Mayor Signs Contract to Sell School and Parkland as Opposition Mounts
By DORIE SOUTHERN
Cape Charles Wave
July 3, 2012
The Cape Charles Wave has learned that Town Mayor Dora Sullivan has signed a contract to convey the old Cape Charles school and a portion of Central Park to a real estate developer.
Cape Charles Town Council approved the contract in a unanimous vote June 14. The contract then was signed by Echelon Resources, Inc., a Richmond developer, and returned to the mayor, who signed it June 29.
The contract also conveys a portion of Central Park now used as a basketball court, which the developer intends to use as a parking lot.
The school building is to be converted into 17 efficiency and one-bedroom apartments.
The contract requires the Town to give the developer all federal disaster funds that may be received following earthquake damage to a portion of the school building’s wall. How much money may be conveyed is not known, but the Town has estimated damage to the wall at $200,000.
Echelon Resources first approached Town Council last summer, but the plans were kept secret until February 9 of this year.
The Town Council decided to accept the Echelon Resources nominal offer of $10 for the school and basketball court without requesting bids from any potential competitor.
When plans for the school became known, a group of town residents formed a legal entity, Old School Cape Charles LLC, with the intent of buying the school and using it for a community center. Old School Cape Charles made two offers to Council, with the more recent being for $10,000. Town Council did not formally vote to accept or reject either of the group’s offers.
Old School Cape Charles President Wayne Creed said he is disappointed that Town Council did not even respond to the $10,000 offer and instead was moving forward with plans to sell the school.
Creed foresees many hurdles for the Town before the developer could actually take possession of the school, including zoning, procedural, and political issues. Some issues may go to court. “The skids are greased and the fight is really just beginning,” Creed said.
Old School Cape Charles plans to appear at the Town’s Fourth of July Parade, and asks that supporters assemble at the Fire House on the Plum Street side at 9:45 a.m.
The group also plans a Crab Feast and Music Festival fundraiser on Saturday, July 21 from 5 to 10 p.m. at the Wendell Distributers building on Madison Avenue.
MONDAY 7/2: Amelia Earhart Expert, Local Author J.J. Shay at Town Library
In honor of July 2, the 75th anniversary of the disappearance of Amelia Earhart, Cape Charles Memorial Library presents local author J.J. Shay, who will share insights from his latest book, Amelia Earhart Remembered. Shay is also the author of Two Sons of Nippon and Into Thin Air, which reflect his interest in American history and World War II. Presentation begins 7 p.m. at the Library, 500 Tazewell Avenue.
VIDEO: Opening Day at brown dog ice cream
July 1, 2012
Click on the box below to see a 2-minute video of brown dog ice cream’s opening day, Saturday, June 30. To expand to full screen, click at bottom right of the box.
WEDNESDAY 7/4 All-Day Celebration: Parade, Competitions, Prizes, Food, Fireworks!
The Town of Cape Charles, along with the Cape Charles Volunteer Fire Company is planning an impressive, day-long July 4 celebration centered along the beachfront of Cape Charles. The July 4th and the First Annual Cape Charles Golf Cart Event planned activities include a parade down Mason and Bay Avenues, horseshoes competition, beach volley ball, face paintings for children, a fishing competition at the pier with prizes for young adults 16 years of age and under, arts & crafts stands, sidewalk sales, food vendors and more. Beachfront fireworks will cap off the festivities after dark!
The parade, a highlight of the day-long celebration, is intended to showcase our Eastern Shore people: our State, County and local officials; our law enforcement officers at the Federal, State, County and local levels; our volunteer firefighters along with their fire fighting vehicles; our rescue squad volunteers and their vehicles; community and student organizations; automobile clubs; motorcycle clubs; antique tractors; horseback riding clubs; clowns and more. Trophies and prizes for the Best Dressed Golf Cart in the parade, the scavenger hunt and the obstacle race on Bay Avenue (entry fee is $15 for one or both events).
8:30 a.m. – registration at Bay Avenue Gazebo or Custom Carts (713 Randolph Avenue)
10 a.m. – Parade Bay Avenue & Mason
12 Noon – Town wide Scavenger Hunt
3 p.m. – Obstacle Race on Bay Avenue
Awards Presentation to follow Obstacle Race on Bay Avenue. Trophies will be awarded for “Best Dressed Cart” and for most points in the Scavenger Hunt and Obstacle Course. We are raffling a golf cart (www.golfcarteventcapecharles.com) to benefit the Cape Charles Volunteer Fire Dept. Tickets are available at Eastern Shore Custom Carts, can be purchased by credit card online [email protected] or by calling 331-2087.
Southport Yacht Center Looks for Funding, Site Plan Approval
By KAREN JOLLY DAVIS
Cape Charles Wave
Cela Burge outlines plans for Yacht Center to Town Council.
July 1, 2012
Southport Investors want to build a yacht repair center at the head of Cape Charles harbor. They’ve filed site plans for the development with the town. But they’re faltering over the cost of installing utilities.
“The Southport group is not asking for anything,” attorney Cela Burge told the Cape Charles Town Council June 28. But she did ask the council to work with the investment group as they seek state and federal funding for wastewater infrastructure.
Southport investor Eyre Baldwin has been talking about the yacht center for years. He’s floated several rounds of public meetings, making detailed Powerpoint presentations to local boards about the economic impact their regional plan could have on Northampton County.
But the site plan has been a long time coming to the Cape Charles town office. And site plan approval is one of many hurdles the company must clear before the business can open.
If the yacht center is built as depicted, it will have three floating docks attached to the southeast end of the harbor, next to the Coast Guard station. Two travel lift piers and a pad are integrated into this portion of the design.
A 600-foot floating dock, with water and electric hook-ups, is planned to run along the south harbor bulkhead. This dock would extend well beyond their property line and out into the water in front of Tom Gallagher’s parcel.
A walkway made of permeable pavers would surround the waterfront. There would be a stone surface boatyard next to the Coast Guard station, and most of the other road surfaces would be made of stone. The development would include a repair shop, an office, two areas for multi-rack dry boat storage, fuel tanks, a Washmaster system for cleaning the yachts, and a SaniSailor vacuum system for pump-outs.
Here’s the Scoop on ‘brown dog ice cream’
Kids scream for ice cream at Saturday’s grand opening of brown dog.
By GEORGE SOUTHERN
Cape Charles Wave
June 30, 2012
Record-breaking heat is usually not good for business, but there’s an exception to every rule. If you could choose the weather for the grand opening of your ice cream shop, wouldn’t 96 degrees seem about right?
And so the weather gods smiled on Miriam Elton today, as she finally opened her doors at noon for “brown dog ice cream,” (all lowercase letters, please) on Mason Avenue. The weather couldn’t have been better!
Cape Charles locals have been waiting for months for the shop to open. brown dog didn’t manage to be ready in time for Tall Ships weekend, but it’s made it for the 4th of July. And by the 4th, the staff should have had plenty of experience scooping cones – in fact, by tomorrow they should be pros.
Personal service with a smile!
Grand opening was a “wild success,” with lines of customers “from the dipping cabinet to the door,” reported a staff member. The five regular employees weren’t nearly enough to serve the crowd, and Elton’s friends and family members found themselves pressed into service. One couple stopped in to wish her well, only to find themselves in the kitchen for hours, washing up.
Amid the festivities, the owner was nowhere to be seen. Elton spent the whole day in the kitchen, because only a few hours after opening, the shop was in danger of running out of ice cream, so she literally had to churn out more. [Read more…]
Yet Another Public Hearing on Rezoning Old School
By DORIE SOUTHERN
Cape Charles Wave
June 29, 2012
Cape Charles Town Council voted last night to refer the proposed rezoning of the property known as Old Cape Charles School to the Planning Commission, along with the request for a conditional use permit that would allow the school to be converted into an apartment building.
The rezoning and conditional use permits are requirements of the contract with Echelon Resources, Inc., which Town Council approved June 14 for the sale of the old school in the park.
The Planning Commission will consider the rezoning and conditional use permit July 10. A public hearing will also be scheduled for that date.
This will be the 7th time that the public has been asked to provide comment on the sale, rezoning, and conditional use of the former school building, as follows: [Read more…]
Crisfield Photographer Enamored of Cape Charles
At Watson’s Hardware store you can buy just about anything, or if you prefer,” sit for a spell.”
By Cape Charles Wave Staff
June 29, 2012
Patty Hancock traveled the world as a professional photographer for 25 years, but only now has she discovered Cape Charles. Now resident in Crisfield, Maryland, she recently compiled a photo essay of our town, and has given the Cape Charles Wave permission to republish it. Here, in the eyes of a first-time visitor, and in her own words, are her impressions of Cape Charles:
I recently discovered Cape Charles, VA, a sleepy little town on the move that takes me back to a time when things were simpler.
The Cape Charles Coffee shop has 2 floors. They make a perfect soy cappuccino.
The town is abuzz with “coming back,” and I certainly liked what I saw. The docks are new, projects are in full swing, and a new restaurant is being built near the docks. Oh, and I love the Cape Charles Coffee House. Every town should have a coffee house like that. Quaint and friendly and alive with creativity.
Little shops offer gems that are sure to entice even the most finicky shopper, the theater beckons those who love the arts, quiet golf carts putz around, in no particular hurry, and people who look like they should be modeling casual clothes in magazines parade the main street on bikes adorned with Nantucket baskets.
If any apartments become available here, someone let me know. I’m interested!
