After two years of review, the Corporation of Shepherdstown is inviting public comment on a revised Comprehensive Plan that sets out a vision for the town to follow for the next decade. The town has scheduled a public hearing on Thursday, March 13 2025, starting at 6:00 pm at the War Memorial Building (102 East German St).
The town’s existing comprehensive plan was adopted in 2014 and state law requires the plan to be reviewed and re-adopted every 10 years. The revised plan is significantly reworked from the 2014 plan, with input from a citizen review committee that spent a year and a half reviewing the earlier plan and evaluating how well the town did (or did not) achieve the objectives of that plan.
The proposed plan leads off with a vision statement that reads: “Shepherdstown will be the cultural hub of the WV Eastern Panhandle while continuing to cherish our historic treasures, natural beauty, and small-town riverside charm.”
The proposed plan then sets out four goals to set a framework for achieving this vision during the next decade:
- Promote Shepherdstown’s economic prosperity and cultural vibrancy.
- Preserve, protect, restore, and complement Shepherdstown’s historic attributes.
- Conserve natural resources and preserve green spaces using orderly and cohesive planning and zoning while supporting growth and development in the greater Shepherdstown area.
- Administer a range of high quality and affordable services for residents, businesses, and visitors.
The plan includes what it describes as “implementation strategies” to guide specific steps the town will take to achieve these goals.
You can click here to find a copy of the draft comprehensive plan document, links to the prior plan, and an overview of the process.
You can email comments on the plan too comments@shepherdstown.gov or you can submit comments at the public hearing on March 13.
By Steve Pearson