Huntington planning commission asks council to formalize its role on variances and annexations

HUNTINGTON — At its Aug. 14 meeting the Huntington Planning and Zoning Commission voted to ask City Council to add clear language to the municipal code directing annexation and variance requests first to the commission for review and then to council for final action.

Patrick, a member of the planning commission who led the proposal, told the panel the change would align annexation and variance procedures with how subdivision applications are handled now. "The request is made to planning and zoning, and a referral of decision — a recommendation — is made to City Council," he said during the discussion, urging the commission to request wording that mirrors existing code language for subdivisions.

The request was made as a motion and seconded by another commissioner. The chair called for a voice vote; the commission recorded 'Aye' and no nays were noted. Commissioners asked staff to draft the precise code amendment language to match existing subdivision referral wording so the new language would read consistently with other development sections.

Why it matters: commissioners said the change is primarily a procedural clarification that would put the review process in the expected order — applicants would come before Planning and Zoning first, the commission would form a recommendation, and City Council would retain the ultimate decision-making authority. Commissioners emphasized they were not seeking to usurp council authority but to make the review pathway explicit in the code.

What’s next: staff were asked to prepare suggested code-book language and bring it to a future meeting so the commission can finalize its recommendation before forwarding it to City Council. The record shows the commission approved the request and will pursue drafting the revision.