MORGANTOWN, WV — An attempt to overturn a recently enacted camping ban in Morgantown has failed due to an insufficient number of valid signatures collected, city officials announced Thursday.
The Morgantown City Council implemented the camping ban last month after a lengthy meeting that included five hours of public testimony. The new ordinance prohibits camping on all public property, including streets, parks, and trails, and also bans the storage of personal belongings in these areas.
Violators of the law face escalating penalties: fines of $200 for a second violation and $300 or up to 30 days in jail for a third infraction.
Proponents of the ban argue it aims to balance the needs of the vulnerable homeless population with the desires of residents seeking a safe and vibrant downtown environment. However, critics, including homeless service providers, contend that the city lacks sufficient emergency shelter beds to accommodate those impacted by the law.
Although the ordinance has not yet taken effect, a group of petitioners sought to either repeal the law or place it on a future ballot. City code requires petitioners to gather valid signatures from at least 10 percent of the qualified voters registered in the last municipal election. For Morgantown, this meant collecting at least 1,310 valid signatures.
While the petitioners submitted over 2,000 signatures, city spokesperson Bradley Riffee indicated that only 956 were deemed valid.
“The City of Morgantown will continue to work with the petitioners as they navigate the filing process, ensuring compliance with the established requirements for referendum as set forth by the Morgantown municipal charter,” the city’s statement read.
Riffee confirmed that the camping ban remains unenforced until the certificate of insufficiency is presented to the city council.
A representative from the petitioning group, which includes the legal advocacy organization Mountain State Justice, declined to comment on the matter.
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