Cape Charles Report-A-Concern System Tracks Parking, Beach Safety and Public Works Complaints

CAPE CHARLES, Va. — Parking disputes, boats near the beachfront, damaged park equipment and concerns about traffic safety are among the issues Cape Charles residents have recently submitted through the town’s Report-A-Concern system.

Town officials say the system is intended to provide residents with a direct way to report problems and receive acknowledgment that their concerns have reached the appropriate department.

According to the town, every submission receives an immediate acknowledgment and is routed to the appropriate department director. Complaints are then evaluated based on urgency, safety concerns and operational priorities.

Recent reports provide a snapshot of the everyday issues being brought to Town Hall.

One resident questioned why perpendicular golf cart parking is not allowed on Bay Avenue. Town officials responded that Cape Charles is enforcing state parking requirements rather than establishing its own rules in that instance.

“We don’t set the rules, VDOT does, we are required to enforce them,” the town stated in its response.

Another resident raised concerns about boats anchoring close to the beach near the Jefferson Avenue jetty. The town said boats are prohibited from entering areas marked off by buoys but may anchor in the area in front of the jetty where there are no buoys.

Parking and traffic concerns also generated several reports.

Residents asked about parking requirements on Fig Street, including whether parking is prohibited there. Police Chief Pruitt met directly with the residents to discuss the issue, according to the town.

Another complaint involved vehicles traveling in both directions on a one-way public parking access road, along with ruts in the roadway and concerns about children being nearby while vehicles pass through.

Pruitt met with the resident and observed some of the conditions firsthand. The town said new one-way signs are being ordered and the ruts have been filled.

A separate resident complained that vehicles were parking too close to an alley entrance, making access difficult, and asked whether the town could paint the curbs yellow. Town officials said curb markings in that location fall under the authority of the Virginia Department of Transportation.

Beach safety was another concern.

A resident reported that signs warning people to “Stay off the Rocks” or prohibiting climbing on the beach jetties were no longer present. A work order was submitted to replace the signs.

Public Works received several other requests.

A report of an open sewer or manhole in an alley near the Public Works facility was forwarded to Virginia American Water for repairs.

A broken horseshoe in Central Park resulted in a work order for replacement, while a complaint about the condition of a swing set prompted the town to tell the resident that Public Works was already aware of the problem and a new swing set had been ordered.

The town also addressed a complaint involving Public Works equipment striking a resident’s fence while grass was being cut. The Public Works foreman went to the home to address the issue, and the fence was repaired. The department also said crews would avoid cutting as close to the fence in the future.

Not every complaint submitted through the system involves an issue the town can regulate.

Town Hall has received three anonymous complaints concerning residents at 11 Park Row hanging towels and beach chairs from a porch railing.

Officials said the activity does not violate town code and that, because the complaints were submitted anonymously, staff could not respond directly to the person making them.

“We have looked at this porch railing, and the homeowner is not doing anything that is considered a violation of town code,” the town stated. Officials suggested that homeowners involved in the dispute work out the matter among themselves.

The recent reports illustrate the range of issues being submitted through Cape Charles’ Report-A-Concern system, from relatively minor maintenance requests to questions involving traffic regulations, public safety and responsibilities divided among the town, VDOT and Virginia American Water.

The system also gives town officials a mechanism to document how complaints are routed and what action, if any, is taken in response.

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Wayne Creed

Administrator

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