Town Council Responds to Old School Cape Charles Lawsuit
By DORIE SOUTHERN
Cape Charles Wave
August 17, 2012
Cape Charles Town Council has filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit brought against it by the citizens’ group Old School Cape Charles.
After Town Council voted June 14 to sell the old school and surrounding property adjoining Central Park to a private developer, Old School Cape Charles, LLC, sued.
Led by local resident Wayne Creed, Old School Cape Charles had offered to lease or buy the school property for use as a community center. The group contends that the Town rejected its proposal “without . . . logical basis or explanation,” choosing instead to sell the property to Echelon Resources, Inc., for $10. The lawsuit seeks a Circuit Court order declaring the Town Council’s actions “unlawful and invalid.”
In its response August 7, the Town’s attorney argues that:
— Old School Cape Charles lacks standing to appeal to the Court;
— The Town’s resolution is not a zoning decision that can be appealed, and issues concerning zoning actions “are not ripe for determination”;
— Alleged procedural errors have not been proved;
— Old School Cape Charles failed to state how the sale of the property was not in compliance with the Comprehensive Plan; and
— Old School Cape Charles also failed to state why a “lame duck” Town Council may not bind a future Council, and why the Council’s decisions were “arbitrary, capricious, or violative of constitutional rights.” [Read more…]
SHORE THING
Local Man Follows the Path of Leonardo
The Rennaisance Man of Cape Charles: Ettore Zuccarino (with wife Carol reflected in mirror). (Wave photo)
By GEORGE SOUTHERN
Cape Charles Wave
August 14, 2012
Italy has Leonardo da Vinci.
The United States has Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson.
And the Eastern Shore has Ettore Zuccarino.
All are “renaissance men” – individuals who excel in a wide variety of fields. And anyone who knows Zuccarino would agree that he fits the renaissance definition to a “T.”
Zuccarino and his wife, Carol, live across Old Plantation Creek from the golf course area of Cape Charles – a very short way as the crow flies, but several miles’ drive on dry land. But the couple are very plugged in to the Town, and we rightly claim them as our own.
I first heard of Zuccarino through a little advertisement he ran last winter in Joan Natali’s Cape Charles Happenings:
Quo Vadis Workshops: Where are you going? Try to Google the words “We can’t go on like this.” The hits are in the millions. Wonder why? To facilitate the understanding of this paradigm shift, a series of 12 workshops is offered at the Cape Charles Public Library during which we’ll explore together various wisdom traditions. . . .
I was intrigued. What kind of workshops would I find at the little Cape Charles library – and more importantly, whom would we meet? My wife and I signed up. The course was thought-provoking, but what lingers most in my memory is the person who planned it, advertised it, and conducted it with discipline and humor: Ettore Zuccarino. [Read more…]
WEDNESDAY 8/15: Volunteer Fire Company Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser
Cape Charles Volunteer Fire Company is holding a Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser at Cape Charles Rescue Squad on the road to Cheriton to benefit a 19-year veteran of the Fire Company who is fighting cancer. Dinner is 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. and includes spaghetti, salad, garlic bread and beverage for $8. Desserts will be served as well, and take-outs are available.
SATURDAY 8/18: Clothing Give-Away in Oyster at Travis Chapel United Methodist Church
Travis Chapel United Methodist Church in Oyster is having a free Clothing Give-Away Saturday, August 18, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Clothing is offered for the whole family.
TOWN COUNCIL
$96,000 Peach to Washington Sidewalk Study Approved
Town Manager Heather Arcos displays map of the planned multi-million dollar Community Trail system. The first phase was the Central Park sidewalk; next comes a trail from the Park along Peach Street to Washington Street. (Wave photo)
By DORIE SOUTHERN
Cape Charles Wave
August 13, 2012
Cape Charles Town Council voted August 9 to award $96,000 for an engineering study for the next phase of the Town’s “multi-use trail system” – also known as sidewalks.
Land Studio Professional Corporation will “develop construction documents for implementation of the multi-use trail along North Peach Street and Washington Avenue of the Cape Charles Community Trail Master Plan.”
Land Studio PC also did the engineering studies for Central Park.
In addition to sidewalks, the trail system includes lighting, drainage, and trees and shrubs.
Town Manager Heather Arcos displayed a map of the Community Trail planned phases. The first phase was the walkway in Central Park, completed at a cost of $1 million.
Grant funding through the Virginia Department of Transportation provides 80 percent of trail costs, with the Town paying the rest.
The trail will include a median on Peach Street from the park to Washington Avenue and sidewalks on either side. Trail construction could begin in 2014 if funding is allocated.
“Further phases of the project will continue until the Town is linked by trails. It will be many years before the full Multi-Use Trail Plan has been implemented,” Arcos told the Wave.
The next scheduled phase will be the south side of Peach Street. [Read more…]
SATURDAY 8/11: Chatham Vineyards Eastern Shorekeeper Clamboree
Saturday, August 11, 5:30-9:30 p.m: Chatham Vineyards 5th Annual Virginia Eastern Shorekeeper Clamboree. Enjoy famous Chatham Wines as well as Eastern Shore clams, pork barbecue, and chicken with all the sides. Celebrate with us as we announce the 1st Annual Guardian of the Waters Awards.
Tickets are $30 in advance for adults and $15 for kids 12 and under. Tickets can be purchased at SouthEast Expeditions, Rayfield’s Pharmacy, and Sullivan’s Office Supply.
Don’t forget to purchase your raffle tickets for chances to win locally grown clams and oysters, Coastal Kayak Cabo model kayak, prints by local artists and locally written books, striped bass woodburning, P.G. Ross decoy, and a hunting expedition with Grayson Chesser.
For more information, visit www.shorekeeper.com.
PLANNING COMMISSION
Residential Density Limits Considered for Harbor District
By DORIE SOUTHERN
Cape Charles Wave
August 9, 2012
Cape Charles Town Planner Tom Bonadeo has recommended adding density limits to the Harbor District zoning ordinance.
At the August 7 Town Planning Commission meeting, Bonadeo said a density limit could pre-empt proposals for overcrowded residential development in the Harbor District.
Bonadeo added, however, that he was unaware of any plans for residential development in the Harbor District at this time.
The Town Council adopted Harbor Area Design Standards in September 2010 as an addendum to the Comprehensive Plan.
In 2006, the Town paid for the “Harbor Area Conceptual Plan and Design Guidelines” study.
REZONING REQUEST ON RANDOLPH AVENUE
In other Planning Commission business, a proposed change to the Commercial District (C-1) zoning ordinance was raised by IES Holdings, LLC, owner of commercial property at 718 Randolph Avenue. The firm is requesting permission to build two residential apartments behind the existing property. The commissioners agreed to inspect the property before making any recommendation to Town Council. [Read more…]
Judge Sets Town Council Election for November 6
By GEORGE SOUTHERN
Cape Charles Wave
August 7, 2012
Cape Charles will hold a special election November 6 to select a replacement for the late Town Councilman-elect Donald L. Clarke.
The winner of the election will serve a term of approximately three years and eight months, until July 1, 2016.
Clarke was elected to Town Council May 1, but passed away on June 13. He was due to take office July 1.
The special election was ordered by Northampton County Circuit Court Judge W. Revell Lewis, III, and was in response to a petition filed by the Town Council.
Persons wishing to run in the special election must file their candidacy at least 81 days prior to the November election, making the filing deadline August 17 at 5 p.m.
The November 6 Special Election will be held concurrent with the Presidential election, so the Town will not incur any extra election expense. [Read more…]
