West Virginia University is an integral part of the Morgantown community and, with that, comes being a good neighbor to those who make Morgantown their home year-round. To help Morgantown be a great place to live, the city has ordinances that apply to everyone, including college students, when within city limits.
City ordinances can be found online.
The WVU Police Department helps enforce these ordinances, when appropriate, and wants our University community to be aware of some key ordinances:
- Trash and Littering: Trash and recyclables should be stored in approved containers, prepared for collection with lids and should not be stored in front yards on a regular basis. No person should leave any trash upon any premises, street or alley (either public or private) and no owner, manager or occupant shall permit the accumulation of trash on their premises.
- Occupancy of Roof Areas: No person other than the owner, operator, licensed contractor or maintenance personnel when performing maintenance or other work upon a (rental) dwelling, other than a single-family owner-occupied dwelling, shall be on the roof, or any portion of a roof, of any structure for any reason (without a permit).
- Upholstered/Outdoor Furniture: It is unlawful for any person to allow any furniture, other than outdoor furniture (as defined by the ordinance), in any yard or exterior area of a premises. It is unlawful to have any “upholstered furniture” on any yard, unenclosed porch, deck, balcony or other exterior area.
- Noise: Subject to some exceptions/special waivers, noise should not exceed the specific maximum permissible sound levels set out in the city code (e.g., in residential districts, a continuous sound of 60 dBA or impulsive sound of 80 dBA).
- Nuisance Parties: No one shall sponsor, conduct, host or permit a social gathering or party on a premises that becomes a public nuisance (a gathering that results in a citation being given or an arrest being made for one or more violations of municipal, State or Federal law which occur at the site of the social gathering).
- Open Containers/Public Intoxication/Underage: No one shall appear in a public place in an intoxicated condition; drink alcohol or have an open container on any public sidewalk, street or other public place; or possess alcohol under the age of 21. Note: Recently, the City of Morgantown created a Private Outdoor Designated Area (PODA) called the “Morgantown Mile.” In this area, you can get a “to-go” drink in a designated PODA cup (clear cup with a PODA logo). The PODA hours are from 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Monday-Friday and from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. on weekends. More information about the PODA can be found online. The PODA does not permit open containers of alcohol in all situations – only during the approved specific times, in the designated areas and in the specified cups.
Download the LiveSafe app and turn on push notifications for direct and discreet two-way communication with police. To receive alerts about emergencies and incidents on or near campus, register for the WVU Alert system.