West Virginia Code Chapter 8A. Land Use Planning § 8A-3-1. Purpose and goals of a comprehensive plan

(1) Set goals and objectives for land development, uses and suitability for a governing body, so a governing body can make an informed decision;

(2) Ensure that the elements in the comprehensive plan are consistent;

(3) Coordinate all governing bodies, units of government and other planning commissions to ensure that all comprehensive plans and future development are compatible;

(4) Create conditions favorable to health, safety, mobility, transportation, prosperity, civic activities, recreational, educational, cultural opportunities and historic resources;

(5) Reduce the wastes of physical, financial, natural or human resources which result from haphazard development, congestion or scattering of population;

(6) Reduce the destruction or demolition of historic sites and other resources by reusing land and buildings and revitalizing areas;

(7) Promote a sense of community, character and identity;

(8) Promote the efficient utilization of natural resources, rural land, agricultural land and scenic areas;

(9) Focus development in existing developed areas and fill in vacant or underused land near existing developed areas to create well designed and coordinated communities; and

(10) Promote cost-effective development of community facilities and services.

(1) Density bonuses and/or density transfer;

(2) Clustering;

(3) Design guidelines, including planned unit developments;

(4) Conservation easements;

(5) Infill development;

(6) Consolidation of services; and

(7) Any other innovative land use technique that will promote the governing body's development plans.