Every week, The Observer digs into the details that matter in Jefferson County. Our content is free for everyone to read, but producing well-researched local news isn’t free.
The Jefferson County Planning Commission met with its attorney on July 22 to discuss the Sidewinder lawsuit, but the commissioners did not vote or make any public comment on the legal proceedings during that meeting.
Community Pitches In To Help Elderly Residents Hit By Storm
The Charles Towers building has a temporary roof in place.
The storm that passed through Jefferson County on the evening of July 16 hit the Charles Towers apartment building particularly hard, forcing more than 80 residents to evacuate after the roof was blown off. What happened next was just as powerful — dozens and dozens of volunteers stepped in quickly to assist with relocating and sheltering the mostly elderly residents.
A representative of the building’s owner who was on-site on Tuesday to oversee the repairs remarked that he was astounded by the amount of community support. His crew was just finishing installing a temporary roof and he said the company plans to move the residents back into their homes on Friday, July 25.
A Community Effort
Charles Town Mayor Micheal George issued the following statement when asked about the community’s efforts to help:
“It was heartwarming to see neighbors helping neighbors and coming together to support each other. I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to the many people, businesses, and groups that contributed to the response efforts, including Charles Town City staff, City of Ranson, Charles Town Police Department, Independence and Citizen Fire Department, Red Cross, WVU Medicine Berkeley and Jefferson Medical Centers, Jefferson County Ministries, Kiwanis and K Kids, Jefferson County Humane Society, WV Homeland Security and Emergency Management, Jefferson County Schools, Jefferson Pharmacy, Chic-fil-A Ranson, Andy’s Pizza, Fit to Move LLC, Corner Connection, Telamon Corp., Rescue Me WV, Mara Bauserman, Heidi Greenleaf, Keith Lowery, Karren Scott, Debbie McClure, Alyssa Nazarok, Leah Brooks, Malissa Coy, Conor Roche, and many others. Your support was invaluable.”
Coordination Is Key
“The response to the incident followed our standard operating guidelines for evacuation and sheltering,” according to a statement provided by Stephen Rivera, the Public Affairs Coordinator for the Jefferson County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. “During this incident, we were able to quickly activate the plans and pull in the necessary partnerships. Effectively bringing in the agencies and organizations needed to support sheltering efforts and meet the immediate needs of impacted residents.”
Birdhill Subdivision On 8/12 Planning Commission Agenda
The Jefferson County Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on August 12 to review a preliminary plat for the Birdhill Meadows subdivision planned for 195 acres off Route 480 in Kearneysville.
Plans for 720 Homes
Lennar, a home building company that operates nationwide, has plans to build 720 houses on this site. The topic for discussion on April 12 is Phase 1 of the project, which shows 115 townhomes and 104 single family homes. The plans show three additional phases for a total of 396 townhomes and 324 single family detached homes, plus a fifth phase that is labeled “light industrial.”
From the description in the plans, the project appears to be similar to Lennar’s Shenandoah Springs development pictured above, with a mix of townhomes and small-lot detached homes.
After the concept plan approval, the next step at the Planning Commission is for the applicant to submit a preliminary plat that includes all of the site work details for review (roads, water lines, sewer lines, stormwater management, etc.). US Home LLC, the company doing the site work for the project, submitted a preliminary plat in early 2025, but the Planning Commission staff determined that it was incomplete at that time because the company had not yet received approval for its stormwater management plan (for an example of why these plans are important, you can read about the problems with the stormwater management at the Blake solar project).
This August 12 public hearing will be the first one conducted under the rules recently revised by the Planning Commission that set an overall 90-minute limit on public comment for each hearing item. Individual speakers will still have up to 3 minutes to speak during the public comment period, but the chair of the Planning Commission will be able to end comments after a total of 90 minutes of speaking time has elapsed.
During the Planning Commission’s deliberations about limiting public comment, several of the commissioners complained about public comments repeating the same point and encouraged commenters to join together to show their support for each point, rather than having each speaker repeat similar comments. As an example of what they find helpful, several commissioners recently referenced the Jefferson County Foundation’s comments.
This non-profit organization researches land use issues and has provided detailed briefings to the Planning Commission on other projects. Its website has details and analysis of this project. The Foundation says it plans to update this information next week after it reviews the engineering plans. Foundation representatives also said it will have a comment portal to assist residents with submitting written comments to the Planning Commission.
A word from the Contemporary American Theater Festival
CATF invites you to experience the story of two queer Hollywood stuntmen as they navigate the dangers of exposing their love. Happy Fall, based on true life events, is told with live stunts, video, puppetry, and cinematic illusions. This world premiere illuminates issues of identity, and highlights both the importance and danger of being true to one’s self. Discover Happy Fall and the other four world premieres at the Contemporary American Theater Festival, running July 11 – August 3. Tickets online at CATF.org.
County Commission Invites Residents To Tour New Buildings
The County Commission held its July 17 meeting in the new facility.
The festivities are scheduled to begin at 2:00 with local vendors and food trucks set up in the parking lots around the buildings. The five County Commissioners will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony starting at 4:00. After that, the public will be invited to self-tour the building, with a scavenger hunt “bingo card” you can turn in for prizes afterward.
The Jefferson County Parks And Recreation Commission will screen a family-friendly movie in the County Commission’s meeting room starting at 6 pm.
The Bridge Gallery Summer Exhibit Continues Until August 3!
Come meet Joshua Hoffman, an award-winning Plein Air painter, who will be present for a closing event at the gallery on Saturday, August 2, 4-6 pm. Meanwhile, Shepherdstown native Keron Psillas Oliveira's floral images on silk scarves are stealing the show.
Highlights of upcoming events around Jefferson County:
USPS 250th Anniversary Panel Discussion — Commemorating the origins of Rural Free Delivery with expert panelists (Shepherdstown Opera House, 131 West German St., Shepherdstown). Thursday, July 24, 7 pm. Free. Info…
Live Music at The AMP: Kaira Ba — West African rhythms meet American funk in this performance at Sam Michaels Park (235 Sam Michaels Ln., Shenandoah Junction). Thursday, July 24, 7:30 pm (gates open 6:30). Free. Info…
More Than Mail: Rural Carriers on the Frontlines — Morning program features the leadership of the National Rural Letter Carriers’ Association. Byrd Center (213 North King St., Shepherdstown). Friday, July 25, 9:30–11 am. Free. Info…
The Wizard of Oz — The classic musical comes to life on stage at the Old Opera House (204 North George St., Charles Town). Friday–Sunday, July 25–27. $ Info…
Tabler Farm Community Potluck — The community is invited to bring a dish to share at Tabler Farm (482 Billmeyer Road, Shepherdstown). Friday, July 25, 5:00 - 7:00 pm. Free. Info…
Star Party at Morgan’s Grove Park — Gaze into the summer night sky with the TriState Astronomers at Morgan’s Grove Park (4198 Kearneysville Pike, Shepherdstown). Friday, July 25, 8:30 - 10:30 pm. Free. Info…
Ribbon Cutting Celebration — Jefferson County officials host a ribbon cutting for the newly-acquired government buildings followed by family-oriented activities including a free movie (393 N. Lawrence and 330 N. George streets, Charles Town). Saturday, July 26, outdoor event starts at 2 pm, ribbon-cutting at 4 pm, movie 6 pm. Free. Info…
Town Run Cleanup Day — Join Town Run Watershed and Bee City volunteers to clean the stream and remove invasive plants (S. King St. & W. Back Alley, Shepherdstown). Bring water, gloves, and tools. Saturday, July 26, 5–7 pm. Free. Info….
Case Nature Center Open House — Explore this special PVAS nature preserve during a rare public open day (Cool Spring Preserve, 1469 Lloyd Rd., Charles Town). Tuesday, July 29, 9:30 am–3 pm. Free. Info…
Agritourism at Windward Farm — Learn about sustainable farming, farm stays, and local food initiatives (Windward Farm, 743 Windward Lane, Shepherdstown) hosted by Future Harvest. Tuesday, July 29, 10 am–1 pm. $5 admission includes lunch. Info…
Stories in the Park: Two Thousand Miles to Happy — Outdoor storytelling presented by the Harpers Ferry Park Association (Lower Town, Harpers Ferry National Historical Park). Wednesday, July 30, 10 am. $. Info…
Contemporary American Theater Festival — The 2025 CATF season runs through August 3 in Shepherdstown. Tickets for select performances are still available. $ Info & Tickets…
