Comments on: EXTRA! Hundreds Turn Out Against County Zoning Plan

By: Thomas Haney

Thomas Haney — Tue, 18 Mar 2014 15:45:50 +0000

After reading the summary of changes that on are the table, it looks like an attempt to completely change the character of the shore, and essentially destroy what makes it a wonderful place in my opinion. Can you explain how some group was able to put this together and push it forward so quickly, with people who live here caught unaware and then scrambling to catch up. My guess is there’s a lot of money backing it, but it seems like the kind of proposal that should have gone straight in the trashcan, instead of being fast tracked to implementation.

By: Colin Cowling

Colin Cowling — Sun, 16 Mar 2014 15:57:43 +0000

An editorial presented as news and not accurate. Something that the Wave seems to be doing more and more of. Please lend substance to your accusation by citing what in the report is "not accurate." We trust you understand that quoting numerous speakers' opinions, which constituted most of the story, is very far removed from an "editorial." --EDITOR

By: Page Bradley

Page Bradley — Fri, 14 Mar 2014 22:32:50 +0000

Keep those clean waters. And keep the low cost housing. Where on earth would the lower income people go if they had to move? Virginia’s Eastern Shore is a wonderful, beautiful place that should be preserved. Developments will add little to the area’s economy, while using precious ground water, needing better roads, county services, etc. I am generally a person who’s in favor of progress, but in this case I stand with those who are fighting to preserve the land and the water.

By: Donna Bozza

Donna Bozza — Fri, 14 Mar 2014 16:49:46 +0000

Though Scott and I often connect on issues, I do have to say he missed the target here. First off, my reporter training taught me well when it comes to our community and county issues. It would be nice if we would come out in droves to “get informed” –and I did know a couple of people personally who attended the hearing for that reason. But human nature being what it is, especially with our already too-busy lives, it takes “dynamite” to get us out for Public Hearings in mass. We usually have to feel threatened or outraged or both to get off our duffs after a long workday. However, once there, it won’t be hard to see how Shore folks feel. Often we are polite and don’t get ugly — a lovely Southern charm — but applause as the WAVE stated is a good indicator of why we left a warm house and a glass of wine to speak out in defense of our home OR support those who did go to the podium.

I hope the WAVE will come to next Wednesday’s meeting of the Planning Commission too.

By: Scott Walker Jr

Scott Walker Jr — Fri, 14 Mar 2014 12:12:55 +0000

Your sensationalist headline “Hundreds Turn Out Against County Zoning Plan” is factually misleading. At least 50-odd citizens spoke against, which leaves 150 citizens’ viewpoint unaccounted for. Could it be that a few attended to become informed? As usual, you are employing big-city hype to small-town issues, and you shoot yourself in your reportorial foot. Get real.

Obviously you weren’t there — the crowd’s applause alone told the story. And if anything, the Wave lowballed the count. The Shore Daily News reported that “Northampton Supervisors and planning commission members endured 4 hours of criticism at a public hearing on the new proposed zoning and ordinance changes for Northampton County. Approximately 300 concerned citizens aired their gripes. . . .” And the Eastern Shore Post described “a packed house of approximately 400.” Normally, Wave reporting doesn’t go outside town limits, but given that this proposed rezoning could have the most important effect on the county in 20 years, we went the extra mile. Sorry it didn’t please you. –EDITOR

By: David Kabler

David Kabler — Fri, 14 Mar 2014 10:10:40 +0000

A point was made that “change is inevitable…” and we should not fear it. Risking the quality of our waters, developing the Rt. 13 corridor, allowing prisons here, doubling our housing density, placing heavy industry out in the farmland, dropping the waterfront protection for Oyster and Willis Wharf, eliminating the role of the Planning Commission, placing power in the hands of one person for land use decisions — these are not the changes our citizens enumerated in many years of vision-quest meetings.
Charles McSwain was hired to promote economic development. Our County Board of Supervisors, instead of directing him to “hit the bricks” and bring in new business, fixed him up with a big staff with orders to revise our zoning ordinance. He’s followed their orders to a “T”. What I want to know is, how many customers has he brought to the County who have chilled because of our zoning? Maybe if he and his formidable staff spent as much effort marketing and selling we might just see some business development without disrespecting our values. Blaming our zoning ordinance for our poverty is just a cover for not making any effort at economic development. I say, “Bring in the Tall Ships!”

By: Bobby Roberts

Bobby Roberts — Fri, 14 Mar 2014 00:53:52 +0000

I sat through the whole meeting and here’s what I learned: Nobody knows why the county needs a zoning change. No studies were done to show what might happen after the changes become law. No one thought about what happens to clams and aquaculture after the changes. No one knows what happens to property values if 999 chickens move in next door. No science studies show what might happen to water quality if the Bay Act goes away from the seaside. The same county Staff that wrote these changes will “interpret” them. And best of all, from the county Economic Development Director, “The Board of Supervisors told me to do it.”

By: Donna Bozza

Donna Bozza — Thu, 13 Mar 2014 18:46:44 +0000

Thank you to the Cape Charles Wave for the comprehensive coverage of this most important meeting and the biggest issue to face our county in decades. Thanks too to Virginia Eastern Shorekeeper and CBES for waking us up!

I am in awe of Planning Commission Chair Martina Coker and member Roberta Kellam for NOT cowing to the County’s pressure tactics. Instead they stood up and fought for taxpayers to have the chance to give our input at their meeting next Wednesday — as Dave Kabler cites above. I will be there — hope to see another big crowd. Showing up is the only thing that can derail this “hurry up, get this passed” mentality. If this new zoning is such a great idea, why the insane rush? Why bypass the Comprehensive Plan? And why look at public participation as somehow toxic to the democratic process?

FYI: Bill Prettyman of Virginia Beach quoted in the article said he is from the Shore and supports the new zoning. It should be noted that he has spent the last decades developing huge tracts of land in Northampton County.

By: David Kabler

David Kabler — Thu, 13 Mar 2014 16:52:33 +0000

No doubt the BOS rec’d tons of written comments on the proposal. There is still time to make your own voice heard, either through the written or spoken word. Our meeting did produce the result of referring the matter to the Planning Commission which meets at 7pm on Wed., March 19, 2nd floor of the Admin. bldg. They need to hear from you about what you think, most especially any specific concerns you may express, in order to deliberate in behalf of the public good.

By: Mike Kuzma, Jr.

Mike Kuzma, Jr. — Thu, 13 Mar 2014 15:42:38 +0000

I understand that there was a wastewater issue associated with the maximum security prison, but there are few entities that provide such a wealth of jobs — especially for those without advanced degrees — as a prison. 24/7/365 staffing. Support services. Supplies. Ad infinitum.