MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Years of no basic regulations for subdivisions have taken a toll on roads and housing developments in the Morgantown area.
Residents of the Cheat Lake area have brought a petition to the Monongalia County Commission asking for help to get the state Division of Highways to repair roads and establish drainage. The petitioners told commissioners years of unregulated development have led to washouts, slides and damage to private property.
The regulations provide a standard template for governing bodies to ensure safe and proper development of roads, stormwater management, utilities, right of ways, and other infrastructure needs.
Monongalia County planner Andrew Gast-Bray said proposed regulations are designed to preserve property and enhance safety.
“One of the problems with former development patterns is there was always one-way in and one-way out of these big subdivisions and that’s bad for so many reasons,” he said.
Gast-Bray said residents won’t notice a big change with the regulations, but future development can be done impacting past work.
Three public meetings on the new rules have been scheduled:
— Wednesday at the Cheat lake Elementary School at 6:30 p.m.
— Oct. 7 at the Clay-Battelle High School 6:30 p.m.
— Oct. 14 at University High School at 6:30 p.m.