Updated on Wednesday, March 19, 2025 at 11:41 a.m.
A unanimous “no” from the Jefferson County Planning Commission might not signal the end of Mountain Pure Water Bottling Facility.
Plans for Mountain Pure, a million-square-foot bottling plant proposed for the historic village of Middleway, appeared on commissioners’ desks last November. Commissioners voted down a revised plan from Sidewinder Enterprises, the single-purpose development company leading the project, on March 11.
But management partner Sean Masterson says his team is currently “pursuing all options” to bring the project to fruition.
In an email statement provided to West Virginia Public Broadcasting through a media representative Monday, Masterson maintained that the project would bring financial benefit to the region, including new jobs and tax dollars.
“We disagree with the planning commission’s motion to reject our concept plan,” Masterson wrote. “We also disagree with the notion that this project is not within the parameters of the zoning ordinance.”
Members of the commission voted against the project proposal on the grounds that it does not adhere to county zoning laws, including a provision that forbids development that destroys protected historic sites. The Middleway Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.
Since Sidewinder presented the commission its plan for Mountain Pure last fall, the project has faced overwhelming pushback from residents concerned about its impact on the environment, water levels, traffic and historic preservation in Middleway and neighboring communities.
Protect Middleway is a local grassroots organization that formed in opposition to the Mountain Pure project plan. In a message to West Virginia Public Broadcasting, organizer Jessie Norris said the group’s members “stand by the planning commission’s decision,” which they said reflected both concerns from the and conflicts with local zoning ordinances.
“We support businesses that coexisting respectfully with the historic village and local farmers. We hope they choose a path that fosters cooperation rather than conflict,” Norris wrote. “How they proceed will show whether they intend to work with the community as ‘good corporate neighbors’ or dismiss the legitimate concerns of residents and county leaders.”
**Editor’s Note: This story was updated to include a comment from Jessie Norris, an organizer with Protect Middleway.
