Sun Communities Inc. of Michigan is proposing the development of a high density housing community comprised of 457 homes in the Martinsburg/Hedgesville area of Berkeley County, WV. They are estimating a completion date of April 2027, with our infrastructure being affected possibly as soon as 2025.

Berkeley County’s infrastructure already has complications.

Our schools are already overcrowded and have measurable staffing, substitution, support staff and transportation problems. The school impact form filled out by Sun Communities is projecting that Hedgesville Schools will be above maximum capacity if this development is built. This poses a real risk for the potential of future redistricting.

Additionally, buses are routinely unable to pick students up due to understaffed bus drivers.

The average American family uses approximately 300 gallons of water per day. With the addition of 457 new homes, our sewer and water systems will have to support the use of approximately 137,000 additional gallons per day, equating to nearly 50 million gallons per year!

The electrical infrastructure would also need to support approximately an additional 418,000 kw/h capacity per month, based on the average American use of 11,000 kw/h per year.

With no impact fees charged to developers, the cost to upgrade the infrastructure falls to us. In an already inflated economy, this places an unfair burden on Berkeley County residents. Our goal of this petition is to PREVENT further high-density development, specifically the proposed high-density development by Sun Communities. This development is not responsible growth, it is reckless growth.

Managing proper growth will help protect and salvage Berkeley County’s weakening infrastructure.

It’s time we, the CITIZENS OF BERKELEY COUNTY, start voicing our concerns and opposition to reckless growth to our elected officials, and rise to action.

The stakes of our community are on the line. Only responsible growth will benefit the county as whole. Continued irresponsible growth will have a huge negative impact to our county and the communities within it, both now and for generations to come.

This petition is a critical part of helping the Berkeley County Planning Commission realize that responsible growth is needed.

Please join our efforts by signing the petition. Thank you.