Tuesday’s regular meeting of the Northampton Board of Supervisors was once again dominated by opposition to proposed changes to the county zoning ordinance. Where other meetings have focused on the issues such as losing the Bay Act protections on the seaside, Planned Unit Development inconsistencies, waste and incineration process, and even intensive poultry farming, this meeting focused on what some in the county feel is an innate racial bias woven into the text and metanarrative of the current document.
Archives for 2015
HDRB moves forward on Peach Street Brew Pub
With Chairman Joe Ferrer unable to attend, Terry Strub took the reins for this month’s Historic District Review Board. On the agenda was another application for a Certificate of Appropriateness for the new brew pub at 8 Peach Street – this time for an addition to rear of the building, as well as some façade improvements. The applicant proposes opening the rear wall as a means of expansion by installing a refrigerated cooler room. The addition of the cooler does change the footprint of the structure. The addition is not visible from Peach Street, however it will be somewhat visible from Mason Avenue. Relative to the Guidelines, they state that : New additions, exterior alterations, or related new construction shall not destroy historic materials that characterize the property. The new work shall be compatible with the massing, size, scale, and architectural features of the old work to protect the historic integrity of the property and its environment. New additions and adjacent or related new construction shall be undertaken in such a manner that if removed in the future, the essential form and integrity of the historic property and its environment would be unimpaired. (Building Element 4, page 21).
Cape Charles Historic District Expansion and Update and Information Workshop
This week, Planner Larry DiRE received and unexpected windfall courtesy of the Virginia Department of Historic Resources. With additional funding available, the DHR has offered to use the funds to include the town in a workshop that would aid the Historic District Review Board with the nomination form and other responsibilities. See letter below for details:
Mr. DiRe –
My name is Carey L. Jones and I am the Architectural Survey Coordinator at the Virginia Department of Historic Resources. In addition to managing the architectural survey program, I am assisting with the administration of funds DHR received from the National Park Service to address damage from Hurricane Sandy and assist with planning for future disasters. DHR is currently undertaking an architectural survey of the Eastern Shore in partnership with the Eastern Shore Planning District Commission. We have additional funding available and are interested in using this funding to update and expand the nomination form for the Cape Charles Historic District in order to assist you and the Historic District Review Board with decision making. In addition to funding an update and expansion of the district we also have funding available for an information workshop for the Historic District Review Board members. This workshop could be similar to what was proposed in the recent CLG application with an added emphasis on disaster planning and management. DHR has funds available to completely cover the costs of the nomination update and expansion and the information workshop and will handle all administrative responsibilities. We will not look to the Town to fund any part of this project. We will ask your support for this effort in terms of meeting arrangements, informing residents, and GIS/mapping assistance for the nomination.
Thank you for your consideration of this project. I look forward to discussing this with you and members of your community.
Thank you and I look forward to hearing from you.
-Carey
Carey L. Jones, Architectural Survey Coordinator and Cost Share Program Manager
Division of Survey and Register
Department of Historic Resources
2801 Kensington Avenue, Richmond, VA 23221
Brown Dog wins 2015 Made in Virginia Award
Earlier this fall, while in the midst of one of our rehearsals for the Palace Theater show Christmas in New York, there was a commotion amongst several of my young ‘divas’. Thinking I was going to have to break up yet another ‘artistic dispute’, I was instead informed that they were all leaving the rehearsal whether I liked it or not.
“Oh yeah?” I said.
“Oh, yeah,” I was once again informed.
“It’s your funeral,” I said. “You’re the ones who are going to look stupid on stage when you don’t know your lines.”
“We don’t care. Today is the last day for Brown Dog, and if we don’t hurry, they will be closed before we get there!”
“Well, that’s different,” I said. “Get your stuff and get out of here. You better hurry, they close for the season at 3:00!”
As obnoxious as this scene was, it serves to highlight the passion, joy and loyalty that our kids have for Brown Dog Ice Cream. And they are not alone. This year, Brown Dog was winner of the Virginia Living Made in Virginia award for best food, beating out favorites in Surry, Edinburg and Virginia Beach. For many of us living on the shore, Brown Dog represents so much more than delicious and artistic ice cream, but it is also an example of a sustainable, local farm to table operation. Brown dog is defining just how businesses should operate here the shore – creating a product that is woven into the fabric of the region where it lives. Brown Dog’s appeal is that it is unique, yet it is unique to this place, making it the perfect ambassador for not just Cape Charles, but the entire Lower Shore.
Congratulations Foster! You did it again.
Read the excerpt from Virginia Living magazine below:
About five years ago, Miriam Elton set out to solve a problem: Her small Eastern Shore beach town was in need of a premium ice cream store. The result? Ice cream done right. At Brown Dog Ice Cream in Cape Charles, Elton treats her creamy creations with care—no artificial flavors, just fresh ingredients that are prepared and cooked for you to see and feel and taste.
The varieties on offer at Brown Dog Ice Cream, like beet and goat cheese with pistachio, or avocado with strawberry, lime and jalapeno, sound more farm-to-table restaurant than seaside ice cream store, and that’s no accident. “We try to be creative and we try to use local fruit and vegetables,” says Elton, 53, originally from Loudoun County. “So whatever becomes available from local farmers, I try to create a recipe.”
Elton does the prep work in the kitchen, roasting and cooking ingredients like local apricots, peaches, wineberries, plums, corn, figs, strawberries and blackberries. She then incorporates them into the ice cream during the freezing process. In the end, the formula is pretty simple: “The best ingredients equal the best ice cream,” says Elton. Kids, she adds, particularly enjoy chilling out in her shop with the real brown dog, Foster.
LETTER: Questions why there is a rush to vote on zoning
Despite months of overwhelming public opposition the majority of the current Northampton County board of supervisors have continued to pursue their proposed zoning changes. At best, this reflects an egotistical, “we know better than you” attitude. At worst, it reeks of money driven back room deals with nameless individuals or corporations unwilling to publicly speak up for this zoning but who will most certainly benefit from it.
Whatever the current board’s motivations, given the longstanding public opposition along with the apparent desire of the new board created by the last week’s election to want to reconsider at least some of the zoning changes, the now lame duck majority has an ethical obligation to put off any vote on the zoning changes until after the new board is in place.
The current board’s actions in what remains of this year, and their term in office, will tell everyone a lot about where they believe their obligations lie.
Richard Gliedman
RH Meyers: Unjustified Zoning changes will harm our waters
Mr. Chairman & Mr. Hogg, this morning you attended a Bi-County Ground Water meeting where the lack of ground Phosphorus studies for the Eastern Shore were demonstrated to be non-existent. Knowing Phosphorus quantities resulting from chicken manure were identified as necessary to make intelligent decisions for protecting the Bay and the County’s waterways. These are critical for shellfish growing and to all the businesses that rely on that for a living. I am noting for the record, that even though the Eastern Shore, as noted by Governor McAuliffe is one of the largest producers of shellfish in the United States, you are continuing on a course of proposed zoning that may imperil our waters for this industry because of your collective ignorance. For your education, I am submitting an example of what Maryland has done to address what was to them, a previous unknown.
Nature Conservancy Open House at Brownsville Dec. 3rd
The staff of The Nature Conservancy’s Virginia Coast Reserve invites you and yours to join us for good cheer and celebration of the season at our annual Brownsville Open House!
Thursday, December 3rd
4:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Bring your family! Bring your friends! We’ll have hayrides around the farm until dark and a roaring fire outside to warm your spirits. Tour the historic home, visit with staff and indulge in apple cider, homemade sweets, cheeses, dips, campfire hot dogs and ham biscuits.
11369 Brownsville Road
Nassawadox, VA 23413
(757) 442-3049, ext. 10
Please call or Google for directions.
Riverside Shore Memorial Named Top Performer by The Joint Commission
Holiday Festive Friday’s begin in Cape Charles Nov.27th
Festive Fridays begin in Cape Charles this black Friday. Shops will stay open till 8:00, making it easier to finish that Christmas wish list by shopping right here in Town. Events will include live music on the Strawberry Street Stage, followed by holiday films in the Historic Palace Theater. The first event kicks off with music by The New Saturday Night, and film will be the holiday classic White Christmas, starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, and Rosemary Clooney.
Grand Illumination in Cape Charles Central Park: December 5th
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