NITRO, W.Va. — Nitro City Council approved at its Tuesday meeting to amend its zoning ordinance, limiting where homeless shelters, addiction treatment facilities and similar facilities can be placed within city limits.
The ordinance prevents social service facilities from being within 1,000 feet of a school, playground, library, athletic field, senior citizen living facility, public swimming pool or city park.
Nitro Mayor Dave Casebolt said this is not about whether or not people should be helping the poor, but rather where help can be provided.
“We don’t have a homeless problem,” he said. “We don’t have the facility. It would be unfair to the homeless to put a facility here. We don’t have the medical facility. We don’t have the mental health facilities to handle such a problem. We are a small community.”
Casebolt said the amended ordinance comes following issues with the homeless population in surrounding communities.
“They have some mental health issues and they have some drug issues,” he said. “We want to keep that away from our children, and I think this is very wise.”
The ordinance will go into effect Wednesday.