Concurrent Rewrite of the Zoning Ordinance and Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance (SALDO)

Prepared By: Development Services Department
July 31, 2026
Request for Proposals:
Concurrent Rewrite of the Zoning Ordinance
and Subdivision and Land Development
Ordinance (SALDO) for the City of
Morgantown, West Virginia

Table of Contents
PART I- INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION ....................................... 1
1.01 Introduction ....................................................................................................... 1
1.02 Intent ................................................................................................................ 1
1.03 Zoning Ordinance ............................................................................................... 2
1.04 SALDO ............................................................................................................... 3
1.05 Qualifications .................................................................................................... 5
1.06 Proposal Submission .......................................................................................... 5
1.07 Tentative Schedule ............................................................................................. 6
PART II- DEFINITIONS, TERMS, AND CONDITIONS ...................................................... 6
2.01 Definitions, Terms, and Conditions ...................................................................... 6
2.02 Terms and Conditions ......................................................................................... 7
PART III- SCOPE OF WORK AND PROGRAM ELEMENTS ............................................. 12
3.01 Scope of Work and Program Elements ............................................................... 12
3.02 Deliverables ..................................................................................................... 15
PART IV - PROPOSAL FORMAT AND CONTENT REQUIREMENTS ................................. 15
4.01 Requirements .................................................................................................. 15
4.02 Required Elements for Submittal ....................................................................... 16
4.03 Organization of Proposal ................................................................................... 16
PART V - EVALUATION CRITERIA .............................................................................. 19
5.01 Evaluation Criteria ............................................................................................ 19
5.02 Evaluation Process ........................................................................................... 21
5.03 Best and Final Offer .......................................................................................... 21
PART VI- Resources ................................................................................................ 21
Exhibit 1 - Contract Addendum................................................................................ 22
Exhibit 2 - Affidavit.................................................................................................. 24

PART I- INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION
1.01 Introduction
The City of Morgantown, West Virginia is seeking a qualified consultant for a concurrent
rewrite of the City of Morgantown's Zoning Ordinance and Subdivision and Land
Development Ordinance (SALDO hereafter) in support of the objectives and principles in the
City's 2023 update to its comprehensive plan, Morgantown 2033.
Ensconced by the valleys of the Appalachian Plateau and situated along the banks of the
Monongahela River, the City of Morgantown is home to approximately 31,000 residents and
serves as the principal city of the Morgantown Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). In
addition to being an anchor for education, business, and healthcare for North-Central West
Virginia, Southwest Pennsylvania, and Western Maryland, Morgantown is also home to West
Virginia University, a premier R-1 research institution. The City's rich industrial legacy,
coupled with its present-day focus on education and healthcare, has played a pivotal role in
maintaining population growth trends in North Central West Virginia and the Monongahela
River Valley.
As a regional urban center, the City of Morgantown has significant opportunities to shape its
planning and land use approach in ways that strengthen the community and local economy
for years to come. While the City's largely built-out environment and topographical features
present real challenges for development, they also create an opportunity to focus growth
strategically through thoughtful infill and redevelopment. Additionally, the City's ability to
develop, implement, and enforce local building and zoning codes gives Morgantown
valuable tools to guide development intentionally, even as it means navigating a more
structured process than nearby unincorporated areas.
Looking ahead, infill redevelopment opportunities are likely to be concentrated along major
commercial corridors. Realizing the full potential of these areas will require careful attention
to the transition between commercial and adjoining residential and non-commercial uses,
ensuring that future development complements neighborhood character while advancing
the community's broader planning goals.
1.02 Intent
The intent of this concurrent Zoning and SALDO Ordinance initiative is to streamline
administrative reviews and simplify and minimize the need for interpretations, where
possible, resolve conflicting provisions, and to promote and incentivize growth and
development within the City of Morgantown that is consistent with the vision, goals,
objectives, and principles of the City's Comprehensive Plan, Morgantown 2033.
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1.03 Zoning Ordinance
The updated Zoning Ordinance will be aligned with the objectives and principles in
Morgantown 2033, the City's most recent comprehensive plan.
The development and adoption of the new Zoning Ordinance will lead to repealing and
replacing the City's existing Zoning Ordinances and associated regulations included in Part
13, Chapter 5 - General Zoning Provisions and Chapter 7 - Land Use, of the City of
Morgantown's Planning and Zoning Code.
This portion of the project is intended to result in the production of a new Zoning Text
Ordinance and accompanying Zoning Map that at least incorporates provisions for, or
considerations of, the following:
* The establishment of new zoning districts within the City of Morgantown, and its
attendant Zoning Map.
* The creation of a Zoning Map that incorporates a contextual understanding of the
community and applies careful consideration of how to buffer adjacent zoning
districts to promote the equitable growth envisioned in the comprehensive plan.
* Guidance on the interpretation of boundaries, and principles for zoning annexed
areas.
* Permitted and conditional land uses for each zoning district within the City of
Morgantown and associated sub-regulations, where applicable.
* Opportunities for increasing density, where appropriate, to support infill
development, the adaptive reuse of structures, and other achievable aims included
in the comprehensive plan.
* Updated standards and calculations for lot coverage that consider the context of
existing development and the constraints imposed by both topography and a built-
out environment.
* Consideration of how major thoroughfares and neighborhood corridors may be
utilized as opportunities for permitting density and/or a greater number of land uses,
while also protecting the character and context of established neighborhoods.
* Feasibility of creating design review committee(s) and/or architectural review boards
for historic neighborhoods and the downtown district to ensure that historically
significant structures and architectural appearances are preserved, where possible.
* Generally encouraging a greater array of housing types, with special attention to this
goal along primary commercial corridors and in the general vicinity of major
employers in the community.
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* Strategies that incorporate context-sensitive design and planning on the transect,
with an understanding of the challenges faced by incorporating these aspects in a
nearly built-out environment.
* Feasibility of creating neighborhood corridor overlays where a greater number of land
uses are permitted to encourage walkability and complete streets.
* Feasibility of developing and/or incorporating principles associated with hybrid or
form-based codes.
* Where practicable, incorporate illustrations, diagrams and photographs to help
people better grasp requirements that text alone may describe ambiguously, as well
reduce misinterpretations and promote consistent enforcement.
1.04 SALDO
Concurrent to the Zoning Ordinance, the new SALDO will seek to incorporate standards for
the review of proposed subdivisions and land development that: 1.) remove complex
language and add visual assists, where possible, to make the ordinance both more
accessible to general public and to reduce variability/complexity in staff interpretations; 2.)
streamline administrative reviews and procedures, where possible, to promote equitable
growth within the City of Morgantown in alignment with the goals, objectives, and principles
of the comprehensive plan; 3.) are consistent with and support the requirements set forth in
the new zoning ordinance; and 4.) remove conflicting provisions.
The development and adoption of the new SALDO will lead to repealing and replacing of the
City's existing ordinances and associated regulations included in Part 13, Chapter 3 -
Subdivision Regulations and Chapter 9 - Development Standards of the City of
Morgantown's Planning and Zoning Code, while omitting changes to Chapter 9, Article 1369-
Signs, which is currently undergoing an update.
This portion of the project is intended to result in the production of two new ordinances:
The first, which will replace the existing provisions in Chapter 3, will be an ordinance that
generally guides the procedural process for the approval of minor and major subdivisions
and clearly outlines desired design standards, with special attention paid to how existing
standards can be modified to promote context-sensitive design principles and other
achievable aims in the comprehensive plan that seek to balance flexibility for increased
density with the preservation of community context .
The second, which will replace existing provisions in Chapter 9, will be an ordinance that
incorporates strategic planning principles to guide development standards in a way that
promotes thoughtful and intentional development, while also promoting greater flexibility to
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achieve equitable growth and development patterns. In either case, these ordinances will
incorporate provisions for and/or considerations of the following:
* The criteria, requirements, definitions, authority, review and amendment processes
for minor and major subdivision plats and land development plans.
* The standards for setback requirements, lot sizes, streets, sidewalks, walkways,
parking, easements, right of way, drainage, utilities, infrastructure, curbs, gutters,
streetlights, fire hydrants, storm water management, and wastewater facilities, etc.
* Standards for flood or subsidence-prone areas, steep slopes, and other sensitive
areas.
* The process for granting waivers from the minimum standards of subdivision and land
development ordinances in accordance with West Virginia State Code.
* The incorporation of visual assists, where possible, to both streamline interpretations
of complex provisions and make the code more accessible to the general public.
* Streamlined approval processes and the incorporation of administrative approvals to
prioritize efficiency. Specifically, the feasibility of creating an administrative review
process by staff for the approval of minor subdivision applications.
* The promotion of relative uniformity in regard to lot standards but provides flexibility
in determinations for design/arrangement where such development may assist in
meeting achievable goals from the comprehensive plan such as increased density,
walkability, and connectivity.
* Updates to off-street parking requirements that provide careful consideration of both
existing development context and future goals of increased density/walkability
outlined in the comprehensive plan to promote equitable growth.
* Feasibility of implementing incentives for development that prioritize the growth
envisioned in the comprehensive plan to encourage investment in the community.
This may include, but is not limited to, incentives designed to increase the supply of
attainable housing through a density bonus program, etc.
* Updated landscaping standards that promote urban design goals outlined in the
comprehensive plan, with special consideration to buffer designs and requirements
in areas where more intense land uses and development abut existing or zoned
residential development/areas.
* The incorporation of inter-departmental reviews and references to development
standards associated with other departments, where applicable, to increase
continuity in interpretations and improve general communication between
departments.
* That development standards generally support the overarching goals/objectives in
the comprehensive plan that promote increased density where appropriate.
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1.05 Qualifications
The selected consultant must possess an understanding of broader regulatory frameworks
and have familiarity and/or the willingness to navigate similar State regulations and land use
laws, such as those outlined in the requirements of the State of West Virginia's Land Use
Planning Code Chapter 8A.
The consultant must have knowledge of and/or experience working with similar Rust Belt
communities and/or university towns and must demonstrate an understanding of how
similar communities have implemented planning-related strategies to address similar
challenges and opportunities. Additionally, the consultant must have a demonstrated ability
to be creative, yet practical in the development of planning-based solutions to directly
address local challenges and dynamics related to land development constraints and the
local economy. Experience curating intentional, targeted, and innovative community
engagement strategies is preferred in order to garner consensus and support for updates
proposed to the Zoning Ordinance and SALDO.
1.06 Proposal Submission
Sealed proposals must be delivered to the City of Morgantown Development Services
Department no later than 1:00 PM (Eastern Standard Time), on September 10, 2026, and
must be addressed to:
City of Morgantown
ATTN: Cortney Brown, Executive Assistant
Development Services Department
389 Spruce Street
Morgantown, WV 26505
Sealed proposal envelopes shall carry a clear notation in the lower left quadrant, "Request
for Proposal - Concurrent Rewrite of the Zoning and SALDO Ordinances for the City of
Morgantown, WV."
Proposals submitted by facsimile or email will not be accepted.
In order to ensure a fair and objective RFP process and evaluation, all questions and inquiries
related to this RFP shall be addressed in writing to Cortney Brown, Executive Assistant or by
email to cbrown@morgantownwv.gov. The deadline for written questions and inquiries is
August 13, 2026, by 5:30 PM (Eastern Standard Time). All questions and answers will be
posted on the City's website by 5:30 PM (Eastern Standard Time), on August 20, 2026.
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Contact with any City of Morgantown employee or official is prohibited without prior written
consent from the Development Services Director. Offerors contacting any other employee(s)
or official(s) without prior written consent risk elimination of their proposal from further
consideration.
1.07 Tentative Schedule
The tentative schedule for this RFP is as follows:
Release RFP to vendors and website post date July 31, 2026
Deadline for written questions August 13, 2026
Answers to questions posted on City of Morgantown website. August 20, 2026
Proposal submission deadline September 10, 2026
Earliest award for any one contract October 20, 2026
PART II- DEFINITIONS, TERMS, AND CONDITIONS
2.01 Definitions, Terms, and Conditions
In order to simplify the language throughout this RFP, the following definitions shall apply:
* CITY - Same as City of Morgantown
* CITY COUNCIL - The elected officials of the City of Morgantown, West Virginia, who
have been given the authority to exercise such powers and jurisdiction of all City
business conferred by State Statutes.
* CONTRACT - An agreement between the City of Morgantown and the offeror to
furnish supplies and/or services over a designated period of time during which
repeated purchases are made of the commodity and/or service specified.
* RFP - Request for Proposals.
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* OFFEROR/VENDOR/FIRM - An organization offering a proposal in response to this
RFP.
2.02 Terms and Conditions
Proposals
The submitted proposal must be received by the Development Services Department prior to
the time specified in Section 1.06. The mere fact that the proposal was dispatched will not
be considered; The offeror must ensure that the proposal is actually delivered and received
on time.
Proposals received after the date and time specified in Section 1.06 shall be returned
unopened and will be considered void and unacceptable. The City is not responsible for
lateness on behalf of the mail carrier, etc., and date/time stamp in the Development Services
Department shall be the official time of receipt.
Proposals cannot be altered or amended after the closing date. Alterations made before
closing must be initialed by the Offeror guaranteeing authenticity. Proposals may not be
withdrawn after proposal closing date or vendors so agree upon submitting their proposal.
Proposals will be received and acknowledged in City Council's Chambers at 1:00 PM
(Eastern Standard Time) on the date specified in Section 1.06. Offerors, their
representative(s), and interested persons may be present. The proposals received publicly
will be opened but not read aloud. The City will certify complete proposals and make
available a listing of the same by the end of business on the date specified in Section 1.06.
Proposals shall remain valid for a period of one (1) year from the date and time specified in
Section 1.06.
By submitting a proposal, the vendor certifies that he/she has fully read and understands
this RFP and has full knowledge of the scope, quantity, and quality of the services to be
furnished and intends to adhere to the provisions described herein. Failure to do so will be
at the offerors' own risk, and he/she cannot secure relief on pleas or error. Neither law nor
regulations make allowance for error of omission or commission on part of vendors.
Any proposal which does not contain all of the information requested in this RFP will be
considered incomplete and may be rejected by the City of Morgantown.
The City of Morgantown is exempt from State Sales Tax and Federal Excise Tax; Therefore, the
proposal price shall not include taxes.
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The offeror shall furnish any additional information as the City of Morgantown may require.
The City of Morgantown reserves the right to make investigation of the qualifications of the
offeror(s) as they deem appropriate.
This proposal, when properly accepted by the City of Morgantown, shall constitute a
contract equally binding between the successful vendor and the City of Morgantown. No
different or additional terms will become part of this contract with the exception of a change
order.
This RFP does not commit the City of Morgantown to award a contract, to pay any of the cost
incurred in preparation of a proposal, or to procure or contract for services.
Selected offeror(s) shall be responsible for all taxes and licenses of the City, State, and
Federal Authorities.
Reservations
The City of Morgantown reserves the right to accept or reject any, or all, proposals as a result
of this RFP, to negotiate with all qualified sources, or to cancel, in part or in whole, this RFP
if found to be in the best interest of the City of Morgantown. All proposals become property
of the City of Morgantown.
The City of Morgantown reserves the right to waive any informalities and technicalities and
to accept the offer considered to be the most advantageous in order to obtain the best value
for the City. Cause for rejection of a proposal may include, but shall not be limited to, the
offeror's current violation of any City ordinance, the offeror's inability to satisfactorily
perform the work or service, or the offeror's previous failure to properly and timely perform
its obligations under a contract with the City. Offerors may be disqualified and rejection of
proposals may be recommended for any, but is not limited to, the following causes: 1.)
Failure to use the proposal form(s) furnished by the City; 2.) Lack of signature by an
authorized representative on the Certification form; 3.) Failure to properly complete the
proposal; 4.) Evidence of collusion among offerors; or, 5.) Any alteration of the language
contained within the RFP form(s).
The City reserves the right to retain all proposals submitted and to use any idea in a proposal
regardless of whether that proposal is selected. Submission of a proposal indicates
acceptance by the firm of the terms and conditions contained in this RFP, unless clearly and
specifically noted in the proposal submitted and confirmed in this contract between the City
of Morgantown and the firm selected.
The City of Morgantown may conduct reference checks as needed to evaluate proposals.
The City may contact those listed, and inclusion of this listing in your proposal is an
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