The following letter is submitted by Susan Eidam. We just received it over the transom, however it is very important. Eyre Baldwin and Southport hopes to sell properties to Coastal Concrete, however, this will require that the property be re-zoned to allow large-scale industrial uses. The ordinance has already been drafted, and Town Council has already rubber-stamped the deal.
Hello friends and neighbors,
On Tuesday, July 13th at 6pm, Please attend the Joint Meeting of the Planning Commission and the Town Council.
The agenda seeks to make changes in the Text of our GBI/H1 Light Industrial ordinance to include expansive heavy industrial uses found in M2 Heavy Industrial.
It also seeks to grant a Re-Zoning request for the property beside the FUJI/WACO lab and the Conservation Area.
The zoning changes have been drafted by Coastal Concrete, and requested by Mr. Eyre Baldwin, Executive Director of South Port Investors, LLC.
They are in contract for the sale of the land owned by Mr. Baldwin, however it is contingent on Coastal Concrete being able to expand their operations.
The current Concrete operates on a property that is zoned M2 Heavy Industrial. Currently, the parcel in question for sale is zoned Harbor and is designated Wetlands.
The request is to rezone it to GBI/H1 Light Industrial.
Concurrently, they would like the text of that GBI/H1 Light Industrial zone to be changed to include the wording that Coastal Concrete have supplied.
Specifically to add the functions of “Assembly” and “Storage” (outside as well as indoors).
Further, they seek permission to build structures in this zone of 75’ tall ( the current GBI/H1 Light Industrial has a 40’ cap but special use permit can allow to 50’).
Noteworthy is that if the text change is granted, then Mr. Baldwins Adjacent Parcel of 71 acres adjacent to Bay Creek can also have Assembly and Storage and 75’ buildings; as it is already zoned Light Industrial. There is also already a subdivided section on that lot assigned to UPFRONT STORAGE, LLC.
The documents in the Agenda Packet (https://www.capecharles.org/agendalist.aspx?categoryid=11497) contain a letter from Mr. Baldwin to Town Manager, John Hozey, on May 12th. Somehow now, two months later, there is an effort to pass the proposal expeditiously by publicly hosting a Joint meeting of the Planning Commission & Town Council this Tuesday at 6pm, followed by Town Council voting next week.
A truncated summary and map is attached; and within that summary you will find the link to the full 40-page agenda packet.
There are a few concerns addressed in the areas of Conservation, Property Values, Appropriate Civic Planning, the View Shed from Mason Ave, and the impact of the proposed changes on the
Bay Creek community which abuts a large GBI/H1 Light Industrial parcel that is under the proposal for text changes.
Please join me and others at the public meeting on Tuesday. Its important for our elected officials to see their constituents embrace their community voice. Each of us has the opportunity to speak or read a comment for 5 minutes each; addressing our concerns, and it will be on record.
About the Author
Changes we were not hoping for in our beach Historic town !!
I guess it’s business ….
‘ our beach Historic town’…said like a true to life Come-Here.
What exactly is the value of claiming your “Born Here” position other than unproductively griping about unavoidable change and expressing opinions that aren’t respective of what’s in the best interest of everyone’s future.