With the new zoning now law; we are attempting to review some of the changes. One area which is being affected is Agricultural District. As was pointed out to the Mirror by a citizen, the term “electric generation facility” was added to acceptable uses (this would require a special use permit), and it is listed as ‘B’, which means it will still have to be approved and amended by the BoS. The question is, just what does this term carry with it…what does it mean? Could a power plant could be constructed in Northampton, and if so what type of facility would that be?
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Archives for 2015
Town Council’s Christmas Present: Approves new playground for kids
After a review by the Town’s insurance carrier, the old wooden structures in the playground, such as the choo choo train and climbing wall, were deemed unsafe and a liability, and would need to be replaced. Council included $15K in the FY 2016 budget for the first phase of equipment to replace those wooden play structures. The swing set, zip line, and tractor tire swing will remain as part of the playground. While the Town allocated some funding, most of the money was raised by the community, mainly Citizens for Central Park – the total amount raised by CCP has been $30.6K. Part of this funding came from Northampton County after Hank Mayer and CCP secured funds via a grant. The Rotary Club, and Cape Charles School Association also made contributions, and combined with the Town appropriation of $15K, $45.6K is currently available to replace equipment at the playground.
The Town has selected Site Concepts, LLC, distributors of Miracle playground equipment, as the best proposal and best value. Attachment 1 is a rendering/layout of the equipment suite to be provided at a cost of $45.7K. Installation materials are estimated to cost $5.0K, bringing the total project cost to $50.7K for both phases. Installation will be performed by Public Works staff and community volunteers.
The Town approved the motion, opting for scenario 1, which will appropriate the $5.1K needed to complete the total playground project so that it will be ready for the kids this spring and summer.
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CORRECTION: Phase II of the Community Trail
Recently, a friend sent this email regarding Phase II of the community trail:
And I think the public deserves accurate information–if indeed, informing the public is what you hope to do. So please, please go to the town office and look at a map of the Community Trail, phase two.,In phase two–which is the only part of the plan currently on the table and collecting funding–the commercial strip of Peach St. is NOT AFFECTED. Only the north part of Peach will be upgraded, much to the advantage of the property owners on Peach. The paved trail on Washington will add a safe pedestrian walkway on a street that has never had one, to the advantage of the residents there.
Phase three–which is not currently on the table–will upgrade the southern end of Peach. However, when the parking is moved to the edges of the road, there will be as many parking spaces as there are currently being used in the middle. So there is no loss.
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Democracy Redux: Murray and Duer hold first Town Hall Meeting
After Hamilton and Jefferson, the perspective on what we term democracy became defined by the New England transcendentalist traditions of Emerson and Thoreau. For Thoreau , the town hall meeting became, “The true congress…the most respectable one ever formed in the United States.” Emerson followed that the town hall gives, “each individual his fair weight in the government…the rich give the council, and the poor also; moreover, the just and the unjust…every opinion had its utterance, every fact, every acre of land, every bushel of rye its entire weight.” Frenchman Alex de Tocqueville, “Town Meetings are to liberty what primary schools are to science; they bring it within the people’s reach, it teaches them to use and enjoy it.”
Last Monday, the citizens of Northampton, many of whom for the last two years have been exercising their right to free speech by voicing concerns over the approach, methodology, and content of the changes to the county zoning ordinance, met at the Northampton Fire & Rescue’s Bingo Hall in Nassawadox for a town hall meeting with newly elected Supervisors Spencer Murray and Robert Duer.
This town hall was symbolic in its own right, it also reinforced what we believe separates America from other places in the world. This last November, there was no violence, no riots, no bombings, assassinations or arrests, but instead, citizens went to the polls and peacefully voted for a change. During the evening, topics touched on familiar, critical topics, such as the new zoning, intensive farming, and the loss of Riverside Shore Memorial.
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We Love Festive Fridays, our newest, best holiday tradition
This year, when we heard that the holiday progressive dinner tour would not be taking place, we have to admit to being a bit distraught. We think of Cape Charles as the truest and best little Christmas village in Coastal Virginia. Those fears were entirely misguided, as we watched with joy as each Festive Friday unfolded before us. The Town is decorated, the shops open late, and wonderful music filled our streets and sidewalks…the only thing missing is a chestnut seller.
The Mirror would like to thank the Cape Charles Business Association, and all those that made these events such a success. We can’t wait to see what unfolds before us next year.
Note: If you didn’t get to attend Festive Fridays, there is still plenty of time to come and shop in Cape Charles. Kelly’s Gingernut Pub, the Oyster Farm, Hook You Up bistro, the Coach House and of course, the Cape Charles Coffee House are all open and ready to serve you a wonderful lunch or dinner….need to finish off that Christmas list? I can’t think of a better place to do it than Cape Charles, Virginia.
Richard Gliedman: with new zoning it’s Happy New Year….not
It didn’t take long for the board of supervisors to take action on their proposed zoning which, along with the process itself, has been universally panned by the overwhelming majority of Northampton County’s residents.
The county administrator gave the board a “Rube Goldberg-like” mark up of zoning changes to choose from. “A”, “B” and “C” were the choices but the board was told that they were limited to “A” for the time being because the rest will have to go back out for review by the same public that has not been listened to for the last 2+ years.
The vote was predictable with the exception of Mr. Hubbard who, to the surprise of most everyone present, voted against it. Only he knows whether he was driven by a last minute pang of conscience or a desire to avoid the appearance of a potential conflict of interest in the future.
In stark contrast to the rest of the board, Mr. Hogg should be commended for the common sense, intestinal fortitude and grace he has shown while dealing with the rest of this board and county administrator. As for the remaining board members and county administrator, they should be ashamed! They have not, at all, distinguished themselves in this endeavor.
For myself, and I suspect a lot of other folks in our beautiful county, the greeting “Happy New Year!” has taken on an added dimension. January, and the new board of supervisors, can’t come soon enough!!!
VACANCIES ON TOWN BOARDS
The Town currently has vacancies on the Wetlands/Coastal Dunes Board, the Library Board, Harbor Area Review Board, Board of Zoning Appeals and Building Code Board of Appeals. These boards, with the exception of the Library Board, meet on an as-needed basis. The Library Board meets monthly on the second Wednesdays at 5:00 p.m.
If you live in the Town and are interested in serving on any of these boards, please complete the Application for Boards and Commission and return it to Town Clerk Libby Hume at 2 Plum Street, Cape Charles, VA 23310 or email it to clerk@capecharles.org. I served on the Wetlands Board for close to 4 years, and it was a wonderful experience. I learned so much from other members such as Russ Dunton. I would highly recommend serving
Once applications are collected, interviews will be scheduled with the Town Council to fill the vacancies.
United Poultry Concerns set to celebrate 26th anniversary
2016 marks our 26th year of dedicated activism for chickens, turkeys and other domestic fowl. A quarter of a century ago, some well-meaning but mistaken people told me that an organization dedicated to helping “poultry” would never succeed because people “weren’t ready.” But effective activism is about making people ready, and this is what we have done and will continue doing in the year ahead and beyond, thanks to your support!
In the previous issue of Poultry Press, we introduced you to Gabby and Felix, two chickens who shared their life at our sanctuary. Felix, whose handsome face is featured on our holiday greeting card, fell out of the truck that was taking him to a slaughterhouse here on the Eastern Shore in July. Luckily, a passerby gathered him off the road and brought him to our veterinarian. His smashed wing had to be amputated, but following his surgery he settled into our kitchen and we named him Felix, which means “happy.”
A month later, in August, we adopted a baby chick from Maryland named Gabby. She too had been saved by a kind person, and now Felix and Gabby were inseparable companions in our kitchen. Bred for the chicken industry, Felix, though less than two months old the same as Gabby, was many times her size, and while she scampered around him, to his delight – he could barely stand up on his own two legs.
[Read more…]
Will Securitas provide better security for Bay Creek?
From Bay Creek Homeowners Association News:
Security and Landscape Contracts Awarded
At the November 14th meeting, the Board of Directors awarded the contract for Security Services for 2016 to Securitas, USA. Securitas was founded in Sweden in 1934 and they acquired Pinkerton in 1999; their regional office is in Richmond, VA. Securitas offered the lowest priced and most comprehensive bid of the four respondants to our RFP. A new contract will be in place for service beginning January 1st. All current gatehouse attendants will have an opportunity to interview for positions with Securitas.
We have been hearing mixed reviews on this from some Bay Creek residents. Please send comments to capecharlesmirror@gmail.com or comment to this article. We’d like to get a pulse on this.
Has Anyone Seen Arabella?
Has Anyone Seen Arabella?
By Bob Roche
If you didn’t see Arabella on Monday, Dec. 14th, you might ask “who or what is Arabella?” is it a missing pet or perhaps a play or movie that was performed at our own Arts Enter. Turns out Arabella is neither of the two or not even close. While at the harbor on Monday, I happened to look up and saw a beautiful white hulled three-masted motor yacht docked across the harbor at Cape Charles Yacht Center. Seeing some people moving about on the deck I drove over to get a closer look. Upon getting out of my truck I was greeted with a friendly wave and a “hello” from three ladies seated at the stern. Upon engaging in conversation with the three, I found out one was a crew member and one was the sister of the first mate, whom she was visiting. It turns out that Arabella was on her way for the winter for commercial cruises in the British Virgin Islands. Upon returning home I did some research and found that she sported six sails, was a hundred and fifty-seven feet long, was built in 1983 and refitted in 2000. For some views of Arabella plying the waters of Caribbean and New England see:
Disclaimer: I have no commercial or otherwise affiliation in Arabella
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