DOH looks to acquire 16 parcels of land for Mileground project

The Dominion Post
MORGANTOWN — West Virginia Division of Highways (DOH) Spokesman Brent Walker said the agency is negotiating land acquisition deals for an initial group of
16 parcels ahead of a planned widening of the Mileground.
Walker said the DOH is working with right-of-way consultant Percheron, and identified a list of 50 parcels that could be impacted.
“Now, some of those may not end up being impacted. Those include utility companies and those types of things,” Walker said. “But we’ve identified about 50, and those are parcels. This initial work, our consultant will be making offerings on at least 16 of them to start.”
One of those property owners, Ralph Fox, is across from the airport at the top of Easton Hill, at 1071 McCartney Ave.
Fox said he plans to enter mediation with the DOH after turning down $198,900 for a quarter-acre of property on which his family placed four rental units in the form of a mobile home and small apartment structure.
All told, Fox said, the rentals bring in $2,200 a month. He contends the DOH should compensate him for five years of lost rent, totaling $132,000.
“What about the loss of rent. They don’t look the greatest but they stay rented,” Fox said. “I’ve had two gentlemen staying with us for almost 20 years. The state says they don’t have to compensate me for that. I say that’s crap.”
Fox said he wants people to know that the state does not intend to pay for anything beyond the land itself.
While Walker said he cannot discuss particular negotiations, he said every offer made by the DOH comes after an appraisal process and review.
Walker said the property is appraised as a whole, including any existing improvements, mostly by third-party appraisers hired by the DOH.
“All that is taken into consideration. There are different formulas for what they call ‘highest and best use,’ ” Walker said. “If there’s a house between a Wal-mart and another store, residential is probably not the highest and best use for that property. So in a general sense, there are different formulas that are used to determine that.”
Walker said there is no timeline on when property acquisition will give way to construction, particularly as there is a high probability that at least some of the parcels will need to be condemned through circuit court if an agreement cannot be reached.
In the meantime, Fox said he has no immediate plans to accept the state’s current offer.
“They’re trying to say that my mother, years ago, should have put something more profitable on the land, like a high rise. Well, you’re allowed to do what you want with your land, right,” Fox said. “I’m going to mediation. I’ve already declined the offer for now. It can’t hurt me. They can’t go backwards. I’ve talked to my attorney. They can’t give me less money.”
Walker said there isn’t a current figure for the total acreage the state needs to acquire. A January 2017 workshop with the DOH and Morgantown Monongalia Metropolitan Planning Organization put the number at 4.55 acres.
The widening of a .8 mile section of Mileground Road (US 119) from three to five lanes is the final phase of an overall project that began with the construction of a roundabout on one end and a reworked intersection at the base of Easton Hill on the other.
Follow The Dominion Post on Twitter @DominionPostWV. Email Ben Conley: bconley@dominionpost.com.