Planning commission approves minor subdivision of Parcel 1 on Research Park Road; consolidation with Morgan parcel clarified as not requested

The Morgantown Planning Commission approved a minor subdivision of Parcel 1 off Research Park Road that will allow a portion of the property to be sold to and used by the Board of Education, while clarifying the application did not include consolidation with a Morgan District parcel.

Staff presented maps showing the yellow-shaded Parcel 1 to be subdivided and explained the applicant intends to consolidate that new parcel with Parcel 18.1 in the Morgan Tax District if the Board later pursues that option. During discussion the applicant clarified they had applied only for a minor subdivision of the yellow portion; they had not applied to consolidate a parcel inside the city with the Morgan District parcel outside city limits.

Why it matters: The subdivision creates a parcel with street access that had been landlocked and clears the way for the Board of Education's planned purchase. Commissioners asked whether approving a split that leaves portions of a parcel inside and outside city limits could create long-term jurisdictional complications.

Staff’s presentation described the plan and showed Google Street View imagery and the proposed residual lots. Staff recommended approval of the minor subdivision and noted a condition that the applicant provide staff with a copy of the purchase-and-sale agreement or a letter showing the Board of Education’s involvement.

The applicant clarified several points on the record. The applicant’s representative said the yellow parcel is part of the original University Farm and that both parcels are inside the Fifth Ward; in response to commissioners’ concerns about mixed jurisdiction, the applicant said annexation of the Morgan District parcel was being “very seriously considered.” The city attorney (referred to as counsel) and staff discussed that if the Morgan parcel remained in the West Run (Westfront) Zoning District and was not annexed, future development of the parcel might require conditional-use review under the West Run rules.

Commissioners asked how future development over a boundary would be handled, including user fees and emergency response for a building that might straddle city limits. Staff deferred legal and fee questions to the city attorney, noting the city has limited authority to regulate Board of Education construction and that detailed arrangements would be addressed later.

The applicant clarified that their formal application was “for minor subdivision” only and not for consolidation; the motion was amended on the record to approve the subdivision only. A motion to approve the minor subdivision (Parcel 1 into two parcels, with a staff notation that consolidation with Parcel 18.1 was not part of this approval) passed unanimously in the recorded roll call.

The commission asked staff to note on the plat that the approval applies only to the subdivision of the yellow section and does not consolidate Parcel 18.1 in the Morgan District. Staff said they will bring further cleanup language on minor subdivisions to the next meeting.

Votes at a glance: Motion to approve minor subdivision of Parcel 1 (as clarified, subdivision only; consolidation with Morgan parcel not approved) — outcome: approved (unanimous recorded ayes).