Community Facilities

Vision Statement



Through the participation of residents of the larger Morgantown area in developing the Comprehensive Plan, the public assets, the buildings, properties, equipment, and services began to be seen in the context of serving the urban area in coordination with similar assets of the other public entities. The spirit of joint venture, of City and non-City residents, led to more formalized linkages of public and private sector interests, and inter-governmental coordination relationships.

Building on the successes of BOPARC and MUB and the Mountain Line, the County, municipalities, and WVU agreed to seek greater efficiency and economy in services via joint ventures. In some cases this coordination involved cost-sharing, and in some cases a shifting of responsibilities. The major objective has been improved services to the public, with greater cost efficiency.

As the urban area population grew, there was a need for more and better space to house the agencies providing the services. A new County-municipal building was built to serve the Morgantown, Star City, and Westover local government offices most frequently visited by the general public. The older buildings in these cities have been used for more specialized governmental functions. The old Courthouse has been refurbished to house the expanded needs of Circuit Court and Magistrate Court.

Recreation, public transit, water and sanitary sewers, police and fire, library, economic development, and other public functions have been largely unified in functions, to better meet the overall needs of the residents of the community.

Overview



This segment of the City Plan addresses some of the public properties, buildings, facilities and services that are not otherwise specifically addressed in the City Plan. These "supporting members of the cast" are often taken for granted, but are critical to the public health, safety, and general welfare of residents. As such, they are also interrelated to all the other elements of the City's Plan in some way. Rebuilding, maintaining, and expanding these community facilities is ongoing. Growth in population and development, whether or not annexations occur, requires periodic evaluation of the adequacy of such pubic facilities. The need to provide efficient and economical solutions poses the opportunities for County and municipal governments, authorities, and State agencies located here to coordinate and cooperate in serving their constituents.







Included in this assessment are: - Refuse services - City Hall - City Library - Water and sanitary sewers - Stormwater sewers - Other utilities - Schools - Hospitals - Public Safety Building - Fire stations - City Garage

Planning Context





In most communities the residents expect that the responsible public body will provide certain services at an acceptable degree of efficiency and economy. Morgantown, as the oldest and largest city in this county, has had the best economic base to tax in order to provide the necessary and desired public services. As such, the City's facilities and services are often used by non-residents, and as in the case of the MUB, the service area has been extended officially. The impact of WVU students on some city services is significant, but then the University is also a major economic factor to private sector interests in the City.

In the last decade an increased emphasis has been placed on inter-governmental coordination, including WVU, the public schools, public authorities (i.e., the Mountain Line), and getting private sector support for projects and programs that enhance residents' quality of life--a significant factor in attracting new businesses to the Morgantown area. General citizen support for this approach has the impact of encouraging elected representatives to work towards the objectives that their supporters favor.

The statements of goals and objectives in the Comprehensive Plan interrelate with the provision of community facilities and services. As issues are addressed by citizen groups and elected officials, the interrelationship to public buildings, facilities, and services must be included in the equation.

Refuse collection and disposal is now contracted by the City to a private sector firm. Disposal of wastes at sites is approved by the State. The City's former landfill at the City Airport has been closed and is under long-term observation in accordance with the State environmental requirements.



City Hall was originally built as the Central Fire Station, this building houses several general administrative functions: City Manager, City Clerk, City Engineer, Building Inspections, City Planning, Animal Control, Finance, and leased space to Main Street Morgantown. The City Library, overseen by a board appointed by City Council, serves a metropolitan clientele that includes public schools and WVU students. Inter-library services are provided to better serve residents.

Water and Sanitary Sewers systems of the City were placed under a newly created Morgantown Utility Board in 1987. Since then, both utilities have been operated from the offices and yard located on Greenbag Road. Both utility functions have been expanded to serve beyond City boundaries. Water distribution, both directly and indirectly (via public service districts), serves over 90 percent of the County's population. Sanitary sewers now serve about 60 percent of the County's population.

The water treatment plant on South University Avenue pumps a daily average of almost 9 million gallons, with a peak day demand of almost 11 million gallons.

The sanitary sewer treatment plant is near the Star City Bridge, on the Monongahela River. This plant had its primary treatment/ sedimentation and digester tank installed in the 1960's, and periodic upgrades since 1981 have kept the plant up to date with federal requirements. It has a treatment capacity of 10 million gallons per day.

Stormwater Sewers were retained by the City Engineering Office when MUB was created in 1987. As MUB took steps to identify and mitigate the intrusion of storm and groundwater that had been getting into the sanitary sewers, the Engineering Office had an increase in time and costs to replace old storm sewer lines and upgrade the older storm sewers that were failing. Some parts of both the storm and sanitary sewer systems have sections that are over 150 years of age.

Other Utilities, such as natural gas, electricity, steam lines, and communications systems are controlled by state agencies. City administration does attempt to work with these entities to improve their service capacities, and at the same time to have them comply with City objectives in community development.





The Public Safety Building was built in 1990 to house the Police Department, the Fire Department administrative offices, Municipal Court, and the Parking Authority.

Fire Stations in the City are located on South High, Hillcrest, and North Streets, giving geographical dispersion of equipment and personnel. The Department is the only full-time one in the county.

The Public Schools by State law are not subject to City regulation. They have ongoing physical plant changes to upgrade, replace, and otherwise meet the changes in county demographics and educational requirements. Only two new schools have been built near the City in recent years, but several older elementary schools in the City have been closed. Hospitals located in and adjacent to the City have made Morgantown a regional medical center that serves residents of some counties in Pennsylvania as well as West Virginia. While the City has no jurisdiction over these facilities, their development and service facilities have both direct and indirect impacts on the community and its economy. City Public Works Garage facilities for equipment maintenance and storage is on Mississippi Street at Greenbag Road. At the current time Mountain Line public transit operations are there, too. By cooperative agreements, fuel for City and other public agencies is dispensed there. A new Signs and Signals building was added in 1997, providing better operations space for this function.

Public Parking Facilities are overseen by the Parking Authority, appointed by City Council. It oversees development, operations, and enforcement of three parking garages and several surface parking lots, plus metered curb spaces in the downtown area, totaling about 1600 spaces.

Current Deficiencies



Keeping an old, growing City's infrastructure and services current during a time of fast-paced technological advancements in the culture at large is a significant challenge. Deficiencies are sometimes of a functional nature, sometimes caused by legal decisions and laws, and sometimes related to community values as opposed to functional capabilities.

Refuse collection via private sector contracts, instituted in the early 1990's, seems to work rather well, although it is an ongoing job to deal with service problems that occur. Landfill sites are outside the local area, and long-term disposal costs to residents are related to that distance and per-yard charges at the landfill. Current issues include unsightly on-site storage of rubbish awaiting pick-up, and educating new residents to the way things operate here.

City Hall's concrete construction gives it a high degree of stability, but at the same time it is inflexible in space utilization. The building's original windows are not energy efficient, and the heating and cooling systems have no air exchange/ circulation. Interior lighting is also energy inefficient. Electrical, communications, and plumbing systems have been repaired and amended over the years, and are difficult to work on. The building has a degree of local historic value and is fairly accessible to the general public. Adding a floor(s) to the building may be possible, but upgrading the systems of the existing building to be compatible with an addition may be too costly.

City Library space needs were addressed when the second floor was added in 1990. Space utilization and technological updates to the library's functions have increased its use by residents.

Water and Sanitary Sewer System deficiencies are addressed on an ongoing basis by MUB, through scheduled repairs, replacements, and upgrades to the collection, treatment, and disposal facilities. Ongoing efforts to serve outlying package plants and public service districts by the MUB system generally increases MUB's responsibilities, to bring those facilities into compliance with MUB's operating standards.

City Stormwater and Storm Sewer System deficiencies are centered on repair and replacement of failing storm sewers. The aging tiles are being replaced with modern products that resist common problems. Capacity of sewers in some locations has become an issue due to increased run-off from paved surfaces. Some streams' historic flood levels are being eclipsed as lands outside the City are developed, and measures to detain the extra run-off are not undertaken. Sedimentation of streams has caused further problems as soil erosion mitigation has not been handled well on many sites being developed outside the City.

Other Utilities, being a "business," do have an interest in providing their customer base with acceptable levels of service. Changing technologies, new products, and upgrading and maintaining their aging infrastructure require ongoing efforts. The City has little it can do to regulate activities of these entities, but needs to develop means of educating their leadership about City goals and objectives, so that their expansion and services mesh with our plans for the areas and customers they serve.



Public Schools in Monongalia County are being upgraded or replaced in accordance with the School Board's adopted policies on restructuring and expansion in growth areas of the County. Abandonment of outdated facilities is part of the equation, too. Consolidation of services and replacing old, costly-to-maintain school facilities are Board's capital improvement objectives.

Hospitals, both Ruby Memorial and Monongalia General, serve a growing multi-state population base. Each type of hospital has room to expand, and each specialized service being provided must be justified by the marketplace and patient demands. The coordination of all hospitals' growth and development is scrutinized by State agencies. Meshing the hospitals' development plans with community growth and development plans will require coordination.

Police Department operations are rather well provided for in the Public Safety Building. If increased service area requirements occur, a reevaluation of space needs will be required.

Fire Department administrative offices in the Public Safety Building are adequate. If additional staffing is required, a reevaluation will be needed.

Fire stations and equipment are always being upgraded as their life expectancy is approached. Replacement of the North Street Station is being studied now, with a new station to be located to better serve the northern part of the City and WVU campus.

Public Parking in the surface lots, curb spaces, and garages are all on a regular maintenance schedule. A recent professional review of adequacy of downtown parking resources judged them "good." While there is always room for improvement, the public parking spaces are reasonably close to most business and office sites. Several floors could be added to the Spruce Street Garage, if needed.

City Public Works Garage facilities include some fairly new buildings, and even the older ones are adequate for the functions going on there. Upgrades have been both internal and external, including new covered fuel pumps and mechanical equipment. Storage of all vehicles and equipment out of the weather has not been achieved, and the site has had an ongoing problem of tampering and theft.

Recommended Improvements



Refuse Collection has problems that can be helped to a large extent by requiring adequate screened refuse storage units which can be properly accessed by the collection vehicles. Educating new residents about the City's requirements for storage and pick-up and enforcing City laws are needed.

City Hall functions and space utilization need to be evaluated as part of separate and joint evaluations of municipal and County governmental agency space needs. Such a study would take into account the projected County growth, increased service requirements, residents' accessibility to public offices, and efficiencies and economics that could be achieved by constructing a joint county-municipal building/ complex.

In the City's previous Comprehensive Plan, it was suggested that a joint City-County building should be evaluated. The County has in recent years moved some offices to outlying locations. Star City and the City of Westover should be included in the study.

Library facilities have undergone a recent addition and renovation that upgraded the facility to a high level of functionality. While space is reasonably adequate, there is an ongoing need to keep the technological assets current, too. As the greater Morgantown area's population grows, the City Library will need to expand resources in its role as the community library.

Water and Sanitary Sewers are managed by MUB's commitment to quality service on a sound economic base, and with high environmental standards. This service should be extended throughout the urbanizing area, but in concert with the adopted land development plans. In particular, this pertains to MUB's sewer system which serves about 60 percent of the County's population now, as opposed to the water system which serves over 90 percent of the County population.

Storm Sewers require ongoing maintenance, repair, and replacement of the aging stormwater system. What is also needed are public policies that require soil erosion, sedimentation control, and on-site stormwater detention practices in new land developments. The City has adopted such policies, and the WV-DOT utilizes controls over lands that feed into DOH roadside stormwater facilities. The cost to the public is less, and the threats of flooding are reduced by implementation of such policies. Several watersheds extend outside of Morgantown, and currently the County exercises no regulation of development in this respect.





Other Utilities generally share in the public rights-of-way space with City utilities, State (WV-DOT) infrastructure, and private property access. What is good and convenient for one utility may not be good for another, or for the traveling public. Corner clear vision problems have been increased by placement of utility poles along the curb line rather than on the R.O.W. line, and United States Postal Service mail boxes and newspaper sales boxes have blossomed in locations that impair clear vision along streets. Agencies responsible for these installations need to recognize the issue and adopt policies to improve public safety by relocating their conflicting installations. As new development takes place in the urban area, those policies would avoid current problems. Undergrounding of electrical and other wire-utilities, although more costly initially, is recommended for practical and aesthetic reasons. Storm-related damages, over the long run, could offset the initial undergrounding costs.

Schools and Hospitals, overseen by Boards that manage development of these facilities, should coordinate with County and City officials about facility planning. New and expanded facilities can be properly served by, and mesh with, public land development plans.

Police and Fire Departments located within the Public Safety Building have design capacity to serve certain functions and staffing levels. As the City of Morgantown grows though redevelopment and annexation, there will be a need to evaluate changes needed to provide adequate services. A study for locating a new fire station in the north end of the City is underway. The Fire Department plans to develop a facility at the base of Walnut Street to provide service to the Caperton Trail and riverfront areas.

Public Parking, in the downtown and riverfront areas, in addition to the ongoing maintenance program for the lots and garages, need to be aesthetically enhanced. Peripheral landscaping and interior-lot greenspaces should be created. The efforts of the Parking Authority to encourage downtown business development, in conjunction with Main Street Morgantown, have been helpful. Additional coordination with business and property owners, to bring their on-site parking up to par with City lots would reflect well on public parking lots. It is not desirable to create more private parking if it reduces the potential for business development space. There are about 1,600 public parking spaces, and a total of about 4,000 spaces in the downtown area.

City Public Works Garage facilities need to have buildings or shelters for all equipment stored there. Once the Mountain Line offices and maintenance functions are relocated there will be more space available for public works activities. Security of the site should be improved, to avoid losses to City property.

Goals, Objectives, Strategies



Goal A. To provide all community facilities in an efficient manner, allowing easy, convenient access to these facilities for City residents.

Objective A1. Ensure that community facilities keep pace with population growth and the changing needs of the citizens.

Objective A2. Identify deficiencies and program new facilities as needed.

Objective A3. Identify interjurisdictional concerns and cooperative requirements necessary to assure adequacy of all community facilities.

Goal B. Provide adequate water and sanitary sewer systems to meet the current and future needs of Morgantown.



Objective B1. Ensure continued coordination with the Morgantown Utility Board in providing safe and adequate systems.

Objective B2. Ensure greater coordination with the Morgantown Utility Board in upgrading the existing systems and treatment plants to meet projected needs.

Goal C. Provide an adequate stormwater management/storm drain network to meet the current and future needs of Morgantown.

Objective C1. Develop policies for regulating stormwater management requirements and storm drain improvement needs as part of the development process.

Objective C2. Update development regulations to assure compliance with State Stormwater Management requirements.

Objective C3. List stormwater drainage problem areas and prioritize to mitigate problems in these areas.

Objective C4. Seek interjurisdictional cooperation to manage stormwater problems originating outside City limits but which impact "down stream" conditions in Morgantown.