- DO YOU THINK OUR MAIN STREET/DOWNTOWN IS HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL? IF NOT, WHAT WOULD YOU DO TO CHANGE THAT?
I think main Street and the downtown area are healthy and thriving.
The marketing, advertising, and press in major publications about the beauty and charm of Cape Charles have increased day visitors as well as wedding groups and vacationers. In addition Cape Charles has a great reputation as being a friendly family fun destination which brings visitors back year after year. - WHAT’S MORE IMPORTANT FOR OUR TOWN (AND COUNTY) RIGHT NOW: BUILDING NEW HOMES AND COMMERCIAL SPACE OR REHABBING/EXPANDING/BETTER UTILIZING OUR EXISTING HOMES AND STOREFRONTS?
I feel that both are equally important for the town of Cape Charles and Northampton county and go hand in hand for the overall success of the area.
Workforce housing has been a localized issue for years and needs to be addressed by the town of Cape Charles and Northampton county. The Lance Marine proposal will add 60+ workforce housing units. The town and Northampton county are also working with the Kippotek motel on over 100 units for Work Force/afforadable housing.
Building new homes and commercial space should be done in parallel with rehabbing/expanding and utilizing existing homes and storefronts. Cape Charles
has limited real estate available and it’s vital that we continue renovating our storefronts and improving our existing infrastructure. - SOME PEOPLE CONTINUE TO SAY THAT WE HAVE TRAFFIC PROBLEMS DURING THE TOURIST SEASON. THIS OF COURSE INCLUDES PARKING, AS WELL AS REVERSE-ANGLE PARKING. WHAT DO YOU THINK? HOW WOULD YOU MITIGATE THOSE CONCERNS OR CHANGE THE SITUATION?
With the increased traffic and parking, challenges arise. I’ve noticed during the Summer that the free parking lot parallel with Mason Avenue is seldom full and that people seem to be unaware that’s it available. Out of the 63 spots, I rarely see more than 20 vehicles parked in the lot. The signage to let people know there’s additional parking needs to be addressed and we need to come up with a solution that works for the downtown business owners as well as our valuable visitors to our town.
The reverse angle parking has become a major issue. Unfortunately VDOT controls the decision and has turned down multiple proposals to remedy the situation. - IF YOU COULD CHANGE ONE THING IN OUR ZONING CODE, WHAT WOULD IT BE AND WHY?
The zoning codes within the town have been carefully studied and thoughtfully written. I’m going to reserve comment and opining on this item until the new changes to the zoning ordinances are released. Cape Charles contracted Summit Design to finish the comp plan and then review the zoning ordinances to make sure they’re in sync with the comprehensive plan and other related documents. The Comp plan has been released and is available to the public. - HOW DO YOU PLAN TO INVOLVE RESIDENTS IN THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS IN OUR TOWN?
I love this question, and fully support transparency with the invested community of Cape Charles. I would immediately hold monthly meetings for interested citizens so that the issues that are important to them. It’s important to note, that he Mayor only votes when Town Council is tied- not on every issue. The Mayor’s most important role is to listen to all voices equally, and bring questions and concerns back to the appropriate groups for discussion. It’s important that the Mayor is trusted and considers issues without bias toward any individual, or any specific groups. The Mayor is, in my opinion, The Face of Cape Charles, and trust is a very important factor in that role. - IF SOMEONE CAME TO YOU WITH A PROPOSAL TO BUILD A NEW PIECE OF PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE IN OUR TOWN (ROAD, STRUCTURE, OUTDOOR VENUE, ETC.), HOW WOULD YOU EVALUATE WHETHER OR NOT THAT PROJECT WAS WORTH IMPLEMENTING?
The answer is very simple to me, does the proposal benefit the entirety of Cape Charles or a specific individual or group and it must be consistent with and fit into the nature of Cape Charles. - IF ELECTED, WHAT THREE STEPS WOULD YOU TAKE TO PUT OUR TOWN ON A FIRMER FINANCIAL FOOTING?
I would support the sale of the water/sewer utilities. This is a very complex issue and has caused much anxiety and concern to a lot of citizens. The Town Council, John Hozey, and all of the commissions have done extensive research and due diligence on this issue. The EPA violations go back at least 16 years from the research I’ve done, including the most recent five. Virginia Water has proposed a purchase price of 14-15 million as well as a 1 million dollar improvement to the facilities. The Town also has over 2 million dollars that’s sitting in the water and sanitation trust that would revert back to the Town Treasury. The 16/17 million depending on the final agreement would greatly benefit capital improvement as well as pay off any existing debt if Town Council thought it was in the town’s best interest. The rate study conducted has shown Virginia Water customers’ rates in a lot of cases, have decreased and in other cases, a slower increase is projected for the residents of Cape Charles. - IF THE TOWN RECEIVED A $1 MILLION GRANT TO USE FOR THE TOWN ANY WAY IT WANTED, WHAT WOULD YOU PROPOSE AND WHY?
I would propose capital improvement, to include the revocation of sidewalks, streets and parking areas. I would pave the road and the additional parking areas as well as paint the parking spots. I would fix the sidewalks on all the streets that need repair. The streets and sidewalks are very hard to navigate for the physically handicapped, such as individuals confined to wheelchairs or someone who requires a walking device, etc. - WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE PLACES TO SPEND TIME IN OUR TOWN?
I was waiting for the gotcha question, and here it is. I could name every business and residents house in Cape Charles. I think we all would say the Town is friendly and welcoming people of Cape Charles. I knew Cape Charles was truly my home when my mom was battling cancer. I was driving her around Cape Charles in my golf cart and a group of ladies were finishing playing pickle ball. My mom loves pickle ball so she struck up a conversation. Within five minutes they asked my mom not only to play pickle ball but to join them that night for drinks and cards. That to me describes Cape Charles, THE PEOPLE! - WHAT DO YOU LIKE BEST ABOUT CAPE CHARLES? WHAT DO YOU NOT LIKE ABOUT CAPE CHARLES?
I guess I should have read number 11 before I wrote number 10. The feel of Cape Charles year round, the sunsets are stunning. The weather is rarely extreme, there’s always a breeze which makes the concerts in park incredible to attend. The parades bring out the community and surrounding areas. That I can always find a fun adventure in town or in the area. The one thing I’m concerned about is the underage driving of golf carts, I think it’s dangerous and at some point there’s going to be a situation that’s going to lead to a major incident.
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