Moundsville's Manufactured Home Ordinance Heads Back to Subcommittee for Further Debate

Photo byPhoto by Emma Delk

The Moundsville City Council is revisiting its debate on allowing manufactured homes within city limits after a proposed ordinance revision failed to gain momentum at this week's council meeting. The council had been considering changes to the city’s zoning laws to permit double-wide manufactured homes, but the motion to draft the revision was not seconded, sending the issue back to the policy subcommittee for further discussion.

Background: A Five-Year Ban

Since 2017, Moundsville has prohibited all manufactured homes from being placed within city limits. However, a zoning oversight earlier this year allowed two single-wide homes to be installed on Poplar Avenue, reigniting a debate about the future of manufactured homes in the area. Single-wide homes, which are smaller and trailer-like, and double-wide homes, which are larger and more house-like, were at the center of this discussion.

Council members Ginger DeWitt and Brianna Hickman have been vocal supporters of allowing both single- and double-wide homes in the city, arguing that more affordable housing options could attract new residents. However, other council members are concerned about how single-wides, in particular, might affect property values in traditional residential areas.

Defining Manufactured Homes: Type One vs. Type Two

At an October 8 policy subcommittee meeting, City Attorney Thomas White provided a clearer definition of manufactured homes. He classified them into two categories: “Type One” homes, which are assembled on-site and anchored to a foundation, and “Type Two” homes, or trailers, which are brought in on wheels and placed on the ground. Moundsville currently allows trailers only in the city’s designated mobile home park.

White’s proposed ordinance revision would allow double-wide homes as a "conditional use," meaning each proposal would need approval from the city’s zoning board and meet specific criteria, such as being built on a solid, permanent foundation. Single-wide homes would remain prohibited under the draft ordinance.

Council Deadlock and Confusion

Despite the detailed proposal, the motion to officially draft the revision stalled during the council meeting when no member seconded it, leaving the current ban in place. The failure of the motion surprised council members like Hickman, who expressed confusion over the council's sudden reluctance to move forward with the revision.

"We wanted to move this forward, so I’m curious why we decided not to," Hickman said during the meeting. "The conversation we had last Tuesday does not reflect what happened earlier today."

Mayor Wood-Shaw echoed this sentiment, stating that the council missed an opportunity to discuss the ordinance further. However, she supported Hickman’s motion to return the matter to the policy subcommittee for further review. The council unanimously voted to revisit the revision, signaling that the debate over manufactured homes in Moundsville is far from over.

What’s Next?

The policy subcommittee will now take another look at the ordinance, with the possibility of refining the criteria for double-wide homes and discussing whether older single-wides should be replaced with similar structures. The ongoing conversation reflects broader issues in Moundsville about balancing affordable housing options with maintaining the character of established neighborhoods.

As the debate continues, residents and city officials alike will be watching closely to see how the council navigates this divisive issue.