On Thursday, the Cape Charles Town Council approved text amendment changes to General Business Light Industrial – H1 (GBI-H1).
The changes resulted from discussions during August 19, 2021, Regular Meeting whereTown Council voted to approve zoning text amendments to GBI-H-1. However, Town Council agreed that other zoning text amendment changes should be considered for the GBI-H-1 Zoning District.
Town Manager John Hozey recommended these additional zoning text amendment changes to the GBI-H-1 Zoning District:
“The proposed additional text amendments would move some of the By Right uses to a Conditional Use category which would require the property owner to complete an application with actual site plans and details of the proposed operation before the Town would sign off on that specific use. Regarding paragraph F “Additional Requirements”, the proposed changes would remove any ambiguity and specify that this paragraph does apply to all uses in this section.
However, it would also provide a mechanism for special circumstances to be considered by the Zoning Administrator for exceptions.”
Note: Thursday, Councilwoman O’Brian and Holloway both voted ‘Nay’ to the measure. This seemed odd since both voted against the proposed zoning changes last month due to purported concerns that the text did not provide the council with enough oversight on what can happen on the parcel. The Planning Commission made said changes and gave the council more oversight powers vis-a-vie Conditional Use Permitting. So, why would they vote ‘Nay’ to the changes they wanted, and were delivered? Planning Commissioner Diane D’Amico also voted a straight ‘Nay’ across the board, the only member of the Planning Commission to do so.