Morgantown Zoning Intelligence
Zoning, permitted uses, and development potential for Morgantown, West Virginia. 12 districts with their permitted uses and building controls.
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How is Morgantown zoned?
Morgantown regulates land through only 12 zoning districts, and the residential districts are compact: R-1 and R-1A single family covering roughly 3,251 acres between them, R-2 single and two family at about 120 and R-3 multifamily at roughly 887.
The two single family districts covering almost identical areas, at roughly 1,632 and 1,619 acres, is a striking balance and means the distinction between them matters on any residential site.
The business districts are numbered 1, 2, 4 and 5, skipping 3: neighborhood at roughly 83 acres, service at about 354, general at roughly 141 and a Shopping Center district at about 445. The shopping center district being the largest business classification reflects where the city's retail sits.
The Professional Residential And Office district at roughly 53 acres combines three categories in one classification, giving the city a flexible transitional category near the university.
An Office And Institutional district covers roughly 361 acres.
An Industrial district covers roughly 801 acres, the fourth largest classification.
Planned Unit Development covers roughly 41 acres, a small figure that means plan-based regulation is the exception here rather than the norm. This is pre-development intelligence, not legal advice - verify with the local planning department before acquisition.
Morgantown, West Virginia Zoning Districts: What Do They Mean?
Zoning districts are areas regulated by specific laws that determine land use, building types, and development rules. Each district below shows its zone type. Morgantown's ordinance does not state permitted uses as citywide flags, so they are read from each district's own table rather than summarised here.
| Zone Code | Zone Type | Area |
|---|---|---|
R-1 Single Family Residential | - | 1,632 ac |
R-1A Single Family Residential | - | 1,619.2 ac |
R-3 Multifamily Residential | - | 886.8 ac |
I-1 Industrial | - | 800.7 ac |
What are the building controls in Morgantown?
Setback, height, FAR, lot area, and density controls enforced across Morgantown zoning districts.
- Building height
- Coverage
- Density
- FAR
- Front setback
- Lot
- Lot width
- Pervious
- Rear setback
- Side setback
Other West Virginia cities
Morgantown zoning: frequently asked questions
- How are the two single family districts different?
- R-1 covers roughly 1,632 acres and R-1A about 1,619, almost identical areas. That balance means the distinction between them matters on any residential site rather than being marginal.
- Why does the business numbering skip 3?
- The series runs B-1 neighborhood, B-2 service, B-4 general and B-5 shopping center. The gap means the number does not indicate a continuous intensity ladder.
- What is the Professional Residential And Office district?
- A district covering roughly 53 acres combining three categories in one classification, giving the city a flexible transitional category near the university.
- Which business district is largest?
- The Shopping Center district at roughly 445 acres, ahead of the service business district at about 354 and the general business district at roughly 141.
- How much planned development is there?
- Roughly 41 acres, a small figure meaning plan-based regulation is the exception in Morgantown rather than the norm.
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Book a demo →Zoning data is pre-development intelligence, not legal advice. Verify with the Morgantown planning department before acquisition or design.