Repairs to the reinforcement of the inshore breakwater just west of A Dock, and the first two phases to rehabilitate the inner harbor bulkhead are scheduled to begin in October.

Cape Charles awarded a contract to Marine Contracting Corporation for repair work.

The breakwater work will include installing new piles at the north end to repair damage from a large vessel strike, constructing a short dogleg extension on the north end to mitigate reflected wave energy from the dock, and constructing four protective dolphins just west of the structure.

Rehabilitation work to the bulkhead will include the installation of new king piles and lower horizontal wales to replace those that are severely damaged by twenty years of side-to-docking of large vessels.

The Town notes that there should not be any disruption to the use of the floating docks during construction, however, sections of the inner harbor bulkhead will be inaccessible during construction.

An Aids to Local Ports grant from the Virginia Port Authority is funding a portion of the inner harbor bulkhead work.

Work on Phase 3 of the Cape Charles Community Trail is due to begin in October. The first two phases of the Community Trail in Central Park and along North Peach Street and Washington Avenue have been completed.

The Phase 3 project has been on hold until design changes meant to reduce costs were completed. After a review by the Virginia Department of Transportation, the Town readvertised the project for construction and awarded a contract to Conrad Brothers of Virginia. There will be periodic closures of Peach Street during construction. Pedestrian access will be maintained to the businesses on the east side of the street.

Phase 3 plans to tackle improvements to south Peach Street between Mason and Randolph Avenues, including the following work:

• Wide sidewalks on both the east and west sides of the street.
• Five parallel parking spaces on the east side and six on the west side.
• A parking median with eighteen head-in diagonal spaces.
• Pedestrian lighting consistent with Phases 1 &2 and Mason Avenue.
• Two ADA-accessible parking spaces on Mason Avenue.
• An ADA-compliant connection to the sidewalk on the south side of Mason Avenue.
• Landscaping

This is a VDOT locally administered project managed by the Town under the Federal Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP). The TAP grant pays for up to 80% of the project cost.

The United States Coast Guard’s offer of vessel identification stickers for canoes, kayaks, or rowboats is a positive initiative aimed at enhancing safety and accountability for smaller watercraft. U.S. Coast Guard Station Cape Charles provided the Town with waterproof stickers to distribute to residents to help identify your canoes, kayaks, rowboats, etc.

You just fill in the information on the sticker using a waterproof marker.

If you would like one, please see Julie Pruitt in the Town Hall to pick up your sticker.

The availability of vessel identification stickers can contribute to safety on the water. These stickers make it easier for authorities to identify and locate small craft, which can be crucial in emergency situations or search and rescue operations.

In cases where a paddler or rower goes missing or encounters trouble on the water, having a visible identification sticker can aid search and rescue efforts by providing information about the owner and their intended route.

Vessel identification stickers also serve as a clear way to verify ownership of the watercraft. In case of theft or disputes over ownership, these stickers can be crucial in establishing ownership.

The identification stickers can also include emergency contact information. This can be particularly useful if the owner of the watercraft is unable to communicate in an emergency situation.

The U.S. Coast Guard’s offer of vessel identification stickers for canoes, kayaks, and rowboats is a valuable safety measure. It can aid in identification, emergency response, and regulatory compliance, ultimately contributing to a safer and more responsible boating community. Cape Charles small craft owners should take advantage of this program.

As of September 2^nd, the Wastewater plant treated an average of 192,552.3 gallons a day. The most usage occurred on September 2^nd, using 247,312 gallons.  The Town Utility Staff continued to do normal maintenance on the plant and collection system, made repairs and installed sewer valves. Staff also did 30-mark-outs for new construction, installed water service at several new homes, and serviced the bypass pump at Mason Ave. The Utility staff also made a small repair at Washington Ave Water Plant Manager.

During the month, staff continued routine maintenance processes including filter backwashing and softener regenerations, daily water quality testing, and analysis.  Bacteria samples collected for VDH.

The Wastewater Treatment Plant operated for 113.5 hours with an average daily operation of 16.2 hours. The plant averaged 228,864 gallons of daily production with a peak of 305,820 on 9/2/23.  1,602,050 total gallons were produced with approximately 209,000 gallons used for processes.

The Town of Cape Charles currently has three vacant positions on the Building Code Board of Appeals, and one position on the Wetlands & Coastal Dune Board.

If you are a citizen of the Town of Cape Charles and are interested in serving on one of these boards, or any of the other town boards or Planning Commission, 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.

Get the application here

After a number of applications have been received, interviews will be scheduled with the Town Council prior to making the appointments.