Comments on: Would Route 13 Strip Development ‘Kill the Town’?

By: Dona Danziger

Dona Danziger — Thu, 25 Jul 2013 22:04:48 +0000

The shopping center certainly took business away from the town of Exmore. Too many vacancies in town, and most of the newer openings in town are service-related, which does not generate revenue to the town, county or state.

By: Jeff Wallace

Jeff Wallace — Thu, 25 Jul 2013 20:36:08 +0000

Developing US 13 would be a good idea as long as the individual businesses do not compete with businesses in Cape Charles. The charm of the Shore is its simplicity; making US 13 look like every other highway throughout the country would take away some of the charm and definitely hurt Cape Charles. The devil is in the details of what kind of businesses would be allowed. I remember when Cheriton was its own self-contained little business center — Paul’s, Francis Rollies feed store, Western Auto, Rogers Bros. grocery, Post Office, Chevy Dealer, Auto Repair garage — most all long gone. This might not be the best example of what can happen as a result of progressive growth, but the example of Onancock probably is. I would advise to be very careful when considering when and where growth happens.

By: Bobby Roberts

Bobby Roberts — Thu, 25 Jul 2013 20:19:55 +0000

Cape Charles has been asleep at the switch. For years the County has been changing the zoning at the Rt. 13 light to Commercial, while Cape Charles slept. Last week while you were napping the County Board, including your Supervisor, voted to cut the first check for the Rt. 13 sewer lines, and pay for it with your tax dollars. And as you get ready for another siesta, the head of the PSA will be getting ready to sign a contract to dig the first trenches (isn’t that the same guy who’s one of your Town Managers?). Don’t worry, you didn’t sleep through the County public hearings –there weren’t any. And you’d really be dreaming if you think the County is going to let you have any of that valuable commercial land in a boundary adjustment -— or let you have one word to say about what kind of business goes out there. Sleep tight.

By: Antonio Sacco

Antonio Sacco — Thu, 25 Jul 2013 19:09:47 +0000

Did anyone by chance read the U.S. Government’s water levels that would affect the Delmarva Peninsula in the next 50 years or so? The lower part of that peninsula (meaning us) will rise 20 feet. We are only 5 feet above sea level, which means we will be under water. Slow growth is not the answer.

By: Roger L. Munz

Roger L. Munz — Thu, 25 Jul 2013 17:24:27 +0000

Once again the Town Council acts, instead of thinking. As a past member of the Town Planning Commission, we were very careful to live by the Town master plan. In this instance, the Town went directly against not only the master plan, but also the long-established policy to promote and protect, in town business. Now, because the Town overspent for the sewer plant, we need to promote Route 13 development to help pay for it.

There seems to be a pattern of mismanagement rife through the Town’s recent business practices. Some examples:
1) over spent on the sewer plant by $5 million;
2) the Old School debacle (too long to list here);
3) Town Council overriding the Historic Review Board on Cape Charles Hotel;
4) Spending $200,000 of new well hookup money to purchase the library building;
5) Now, okaying a business concept in direct conflict with the downtown business district.

With a record like this, one wonders how any of them can run for reelection, and face the voters.

By: Deborah Bender

Deborah Bender — Thu, 25 Jul 2013 17:11:35 +0000

I lived in Onancock during the time when 4Corner Plaza expanded. I can tell you from firsthand experience that it nearly killed the town. Many of the businesses that were in town moved to the shopping center and those that didn’t move dried up and died. It has taken many years for Onancock to make the comeback that it has made. The same thing happened in Exmore.

I have already spoken with several business owners that will be affected by this sewer pipe and they DO NOT WANT IT! Many of these businesses are already struggling, and now Mr. Panek and his PSA want to reach out and grab more money from them.

As far as the boundary adjustment goes, this town just needs to stop trying to get bigger and work on taking care of what we already have.

Greed has killed this town before and greed will kill it again.

By: Gene Kelly

Gene Kelly — Thu, 25 Jul 2013 15:47:54 +0000

We will contribute almost $50,000 in meal tax to Cape Charles this year not to mention an exorbitant business license fee. The focus should be on attracting travelers and County locals into our towns, not processing waste water generated on Rt. 13. We struggle each off-season to maintain. We employ between 20 and 31 people depending on the season — IN TOWN! Think of the effect if those jobs relocate, not to mention another shuttered business in Cape Charles

By: Peter Lawrence

Peter Lawrence — Thu, 25 Jul 2013 15:42:57 +0000

I must have missed something: Who is advocating for “strip malls” on 13? Answer — nobody. A number of people in Northampton County are, however, advocating for a coordinated economic development effort that brings jobs and revenue to a County desperately in need of improving its school system, among other things.

Can some of that growth take more/better advantage of all the “pass-thru” visitors on 13? Probably. Are there types of industry/businesses that would never locate in our towns but might consider 13 as an option? We already know there have been some businesses interested in 13 but have been waiting for permits for over 2 years. They could never survive in the smaller towns, and the smaller towns wouldn’t want the congestion those businesses would bring if they could locate in the towns.

Coordinated growth in areas where business is already occurring on 13 can have the effect of making those areas more attractive while preserving the rural nature of the rest of 13. We can expand the job base, increase revenue to the County, give our local businesses more year-round support, and help our school system.

We now have an economic development director with great experience who can help coordinate this smart-growth economic development effort. A knee-jerk reaction against almost all types of growth over the past 20 years has put us in this position of declining population and revenue. Time to reverse that trend and help everyone out!

By: Linda Nicola

Linda Nicola — Thu, 25 Jul 2013 14:22:30 +0000

Strip malls and tacky drive-thrus are killing the Eastern Shore. I am very against it. You make the Eastern Shore look like every other town and there will be nothing special left about the Shore. Make people get off 13 and it will support the economy better than all the national corporations sending their money off-shore. Tourism brings $11 per every $1 spent to attract them. Their spending supports all the Shore without damaging everything that’s special about it. I keep hearing from out of state folks about how ugly 13 has become.

By: Antonio Sacco

Antonio Sacco — Thu, 25 Jul 2013 14:19:23 +0000

The counties have four assets: a deep water port in Cape Charles, a railroad, a major highway, and a airport that can easily become a major one. My suggestion: use them all for growth.