This character seems quite worried about the notion that ‘Cape Charles will require an investment-friendly culture to survive and thrive.’ Really? The Town created a sweetheart deal for the Shanty (although an unintended consequence may have been severely harming local business, such as Kelly’s and the now defunct ‘Aqua’ (oh, I know, it’s an oyster farm now. Please)). The town gave away the old school to a developer for $10, and has never charged him a penny for hookup fees (fees that would cost the rest of us tens of thousands of dollars). Seems like a chunk of investment went in and around all of Bay Creek (see the Brown & Root deal), didn’t it? Oh, oh, and the Hotel Cape Charles and the Yacht Center? Patrick Hand is about to create the Strawberry Street Corridor of new shops and apartments, isn’t he? From this perspective, Cape Charles does seem fairly investment friendly, wouldn’t you say?

And, the article never said the HDRB made the incorrect decision here; the original decision to approve in the first place is what’s off the chain.

You know what’s really scary? It’s talk like ‘a street which needs investment’. In other words, build it up, raise the costs, run the current residents off, raze the ‘blighted’ homes and build a bunch of vulgar, trivially delightful abodes in their place, all cozy and nice for the plastic masses to retire in. You know, gentrification (real scary if you’re not rich).

Mrs. Bauer, Mr. Manuel is only the builder. He lives across the bay, and I don’t think he has plans to move in any time soon. However, if you want to deliver him a bottle of champagne, you can probably meet him over at Kiptopeke Villages. You two can pop the cork and enjoy the view over the massive holding pond that will soon be constructed there.

While we’re house cleaning…Ms. McLaren, I think the three styles only refer to ‘New’ construction. Nobody said anything about tearing anything down, even if it did come from Sears.

Mr. Henderson, read this again. I think the point is you can do anything you want, Historic Guidelines or not. You, as an American, are free to construct your Cape Charles home as stupidly and pathetically as you so desire. You just can’t have a sliding glass door in the front.

One of the goals of the Historical Register is to create guidelines to help preserve historical structures and areas by providing financial assistance (key phrase) to participating local governments and homeowners.

The role of the Historic District Review Board as I understand it is to guide contractors and renovators in order to maintain the community character as outlined in State and local legislation.

If we don’t follow the ordinances we can lose our standing with the National Register – this makes it more difficult to qualify for the tax credits.

It all boils down to preservation and funding.