Town Puts the Squeeze on Merchant Signs
Town officials wanted to ban these signs next to the Coffee House on Mason Avenue . . .
. . . but the new 20-page ordinance goes a lot further, including restricting the Town’s own new Harbor advertising.
By GEORGE SOUTHERN
Cape Charles Wave
December 23, 2013
Cape Charles Town Council enacted a tough new sign ordinance December 19 that appears to place a number of local merchants, especially real estate agents, in violation of the law.
“This ordinance does not attempt to regulate what messages can be placed on signs, as that is a matter of free speech,” Town Planner Rob Testerman told Town Council. But the new 20-page ordinance (the old ordinance was 5 pages) goes into great detail about what messages can and cannot be on signs:
Another “development complex sign” — or is it a “billboard”? Either way, it doesn’t appear to meet the new Town sign ordinance.
Signs posted inside storefront windows are limited to “advertising weekly specials or special services offered for a limited time by a business establishment.” This appears to be aimed at the storefront adjacent to the Cape Charles Coffee House,
which typically features signs protesting Town Council’s sale of the Old School in Central Park. (The signs have been replaced with Christmas greetings during the holiday season.) Signs inside store windows “shall not exceed 25 percent of the window area on which such signs are displayed,” which catches the large “Don’t Answer That” shown above. But it also catches the sign in the door of Brown Dog Ice Cream. [Read more…]
PSA Moves Ahead with Sewer Plans Despite Public Outcry
File photo of September 23 public hearing, after which Northampton Supervisors voted to table any further action on the PSA. Public opposition to a special sewer tax district was almost unanimous.
By DORIE SOUTHERN
Cape Charles Wave
December 20, 2013
“County Halts Support of PSA Highway Sewer Project,” read the Wave headline last September 24. “After hearing an hour of public opposition Monday night to creating a special sewer tax district, Northampton County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to table the issue. ‘We heard you, we listened, there will be no action on this plan until we get a better understanding of what to do,’ announced BOS Chairman Willie Randall.” (Click for story.)
Three months later, with November elections out of the way, it’s back to business for the PSA (Eastern Shore of Virginia Public Service Authority). At its December 17 meeting the PSA approved a memo to the County Supervisors that belies any awareness of being put “on hold.”
The only reference in the memo to the September public hearing is that “comments were received that spoke against being included in the district.” The memo then lists 12 “Parcels to be Excluded” as well as four “Parcels to be Included” as modifications to the proposed special tax district.
The memo also flags two parcels owned by Northampton Mini Storage that are included in the tax district. “While we have not heard from the property owners relative to their positions on this project, the Board may wish to consider removing these two parcels since they have nominal wastewater usage today and are fully developed in their respective business capacity,” the memo states.
Before the September public hearing, the Board of Supervisors budgeted to pay 25 percent of the proposed sewer project, with property owners in the affected area responsible for the remaining 75 percent. The PSA memo advises that excluding additional parcels “will result in a higher [tax] burden on the remaining parcels.” [Read more…]
UPDATE: Jim Pruitt Considering Offer to Be Police Chief
Sgt. Jim Pruitt
CAPE CHARLES WAVE
December 18, 2013
Cape Charles police officer Jim Pruitt was picked Monday among three applicants to be the Town’s next police chief. But he hasn’t formally accepted the job offer yet.
Town Manager Heather Arcos called the Wave at 9 a.m. this morning to report that she and Mayor Dora Sullivan had just come out of a meeting with Pruitt to extend the offer to him, and that he had asked for a little time to consider it. [Read more…]
Anthony ‘Poot’ McHan, 21, Route 13 Victim
CAPE CHARLES WAVE
December 18, 2013
Anthony “Poot” McHan, 21, was driving north on Route 13 in the direction of Cape Charles Tuesday afternoon (December 17) when he lost control of his 2001 Toyota Tundra pickup. According to reports, the truck ran off the road near Capeville and flipped several times, ejecting McHan, who reportedly was not wearing a seatbelt. He died at the scene. Virginia State Police said that alcohol was not a factor in the accident.
McHan worked for Luke Kellam Construction and was involved in building the large home nearing completion in the Bay Creek South subdivision of Plantation Pointe.
A graveside service will be held 2 p.m. Saturday, December 21, at Belle Haven Cemetery with Reverend Jonathan Carpenter officiating. Family will join friends 7-8:30 p.m. Friday, December 20, at Doughty Funeral Home in Exmore. [Read more…]
Town Picks New Police Chief, Won’t Say Who
CAPE CHARLES WAVE
December 17, 2013
Cape Charles Town Council met in closed session yesterday to interview candidates for Chief of Police. According to the agenda above, Council then returned to open session and appointed a new police chief.
Under Virginia law, votes by a public body must be taken in open session accessible to the public.
Town Clerk Libby Hume told the Wave that she did not attend the Council meeting last night, nor did Assistant Town Clerk Amanda Hurley. By law, minutes must be taken of every Council meeting. Hume said that a recording had been made of the open session of the meeting, but that it was in Town Manager Heather Arcos’ office. [Read more…]
ANALYSIS: Town Borrowing Twice, Spending Once
By DORIE SOUTHERN
Cape Charles Wave
December 16, 2013
Cape Charles Town Council has voted to borrow $1 million for “new” projects including sewer repairs, freshwater wells, and a multi-use trail. But a Wave analysis reveals that the Town had already obtained money for these same projects, either from borrowing or from budgeting with tax money.
At a December 3 work session, Town Council reviewed “Capital Projects Priorities” (click to read) for spending $1.1 million. The priorities are:
FIRST PRIORITY: Repair 100 manholes to reduce rainwater inflow and infiltration: $100,000
An August 14, 2008, staff memo by Bob Panek (click to read) states: “The Town is correcting many problems associated with fresh water inflow and infiltration (I&I) into the wastewater system . . . So far, we have . . . fixed broken cleanout caps and installed nylon manhole inserts. Additionally, a contract has been awarded for raising the manhole covers.”
SECOND PRIORITY: Install a comminutor (grinder) for rags and other sewer debris: $50,000
THIRD PRIORITY: Upgrade sewer pump stations at Plum and Pine streets: $350,000
The 2008 Panek memo states: “Repairs and upgrades to the Mason Avenue, Pine Street, Plum Street, and Washington Avenue pump stations:” $550,000.
Town Council approved a resolution the same day authorizing (then) Assistant Town Manager Heather Arcos to sign documents for an EPA grant for “55% of project costs.” According to the resolution (click to read), “the Town has budgeted for the required 45% match.” A Project Narrative dated August 2008 states: “The proposed project will complete our efforts to eliminate the potential for wastewater overflows.”
The total projected cost of the projects was $1.2 million, with 55% funded by the EPA grant. In 2010 the Town borrowed the remaining $540,000 as part of a $2.6 million Recovery Zone Economic Development Bond. The bond application (click to read) states the following Town projects to be financed by the Town: [Read more…]
Planning Commission Further Mulls Highway Development
By DORIE SOUTHERN
Cape Charles Wave
December 12, 2013
The Cape Charles Planning Commission and Northampton County planning and zoning staff continue to refine ideas about future development outside of Cape Charles on Stone Road (184) and Route 13.
Cape Charles Planning Commission reviewed ideas December 10 for how to influence development outside the town limits, including at the intersection of Route 13 and 184, which under the proposed changes to the Northampton County Zoning Ordinance would be zoned commercial.
At a recent County information meeting, Northampton Director of Development Charles McSwain asked Cape Charles Councilman Frank Wendell what he thought about having commercial enterprises at the Cape Charles traffic light that could potentially direct visitors into Cape Charles. Wendell replied that he would rather see commercial activity in the shuttered Meatland building just inside town.
The County Comprehensive Plan notes that residents are concerned about the level of commercial development on Route 13 at key intersections. The Plan says that while Route 13 has typically served through-travelers, residents are concerned that too much commercial development along the highway will create congestion, compete with commercial activities in the towns, and fundamentally alter the character of the rural “view from the road.”
The Plan also recognizes that Route 13 sits atop the prime recharge area for the County’s sole-source aquifer and ground-water supply. And it noted residents’ opposition to the extension of any Interstate road corridor running from Delaware to South Carolina, seeing it as detrimental to the County’s economy and way of life based on its natural resources and farming and maritime industries.
Planning Commission suggestions for managing commercial development coming into Cape Charles do not reflect either the County or the Town Comprehensive Plans (both of which call for encouraging development within the Town). The Planning Commission has discussed these suggestions off and on since 2010, but their origin is unclear, as they do not originate from the Comprehensive Plan or from the Annexation Agreement. [Read more…]
Town Council Votes to Borrow $1 Million for New Projects
Town Treasurer Kim Coates: Without more borrowing, “we would definitely need to increase utility rates.” (Wave photo)
By DORIE SOUTHERN
Cape Charles Wave
December 10, 2013
Town Council voted December 5 to borrow up to $1.03 million for projects including water and sewer infrastructure, sidewalks, and breakwaters. At a public hearing preceding the vote, three residents spoke against the borrowing and one spoke in favor.
Deborah Bender stated that in 2006 when Mayor Dora Sullivan assumed office, Town debt was under $3 million – now it is about $11 million. She asked why, although the Town had just spent $19 million on a new sewer treatment plant, more money was now needed for sewers. “How is it that Onancock built their sewer plant which is three times bigger and paid $12 million,” she wondered.
Bender also noted that the new borrowing includes $300,000 to connect new wells, but money that had already been borrowed for that purpose was instead used to buy the new library building. Additionally, she pointed out that the loan includes $150,000 for sidewalks (multi-use trail) that were already budgeted this year. Mayor Sullivan gaveled Bender before she could complete her statement.
The next speaker, David Gay, noting that the Town is already $10 million in debt, asked, “How much debt is enough? – There seems to be no accountability on how these borrowings are spent. The same projects keep coming up year after year as the justification for the loans, but the projects are never completed and the money is used for something else.” [Read more…]
