Planning Commission Further Mulls Highway Development

By DORIE SOUTHERN
Cape Charles Wave

December 12, 2013

The Cape Charles Planning Commission and Northampton County planning and zoning staff continue to refine ideas about future development outside of Cape Charles on Stone Road (184) and Route 13.

Cape Charles Planning Commission reviewed ideas December 10 for how to influence development outside the town limits, including at the intersection of Route 13 and 184, which under the proposed changes to the Northampton County Zoning Ordinance would be zoned commercial.

At a recent County information meeting, Northampton Director of Development Charles McSwain asked Cape Charles Councilman Frank Wendell what he thought about having commercial enterprises at the Cape Charles traffic light that could potentially direct visitors into Cape Charles. Wendell replied that he would rather see commercial activity in the shuttered Meatland building just inside town.

The County Comprehensive Plan notes that residents are concerned about the level of commercial development on Route 13 at key intersections. The Plan says that while Route 13 has typically served through-travelers, residents are concerned that too much commercial development along the highway will create congestion, compete with commercial activities in the towns, and fundamentally alter the character of the rural “view from the road.”

The Plan also recognizes that Route 13 sits atop the prime recharge area for the County’s sole-source aquifer and ground-water supply. And it noted residents’ opposition to the extension of any Interstate road corridor running from Delaware to South Carolina, seeing it as detrimental to the County’s economy and way of life based on its natural resources and farming and maritime industries.

Planning Commission suggestions for managing commercial development coming into Cape Charles do not reflect either the County or the Town Comprehensive Plans (both of which call for encouraging development within the Town). The Planning Commission has discussed these suggestions off and on since 2010, but their origin is unclear, as they do not originate from the Comprehensive Plan or from the Annexation Agreement.

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Town Planner Rob Testerman has informed County officials that the Town Planning Commission is preparing suggestions for land use controls on roads into Town.

Planning Commissioner Joan Natali noted that the County Board of Supervisors was holding an executive session meeting with Cheriton Councilmembers to discuss Cheriton’s proposed boundary adjustments. She thought that the deliberations would become public if a decision needs to be voted on by the Cheriton Town Council. Cape Charles has also wanted to adjust its boundary to Route 13, but subdivision residents outside of town oppose the idea.

Upon completion of their recommendations, the Planning Commission will present them to Town Council. Testerman told the Wave that he is not aware of any requirement for a public hearing. Once a decision is made by Town Council, the recommendations will be sent to the County Board of Supervisors, “who can accept the proposals, make changes or throw them out,” Testerman said.

The Planning Commission has also begun updating the Town Comprehensive Plan. Testerman said that the Accomack Northampton Planning District Commission has agreed to help with the redo beginning early next year. No dates have been set for public input sessions.

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3 Responses to “Planning Commission Further Mulls Highway Development”

  1. Kearn Schemm on December 12th, 2013 9:21 am

    No development that will hurt the downtown area. PUSH development that will help the Town center. These are the rules we need to follow.

  2. Tim Krawczel on December 12th, 2013 11:17 am

    I am a strong advocate of commercial and industrial development, and also bringing new medical facilities to Cape Charles — and I show my support through my actions: I pay over $100 a month for public water and sewer — essential public utilities that can be used as an incentive to bring new business to Town. Additionally, I pay extra taxes on personal property and real estate to fund a large, full time staff of police, public works, and administrative personnel equipped with every device needed to do their job.

    And just look at all the business opportunities available in Town!

    Commerce — there is a large, vacant commercial property with ample parking at the entrance to Town for sale, and another large store with parking on the south side of Mason Avenue. Additionally, there are many vacant storefronts on Mason Avenue — each with readily available water, sewer, lit by public street lights, and protected by a robustly staffed police force and well equipped fire department.

    Industry — within the Town limits and with readily available for sale public water and sewer is the Sustainable Technology Industrial Park with a high quality access road already built and a state certified police force equipped with new, high speed cruisers ready to protect tenants and clients — which costs millions of dollars to develop — all paid for by federal, state, county and town taxpayers!

    Medical — in addition to potential sites on Mason Avenue, the Town has a 3,000+ square foot medical office and lab space with its own parking lot, strategically located a block from the entrance to Town — available for sale with by an owner ready to make a deal.

    And how many hundreds of hours has the Planning Commission and Town Council spent planning and discussing the zoning regulations for the vacant and available commercial waterfront properties that surround the Town Harbor that grows bigger every year from new taxpayer-funded improvements? What more could be done to encourage a new hotel in Town?

    So what observer could help but conclude that the Town of Cape Charles is open for business? What ingredient is lacking, what else needs to be done? Very little — the bottom line is the Town has already done everything appropriate to encourage growth and development.

    Town officials need to recognize that private sector development should be funded by private investments — and private decision makers respond to free market forces. Market forces are limiting new development in Cape Charles, not spending paid for by Town taxpayers. What justification is there for the Town to spend one penny of Town funds to extend water, sewer, or services beyond the Town limits? Not one I can think of. If a property owner on Route 13 wants Town water, sewer, or other existing services, that owner should pay the full cost of extension of the services, plus a fair share contribution to pay down the debt already on the books that is the responsibility of Town taxpayers.

  3. Antonio Sacco on December 13th, 2013 12:53 am

    Those in power never listen to the little people, they will only listen to be polite and push their own agenda through. I’m the small guy and here is what I think:
    1 – Foreign tourism means huge dollars for small places like Cape Charles.
    2 – As the U.S. economy improves, our people will travel abroad.
    3 – The recession in Europe is almost over and their workers will travel to U.S spending an average $4,500. The Brazilians and Chinese will spend even more.
    4 – In Loudon County, Virginia, the attraction is their winery. Foreign travelers are attracted there. Cape Charles has nothing.
    5 – We need a theme park: Arlington Plantation with its huge history (Martha Danbridge Custis Washington, President George Washington, General Robert E. Lee, having three cultures, Europeans, Black Slaves, American Indians living together on the Custis estate. This could be another Williamsburg.