MORGANTOWN — Signatures collected in an effort to repeal Morgantown’s newly adopted camping ban are in the possession of City Clerk Christine Wade.
Wade’s office now has 20 days to verify those signatures.
Morgantown Communications Director Brad Riffee told The Dominion Post the names were dropped off at around 4:50 p.m. Thursday afternoon, just ahead of the 30-day deadline.
The camping ban ordinance was adopted in the early morning hours of Sept. 4 as the main event of a seven-hour Morgantown City Council meeting.
The following day, a committee of petitioners initiated the process of repealing the law.
The signatures must be collected and filed with the clerk’s office within 30 days of the adoption of the ordinance in question.
The number of signatures must equal at least 10% of the total number of qualified voters registered to vote in the last municipal election.
According to The Dominion Post archive, there were approximately 13,487 voters registered in April 2023, putting the needed number of signatures at about 1,348.
Once the petition is filed with the clerk, the challenged ordinance is suspended from taking effect while the signatures are checked.
The suspension is lifted if the petition is determined insufficient by the clerk’s office or the committee of petitioners withdraws it.
If the petition is found sufficient, council will “promptly” reconsider the ordinance by voting its repeal.
If council fails to repeal the ordinance within 30 days after the petition is deemed valid, the issue will go before the city’s voters.
The Dominion Post reached out Morgantown Coalition for Housing Action (MoCHA) the group spearheading the petition effort, but did not receive a response in time for this report.
