TOWN COUNCIL:
Final Appeal Tonight on Hotel Cape Charles
By GEORGE SOUTHERN
Cape Charles Wave
February 21, 2013
The scene: A 1950s movie. Two teenagers in hotrods are playing a deadly game of chicken on a deserted dark highway. As they roar head-on toward one another, one of them has to swerve. If neither gives up, they both die.
Tonight, the Town of Cape Charles and Hotel Cape Charles face off in their own version of “chicken.” Either one party wins and the other loses, or if neither side gives in, they both go down in flames.
The stand-off is over the design of the hotel building — specifically the glass-walled balconies. When hotel owner David Gammino originally submitted his design proposals to the Town’s Historic District Review Board, the balconies were shown in wrought iron, and that’s what the Board approved.
Gammino later changed his mind, but never advised the Board. And although the Town was supposed to monitor the construction, no one noticed that the building didn’t look like the approved design until it was too late.
The hotel received a temporary occupancy permit, allowing it to open last summer. Meanwhile, the Historic Review Board instructed Gammino to go back to the drawing board and come up with balcony walls that looked more “historic.”
Gammino dutifully sent new architectural drawings showing wood surrounds on the glass. But the Review Board rejected the proposal, and turned the case over to Town Council.
And so tonight, six citizens who have never claimed any expertise in historic architectural style will determine whether Hotel Cape Charles is allowed to reopen. [Read more…]
Town Gets Fluoridation Award Amid Rising Health Concerns
By DORIE SOUTHERN
Cape Charles Wave
February 20, 2013
Cape Charles has again received an annual Water Fluoridation Quality Award for maintaining safe levels of fluoride in the drinking water.
Daily tests ensure that fluoride added to Town water is maintained between .6 to 1.2 parts per million.
Virginia Department of Health representative Dixon Tucker presented the award to Public Utilities Director Dave Fauber at the January 10 Town Council meeting.
The Department of Health encourages communities to fluoridate their water supplies to prevent tooth decay.
According to the Health Department, fluoridated water reaches 80 percent of the state’s residents.
Fluoride concentrations are generally low in wells on the Eastern Shore. But in some other areas, naturally occurring fluoride levels are so high that the water is not considered safe for children to drink. In those areas, bottled water is recommended for children.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that parents monitor the use of fluoride toothpaste by young children.
Consuming excessive fluoride either in the water or as toothpaste can cause dental fluorosis in children younger than nine years old. Effects can vary from barely perceptible off-white to light brown marks, pitting, enamel loss, and brown staining on permanent teeth. [Read more…]
Hotel, Park Bathroom Appeals Challenge Historic Board
BY GEORGE SOUTHERN
Cape Charles Wave
February 15, 2013
Two appeals will be heard on rulings by the Cape Charles Historic District Review Board — one regarding Hotel Cape Charles, and the other a bathroom in Central Park.
Cape Charles Town Council will hear the appeal concerning Hotel Cape Charles 6 p.m. Thursday, February 21, during the regular council meeting at Saint Charles Parish Hall.
The hotel owners, David and Kathryn Gammino, are appealing the final decision of the Historic District Review Board.
The Review Board ruled last November 20 that the hotel as constructed failed to comply with the plans submitted and approved by the Board.
The hotel has not been granted a permanent certificate of occupancy. It is closed for the winter but due to reopen March 1.
Unless Town Council overturns the Historic District Review Board decision, the hotel will not receive permission to reopen.
In a 35-page submission to the Town, the Gamminos argue that the Review Board failed to follow the Cape Charles Historic District Guidelines. “The denial was based on subjective impressions rather than [the] Guidelines,” the Gamminos wrote.
The Gamminos’ letter to the Town may be read here.
Meanwhile, another appeal of the Review Board’s decision has been filed in Northampton County Circuit Court.
The Circuit Court appeal is over a decision by the Historic District Review Board to approve a bathroom design adjacent to the pergola in Central Park.
The bathroom is planned to duplicate the design of an existing sewage pump station north of the pergola. [Read more…]
TOWN COUNCIL:
South Port Wins Easements; Library Remodeling Funded
By DORIE SOUTHERN
Cape Charles Wave
February 12, 2013
South Port Investors LLC has cleared two more hurdles in its quest to construct a yacht repair facility adjacent to the town harbor.
Cape Charles Town Council on February 7 awarded South Port two 40-year encroachment easements at the harbor.
The easements were put out for bid and were advertised as required by law. South Port’s offer of $100 was the sole bid.
Council also voted to amend two property leases with South Port. The lease amendments allow land leased by South Port from the Town to be used for boat repair, fueling, docking, a cafe/market, sale of ship stores, administrative offices, transient housing, and a boatel.
Library Update
Town Manager Heather Arcos reported the status of remodeling the new library building. Painting is complete, the bathroom is almost ready, and carpeting has been purchased. A new circulation desk is under consideration.
If renovations are completed on schedule, the new library will open April 1. [Read more…]
Cape Charles Police Chief and Town Planner Retiring in 2013
Police Chief ‘Sambo’ Brown
(Photo: Harry Gerwien)
Town Planner Tom Bonadeo
CAPE CHARLES WAVE
February 7, 2013
Two long-time Town of Cape Charles employees are planning to retire by the end of the year.
Town Planner Tom Bonadeo has announced that he will retire as of November 1, and will take accumulated vacation time for about a month before that, making his last day of work around October 1.
Police Chief Charles ‘Sambo’ Brown has made no formal retirement announcement, but Mayor Dora Sullivan told the Wave yesterday that the Chief also plans to retire around the end of the year. [Read more…]
Planning Commission Bypasses Public Hearing Requirement
By DORIE SOUTHERN
Cape Charles Wave
February 7, 2013
The Cape Charles Planning Commission voted February 5 to send a letter to Town Council requesting concurrence with a plan to amend the Town’s zoning ordinance.
The amendment would establish limits on residential occupancy in the Harbor District.
The Planning Commission recommends using the Floor Area Ratio (FAR) to calculate housing density in the Harbor District.
Under Town regulations, public hearings are required to be held before either the Planning Commission can recommend or Town Council can approve a change to a zoning ordinance.
Since no public hearings have been scheduled, the Planning Commission vote occurred without opportunity for any public input.
Town Council consideration of the proposed zoning amendment would also occur before a public hearing is held.
After Town Council has given its concurrence with the proposed changes, the Planning Commission intends to hold a public hearing on the changes, followed by a public hearing by Town Council.
OTHER PLANNING COMMISSION BUSINESS
Town Planner Tom Bonadeo reported that the town manager is consulting with the town attorney regarding limiting appeals of rulings by the Historic District Review Board.
Under the current Town ordinance, any decision of the Review Board may be appealed, first to Town Council, and then to the Circuit Court.
Town staff appear interested in changing the ordinance such that only denials, not approvals, by the Review Board may be appealed. [Read more…]
Group Asks: What’s Your Opinion of Local Schools?
Click above to read the full survey.
CAPE CHARLES WAVE
February 4, 2013
An anonymous, self-described “local community group” has launched an online survey “to explore perceptions of the local school options.”
According to emails circulating among parents and others interested in Eastern Shore schools, the data collected in the survey will be used to “analyze the perceptions of our local schools by staff, parents, and community members.”
The group stresses that the survey is not being conducted by any local school system.
“We want to gather the honest perceptions of anyone with a stake in education on the Eastern Shore,” the email states.
The survey is not confined to public schools, but extends to private schools including Broadwater Academy, Cape Charles Christian School, and Shore Christian Academy.
The survey also asks questions of parents who are home-schooling their children. [Read more…]
Town Council Spending $10,000 to Patch up Fishing Pier
By DORIE SOUTHERN
Cape Charles Wave
January 29, 2013
Cape Charles Town Council faced a Catch-22 at its January 24 meeting: Wait until September for federal funding to repair or replace the fishing pier damaged by Hurricane Sandy — or fix it at Town expense and risk forfeiting funds from FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency).
But the decision was unanimous: Council could not accept keeping the pier closed through the summer, and so voted to patch it up at Town expense.
The hope was still that FEMA eventually would pay to replace the heavily damaged portion of the pier, which is the part built alongside the jetty.
But Town staff were less optimistic than at the previous Council meeting, when Public Works Director Dave Fauber had said that “FEMA is going to be dumping a lot of money in it to fix it and fix it right this time.”
Now, Town staff are worrying that FEMA is too preoccupied by the storm damage in New Jersey to give priority to Cape Charles.
Council’s dream is to build a new section of pier away from the jetty, closer to the harbor, connecting to the deeper water portion of the existing pier. The cost could be upwards of $300,000.
Unfortunately, FEMA would not bear any of that cost — the agency is willing only to repair or replace an existing structure, not build a new one.
So the Town plans to fix up the old pier just enough to be safe for the summer.
The Catch-22? If the Town does too good a job on repairs, FEMA might decide the pier doesn’t need to be replaced.
Wave Attenuators Get Thumbs Up
In other business, Town Council voted to move forward with plans to build floating wave attenuators at the entrance to the Town Harbor. [Read more…]
