Shorekeeper Thanks Public for Keeping Up Pressure

By JAY FORD
Virginia Eastern Shorekeeper

October 28, 2014

Last night (October 27) the Northampton Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to keep the vital water quality protections of the Bay Protection Act in place county wide. This is a huge step in protecting our delicate intertidal zone and the men and women who can make a living because of our clean waters.

Many of you wrote letters to the county, spoke at countless public comment periods, or joined the over 500 citizens in signing our petition to keep the Bay Protection Act and I want to thank each and every one of you.

Virginia Eastern Shorekeeper will continue to work on additional threats to our water quality included in the zoning overhaul but we also believe in taking time to give credit when credit is due. Please take a moment to contact your supervisor and thank them for keeping the Bay Protection Act in place county-wide.

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Accomack County Residents:  This victory also has consequences for your economy and your waters, and the Northampton Supervisors might like to know that their friends to the north are grateful as well.

Supervisor contact information can be found here: http://www.co.northampton.va.us/gov/board.html

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One Response to “Shorekeeper Thanks Public for Keeping Up Pressure”

  1. Wayne Creed on October 28th, 2014 1:50 pm

    Not sure if I’m off base, but what is the difference between the Bay Protection Act and the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act? In general, it seems as if Supervisors did the right thing, that is if the zoning overhaul would place future comprehensive plans, zoning ordinances, and subdivision ordinances out of compliance with current Bay Act regulations; yet there is the nagging worry that we may have thrown the baby out with the bath water. Language from the CBPA warns, “Healthy state and local economies and a healthy Chesapeake Bay are integrally related; balanced economic development and water quality protection are not mutually exclusive.”

    That is, “Virginia designed the Bay Act to enhance water quality and still allow reasonable development to continue”. Local governments always have to walk the razor’s edge when dealing with water quality protection and local land use decision-making. Just as the PSA has the promise to act as an agent for long-term environmental controls, it also can be used as a means to increase short-term sprawl and degradation. We have seen which side Cape Charles has chosen, so folks are right to be skeptical about not just the PSA, but the new zoning changes.

    That said, hopefully we can continue to work towards achieving a balance between the health of the Bay, maintaining our rural character, and careful, managed growth.