The City of Morgantown Board of Zoning Appeals on Nov. 20 granted a parking variance for 734 Wells Street, allowing owner John Espinosa to renovate a single‑family structure without providing the two off‑street spaces the city code normally requires. The board attached the standard planning condition and an additional requirement that tenants apply for Morgantown Parking Authority permits.

Planning staff introduced VAR25‑076 and said the application materials and findings of fact were in the packet and recommended no objection subject to the usual standard condition. Applicant representative Jonathan Ellsworth said an engineer had identified “real concerns around drainage” and that removing a tree and excavating for a driveway could destabilize soil and cause erosion, making construction of compliant off‑street parking impracticable.

Board members discussed alternatives, including leasing church parking and street passes from the Morgantown Parking Authority, but staff and members clarified that on‑street or off‑site spaces outside the city’s 300‑foot allowance do not meet the off‑street parking standard without a text amendment. Several members described the site constraints — slope, tree root structure and drainage — as creating a non‑self‑created hardship supporting variance relief.

The public hearing produced no speakers. The board voted to accept the findings of fact and then to grant the requested variance subject to the standard planning condition and the additional condition that tenants apply for Morgantown Parking Authority permits (per the board’s motion). The chair reminded the applicant that the decision may be appealed to the Circuit Court of Monongalia County within 30 days and that any work undertaken during the appeals period is at the applicant’s financial risk.

John Espinosa acknowledged the board’s action and thanked members for their consideration. Planning staff will send written notification of the decision in about a week.