In a stunning move, the Northampton Board of Supervisors, despite 123 minutes of public comment against, approved the controversial changes to the county map and zoning ordinance. Administrator Katie Nunez laid out the options in three lists:
A. Accept all or some of these recommendations from the Planning Commission, with the ability to make alterations, but with no public hearing required.
B. These recommendations would require public hearings.
C. Contingent items that would remain in place until such time as items B can be addressed through public hearing.
“I feel like we missed it,” said Supervisor Granville Hogg. “There are a lot of good things that have come out of this, but I just don’t think this document is ready to be adopted. My constituents and peers would severely admonish me if I voted to approve this document. I regret to say this is not a document I can say I am proud of.”
Supervisor Larry Trala read a prepared motion, which covered the items from list A (that do not require a public hearing) in detail, taking nearly twelve minutes to complete the oratory. When finished, Supervisors Bennett, LeMond and Trala voted yes, Hubbard and Hogg voted no – the motion carried 3-2. Items left from list ‘B’ will either be taken up at the last meeting of this board on December 28th, or possibly left for the newly elected board in the next year.
Of note, the Planning Commission had recommended that ammonia scrubbers be removed as a requirement for the implementation of intensive poultry operations; this item was instead left in as requirement, as well as the larger setbacks. While the poultry industry was apparently stymied, what appeared to be the true end game for this entire exercise appeared complete. Contained within the approved items in the motion is a scenario that opens the door to more development and much higher density.
The only question left remaining is which developer is going to be the first one at the door when county offices open tomorrow.
I was at the BOS meeting tonight. The citizens need to ban together and remove the old guard from the BOS. They are not looking out for anyone but themselves. Clean house!
Citizens for a Better Eastern Shore has been reporting on the Northampton County rezoning effort for nearly 2 years. The flawed process shut out public input, instilled massive mistrust in local governance, was not based on any data or analysis of the impacts of high density development and By Right- [again no public input] zoning. It is clear that We the People were not served by their local government. We are left wondering who was. That should become painfully clear in the days to come.
That is good news. It is time to find out who is behind the curtain.
It is abundantly clear that all of our current Board of Supervisors, save Granville Hogg, have not the slightest idea how to do their job. A supervisor is supposed to represent the people. Over the past 2 years, on over 40 different occasions, hundreds of people have attended meetings of this ill advised zoning revision. Almost 100% of the people addressing the zoning issue have vehemently opposed the new proposal. How anyone who claims to represent the people can vote for something so obviously opposed by their constituents is beyond me. Fortunately, 2 of them have already been replaced by more worthy candidates. That leaves the majority of the new BOS opposed to the zoning that was passed last night and saddled with trying to undo the damage that was done by last night’s lame duck, self serving BOS. Nice to know those leaving their offices have so little regard for the taxpayers of this county.
It is with a great sadness and a heavy heart that I write in response to the Board of Supervisors’ short sighted vote last night. And although it appears that they still want public input (as said in option B), the truth of the matter is, the general public just does not have a voice in this. But what is being laid in place is going to require a much higher price tag in the coming future. Without going into the details (because there are no details as of yet!), the results of these measures could damage the eco-system of aqua-farmer now just gaining a toe-hold on the bayside. Other damages that will occur will be over crowded housing and poorly planned subdivisions along with misplaced housing too close to the waterways of the seaside and the bayside. And for the grand finale, the agribusiness of factory chicken housing and industrial farming will explode into an unmanageable, unmitigated environmental disaster for many of the outlying farms and communities throughout Northampton County. I really feel empathy for the couple who pour their life’s savings into purchasing that beautiful old home in the country for either retirement or to convert to a perfect Bed and Breakfast only to awaken to find that just on the other side of that thin wood line lies six new (non-ammonia filtered) chicken houses each housing as much as 50,000 birds each. How long do you expect that they will remain there, much less as a B and B and remain in business? So, the general public will suffer, because when the toxins leach into the water system (which it will) over a series of years and young children and elder persons become sick from drinking well water (most of Northampton’s 12,000 plus residents are on well water), they will be the ones paying for this re-zoning with their general health. And when it becomes a burden on the ground water system, who will foot the bill in higher taxes? That’s right, the general citizen of Northampton County. The ones who tried, but did not get a voice or a choice in the matter.
Indeed, this is a very sad day for the Citizens of Northampton County. And the members of the Board of Supervisors (save for one Mr. Granville Hogg) have shame on their collective integrity. Personally, I think someone has their hand out and someone else is reaching into their pockets. Sad.