photo by: Emma Delk

Moundsville City Manager Rick Healy listens to discussion during a recent meeting.

MOUNDSVILLE — A majority of Moundsville City Council does not approve of permitting single-wide manufactured homes in the city, according to a straw poll conducted during its recent policy subcommittee meeting.

The question of what types of mobile homes should be allowed within city limits arose this past Tuesday when a mistake in the city’s housing approval process allowed two single-wide manufactured homes to be placed in the Poplar Avenue area.

Single-wide manufactured homes are the size of a trailer, typically between 500 and 1,300 square feet. Double-wide manufactured homes are usually twice the size or more of a single-wide and more similar in appearance to a traditional house.

The two single-wides were first brought to the attention of council members during a July 9 Moundsville City Council policy subcommittee meeting.

During last Tuesday’s policy subcommittee meeting, council members conducted a straw poll to determine whether they would support an ordinance allowing double-wide but not single-wide manufactured homes in the city.

At the start of the meeting, City Attorney Thomas White divided manufactured homes into two categories.

White outlined that “type one” manufactured homes are assembled on-site, anchored to a foundation and are the “big ticket item.” He added the type one distinction does not include “pre-packaged” homes that are “hauled in on wheels and set on the ground.”

“Type two” consists of trailers, which are not allowed anywhere in the city except the Moundsville Mobile Home Park.

White noted that he did not make any size distinctions between the two types and added that the city council would have to decide whether to allow single-wides, double-wide wides or both.

White noted that the city’s current mobile home ordinance does not allow single- or double-wide manufactured homes within city limits.

Council member Brianna Hickman said Moundsville was in a housing crisis and felt “very uncomfortable” restricting where single-wides could be placed just because “someone doesn’t like what it looks like.”

“A home is a home, and I think we need to make sure they’re still similar structures in their zone,” Hickman said.

Vice Mayor David Wood said he “certainly understood” Hickman’s reasoning for allowing single-wides but was against permitting single-wides beyond the mobile park as residents may not want homes that look like trailers next to their homes.

“Do our neighbors that live on Fifth Street, Sixth Street, Seventh Street, Virginia and Cherokee want a trailer next to their house?” Wood questioned. “Do we want that to happen? I think we need to take a closer look at that because I’m not sure we want that to happen.”

Healy agreed, noting that there are neighborhoods in the city that are “predominantly owner-occupied and not rentals.”

“I think we would really be opening a can of worms [by allowing single-wides in the city], and residents would be really upset if we were to open up single-wides for use citywide,” Healy said.

Council member Ginger DeWitt noted that “all the places” Wood named also had dilapidated houses, which she thought were a “bigger eyesore” than a single-wide trailer.

“If you think about it, like Brianna said, the people who need homes, they need homes,” DeWitt said. “If they can buy an empty lot where a house has been torn down and can afford to put a single-wide, that might be a starter home for them. You don’t know the intention, but our population is decreasing, and if we are too choosy about where certain houses can be located, then it will continue.”

DeWitt added that a new trailer would also have new electricity and plumbing, as opposed to older houses in the area, which have a higher chance of fires due to electrical issues.

Council member Judy Hunt expressed concern that deed restrictions in certain Moundsville neighborhoods prevent mobile homes from being built even if a city passed an ordinance permitting them.

White confirmed that deed restrictions “trump” city code and that certain Moundsville neighborhoods, such as Cherokee Hills, do not allow mobile homes.

Council member Randy Chamberlain said the debate began when “two mistakes” were made in the housing approval process to allow two single-wides on Poplar Avenue. He added that he did not believe allowing single-wides in the city “was the answer they were looking for” to encourage new housing in the area as residents may not want a single-wide next to their house.

Hickman wrapped up the discussion by stating she was uncomfortable moving forward with an ordinance without language stating both double-wides and single-wides were allowed in the city.

White suggested the council conduct a straw poll to determine how he should write the ordinance that would be considered by the council.

“If you’re going to do something to at least allow double-wides in the city, you can’t leave the current ordinance the way it is,” White noted.

The council conducted a straw poll to determine whether they would support an ordinance revision allowing double-wides but not single-wides in the city. Council members voted 5-2 in support, with DeWitt and Hickman opposed to the ordinance.

White said he would draft a revision to the Manufactured Homes, Zoning, and Installation Requirements Ordinance to allow double-wide manufactured homes in the city. The ordinance revision will be considered during this Tuesday’s city council meeting.