Fairmont City Council considers PODA ordinance
FAIRMONT, W.Va. (WBOY) — The Fairmont City Council convened Tuesday evening to introduce and hold the first reading of an ordinance authorizing the regulation of Private Outdoor Designated Areas (PODAs) within city limits, following in the footsteps of other nearby cities.
If adopted, PODA permits may be issued to alcohol establishments, allowing for the business to apply for a license from the West Virginia Alcohol Beverage Control Commissioner to serve alcohol that can be taken off-property, so long as the customer remains within the district.
Proposed operating hours for PODAs are Monday through Friday from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. The ordinance also grants the City Manager authority to adjust operating hours as needed, with a requirement to inform the public of any changes.
'If you're, you know, going to 'The Joe' here in downtown or you're at 'Stumptown' and you grab a drink, you'll be able to get that drink in a PODA cup, it has to be in that logoed PODA cup, and they'll be able to, to go to another business establishment,' said Fairmont City Manager Travis Blosser. 'Our businesses have been asking for this, in particular 'Stumptown' and 'The Joe.''
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The ordinance outlines safety and maintenance measures, including regular patrols by at least one uniformed Fairmont Police officer. Fairmont Fire Department personnel stationed at Central Station, located within the PODA, will respond to emergencies as needed. Public Works staff will be responsible for ongoing maintenance, such as trash removal and street sweeping.
If adopted, Fairmont will join other local cities like Clarksburg and Morgantown, which have implemented PODAs of their own.
'Ours will be a little bit different in just the kind of the size. So, you'll have the access to be able to walk across the high level bridge to get to Merchant Street area to that section of the PODA, but based on kind of how our downtown is, our downtown corridor is not a traditional, just a one street downtown corridor, so our downtown expands on both the East and West Side of the river. And so, that will be a little bit different than what a lot of these other communities have had,' Blosser said.
A public hearing and second reading of the ordinance is scheduled for Tuesday, May 27, at 6 p.m. in the council chambers at the Fairmont Public Safety Building.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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