Morgantown council approves application to amend Sunnyside TIF district; public hearing held

Morgantown — The City of Morgantown City Council opened a public hearing May 27 and then voted to approve a resolution submitting an amendment application to the West Virginia Department of Economic Development to change the boundaries and financing terms of City of Morgantown Redevelopment District No. 3, commonly called the Sunnyside TIF district.

The amendment application, as described during the special meeting, would remove four parcels from the district, extend the district termination date by 15 years and allow for potential future tax-increment financing bond issuances to support additional development phases in the Sunnyside project plan. Carrie Cecil of Frost Brown Todd, who assisted the city with the application, described the request as “very straightforward,” saying it would “decrease the base assessed value for the district, extend the term by 15 years, and it allows the potential for future bond issuances.”

Why it matters: Tax-increment financing (TIF) changes can alter how property tax growth is captured and spent within a redevelopment area; extending the district’s term and bonding authority can enable further public infrastructure funding tied to project phases. City staff said the changes are intended to facilitate work by the district’s developer, Campus Neighborhoods Revitalization Corporation (CNRC).

Details and debate: City staff identified the Campus Neighborhoods Revitalization Corporation as the district developer; Russ Rogerson attended as a representative of CNRC. No public speakers registered during the hearing. Council members discussed the item briefly; no substantive changes were offered during the meeting. The city attorney and the presenters answered questions from the dais about the scope of the amendment and the mechanics of pay-as-you-go funding or additional bond issues.

Formal action: After the hearing, the council moved and seconded approval of the resolution and approved it on a roll call. The mayor called the roll and recorded six affirmative votes; the motion passed unanimously.

What’s next: Council authorized submission of the amendment application to the state; the city will prepare the application materials for the Department of Economic Development (or its successor) as described in the TIF amendment application dated April 7, 2025. Further state review and approvals will be required before any change to the district boundaries, term or bonding capacity is finalized.

Ending: Council closed the special meeting and then proceeded to the Committee of the Whole meeting. No additional votes on the Sunnyside amendment were taken at the May 27 committee session.