Northampton County’s landscape is poised for change as the Board of Supervisors greenlights a transformative, high-density subdivision. On Tuesday night, amidst deliberations, the board approved a proposal to repurpose a 3.1-acre expanse nestled along Cedar Grove Drive in lower Northampton County. Presently housing a single residence and several trailers, this parcel is earmarked for a new chapter, one that envisions a community of single-family homes.
This decision comes on the heels of a contentious debate sparked by the Northampton County Planning Commission’s narrow 4-3 vote on March 19, 2024. The commission’s recommendation included three pivotal facets: the establishment of a Hamlet in an area devoid of such designation, the dissolution of an existing Mobile Home Park Overlay district, and the subdivision of approximately 5 acres of rural land to accommodate the construction of 10 residences. This strategy aligns with the concept of cluster development, consolidating housing within a compact footprint.
However, dissenting voices challenge the rationale behind the commission’s stance. Critics, including some commissioners, argue that the recommendation lacks foundation in sound land use planning. Moreover, they contend it diverges from the principles found in the Comprehensive Plan ratified by the Board in April 2021.
Commissioner Holland’s assertion that the Comprehensive Plan holds no regulatory sway has drawn sharp rebuke. Opponents dismiss it as untenable, citing a litany of Virginia Supreme Court rulings that reinforce the plan’s legal weight. They argue that deviating from its mandates sets a dangerous precedent, opening the floodgates to arbitrary decision-making and out-of-control development on pristine rural grounds.
Echoes of past legal battles play into the current discourse. Just a year prior, the county’s Commonwealth Attorney ardently defended the Board’s rejection of a similar proposal by Axios, LLC. The crux of that defense rested on upholding density restrictions outlined in the Comprehensive Plan, a stance validated by Judge Revell Lewis.
As the dust settles, the Northampton County landscape stands at a crossroads. The decision to forge ahead with the Cedar Grove Drive project signals a departure from tradition, stirring debate and setting a precedent for future development, and the loss of more of the Shore’s rural character.
Discover more from CAPE CHARLES MIRROR
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Get real . IT IS TIME to stop allowing progression . It doesn’t have to be out of control progression but it needs to happen. If you want better medical personal and other professional individuals to come here you need to have some amenities. Its no longer the horse and buggy days .
The perception of Northampton County by the rest of the Shore is that is it backwards, and controlled by a few wealthy generational landowners who do not want to give up political power or control. The actions by this Board by approving this SMALL development show that a teeny beam of light and awareness may be creeping into their minds. Unless they get a clue and give in a little bit to middle income developments, who will come here to live and for what jobs? Look at the shopping center in Exmore — a more unfriendly, empty looking place I’ve ever seen – every empty shop in there is a loss of jobs. GET WITH THE PROGRAM NORTHAMTPON – soon you will have nothing and nobody. Who can live there?
Dang….
The next thing you know, we in Townsend, will be gitting a 7/11, a Public Dumpster, perhaps a Traffic Light.
What more could we want.