CAPE CHARLES, Va. — The Cape Charles Planning Commission has recommended approval of a conditional use permit for a comprehensive sign plan for the Dreams by the Water subdivision, moving the proposal to Town Council for a public hearing on Aug. 21.
The recommendation came during the commission’s regular meeting on Aug. 5, where members also finalized changes to a proposed zoning text amendment to the town’s Chesapeake Bay Preservation Ordinance. The revised document will be sent to Town Council to begin the public hearing process.
Planning and Zoning staff have been working on several other projects, including refining the draft scope of work for planning services in the Harbor/Railroad area with the Berkley Group, responding to zoning inquiries about setback requirements, and providing information on short-term rental trash receptacle requirements.
The office also issued zoning determinations for building permits tied to resolving a notice of violation at the former Seabreeze Apartments, attended a training session on easements and property rights hosted by the American Planning Association’s Law Division, and continued reviewing short-term rental applications for 2025 to ensure compliance. Work is ongoing with Deckard Technologies to set up new STR management software.
About the Author
Here is how this sign hearing is going to go:
The Zoning Department, employees of the Town, employed to enforce code, will carefully guide Town Council to permit violation of the 9 month old sign ordinance. No one will question her motives – no one will ask why its so important to the Zoning Department.
There will be a little discussion, Councilperson Buckholz will either make a motion or second it (because he always does) and then Town Council will vote to permit the variance unanimously.
If any readers here tried to erect a 4×8 sign with flags in the Historic District, the Zoning Department wouldn’t even listen. In this case however, the Zoning Department told the Planning Commission that the petitioner needed the variance because “that is how real estate is marketed in Bay Creek.” (watch the tape)
No one ever questions the Zoning Department’s motives. Why does she want this so bad? Why does this petitioner, like the Seabreeze, get so much special attention from the Department?
This Zoning Department needs Oversite. Not this Planning Commission – they are useless and ineffective. The Planning Commission may as well change the name of the group to “The Committee that does what Katie wants”