Land UseLand Use
The vision statement, and general goals and objectives declared in the Comprehensive Plan were long debated at neighborhood meetings, at which residents developed detailed and specific applications to the issues and needs of their portion of the City. The several municipalities, and State and federal agencies in the area discussed interdependent relationships and the needs and desires that should be written into the specific plans for the several municipalities' neighborhoods.
The business community has been very supportive of planning priorities. Developers expect to deal with an informed and involved citizenry now, and come more prepared to tout their proposals' consistency with the Plan. Citizen participation has increased since the public participation process undertaken during the development of the Comprehensive Plan.
While Morgantown's "old" City development continues to exude the diversity of family and student rental housing, and many parking, congestion, and traffic issues have moderated, the vitality is still reflective of the small town atmosphere that so many people value. In the newly annexed areas there are scattered subdivisions and business centers. The layout and project design of these new developments tends to provide the same quality of life values found in older sections of the City. However, steep hillsides and the environmentally sensitive areas have been preserved.
The road network and transportation system improvements proposed in the Plan have allowed more development without an increase in congestion and parking problems; the interaction between land use and transportation has been recognized and the new countywide Transportation Commission works closely with the City to evaluate the likely impacts of new development on the transportation system.
Since the 2000 census, when the Morgantown area became a recognized metropolitan area, many national businesses have sought to open local offices/ agencies in the area. Such activity is generally very good for business and the local economy.
This element of the Comprehensive Plan provides guidance on the future land use of the City. It includes a brief description of existing conditions and focuses on key planning priorities for the City. Land use should be assessed in conjunction with all the other elements of the Plan,
particularly transportation, community facilities, and environment, parks, and open space. This element also provides guidance on the future redevelopment of the Morgantown Riverfront, a major opportunity area for the City.
Morgantown occupies approximately 10.53 square miles, about
half of which is non-university property. One of the most
densely populated cities in the state, the City's land area is about
95 percent developed. The largest land uses are single-family
residential and institutional uses. Especially prominent are the
lands owned by West Virginia University. The City's downtown
district includes a mix of employment, retail, government,
institutional, and service uses. It is the hub of activity in the
region and is the county seat. The Existing Land Use Map
displays the existing location and distribution of uses.
As a mostly built out city, Morgantown is focused on redevelopment and renewal of existing uses and structures. Revitalization of areas such as the riverfront provides a substantial opportunity for the City to expand its tax base and improve the quality of life for residents and visitors alike.
In addition, the City has recently been fortunate to be able to annex some additional lands adjacent to the airport and in other areas, including all of WVU's farmlands. Capitalizing on these opportunities for business expansion, particularly at the airport, will assist the City in its efforts to generate more activity at the airport.
• Some of our long time residents sense that we have lost the comfortable feeling of a small town community and neighborhoods.
• Some neighborhoods in the City have no organized associations, and therefore do not have a strong voice in addressing problems, and they also suffer from a lack of sense of community.
• Growth and development in the past have been sporadic in the City. Much development is occurring outside of the city limits because land is available and there are no county regulations to guide development.
• Commercial development is encroaching upon, rather than serving the needs of residences. Better integration is desirable.
Insert Existing Land Use Map
• The municipalities and the County could benefit from jointly meeting and working on issues that are of mutual concern. The same thing is true with State and federal agencies that have property here.
• Land use planning has not focused enough on urban design, landscape architecture, aesthetics, and historic preservation, which all affect the well-being of residents.
• Development review procedures do not maximize opportunities for public comment in the decision making process.
• City entrance corridors are not as attractive as they could be.
• Utilities and infrastructure are not always available for newly developing and annexation areas.
• The Riverfront is not used to best advantage as a community asset.
The recommended land uses for the City and adjacent lands are shown on the Comprehensive Plan map and described in the more detailed recommendations, goals, objectives and strategies found throughout the text of the Plan. In addition, to showing future land use, the Comprehensive Plan shows the major physical recommendations of the Plan. The Comprehensive Plan map should be used in conjunction with the text of the Plan.
City Gateways
Gateway images are important because they contribute to the visitor's first impressions of a city. Morgantown's entrance gateways are not well-defined -- and could be improved to enhance the visitor's first image of the City.
Gateway features (landscaping and signage) should be located on highly visible sites along the primary entrance and project a quality image for the City. It is recommended that the City implement gateways/entrance features at the following locations:
Insert Comprehensive Plan Map
University Expansion
The University-owned lands identified on the Comprehensive Plan map are assumed to define the medium-term (ten-year) bounds of the university's expansion. However, there will inevitably be changes in the University's holdings resulting in
both the need to acquire more lands as well as the sale of excess lands to the private sector.
The City should make every effort to nurture the relationship between the University, which is a major job producer and community benefit, and the surrounding neighborhoods. However, the University's expansion and activity should not detract from adjacent stable residential areas. It is recommended that the City and University work together with the neighborhoods adjacent to University lands and institutions to minimize the potential for negative spill-over impacts such as traffic, noise, parking, and housing issues.
Transportation Corridors
The City should coordinate with the West Virginia Department of Transportation on the future engineering and design studies for transportation corridors. It is also recommended that the City ensure that the capacity of the connecting arterials is not compromised by the addition of more curb cuts or uses that cause the deterioration of these corridors.
Corridor Overlay District
It is recommended that the City create a zoning overlay district along the following corridors to promote a reduction in traffic congestion and visual clutter and to protect the capacity of these corridors and safeguard their visual quality.
The purpose of this overlay district is twofold:
(1) To regulate specific traffic-generating activities that may have negative impacts on traffic movement along these arterial roadways; and
(2) To regulate the visual appearance of structures and site design to enhance the visual appearance of these corridors through Morgantown and environs.
Development of the corridor overlay district should incorporate the following standards and requirements.
(a) All new or expanded uses should have access designed so as not to impede traffic on these routes. Access via shared entrances, interparcel travelways or on-site drives connecting adjacent parcels is recommended to the greatest extent feasible.
(b) Safe conditions and usable pedestrian circulation should be provided onsite to facilitate access to adjacent uses.
(c) All service areas shall be located in the rear of the building away from primary views. If exposed to view, due to unusual site conditions, service areas shall be screened with landscaping and architectural fencing.
(d) Landscaping and street trees should be required onsite along rights-of-way.
(e) Site entrance landscaping features should be required to help define and reinforce site entry areas and provide a sense of identify for development to provide a distinct and positive image for the City and its businesses.
(f) Shade trees should be provided in all parking lots.
Existing Conditions
The Monongahela River on the city's western edge stretches some four miles. It has long been valuable to the city and its development as a transportation corridor, carrying raw materials and other goods to and from Morgantown and other regions. It also provides electric power and is the source of the area's drinking water supply. Moreover, today, many in the region are beginning to appreciate the riverfront as a potential amenity and the site of significant redevelopment potential.
Exhibit 1 shows the existing land use along the riverfront and adjacent areas. Existing uses include commercial and industrial development, housing of various types, public facilities, West Virginia University's Downtown Campus, and active and passive recreation and open space areas. Some redevelopment and reuse of the riverfront have occurred in recent years but there are still many buildings that are less than fully utilized and ill-suited for modern employment uses.
Insert Exhibit 1
The new South University Avenue Riverfront Park, the Caperton Trail along the river's edge, and the planned Decker's Creek Rail Trail will provide much improved pedestrian access to and amenity features at the river's edge. In addition, improvements are being planned and are underway for the downtown Riverfront Park. Improvements include renovations to the historic train depot as well as a new outdoor amphitheater and other park amenities.
Riverfront Framework
Exhibit 2 focuses on the portion of the riverfront that is adjacent to Morgantown's downtown. This area presents the most opportunities for redevelopment and reuse and can build on the locational synergies with downtown.
The exhibit identifies potential gateways to the riverfront at the Pleasant Street Bridge and at the numerous Decker's Creek crossings. The exhibit also highlights key opportunity sites that can take advantage of the riverfront as a major amenity. These key areas are highlighted with red border and include the "Wharf District" (which lies between Southside Lumber and Decker's Creek) as well as adjacent riverfront properties from Decker's Creek to the West Virginia University owned property, including Stansbury Hall on Beechurst Avenue. WVU plans to build a smaller facility on this site where Stansbury Hall now stands with open space, playing fields and access to the riverfront. The Wharf Street area has recently been nominated as a National Register Historic District.
Other riverfront properties to the north of this zone also have long-term redevelopment potential. These properties include University-held land and privately-held properties. A mixture of land uses is envisioned for this area that includes commercial, institutional, and residential development.
The recently announced complex, just south of the "Wharf District", will contain a hotel-conference center, WVU's Administrative Services building, and a 750 car parking garage.
Riverfront Concept
Figure 3 displays a concept for the future development of a
portion of the Morgantown Riverfront. The foundation of
this concept is the development of an expanded public park
and gathering place along the river's edge. Improvements
are already underway within the City's Riverfront Park,
including renovations to the historic train depot. Ultimately,
the site will accommodate an outdoor amphitheater just
south of the Westover Bridge.
Insert Exhibit 2
Insert Figure 3
This concept also explores the idea of the long-term redevelopment of the eastern side of University Avenue between Walnut and Foundry Streets. This area is imagined as an area with a mix of uses focusing on development that takes advantage of views to the riverfront. Between the west side of University Avenue and the riverfront, the concept includes a public gathering place surrounded by new commercial uses including retail shops, restaurants, and the renovated train station. Decker's Creek is to be buffered by open space areas as it meets the Monongahela.
In the Wharf District, the opportunity exists for more employment, medium-density residential, commercial uses including restaurants and the potential for a hotel/conference center. At the terminus of Hurley Street between Clay Street and the river's edge, a small riverfront plaza is imagined.
Ongoing and Proposed Riverfront Studies
Morgantown's Riverfront is the subject of currently one, and perhaps two, on-going or soon-to-be-initiated urban design studies. One of these studies will focus exclusively on the Wharf District. This is funded by the City of Morgantown through a grant from the Appalachian Regional Council. An overall development framework and the identification and design of a phase one implementation project (such as a plaza or access improvements to the proposed Caperton Trail) are expected to be complete by December 31, 1998, with construction on this demonstration project expected to commence in the Spring of 1999.
The other study, not yet underway, would be to focus on the implementation techniques to harness the development opportunities along the riverfront. These are to be used to help move the City from visions and plans to identifying implementation strategies.
Efforts should be made to craft zoning incentives to encourage the kinds of development that support the mixed-use vision of the revitalized riverfront area. One of the implementation tools that should be studied is a zoning overlay district that would limit uses that are inconsistent with the vision of the riverfront area as the site of recreation, tourism-related, riverfront residential, and specialty retail uses and encourage desirable site planning features including historic preservation, appropriate signage, lighting, parking lot landscaping, and pedestrian and waterfront access.
When these studies are complete, it is recommended that these more detailed plans and strategies for the riverfront be incorporated into the Comprehensive Plan by amendment as an area or sector plan.
Goal A. Zoning and Land Use Plans that are consistent with the vision, goals, and objectives of the Comprehensive Plan.
Objective A1. A Land Use Plan that reflects the written concepts in the Comprehensive Plan, and a Zoning Text and Map that adequately serve as "tools" to implement the land use plan.
Strategies
A1a. Periodically, the Comprehensive Plan Map and any small area land use plans should be evaluated in light of on-going changes in the community, to keep the plan current.
A1b. Revise the Zoning (text) Ordinance to include options for new concepts in development, and to make the text more user-friendly. The Zoning Map needs to take into account the existing land use and zoning in areas adjacent to Morgantown.
A1c. Develop a close working relationship with WVU Administration and Facilities Planning Officials to evaluate off-campus impacts of University development plans, and likely changes in University policies that impact the City's Comprehensive Plan.
A1d. Work with neighborhood associations and residents to support realistic zoning changes that conform to the Comprehensive Plan.
A1e. Identify where transition/ buffer zones are needed to protect residential zones from intrusive impacts of non-residential development based upon existing conditions and land use trends. Such buffers may include open space/green space areas or land uses that act to lessen negative impacts.
Goal B. Effective, accountable enforcement of ordinances
Objective B1. Administrative procedures that result in effective enforcement of the ordinances, providing accountability of performance.
Strategies
B1a. Evaluate ordinances and administrative policies and administrative practices to define the current systems as a basis for identifying needed changes.
B1b. Assess planning/zoning limitations under State laws, and Court Actions/Attorney General's opinions that may affect changes we would like to make in the City ordinances and administrative processes. Identify desired changes to State laws based on assessment.
B1c. While working to achieve desired changes in State laws, recommend to City Council a package of revised ordinances.
B1d. Coordinate codes enforcement among City Departments, with the emphasis on a team-approach and cross-training where feasible.
B1e. Prepare a public information guide that describes the process and adopted requirements that must be fulfilled in order to obtain development permits, and distribute the guides via the City offices.
Goal C. Community infrastructure systems that meet projected development demands.
Objective C1. To have needed infrastructure in place, or provided for, before site development is initiated.
Strategies
C1a. Work with MUB to coordinate the expansion of sanitary sewer and water services in newly annexed areas.
C1b. Require developers to provide for, or submit a bond for, all required on-site and off-site infrastructure and peripheral improvements before obtaining project development permits.
Goal D. A City Council that is well informed about neighborhood-level issues and residents' concerns about implementing the Comprehensive Plan and site development plans.
Objective D1. A positive working relationship between City Council and neighborhood associations to develop specific plans for each neighborhood, in concert with the Comprehensive Plan.
Strategies
D1a. Encourage and assist neighborhood residents to organize as an association that can adequately represent its concerns and interests.
D1b. Promote citizen participation, generally, and in particular in the issues considered by the Planning Commission each month.
D1c. Work with neighborhood associations to conduct surveys that will help guide decisions on land use, specific projects, and possible changes in the Comprehensive Plan.