County notified of WVU hospitals rezoning request at 445 Van Bourse Road; health department cites minimal long-term impact, construction-phase concerns

Monongalia County administrators told commissioners Feb. 5 that the county received a planning-department notice from the City of Morgantown about a rezoning request affecting two parcels at 445 Van Bourse Road. The rezoning request, submitted by WVU hospitals, would change the zoning from R-1 to B-2 for the parcels.

County Administrator Reneta McClure said the county was notified because the parcels are within 200 feet of county health department property and that she had forwarded the notice to Anthony D. Felice for the health department’s perspective. In a response shared with the commission, Anthony D. Felice wrote that reclassifying the property “from R 1 to B 2 should have minimal impact on Mon County Health Department,” but added a construction concern: “My concern is with the construction phase of the facility, I assume it will be chaotic during that period.”

Why it matters: rezoning from residential to business zoning could change permitted land uses near county health facilities; the county health department’s comment indicates no operational impact is expected after construction but signals staff expect construction-phase disruption that could affect neighboring county property or services.

The City of Morgantown is scheduled to hold a public hearing on the request on Feb. 13 at 6:30 p.m., according to the notice forwarded to the commission. The commission did not take formal action at the Feb. 5 meeting; staff said they would await a formal application or further feedback from the health department if needed.