Morgan County briefs

August 07, 2006|by TRISH RUDDER

Moratorium on subdivisions rejected

BERKELEY SPRINGS, W.Va. - The Morgan County Commission decided Friday to reject the petition request for a temporary moratorium on subdivisions in the county.

Commissioner Bob Ford said a moratorium will not be considered at this time. He said the general concern of the public was considered, "and the new subdivision rules which were adopted on July 21 reflect that."

About 1,000 Morgan County residents signed the petition requesting the moratorium, and it was presented to the commission at the July 7 public hearing on new subdivision regulations.

George Farnham of Outhouses of Unger, the group protesting high-density subdivisions coming into the county, spearheaded the petition.

Nuisance law being considered

BERKELEY SPRINGS, W.Va. - Adopting a nuisance ordinance was discussed Friday by the Morgan County Commission, along with Debra McLaughlin, county prosecuting attorney; county sheriff Ronnie McIntire; and Jason Bowers, county dog warden.

Commission President Glen Stotler said he would like the commissioners to review the nuisance laws of Berkeley and Jefferson counties.

"We need something in between the two," he said.

Berkeley County's public nuisance ordinance is for barking or howling dogs and Jefferson County includes all excessive residential noise that is a public nuisance, he said.

McIntire said his office receives more barking dog complaints than for loud music, but there are also complaints of shooting guns or excessive target practice.

Commissioner Tommy Swaim said, "some noise we cannot control."

Commissioner Bob Ford said his concern was the sheriff's department was "stretched pretty thin" and some of the complaints might be feuding neighbors.

Stotler said, "we have to be capable to enforce it."

Stotler asked McIntire to check for rules "on the books already" that would take care of some of these issues.

Stotler said the group will meet again to discuss a possible nuisance ordinance for the county.

"We should sit down and come up with something," he said.

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