 Water Systems
5 Sewer Systems
6 Fire Stations and Districts
7 Elementary School Districts
8 Junior and Senior High School Districts
9 Parks and Recreational Areas
10 Natural Resources
LIST OF FIGURES [[not
yet available electronically]]
PART II
1 Population Growth Past and Projected in Jefferson County
PART III
2 Relationship of Production to Use Jefferson County Ground‑Water
3 Ground‑Water Use ‑ Jefferson County 1988
PART I
INTRODUCTION
TO THE JEFFERSON COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
About 250 years ago,
settlers began arriving in what is now Jefferson County from Pennsylvania,
Maryland, and Virginia. They found it rich in natural resources and scenic
beauty, and they shaped it into an area with a proud cultural heritage, growing
industry, and respect for rural values. Many things in the County have changed
over the years, but most of the old values still remain, passed on from one
generation to the next and from oldtimer to newcomer.
Now we are facing a new
wave of arrivals. They are people who want to escape from the pressures and
problems of the city and, sometimes, from excessive rules and regulations. Arriving
in small numbers, they add new ideas and vitality to the community. When they
arrive in masses, they bring with them the threat that Jefferson County will
become just like the place they left. We cannot turn away people who want to
become part of our way of life. And we cannot, like many of our ancestors, move
further westward when we see the smoke from our neighbor's chimney. We need to
make decisions now that will let us grow and change while we preserve our
values and quality of life. We need a plan.
Past Planning Efforts in
Jefferson County
During the 1950's and
early 1960's, citizens in the County saw the Federal Government acquire Harpers
Ferry and express interest in using the banks of the Shenandoah and Potomac
Rivers for a national parkway. Fifty miles to the east, the Washington metropolitan
area was growing rapidly, as were most major urban areas on the eastern
seaboard, and projections showed that eventually growth would move into
Jefferson County. Citizens saw Dulles Airport as a particular nearby magnet for
some of that growth.
In response to these
events, two groups of concerned citizens began meeting informally. These
citizens felt that it was important for Jefferson County to plan its future
with an emphasis on solving problems at the local level, particularly in light
of the Federal presence in the county. In early 1967, these groups petitioned
the Jefferson County Commission to appoint a planning commission and in March
1967 the first planning commission was selected. It was composed of 11 members,
including two from each magisterial district and one county commissioner.
With the assistant of
Federal funds, the Planning Commission hired a consultant, Michael Baker, Jr.,
Inc. to prepare a Comprehensive Plan in 1968. The plan was to serve as a guide
to future growth in the County. After a series of public hearings, the plan was
submitted to the County Commission. The Comprehensive Plan was formally
adopted in June 1972, along with the County's first Subdivision Ordinance,
which regulated how land was divided into lots. This Ordinance has since been
substantially revised, first in 1973 and again in 1979.
In 1973, the Planning
Commission began preparing a Zoning Plan for the County, following the
recommendations of the Comprehensive Plan. This Zoning Plan was presented to
the citizens through a series of public hearings around the County. In May
1976, the zoning plan was placed on the ballot for public referendum. The
public decisively defeated the zoning plan by a three‑to‑one
majority.
Understanding the
reasons for the defeat of zoning in 1976 is important in initiating a program
to prepare an updated Comprehensive Plan and County planning program. To this
day, the specific reasons are debated. However, there are a few reasons that
are generally accepted.
o The zoning plan document was too complex and was misunderstood,
producing a great deal of misinformation about its potential effects on
property owners.
o Not enough time was taken to educate the public on the zoning
proposal. Meetings that were held were called "hearings," giving
citizens the impression that the zoning ordinance was virtually finalized. This
lack of public understanding caused a great deal of opposition.
o Many residents, newcomers and oldtimers alike, hold dearly to
their right to use their land as they see fit. Zoning was viewed as an
unacceptable infringement of this right.
Despite the defeat of
zoning, the 1972 Comprehensive Plan has proved to be a useful tool over the
years.
In July 1985, the
Jefferson County Planning Commission appointed a Citizen Advisory Committee
to help develop the Comprehensive Plan. The seventeen Committee members were
selected to represent not only the concerns of specific areas in the county but
also broader concerns such as business, agriculture, education, transportation,
public health and safety, land conservation, and historic preservation. Working
independently, with the help of State and County staff, the Committee completed
that task at the end of 1986.
In December of 1986, the
Planning Commission and subsequently the County Commission approved the
Comprehensive Plan which was prepared by this cross section of Jefferson County
citizens. This plan led to the adoption of the Zoning and Development Review
Ordinance adopted in 1988.
THE
BASIS FOR A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
Why Should We Plan?
Planning is a process we
all undertake. It consists of finding out where you are, where you want to go, and
how to get there. Just as the farmer or businessman must plan activities that
affect him, so should a community plan the activities that affect it. Community
planning gives elected and appointed officials a rational basis for making
their decisions based on what results are desired, what future conditions are
likely to occur, and how various independent actions can relate to each other
and be mutually beneficial.
There are many reasons
for undertaking a planning program in Jefferson County. the most prominent of
these include the following.
Advanced and
comprehensive planning will save money. Careful consideration of the many interrelated
factors of the total community will assure, as much as possible, that every new
development in the county is properly located and properly designed so that it
will not have to be torn up and replaced or moved before it is worn out. Timely
planning can also prevent costly mistakes as to the location of county
facilities and the provision of county services.
A well‑planned and
developed community is more attractive to potential investors and employers. Investors consider it
sound business to plan for their future development, and they look with favor
on communities that use such sound business measures. Employers seek
communities that are pleasant and convenient places for their personnel to
live‑‑communities that have good schools, hospitals, churches,
recreational facilities, etc. Planning efforts can aid in the realization of
these goals.
Farsighted and
innovative planning will preserve natural amenities and enhance property
values.
Good planning, coupled with equitable enforcement of control measures, will
provide a property location for all required uses of land in the county. It
will also prevent undesirable intermingling of conflicting uses of land.
A sound plan that
recognizes current land use and anticipated needs is essential to a smooth‑flowing
transportation system of roads and highways. Transportation may be considered the
link to overall development of the county. Industry, education, health,
recreation, and housing depend on an efficient transportation system for
development and survival.
Planning affords much‑needed
protection of unincorporated portions of the county surrounding existing communities. Much of the new
residential growth in the county is taking place outside the municipal
boundaries. An all‑embracing plan can prevent undesirable and costly
scattered development that becomes a heavy burden to the taxpayers. Such an
effort can prevent the cluttering of the countryside with improperly located
automobile junkyards and other property‑devaluating developments.
How Should We Plan?
Although the specific
process will vary from community to community, there are several basic steps
to the planning process. These are outlined below.
1. Assess community values and identify problems
and opportunities.
2. Determine overall goals and objectives.
3. Collect, update, and analyze information.
4. Compare and choose an alternative plan.
5. Adopt comprehensive plan.
6. Develop alternate implementation tools.
7. Adopt tools.
8. Monitor results and changing conditions.
Comprehensive Plan
Recommendations
It is very important to
note at the beginning of this plan that although there are many
recommendations included, most can only be implemented with the proper
funding mechanisms in place. Without funding these recommendations can only
be prioritized for such time when funding becomes available.
STATEMENT
OF GOALS
The following list of
general goals was prepared to serve as guidelines for the preparation of the
Comprehensive Plan. The following goals are listed randomly, with no
particular purpose as to their order:
o Encourage growth and development in areas where sewer, water,
schools, and other public facilities are available or can be provided without
excessive cost to the community.
o Insure that growth and development are both economically and
environmentally sound.
o Promote the maintenance of an agricultural base in the County at
a level sufficient to insure the continued viability of farming.
o Encourage and support commercial, industrial, and agricultural
activities to provide a healthy, diversified, and sound local economy.
o Promote the conservation of the natural, cultural, and historical
resources and preserve the County's scenic beauty.
o Advocate the maintenance and improvement of the transportation
system so that people and goods can move safely and efficiently throughout the
County.
o Provide safe, sound, decent housing for all residents of the County.
o Give citizens a chance to affect the course of planning activities,
land development, and public investment in Jefferson County.
o Establish a planning framework within which the various conflicting
activities and objectives can coexist, while providing logical, continuing, and
farsighted guidance for the future of the community.
o Support and defend private property rights while insuring overall
public health, safety, and general welfare.
ORGANIZATION
OF THE PLAN
The Comprehensive Plan has
been organized in three parts. Part A consists of the introduction which
describes the reasons and basis for planning. Part B contains three sections on
demographics, housing and economic development, and includes an analysis of
data, primarily from the U.S. Bureau of Census, in each of these areas. These
sections provide much of the basic information upon which the second part was
prepared.
Part III is comprised of
background information, analysis, and recommendations to address the major
trends and problems affecting the County. This part is broken into ten
sections based on topic and includes; Transportation, Education, Water
Resources, Wastewater Treatment, Solid Waste Disposal, Emergency Services,
Parks, Recreation, Culture and Arts, Historic Preservation, Natural Resources
and land use sections on Agriculture, Industrial and Commercial, and
Residential Development. Additional background information on each of these
areas is available for viewing in the Jefferson County Planning Commission office.
PART II
Introduction
This element of the
Comprehensive Plan analyzes trends and characteristics of past and current
populations and presents projections of future population growth.
POPULATION
GROWTH
U. S. Census population
statistics for Jefferson County from 1900 to 1990 are plotted on Figure 1.
During the first half of
this century, the population of Jefferson County ranged between 16,000 and
17,000 people. Beginning in the 1950's the population of the county began to
grow. Between 1960 and 1970 the County's population increased from 18,665 to
21,280 residents, an increase of only 14.5%. Between 1970 and 1980 population
went to 30,302, an increase of 42.3%, and between 1980 and 1990 an increase of
18.6% brought the figure up to 35,926.
Jefferson County is part
of the Washington Metropolitan Fringe as defined by the Greater Washington
Research Center. Growth in the County is influenced by what is happening in the
Washington Metropolitan Region as a whole. The Greater Washington Research
Center has pointed out the following things about growth in the region:
1. "Jurisdictions on the fringe (such as
Jefferson County, that still are not officially part of the metropolitan area
had seemed to be taking off in the 1970's; yet their growth in the 1980's was
surprisingly modest."
2. "Future growth is likely to go primarily
where the housing is most affordable."
3. During the 1970's "'Sewer moratoria' were
imposed in both the Maryland and Virginia suburbs to allow infrastructure
development to catch up with the needs created by the rapid growth of the
1960's." "The growth occurred anyway, but it took place in
jurisdictions one or two tiers farther from the center." "The 1990's
could see that history repeated."
4. "Growth patterns turned inside‑out
in the 1980's. The inner suburban jurisdictions gained far more than in the
previous decade, while growth in the suburbs farther out either slowed or increased
only moderately. And population increase in most of the fringe jurisdictions
was, surprisingly, slower in percentage terms‑‑and in a couple of
cases in numbers as well‑than during the preceding decade."
5. A significant part of the 1980's growth in
the Metropolitan Washington area "was accommodated through in‑filling‑‑building
homes and apartments, most often townhouses and low‑rise structures, on
relatively small undeveloped plots of land in heavily‑developed areas.
Many of these were inside the Beltway, in parts of Northwest Washington,
Bethesda, Silver Spring, Arlington, and Alexandria. High‑priced homes
were usually built on these lots for sale to an affluent market, and the demand
for them clearly existed, for a time at least. Many were occupied as soon as
they were completed. But this market was decidedly limited, and by the end of
the decade it was clear that it was becoming saturated."
6. "During the 1990's, the growth seems
likely to go where the housing is most affordable. For the near term, that
seems likely to include Prince George's. Both immediately and over the longer
run, it means that growth will also tend to favor the outlying counties where
it was less vigorous than expected during the 1980's. The probably result? A
return to the pattern of the 1970's, with growth occurring mainly on the
fringes, and the area becoming even more sprawling than before."
Population increases are
a result of two major factors: natural increase and migration. Natural increase
is due to a greater number of births versus the number of deaths. In Jefferson
County, between 1980 and 1990, there were 5,028 births and 2,933 deaths,
providing a natural increase of 2,095 people. This natural increase accounted
for 37.3% of the overall population growth in the county during the 1980's.
During the 1970's natural increase only accounted for 13.6% of overall growth.
The second factor which
has contributed to the county's growth has been the migration of people into
the County. To calculate the migration over the 1980 ‑ 1990 period, the
natural increase is subtracted from the difference in population for the
period. Although this does not consider annual shifts or migration out of the
County between census years, it does provide the general magnitude of net
migration to the County. Using this method, migration accounted for 3,529
persons in the County between 1980 and 1990, or approximately 353 people
annually. Compared with the decade of the 1970's, immigration has declined
from 86.4% to 62.7% of total growth and total growth as a percentage of the
1970 population figure has declined from 42.4% in the 70's to 26.4% in the
80's.
The Internal Revenue
Service maintains migration data based on exemptions claimed and changes of address.
Between 1980 and 1990 an analysis by the Planning Commission Staff showed an
estimated net migration was about 3524). The IRS data for the period between
1981 and 1982 showed a negative net migration of approximately 480 persons.
Building permits hit a low for the decade at approximately the same time.
However, in all other years during the 1980's the net migration reflected an
inflow. And in the later half of the decade the average annual net migration
was approximately 630 persons per year.
Table 1 shows the
increase in the number of individuals residing outside the county and state
five years prior to the 1970, 1980 and 1990 Census. Also shown in this table is
the birth place of County residents.
Table 1 PLACE OF BIRTH
AND RESIDENTS FIVE YEARS BEFORE THE CENSUS FOR 1970, 1980 AND 1990
% of %
of % of
Place of Birth 1970 Total 1980 Total 1990 Total
West Virginia 14812 69.6 16593 54.8 16992 47.3
Other State 5444 25.6 13099 43.2 18337 51.1
Foreign Born 54 0.3 480 1.6 597 1.6
Other 818 3.8 130 0.4
Total 21128 99.3 30302 100.0 35926 100.0
Residence 5 Years Before
Census
Same House 10921 51.3 15470 51.1 18124 50.45
Same County 4062 19.1 5343 17.6 6907 19.22
OtherWV County 978 4.6 1014 3.3 1648 4.58
Other State 2517 11.8 5794 19.1 6549 18.22
Abroad 33 0.2 393 1.3 179 .4