Newcomers Take A Walk on the Sunnyside (Garden, That Is)

By MIKE and LINDA MEE
Special to the Cape Charles Wave

May 14, 2013

When longtime owner Bo Lewis put Sunnyside Garden Center up for sale last year, no one knew what might become of it.

But thousands of motorists on Highway 13 saw the FOR SALE sign, and it wasn’t long before wheels began turning in the minds of a couple from Philadelphia.

Matt and Carold Yancy had been vacationing on the Eastern Shore for years, and long ago fell in love with the fishing, farmland, and friendly folks in the area.

That led to the purchase of a weekend home, with weekdays still in the city.

That all changed when Carold, who is originally from Haiti, retired after more than 20 years at St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia.

The Yancys took the next step and made a permanent move to Cape Charles.

Matt realized that, much as he loved to fish, he needed more to do. And that’s when they noticed the FOR SALE sign.

The transition was seamless, with former owners Lewis and his wife frequently on the scene. [Read more…]

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Strawberry Street Getting Yet Another New Business

CAPE CHARLES WAVE

May 13, 2013

As the month of June approaches, Strawberry Street is “busting out all over.”

It started a year earlier at 16 Strawberry Street, where Drizzles Tasting Shop, a boutique oil shop, injected new life in the “off-Mason” area previously devoid of shops other than a side entrance to Stage Door Gallery.

Then Moonrise Jewelry opened at 22 Strawberry Street with custom designs, quickly followed by expansion into a second storefront.

Now, Suzanne Golibart is opening a “unique consignment boutique” named Periwinkles at 12 Strawberry Street.

Periwinkles will offer “upscale women’s clothing, accessories, and home decor in an eclectic boutique environment,” Golibart says.

The official opening is Thursday, May 16, but Periwinkles is accepting consignment accounts and merchandise now. [Read more…]

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Sewer Costs Push New Town Water Bills to $100

By DORIE SOUTHERN
Cape Charles Wave

May 10, 2013

The Town of Cape Charles has the most modern sewage treatment plant on the Eastern Shore.

It is also the most expensive.

Town Manager Heather Arcos broke the news at a Town Council budget work session last night: Now that the new plant is in operation, the cost for sewage treatment is skyrocketing, and the minimum monthly sewer charge of $35.45 could increase to $64.44.

That would be an increase of 82 percent in one year.

Town Council didn’t like that number, and decided to defer some improvements and maintenance to cut costs by $85,000. Purchase of a grinder will be postponed, as will manhole repairs and engineering studies for pump stations.

Council also axed a $10,000 request from Chairman Bob Panek to fund his Public Service Authority that hopes to provide sewerage to properties on Highway 13 and the road to Cheriton.

Even with the cuts, sewer bills are still expected to increase by $18, which is a 51 percent increase over current rates.

The reason for the huge increase is because the Town borrowed $5 million for the new treatment plant and is required to pay down the loan by $289,000 every year for 20 years. [Read more…]

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Judge Upholds Town Council on Park Bathroom

By DORIE SOUTHERN
Cape Charles Wave

May 9, 2013

For the third time this year, Cape Charles Town Council yesterday found itself before Circuit Court Judge Revel Lewis in a case brought by a Town resident.

Yesterday, for the third time, Judge Lewis found in favor of the Town.

The two earlier cases concerned Town Council’s rezoning of Central Park property and transfer of the Old School and related park property to a real estate developer.

Yesterday’s case was also about Central Park –- this time concerning plans to build a bathroom.

Town resident Donald Riley argued that plans for the bathroom to mirror the design of an adjoining c.1980 sewage pump station violated the Town’s Historic Guidelines.

He further argued that the bathroom site was illegal because it did not meet the 20-foot setback requirement.

In yesterday’s case, as well as in the earlier cases, Judge Lewis declined to consider substantive arguments. He earlier ruled that his court had no jurisdiction, and yesterday decided that Riley had no standing.

The Wave learned this week that the first two cases, concerning the Old School, have been appealed to the state Supreme Court. [Read more…]

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THURSDAY 5/9: Town Council Reviews Water, Sewer Rates

Cape Charles Town Council will conduct a budget work session 5 p.m. Thursday, May 9. [Read more…]

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PLANNING COMMISSION: ‘Drastic’ Flood Zone Reduction?

CAPE CHARLES WAVE

May 7, 2013

Cape Charles Town Planner Tom Bonadeo has informed the Planning Commission that new Flood Insurance Rate Maps “have changed drastically by reducing the AE flood zone.”

The AE flood zone is the area for which flood insurance may be required. “The change is so drastic we need to be sure that there is not a mistake,” Bonadeo wrote.

The maps will be released May 21, and a 90-day comment period will follow. The new maps do not take effect until August 2014.

The Planning Commission will meet 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 7, at Town Hall.

The meeting will begin with a public hearing for a conditional use permit at 712 Randolph Avenue (Mosher Rehabilitation building) to allow an apartment over existing commercial space.

The Town information packet for the meeting may be read at http://www.capecharles.org/documents/20130507PCAgendaPkt.pdf

Bonadeo has also reported that: [Read more…]

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LETTER: Thanks for Supporting Crabby Blues Festival

May 7, 2013

DEAR EDITOR:

First of all, thanks to the over 1,000 persons who attended the Crabby Blues Festival on a sunny but blustery day at Cape Charles’ Central Park to benefit the Cape Charles Christian School.

Our school is thriving in no small part thanks to the generosity of a host of people year round and to sponsors who make fundraisers like this one possible.

Using the park is just another way the school maintains its connection to the fabric of the Town; our kids also helped move the library materials to their new location just the day before the festival.

Thanks for the draw provided by the diverse talents of John Baldwin, Johnny Mud, the Cape Charles Band, the Shy Teds, Frank Russell and The Fish Band, Scott & Melinda, and Heather and the Oyster Boys, all of whom generously donated their time, and to Heather Travis who arranged for them to do so.

Thanks to the donors of items to the silent auction and to Leslie Savage for her hard work in pulling in an excellent variety of items. [Read more…]

Crowd of 1,000 Blows In for Crabby Blues Festival

May 6, 2013

Organizers deemed Saturday’s Crabby Blues Festival “a great day despite the wind!”

Better wind than rain! Some 1,000 persons came to Cape Charles Central Park to enjoy the food, live music, art sales — and maybe most importantly, to see and be seen. [Read more…]

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Town Council Fails to Trim Budget, Favors Borrowing

By DORIE SOUTHERN
Cape Charles Wave

May 3, 2013

Last week Cape Charles Town Council instructed Town Manager Heather Arcos and Treasurer Kim Coates to sharpen their pencils and come back this week with a proposed budget that would not increase taxes.

The marching orders were to cut 2 percent from staff budgets across the board.

But at last night’s budget work session, Treasurer Coates presented only two options: 1) raise taxes to fund a higher budget, or 2) keep taxes at last year’s level but borrow money to make up the difference.

Given those choices, Council tentatively agreed to a budget exceeding the “equalized rate” by $77,844.

Town staff did make some cuts to reach even that figure, most significantly scrapping a proposed 1 percent cost of living allowance increase. Originally, Town staff had recommended a 3 percent COLA.

Additional savings are proposed to come from eliminating Town contributions to most community-funded activities, including the Tall Ships Festival, the Birding and Wildlife Festival, the Shore Soccer League, Star Transport, and the new Cape Charles by the Bay tourism website.

Left in the budget was $10,000 for July 4th fireworks. [Read more…]

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Town Council Budget Work Session 6 p.m. Tonight

May 2, 2013

Cape Charles Town Council will conduct a budget work session 6 p.m. Thursday, May 2, at Town Hall. The public may attend but not speak.

Town staff will present a revised budget reflecting a 2 percent reduction from the previous proposal.

Town Council requested the revision in an effort to keep from raising the tax rate higher than the amount needed to obtain the same amount of money as last year.

Because the meeting is only a work session, there will be no vote on the budget proposal. The Town plans to advertise a proposed tax rate coming out of this meeting without having voted on the rate.

Under state law, a municipality can not enact a tax rate higher than advertised. [Read more…]

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MAY CALENDAR for Town of Cape Charles

COMPILED BY CAPE CHARLES RECREATION DEPARTMENT

LIBRARY — The old library is closed, but the new library opens May 8 at 201 Mason Avenue.  Phone number is still 757-331-1300.  Hours are Monday through Wednesday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Activities include:

COMPUTER CLASSES for beginners every Tuesday at 11 a.m.

ARTS AND CRAFTS every Wednesday at 4 p.m.

STORY TIME every Thursday at 10:30 a.m.

CAPE CHARLES HARBOR summer office hours are Monday through Thursday 8 a.m.-6 p.m. and Friday through Sunday and all Holidays 7 a.m.-7 p.m.

NO DOGS allowed on the Cape Charles Beach from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. from April 1 to Labor Day.  All dogs must be on a leash in Northampton County.

MAY 2, 9, 16 – New Roots Youth Garden 4-5 p.m.

MAY 2 – 10:30 a.m.,  Parade of Books led by Foster, the Brown Dog Ice Cream dog.  The Cape Charles Christian School will begin the move of the library to its new location.

MAY 4 – Crabby Blues Festival in Central Park,  3- 8 p.m.  Tickets on sale and vendors on location.

MAY 17 – Black Drum Tournament sponsored by the Northampton County Chamber of Commerce.

MAY 18, 19 – Rhythms of the Shore at the Palace Theatre.  Arts Enter School of Dance final performance. [Read more…]