The changes to Wheeling's zoning downtown were proposed by a few different potential property owners.

The main issue with how it has been since 2002 were the restrictions on the first floor.

According to current zoning, property owners have to keep that floor open for commercial businesses, and that doesn't sit well with many of them, like Heather and Ryan Slack.

"When we were leasing our apartments in Centre Wheeling, we were getting a lot of requests for downtown living, so we started looking at properties downtown," said Heather Slack.

But the Slacks got some surprising news.

The majority of downtown, an area from Interstate 70 to 16th Street and Main Street to Eoff Street, was subject to a restrictive zoning code.

"The way the current code is written, residential uses are not permitted on the first floor of structures," said Tom Connelly, assistant director of Economic and Community Development.

And that was enough to make potential buyers, like the Slacks, to ask for a change.

"With a commercial vacancy on the first floor, they weren't cost-effective, so we asked the city to consider the zoning change," said Heather Slack.

City Council will take its first look an ordinance that would change those regulations at its next meeting. The ordinance already has the approval of the Development Committee.

"The city thought: If we can do something to help assist; get some of these vacant buildings back into use, then it's a minor amendment to the text to do that," said Connelly.

They are hoping more foot traffic, even if it is people living downtown, could boost the incentive for businesses to relocate or move in.

"I think that was the idea of downtown, but unfortunately, the retail just isn't in downtown anymore, and the commercial space, there's more than there are people looking," said Ryan Slack.