Board passes plan in 8-to-one vote

The Accomack County Board of Supervisors in a resounding 8-1 vote, approved the long awaited Comprehensive Land Use Plan and referred it back to the Planning Commission to begin work on the revised ordinances. In what has become a typical display, Supervisor Thornton cast her predictable, lone, dissenting and contentious “NO” vote, claiming the citizens of the County were not capable of understanding the plan.

After a brief presentation by Planning Director Jim McGowan about the history of public hearings and reviews of the plan as it has marched down a two year road of analysis and revision, Planning Consultant Milton Herd presented a brief synopsis of the plan itself. (The Plan is available on line at the Accomack County website by clicking here.

A public hearing then commenced with 26 speakers giving their opinions about the Plan. In an astounding majority of almost 80%, the speakers strongly advocated acceptance and adoption in sound and reasonable terms. Opposition to the Plan, such as it was, was poorly articulated, vague and somewhat off the mark.

For Residents of the County and for Save Our Necks, this is another positive step toward responsible management of growth and development. We have advanced our agenda openly and importantly, we have been active participants in the public process for three years. We have shown the staying power necessary to urge elected officials to move constructive ideas forward to approval.

We are very encouraged by the results last night and by the constructive and positive attitude shown by all Board members except one. Any person is free to hold an idea contrary to those we articulate. Our only request is that those ideas be expressed coherently and clearly. They cannot be objections simply for the sake of objection. There must be reason behind an idea.

This is where “The Opposition” has failed. They have not articulated an alternative. They simply do not want change. They do not want anyone (and we are that “anyone”) to take away (as they see it) their right to unfettered and uncontrolled growth, wherever and whenever it might occur. This idea, in our opinion, is seriously flawed. We do not disagree with the inevitability of development. It WILL come. The challenge will be to massage it into the places where it is most sustainable.

We will continue to present ideas on zoning revisions to the Planning Commission where, we believe, we will receive a fair hearing. The Planning Commission’s instant problem and their real challenge, will be to get two key concepts articulated and recommended. The first is enacting a Storm water Runoff Ordinance for the entire county and the second is the writing of a modified “Bay Act on the Seaside” ordinance. The first should be easy and quick. DEQ has already written the document and it need only be adopted in its entirety. The Bay Act will present many challenges but it is vitally important to the future of the Shore.

The character of a place is defined by two things: the people who live in the place and the things they build there. How they do that, why they do that and where they do that are the meat and potatoes of sound planning and reasonable growth.

Many were called and spoke their minds.

Here are some sound bytes from the many people who stood up and were counted in favor of the plan passage.

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