Ding, Dong
At the Planning Commission Work Session of June 18, 2007, the following happened:
1. They reviewed the change to the rules for Internet businesses.
2. They discussed setting a date for the Comprehensive Plan subcommittee to work on the Land Use maps in preparation for the Zoning Ordinance rewrite.
3. They discussed changing the date for the work sessions from the third week of the month to the second week of the month.
4. Chairman Woodward abolished the Zoning Ordinance subcommittee for malfeasance.And YOU weren’t there! You have GOT to go to these meetings. They are way, way better than Reality TV.
Here’s the Blow by Blow:
As the meeting was ending, Chairman Woodward held up the Page News article written by Jamie Turner (wonderful article, Jamie) about the Donato vote rescinsion and the Newton motion to put the flood plain ordinance back into the zoning subcommittee. (You remember that one, when I was about ready to throw in the towel because I couldn’t stand this continued version of Rope-A-Dope) He said that was uncalled for and it constituted an act of malfeasance. He said as Chairman, he was able to abolish that subcommittee and he hereby did it, and he banged his gavel. So as of 7:45 or so on Monday, June 18, 2007, the Zoning Ordinance Subcommittee of the Planning Commission, no longer exists. On Monday, June 25, 2007, he will appoint new members.
This is so good.
Mr. Eldridge protested, and Mr. Shanks seemed to back him up, so don’t think the drama is fully over yet. In fact, chances are good this might happen all over again next Monday night, June 25, at the regular meeting of the Planning Commission. So it’s not too late for you to catch the second act!
Put it on your calendar! Dinner and a show in town, Monday, June 25, at 7 p.m. at the Courthouse. Be there! Why is this so important? Well, Flood Plain dwellers, these are the people who tried to get you. And were still trying at last month’s meeting. Don’t stop going to the meetings until this stops. This could be the act that finally stops it. But the Good Guys need you to show up so they know how much it matters.
I can’t be there next Monday night, because I have a business trip. I hope a whole bunch of other people will go, and email me what happened so I can post it here next week.
Alice
Showing posts with label Following Alice. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Following Alice. Show all posts
Monday, June 18, 2007
Friday, June 8, 2007
The Original Donato Document
This is what the Donato Document was before Dot sat down with Natalie to revise it. The background is this. Dot called me and apologized for her hiccup vote. She said that wasn't what she meant to do. She said what she meant to do was take advantage of the broad citizen participation to work out something that would broadly address the destination and tourism aspects, which would also include bio-friendly business. I thought her ideas sounded good. I agreed to work with her to develop this document. She and I emailed back and forth and came up with the document below. However, after one iteration, she sent back a new draft, the one which I posted as The Donato Document. This is the draft before it was changed. Is it my imagination that these two documents have a dramatically different intention? (See the Donato Document DRAFT to compare.)
The Original Donato Document
Destination and Tourism Industry Strategic Plan
Given:
1. Our Comprehensive Plan includes competing objectives
2. We have Economic goals, Preservation of the Rural Nature goals, Service to existing citizens goals, Property Rights goals, Environmental goals
3. These goals tend to conflict, which would cause confusion and inconsistency when we ask our Planners to form tactics for zoning and other ordinance formation.
4. Further guidance and development is required in the Comprehensive Plan, to show leadership for the county and promote and advance our precious lifestyle, while moving the county forward economically, and incorporating inevitable change.
5. A consistency in the Comprehensive Plan requires resolution of these competing objectives for economic advancement, preservation of the rural nature, and environmental awareness.With these challenges in mind, I
Move to appoint:
A nucleus of visionaries who are diverse in talent and who are, by intellect, experience, or position, aware of the challenges and obstacles defining Page County. This ad hoc citizen committee will work in concert with and integrate the objectives found in the Economic Development Strategic Plan, the EDC, the Tourism Council and Chamber of Commerce, the local and regional hospitality industries and incorporate the goals and objectives of the river and recreation groups. This committee will address policy, ordinance, and objectives found in the Comprehensive Plan but which need specific focus on the impact on our internal citizenry and the tourism industry. Its composition will include representative citizens from a wide range of community interests. It will submit its work directly to the BOS.
A document will be delivered to this BOS which recognizes the physical attributes, the environmental considerations, the recreational potential and the cultural aspects that will be declared as representative of Page Valley. Our vision can then be publicized very specifically in brochures and distribution materials.
Prologue:
We are an island (a unique travel location) destination. Beyond the caverns and the National Park, the recognition of Page County as a destination lies in the vision and language we choose to project. This can be an asset or a stumbling block. Potential travelers read the paper, study the area and search for information on the internet. Our county’s roads isolate it from the surrounding communities, making it difficult for our citizens to work in nearby counties without driving more than an hour over a mountain. If we can take advantage of that tourism to bring jobs to our citizens, we have accomplished multiple strategic objectives in parallel.
The Tourist as Participant
Tourists are much more than spectators. Tourists are you and I coming HERE for the first time. I seek out the music, you may seek out the conference or the river or the caves. They see what we offer, they go where we suggest they go…but for the most part they see themselves “inserted here”. Whether they respite from an illness, retreat from the day to day, pause from their worldly travels or simply leave the traffic and pollution from the city they are “us” on a holiday. Tourists are artists, writers, doctors, scientists, geologists, tradesmen, investors and teachers. They hike, canoe, hunt, and fish. They breathe in our clean air; they wonder as they stand by a spring bubbling fresh clean water from under a rock. They feel healthier just being here. Many become part of the process and bring with them ideas and attitudes. Who comes is, in many ways, still up to us. I recently met a scientist counting dead fish. He moved here and his intelligence is part of our network now. When we project a goodness and welcome and invite their individual participation they want to know us. We become a very desirable destination.
They might have seen the world but they feel a sense of belonging. Whether they stay longer, come often or choose to relocate here, our economy grows with their choice.
Impact and Direction
A Plan is the work that needs to be done in advance of their visit. The Comprehensive Plan recognizes the need to promote tourism and we need to study closely the cause and effect of policy. Many of the rental cabin owners and the riverside property owners want to participate in this work. Additionally, our community consists of a wide and diverse body of people, all of whom desire to be included in the direction of the county. A Plan should contain, not only the reasons for supporting the efforts of tourism, but must include the fundamentals. Issues will be addressed to include suggested Land Use particulars, zoning requirements (including necessary restrictions and variances as in overlay districting), services, safety, recreation specifics, visitor welcome areas, special needs “help” and much more. Any decisions will be made with consideration to the local citizenry and with their active participation and understanding. Also included will be the cooperation with the Town’s Comprehensive Plans. A promotion of synergy for cottage industries and local shops to benefit from visitation should be encouraged. Promotional ideas, designs and concepts might be included in the documentation forwarded to the Board for consideration.
The Bio-Valley Hub
This valley has the potential for being recognized as a global leader, incubator and study area for new and innovative environmentally-focused technologies. Consistent with our desire to remain a rural area, with agriculture and tourism as our main industries, we can also be a hub for bio-fuels, green building, recycling, renewable food sources and a gathering place for the innovators. For example, a university group initiated a low cost fertilizer project for some ravaged and poor area in Africa. The result of higher yield and renewable crops was extremely successful. Page County not only has the chicken farming knowledge but has the bi-product export. Government grants are available to pursue environmental businesses. Page County has a need for jobs, an expanding population of talented, retired professionals, and the potential to become the hub of environmental research. This attraction of environmental businesses would:
• Provide much needed jobs for our citizens
• Increase the attraction of tourism, as tourists would visit the cutting edge facilities
• Address the concerns of citizens on both ends of the spectrum, environmentally concerned and economically concerned
Preserving our Precious, Rural Lifestyle
There is much concern in the County that growth will ruin our culture and destroy our lifestyle. There is a temptation to interpret that concern as a need to restrict the rights of property owners, devaluing land by adding restrictions to it, so that we can be assured that “nothing will change.” But that response overlooks the fact that the forces of the market are forces of nature. To fight forces of nature by attempting to restrict them, will result only in a spiral downward in our economy, and a growing population of poorer people who need more services and have less to offer the tax base. Our only chance to preserve our lifestyle, while serving our people, is to embrace the market forces, accept the inevitable influx of retiring Baby Boomers, and let the county become a hub of a specific “type” of business, by actively seeking out grants and opportunities in the environmental industry. By planning in advance for this growth, we can shape it in a way that satisfies the potential new citizens without displacing our current rural nature. We can provide jobs for our citizens that will raise their standard of living. Tourists will love it, it will provide the tax base our community needs, and the community can support it on multiple levels.
Community Vision
We have so much to offer visitors who then, in their life work, might change the future. We simply require the determination to Prepare Ourselves, Write the Documents for grants and to encourage business, and invite the world (for a visit). We already have 500,000 visitors a year. Let’s turn those visitors into tax revenue, provide stable incomes for our resident citizens, and preserve our rural lifestyle all at the same time. With widespread community representation from all “factions” (long term residents, farmers, townspeople, environmentalists, business proponents, riverkeepers, river property owners, tourist cabin owners, and any other faction that self selects), we can unite this community behind a vision and build a county that truly reflects what we all know this county already is.
Conclusion
There is community support for a determined effort at this time. A milestone report could be delivered tothe Board with significant fanfare before the November elections. This Board can be seen as the Board with Vision and Leadership for this county. This is the time to have these discussions and to suggest the options. We are not Silicon Valley, we are not Napa Valley. But we can be uniquely Page Valley.What Valley do you see?
Respectfully submitted,
Dot Donato, Page County Planning Commissioner, 5th District
Endorsed and supported,Alice Richmond
The Original Donato Document
Destination and Tourism Industry Strategic Plan
Given:
1. Our Comprehensive Plan includes competing objectives
2. We have Economic goals, Preservation of the Rural Nature goals, Service to existing citizens goals, Property Rights goals, Environmental goals
3. These goals tend to conflict, which would cause confusion and inconsistency when we ask our Planners to form tactics for zoning and other ordinance formation.
4. Further guidance and development is required in the Comprehensive Plan, to show leadership for the county and promote and advance our precious lifestyle, while moving the county forward economically, and incorporating inevitable change.
5. A consistency in the Comprehensive Plan requires resolution of these competing objectives for economic advancement, preservation of the rural nature, and environmental awareness.With these challenges in mind, I
Move to appoint:
A nucleus of visionaries who are diverse in talent and who are, by intellect, experience, or position, aware of the challenges and obstacles defining Page County. This ad hoc citizen committee will work in concert with and integrate the objectives found in the Economic Development Strategic Plan, the EDC, the Tourism Council and Chamber of Commerce, the local and regional hospitality industries and incorporate the goals and objectives of the river and recreation groups. This committee will address policy, ordinance, and objectives found in the Comprehensive Plan but which need specific focus on the impact on our internal citizenry and the tourism industry. Its composition will include representative citizens from a wide range of community interests. It will submit its work directly to the BOS.
A document will be delivered to this BOS which recognizes the physical attributes, the environmental considerations, the recreational potential and the cultural aspects that will be declared as representative of Page Valley. Our vision can then be publicized very specifically in brochures and distribution materials.
Prologue:
We are an island (a unique travel location) destination. Beyond the caverns and the National Park, the recognition of Page County as a destination lies in the vision and language we choose to project. This can be an asset or a stumbling block. Potential travelers read the paper, study the area and search for information on the internet. Our county’s roads isolate it from the surrounding communities, making it difficult for our citizens to work in nearby counties without driving more than an hour over a mountain. If we can take advantage of that tourism to bring jobs to our citizens, we have accomplished multiple strategic objectives in parallel.
The Tourist as Participant
Tourists are much more than spectators. Tourists are you and I coming HERE for the first time. I seek out the music, you may seek out the conference or the river or the caves. They see what we offer, they go where we suggest they go…but for the most part they see themselves “inserted here”. Whether they respite from an illness, retreat from the day to day, pause from their worldly travels or simply leave the traffic and pollution from the city they are “us” on a holiday. Tourists are artists, writers, doctors, scientists, geologists, tradesmen, investors and teachers. They hike, canoe, hunt, and fish. They breathe in our clean air; they wonder as they stand by a spring bubbling fresh clean water from under a rock. They feel healthier just being here. Many become part of the process and bring with them ideas and attitudes. Who comes is, in many ways, still up to us. I recently met a scientist counting dead fish. He moved here and his intelligence is part of our network now. When we project a goodness and welcome and invite their individual participation they want to know us. We become a very desirable destination.
They might have seen the world but they feel a sense of belonging. Whether they stay longer, come often or choose to relocate here, our economy grows with their choice.
Impact and Direction
A Plan is the work that needs to be done in advance of their visit. The Comprehensive Plan recognizes the need to promote tourism and we need to study closely the cause and effect of policy. Many of the rental cabin owners and the riverside property owners want to participate in this work. Additionally, our community consists of a wide and diverse body of people, all of whom desire to be included in the direction of the county. A Plan should contain, not only the reasons for supporting the efforts of tourism, but must include the fundamentals. Issues will be addressed to include suggested Land Use particulars, zoning requirements (including necessary restrictions and variances as in overlay districting), services, safety, recreation specifics, visitor welcome areas, special needs “help” and much more. Any decisions will be made with consideration to the local citizenry and with their active participation and understanding. Also included will be the cooperation with the Town’s Comprehensive Plans. A promotion of synergy for cottage industries and local shops to benefit from visitation should be encouraged. Promotional ideas, designs and concepts might be included in the documentation forwarded to the Board for consideration.
The Bio-Valley Hub
This valley has the potential for being recognized as a global leader, incubator and study area for new and innovative environmentally-focused technologies. Consistent with our desire to remain a rural area, with agriculture and tourism as our main industries, we can also be a hub for bio-fuels, green building, recycling, renewable food sources and a gathering place for the innovators. For example, a university group initiated a low cost fertilizer project for some ravaged and poor area in Africa. The result of higher yield and renewable crops was extremely successful. Page County not only has the chicken farming knowledge but has the bi-product export. Government grants are available to pursue environmental businesses. Page County has a need for jobs, an expanding population of talented, retired professionals, and the potential to become the hub of environmental research. This attraction of environmental businesses would:
• Provide much needed jobs for our citizens
• Increase the attraction of tourism, as tourists would visit the cutting edge facilities
• Address the concerns of citizens on both ends of the spectrum, environmentally concerned and economically concerned
Preserving our Precious, Rural Lifestyle
There is much concern in the County that growth will ruin our culture and destroy our lifestyle. There is a temptation to interpret that concern as a need to restrict the rights of property owners, devaluing land by adding restrictions to it, so that we can be assured that “nothing will change.” But that response overlooks the fact that the forces of the market are forces of nature. To fight forces of nature by attempting to restrict them, will result only in a spiral downward in our economy, and a growing population of poorer people who need more services and have less to offer the tax base. Our only chance to preserve our lifestyle, while serving our people, is to embrace the market forces, accept the inevitable influx of retiring Baby Boomers, and let the county become a hub of a specific “type” of business, by actively seeking out grants and opportunities in the environmental industry. By planning in advance for this growth, we can shape it in a way that satisfies the potential new citizens without displacing our current rural nature. We can provide jobs for our citizens that will raise their standard of living. Tourists will love it, it will provide the tax base our community needs, and the community can support it on multiple levels.
Community Vision
We have so much to offer visitors who then, in their life work, might change the future. We simply require the determination to Prepare Ourselves, Write the Documents for grants and to encourage business, and invite the world (for a visit). We already have 500,000 visitors a year. Let’s turn those visitors into tax revenue, provide stable incomes for our resident citizens, and preserve our rural lifestyle all at the same time. With widespread community representation from all “factions” (long term residents, farmers, townspeople, environmentalists, business proponents, riverkeepers, river property owners, tourist cabin owners, and any other faction that self selects), we can unite this community behind a vision and build a county that truly reflects what we all know this county already is.
Conclusion
There is community support for a determined effort at this time. A milestone report could be delivered tothe Board with significant fanfare before the November elections. This Board can be seen as the Board with Vision and Leadership for this county. This is the time to have these discussions and to suggest the options. We are not Silicon Valley, we are not Napa Valley. But we can be uniquely Page Valley.What Valley do you see?
Respectfully submitted,
Dot Donato, Page County Planning Commissioner, 5th District
Endorsed and supported,Alice Richmond
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
FLOOD PLAIN documenting
This Blog Thread is for all the people who make phone calls to the Supervisors and Commissioners, etc. Just push the Comments button and document what your conversation was about. Here's the first one. Add yours.
June 6, 2007
At 10:15 a.m., Donna Eames called Supervisor Tommy LaFrance. She quotes him as saying that the Flood Plain Ordinance, with all its restrictions, was never going to pass the Board. He said they would never do something like that. She asked him what this business was of the Planning Commission making motions and going back to take another run at it, in the Zoning Subcommittee again. She brought up the conversations she had with Mr. Eldridge, in which he reiterated his desire to have all the people who live on the flood plain, essentially "turn themselves in" to get new occupancy certificates. Mr. LaFrance said the Board cannot stop the Planning Commission from working on something, but he thinks they should work on something more productive, as restrictions like this are not going to be passed by the Board.
Push the comments button and record phone conversations you have had about this issue.
June 6, 2007
At 10:15 a.m., Donna Eames called Supervisor Tommy LaFrance. She quotes him as saying that the Flood Plain Ordinance, with all its restrictions, was never going to pass the Board. He said they would never do something like that. She asked him what this business was of the Planning Commission making motions and going back to take another run at it, in the Zoning Subcommittee again. She brought up the conversations she had with Mr. Eldridge, in which he reiterated his desire to have all the people who live on the flood plain, essentially "turn themselves in" to get new occupancy certificates. Mr. LaFrance said the Board cannot stop the Planning Commission from working on something, but he thinks they should work on something more productive, as restrictions like this are not going to be passed by the Board.
Push the comments button and record phone conversations you have had about this issue.
The Donato Document DRAFT
The following document is presented to citizens for comment, editing, and augmenting IN ADVANCE of it being presented before any commission or Board for action. This document was prepared by Planning Commissioner Dot Donato. Essentially, Ms. Donato is asking for citizen comment, as an apology for her ill-considered "vote rescinsion" that would have revived the Flood Plain Ordinance. She says she did not mean to do that, she just wanted citizen participation and involvement, and didn't want to lose the opportunity now that everyone was paying attention and getting involved. This document is what she meant to do instead. Please read it and comment, by hitting the Comments button. Now is our chance to be involved before things get out of hand and become "too late." This document has NOT been submitted to the Board. Please comment now, and your comments have an excellent chance of making a difference.
The Donato Document - DRAFT
Dear Board:
Following numerous discussions with citizens on the Scenic 340 group and the cabin and landowners in Land of Luray, I am finding consensus on the following proposal. Please read the attached and consider a motion to establish a committee to discuss and prepare a Strategic Plan detailing issues specific to Destination Tourism.
The Comprehensive Plan currently under review includes a set of Objectives. It sets a broad vision for those elements of valley life that should be primary in our planning. Separately we provide goals to promote and protect the rural and natural environments, economic balance, citizen services levels, property rights and the general term, tourism. To base planning criteria on the Plan with these objectives is certain to leave room for confusion and inconsistency. I suggest we augment the Comp. Plan with a supplemental Addendum with specific guidelines for tourism industry group factors. For instance, clearly define the building and zoning criteria, which may need variance or special use tactics to enable the building of mountain and river cabins, lodges, recreational facilities, ingress and egress, and other considerations. Encouraging public visitation to many areas of the County may require different allowances that are not in compliance with our standard zoning ordinances. It may be preferable to establish land use particulars for overlay districts for those areas we define as “destinations”.
The suggestion here is to discuss, define, and write a document, which will review as many scenarios as possible by a diverse group of professionals and present the document to the BOS for acceptance into the Comprehensive Plan. Use of the Economic Development Strategic Plan as the guiding document is also suggested.
Thank you for your time in reviewing and discussion this. A description and supportive documentation is provided.
Regards,
Dot Donato, Planning Commissioner D5
Move to Appoint:
Please consider a motion to establish:
A nucleus of visionaries who are diverse in talent and who are, by intellect, experience or position, aware of the challenges facing the Board of Supervisors. One objective in the Comprehensive Plan (rewrite draft 2007) defines Tourism as an economic engine. This citizen committee will work in concert with the Planning Commission in an attempt to provide more detail specific to the growing Tourism industry. The accepted Economic Development Strategic Plan will guide the process. The purpose of the document will be to integrate the objectives found in the ED Plan, the EDC, the Tourism Council/Chamber goals, the incorporated towns and the local/regional hospitality groups. The committee will address policy, ordinances and objectives desired and required by destination owners. This guiding document should support the Board of Supervisors in the future by providing an assessment of a variety of special use facilities (destinations) and the resulting revenue projections for each. This will serve as a resource for determining service levels for our CIPs and models.
The citizens of Page will have many opportunities to suggest input to the overall vision for the county. This group will lead forums for comment and discussion that will be very open and inclusive. Considerable effort will be taken to include the planners, the Board, the industry, property owners and citizens who may be affected by design or policy changes. Public reaction will be documented and included in a final draft.
Expected results will include a structured plan for review, inclusion and implementation. Statements of vision for a tourist friendly community will give us the words to be shared universally. Descriptions of the valley’s unique environments with emphasis on attracting tourism industry prospects will be drafted. The document will provide criteria and provisions for use in the Zoning rewrite process and the Land Use planning process specific to tourism destinations.
Prologue:
We are an island (a unique and separate travel destination). Beyond the Caverns and the National Parks, the recognition of Page County as a destination lies in the vision we project. Potential visitors read the local paper, study the area on the Internet, or more than likely ask someone they know about the county. Our byways separate us from the mainstream destinations along major routes so visitors have to choose to come here. A negative result of limited access is the limited job market. Small business owners also need to have incentive before investing in a site for their retail or service shop. If we can take advantage of preparing the economic climate for business success we will benefit from a growing employment base, a very desirable result for this county.
Each tourist has huge potential to become part of our expansion. Tourists are much more that spectators. Tourists are you and I coming here for the first time. I seek out music in the park and invitations to sing. Does the conference or the river attract you? Tourists see what we offer them, they go where we suggest they go, but they come here to experience themselves. I am here to participate and you certainly are involved in the community. The secret key to travelers becoming our valuable asset is in the level of their participation. The business traveler becomes the landowner who builds rental cabins who provides tours who sends guests to the restaurants in town who, in the end, pays taxes. The annual guest to the caverns decides to purchase a farm and then retires here. He may be a great musician or a philanthropist giving back invaluable gifts to our citizens. Preparing for tourism is not simply distributing a brochure full of enchanting photos, it requires patience and planning. We can discourage a new landowner by rejecting their applications or making it impossible to live out a dream. The opportunity is now to define our future recreation and destinations and invite the dreamers who protect our environment and history. We welcome the right industry by paving the way for those businesses that are appropriate. Generic ordinances are, in the long run, shortsighted. Our landscape varies widely and the right rules need to be assigned (using overlay districts) to accommodate bus tours and individuals.
Impact and direction
A Plan is the work that is done in advance of the outcome. In the case of tourism it is the preparation that we will do in advance of each visit. The Comp. Plan recognizes the need to promote and encourage Tourism. We need to study closely the cause and effect of our current policies and recommend changes. Many of the rental cabin owners and the riverside property owners want to participate in this work. Additionally, our community consists of a very diverse body of people, all of whom desire to be heard. Everyone has an interest in directing the future of the valley. Some have a vested interest some have a legacy to protect. Everyone should have a say and this work group will provide forums and open air gatherings where ideas will be shared.
Items for discussion will include: building specifications and codes; zoning ordinances, VDOT regulations and exceptions, alternative energy applications; passive solar, wind, subterranean building, non-electric septic solutions and lighting exceptions, green building materials etc. Recreation issues both water and mountains. A discussion of finding areas conducive to extreme sports and cycling may influence a new industry here. There are numerous critical issues to share and we hope to initiate the conversation and the groundwork to enable us to grow our destination offerings and our revenue base.
Vision for the future.
This valley has the potential for being recognized as a global leader. How you ask?
Consider our valley as an incubator and study area for new technology and innovative global initiatives. The federal government is looking for a site for a multi billion dollar electric plant, which will provide enough energy for half of the east coast. This is a project by the energy department that is the first complete life cycle (no emissions) plant. Think of the tourist who would be invited to see this “global warming solution”. Consider the evolving research for alternative bio-products. For fuel, for food and for self-sustaining communities around the world, the universities are looking for places to grow plants. Expand the Land Use program to encourage young people to live and work here.
A recent story has been published about a Columbia University group who sent low cost fertilizer to a few African villages who continually suffered food shortages. They sent a derivative of chicken litter. The renewable fertilizer was a huge success. We have chickens (sustainable) and the bi-product already in production in Page. Federal grants are available for environmental, clean water and global warming solutions we just need to attract those tourist/scientist/decision makers for a visit. Of course Dr. Cardman can show them where their innovation can take root. We’ll set the course and the great people will come. This attraction to cutting edge businesses will provide a unique tourism industry base and will provide much needed high-end jobs. Our citizen base increases and our knowledge base grows.
There is much concern in the County that growth will ruin our culture and destroy our lifestyle. We all share this concern because we have many examples in surrounding localities. We see the results of uncontrolled development. This trepidation temps us to interpret that concern as a need to restrict the “best and highest use” provided us in property ownership by drafting zoning regulations that generalize use and forbid any building. I interpret the growth as forces of the changing market, a force that will infiltrate the valley simply by supply and demand for homesites (the American Dream). To fight the forces of nature by universally projecting a policy of “no growth” will result in downward trends in our economy. Herein lies the challenge, the challenge of adopting a publicity piece, the Comprehensive Plan. Land owners, citizens, taxpayers have every right to opinion and position in any thoughtful land use planning. It is the current populace who connects the past with future. Change is inevitable and we need consensus in defining our vision.
Conclusion:
There is community support for a determined effort to communicate openly. A milestone report could be delivered to the Board that at the very least provides various prospectives. There are support groups, conscious groups, industry leaders and many others who deserve the opportunity to be heard. The public forum provided by the Planning Commission meetings and the BOS meetings is failing to satisfy the involved public. This proposal will expound on the subjects heard before and allow for opinion and options based on vision of the whole. It will also generate a Strategic Plan for Destination Tourism for the Board to review and accept as an appendix to the Comp. Plan and an addendum to the Economic Development Strategic Plan.
This is the time to have these discussions. We are not the silicon valley, we are not Napa Valley….we are unique so lets find the words to describe Page.
Respectfully submitted for consideration by,
Dot Donato, Page County Planning Commissioner D5
Director, Loudoun County Convention and Visitors Bureau (1992-1997)
Executive Director, Harpers Ferry Merchants Assoc. HF, WV (1987-1991)
The Donato Document - DRAFT
Dear Board:
Following numerous discussions with citizens on the Scenic 340 group and the cabin and landowners in Land of Luray, I am finding consensus on the following proposal. Please read the attached and consider a motion to establish a committee to discuss and prepare a Strategic Plan detailing issues specific to Destination Tourism.
The Comprehensive Plan currently under review includes a set of Objectives. It sets a broad vision for those elements of valley life that should be primary in our planning. Separately we provide goals to promote and protect the rural and natural environments, economic balance, citizen services levels, property rights and the general term, tourism. To base planning criteria on the Plan with these objectives is certain to leave room for confusion and inconsistency. I suggest we augment the Comp. Plan with a supplemental Addendum with specific guidelines for tourism industry group factors. For instance, clearly define the building and zoning criteria, which may need variance or special use tactics to enable the building of mountain and river cabins, lodges, recreational facilities, ingress and egress, and other considerations. Encouraging public visitation to many areas of the County may require different allowances that are not in compliance with our standard zoning ordinances. It may be preferable to establish land use particulars for overlay districts for those areas we define as “destinations”.
The suggestion here is to discuss, define, and write a document, which will review as many scenarios as possible by a diverse group of professionals and present the document to the BOS for acceptance into the Comprehensive Plan. Use of the Economic Development Strategic Plan as the guiding document is also suggested.
Thank you for your time in reviewing and discussion this. A description and supportive documentation is provided.
Regards,
Dot Donato, Planning Commissioner D5
Move to Appoint:
Please consider a motion to establish:
A nucleus of visionaries who are diverse in talent and who are, by intellect, experience or position, aware of the challenges facing the Board of Supervisors. One objective in the Comprehensive Plan (rewrite draft 2007) defines Tourism as an economic engine. This citizen committee will work in concert with the Planning Commission in an attempt to provide more detail specific to the growing Tourism industry. The accepted Economic Development Strategic Plan will guide the process. The purpose of the document will be to integrate the objectives found in the ED Plan, the EDC, the Tourism Council/Chamber goals, the incorporated towns and the local/regional hospitality groups. The committee will address policy, ordinances and objectives desired and required by destination owners. This guiding document should support the Board of Supervisors in the future by providing an assessment of a variety of special use facilities (destinations) and the resulting revenue projections for each. This will serve as a resource for determining service levels for our CIPs and models.
The citizens of Page will have many opportunities to suggest input to the overall vision for the county. This group will lead forums for comment and discussion that will be very open and inclusive. Considerable effort will be taken to include the planners, the Board, the industry, property owners and citizens who may be affected by design or policy changes. Public reaction will be documented and included in a final draft.
Expected results will include a structured plan for review, inclusion and implementation. Statements of vision for a tourist friendly community will give us the words to be shared universally. Descriptions of the valley’s unique environments with emphasis on attracting tourism industry prospects will be drafted. The document will provide criteria and provisions for use in the Zoning rewrite process and the Land Use planning process specific to tourism destinations.
Prologue:
We are an island (a unique and separate travel destination). Beyond the Caverns and the National Parks, the recognition of Page County as a destination lies in the vision we project. Potential visitors read the local paper, study the area on the Internet, or more than likely ask someone they know about the county. Our byways separate us from the mainstream destinations along major routes so visitors have to choose to come here. A negative result of limited access is the limited job market. Small business owners also need to have incentive before investing in a site for their retail or service shop. If we can take advantage of preparing the economic climate for business success we will benefit from a growing employment base, a very desirable result for this county.
Each tourist has huge potential to become part of our expansion. Tourists are much more that spectators. Tourists are you and I coming here for the first time. I seek out music in the park and invitations to sing. Does the conference or the river attract you? Tourists see what we offer them, they go where we suggest they go, but they come here to experience themselves. I am here to participate and you certainly are involved in the community. The secret key to travelers becoming our valuable asset is in the level of their participation. The business traveler becomes the landowner who builds rental cabins who provides tours who sends guests to the restaurants in town who, in the end, pays taxes. The annual guest to the caverns decides to purchase a farm and then retires here. He may be a great musician or a philanthropist giving back invaluable gifts to our citizens. Preparing for tourism is not simply distributing a brochure full of enchanting photos, it requires patience and planning. We can discourage a new landowner by rejecting their applications or making it impossible to live out a dream. The opportunity is now to define our future recreation and destinations and invite the dreamers who protect our environment and history. We welcome the right industry by paving the way for those businesses that are appropriate. Generic ordinances are, in the long run, shortsighted. Our landscape varies widely and the right rules need to be assigned (using overlay districts) to accommodate bus tours and individuals.
Impact and direction
A Plan is the work that is done in advance of the outcome. In the case of tourism it is the preparation that we will do in advance of each visit. The Comp. Plan recognizes the need to promote and encourage Tourism. We need to study closely the cause and effect of our current policies and recommend changes. Many of the rental cabin owners and the riverside property owners want to participate in this work. Additionally, our community consists of a very diverse body of people, all of whom desire to be heard. Everyone has an interest in directing the future of the valley. Some have a vested interest some have a legacy to protect. Everyone should have a say and this work group will provide forums and open air gatherings where ideas will be shared.
Items for discussion will include: building specifications and codes; zoning ordinances, VDOT regulations and exceptions, alternative energy applications; passive solar, wind, subterranean building, non-electric septic solutions and lighting exceptions, green building materials etc. Recreation issues both water and mountains. A discussion of finding areas conducive to extreme sports and cycling may influence a new industry here. There are numerous critical issues to share and we hope to initiate the conversation and the groundwork to enable us to grow our destination offerings and our revenue base.
Vision for the future.
This valley has the potential for being recognized as a global leader. How you ask?
Consider our valley as an incubator and study area for new technology and innovative global initiatives. The federal government is looking for a site for a multi billion dollar electric plant, which will provide enough energy for half of the east coast. This is a project by the energy department that is the first complete life cycle (no emissions) plant. Think of the tourist who would be invited to see this “global warming solution”. Consider the evolving research for alternative bio-products. For fuel, for food and for self-sustaining communities around the world, the universities are looking for places to grow plants. Expand the Land Use program to encourage young people to live and work here.
A recent story has been published about a Columbia University group who sent low cost fertilizer to a few African villages who continually suffered food shortages. They sent a derivative of chicken litter. The renewable fertilizer was a huge success. We have chickens (sustainable) and the bi-product already in production in Page. Federal grants are available for environmental, clean water and global warming solutions we just need to attract those tourist/scientist/decision makers for a visit. Of course Dr. Cardman can show them where their innovation can take root. We’ll set the course and the great people will come. This attraction to cutting edge businesses will provide a unique tourism industry base and will provide much needed high-end jobs. Our citizen base increases and our knowledge base grows.
There is much concern in the County that growth will ruin our culture and destroy our lifestyle. We all share this concern because we have many examples in surrounding localities. We see the results of uncontrolled development. This trepidation temps us to interpret that concern as a need to restrict the “best and highest use” provided us in property ownership by drafting zoning regulations that generalize use and forbid any building. I interpret the growth as forces of the changing market, a force that will infiltrate the valley simply by supply and demand for homesites (the American Dream). To fight the forces of nature by universally projecting a policy of “no growth” will result in downward trends in our economy. Herein lies the challenge, the challenge of adopting a publicity piece, the Comprehensive Plan. Land owners, citizens, taxpayers have every right to opinion and position in any thoughtful land use planning. It is the current populace who connects the past with future. Change is inevitable and we need consensus in defining our vision.
Conclusion:
There is community support for a determined effort to communicate openly. A milestone report could be delivered to the Board that at the very least provides various prospectives. There are support groups, conscious groups, industry leaders and many others who deserve the opportunity to be heard. The public forum provided by the Planning Commission meetings and the BOS meetings is failing to satisfy the involved public. This proposal will expound on the subjects heard before and allow for opinion and options based on vision of the whole. It will also generate a Strategic Plan for Destination Tourism for the Board to review and accept as an appendix to the Comp. Plan and an addendum to the Economic Development Strategic Plan.
This is the time to have these discussions. We are not the silicon valley, we are not Napa Valley….we are unique so lets find the words to describe Page.
Respectfully submitted for consideration by,
Dot Donato, Page County Planning Commissioner D5
Director, Loudoun County Convention and Visitors Bureau (1992-1997)
Executive Director, Harpers Ferry Merchants Assoc. HF, WV (1987-1991)
FLOOD PLAIN news
1. Vote Hiccup
At the June 5 Board of Supervisors work session, George Shanks brought up the Vote Hiccup at the last Planning Commission meeting. He said that Ms. Donato's "vote change" was not valid.
However, he also said that the "proposed flood plain ordinance" had not been acted on for 100 days by the Planning Commission so that document was dead as far as they were concerned, but it had no time limit as far as the Board was concerned (do not ask me how this convoluted interpretation came about, I don't know). THEN he said, the Planning Commission's motion to start up again with a NEW flood plain ordinance WAS valid, and they could do that in the Zoning Subcommittee if they wanted to! In fact, when asked, most but not all of the Supervisors said, no, no, it's in our hands, but Shanks said the Planning Commission could start all over again if they wanted to. We also asked Mr. Shanks if they could talk about items not on the agenda, and he said yes.
So the Chairman of the Zoning Subcommittee, who is Alan Eldridge, based on that motion made at the last Planning Commission, apparently has the legal right to pick up the Flood Plain Ordinance and start all over from the beginning, without putting it on the subcommittee agenda. We already established that he was not legally obligated to have minutes of the meeting. Although in April, Chairman Woodward announced that subcommittees in the future would have minutes, the subcommittee which wrote the flood plain ordinance originally (which is the zoning subcommittee) did not have minutes in the past. Page County Watch will request subcommittee minutes.
2. Zoning Subcommittee
The Zoning Subcommittee will meet today, Wednesday, June 6, at 6 p.m. at the Courthouse. The agenda topic is "home based businesses". I will not be there. If any of you can go, please let me know what happened.
3. The Donato Document.
Under the topic "The Donato Document - DRAFT" written by Planning Commissioner Dot Donato. Ms. Donato called me after the vote hiccup, and apologized for the surprise. She said she did not mean to revive the Flood Plain Ordinance. She said she meant to get community involvement in a larger issue. This document reflects the larger issue. On the surface, I agree with her concept, but I am deeply concerned that its implementation not be turned over to the Zoning Subcommittee of the Planning Commission, for all the reasons that we saw on the Flood Plain issue. Ms. Donato has asked that we review her document, and give her feedback and assess whether we will support the effort. I do appreciate her effort in getting feedback, and I hope you will go to that topic and Blog it. Press the Comments button.
4. The Retreat
The Supervisors Retreat will be on June 14 at 9 a.m. in the Montana Room at Skyland. It will probably last until 2 p.m. The Montana Room is right off the dining room, so follow the signs to the dining room. Skyland is located on Skyline Drive, so you have to pay the fee to get on the drive to get there. It's possible that if you tell them you are going to this meeting they will let you through without paying. Please let me know if you are coming. The topic is the Comprehensive Plan, which can be downloaded from the county website. It is posted under "public notices" The file is 25Mb so I can't post it. The Flood Plain Ordinance is not the topic, but it may be discussed. The key issue is all those references in the Comp Plan to the Flood Plain ordinance.
5. My notes from the June 5 Board meeting are posted on the Blog, under the label "The County's Business."
At the June 5 Board of Supervisors work session, George Shanks brought up the Vote Hiccup at the last Planning Commission meeting. He said that Ms. Donato's "vote change" was not valid.
However, he also said that the "proposed flood plain ordinance" had not been acted on for 100 days by the Planning Commission so that document was dead as far as they were concerned, but it had no time limit as far as the Board was concerned (do not ask me how this convoluted interpretation came about, I don't know). THEN he said, the Planning Commission's motion to start up again with a NEW flood plain ordinance WAS valid, and they could do that in the Zoning Subcommittee if they wanted to! In fact, when asked, most but not all of the Supervisors said, no, no, it's in our hands, but Shanks said the Planning Commission could start all over again if they wanted to. We also asked Mr. Shanks if they could talk about items not on the agenda, and he said yes.
So the Chairman of the Zoning Subcommittee, who is Alan Eldridge, based on that motion made at the last Planning Commission, apparently has the legal right to pick up the Flood Plain Ordinance and start all over from the beginning, without putting it on the subcommittee agenda. We already established that he was not legally obligated to have minutes of the meeting. Although in April, Chairman Woodward announced that subcommittees in the future would have minutes, the subcommittee which wrote the flood plain ordinance originally (which is the zoning subcommittee) did not have minutes in the past. Page County Watch will request subcommittee minutes.
2. Zoning Subcommittee
The Zoning Subcommittee will meet today, Wednesday, June 6, at 6 p.m. at the Courthouse. The agenda topic is "home based businesses". I will not be there. If any of you can go, please let me know what happened.
3. The Donato Document.
Under the topic "The Donato Document - DRAFT" written by Planning Commissioner Dot Donato. Ms. Donato called me after the vote hiccup, and apologized for the surprise. She said she did not mean to revive the Flood Plain Ordinance. She said she meant to get community involvement in a larger issue. This document reflects the larger issue. On the surface, I agree with her concept, but I am deeply concerned that its implementation not be turned over to the Zoning Subcommittee of the Planning Commission, for all the reasons that we saw on the Flood Plain issue. Ms. Donato has asked that we review her document, and give her feedback and assess whether we will support the effort. I do appreciate her effort in getting feedback, and I hope you will go to that topic and Blog it. Press the Comments button.
4. The Retreat
The Supervisors Retreat will be on June 14 at 9 a.m. in the Montana Room at Skyland. It will probably last until 2 p.m. The Montana Room is right off the dining room, so follow the signs to the dining room. Skyland is located on Skyline Drive, so you have to pay the fee to get on the drive to get there. It's possible that if you tell them you are going to this meeting they will let you through without paying. Please let me know if you are coming. The topic is the Comprehensive Plan, which can be downloaded from the county website. It is posted under "public notices" The file is 25Mb so I can't post it. The Flood Plain Ordinance is not the topic, but it may be discussed. The key issue is all those references in the Comp Plan to the Flood Plain ordinance.
5. My notes from the June 5 Board meeting are posted on the Blog, under the label "The County's Business."
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Following Alice Down the Rabbit Hole
Following Alice Down the Rabbit Hole
(Guest Blog)
You know folks, last night’s show at the Planning Commission really wasn’t much when you think about it. It was so flawed that what the Zoning Committee does or doesn’t do really is of no consequence. The Board of Supervisors should be embarrassed, just as the honest folks on the Planning Commission and county staff appeared to be last night.
While I do not profess to be a parliamentarian, when read in plain English, Robert’s Rules seem pretty clear to me.
First, there is Article IV, Section 21. Incidental Motions. In the second paragraph it reads “The question of order must be raised at the time the breach of order occurs, so that after a motion has been discussed it is too late to raise the question as to whether it was in order or for the chair to rule the motion out of order. The only exception is where the motion is in violation of the laws, or the constitution, by-laws, or standing rules of the organization, or of the fundamental principles of parliamentary principles, so that if adopted it would be null and void. This is called raising a question, or point, or order, because the member in effect puts to the chair, whose duty it is to enforce order, the question as to whether there is not now a breach of order.” Don’t think that happened! What was Ms. Donato thinking? Is there such a thing as a retroactive "point of order?” I don't think so.
Second, there is Article VI, Section 40. Dilatory, Absurd or Frivolous Motions. The very nature of this potion of Roberts’ Rules is to protect the parliamentary process from continued renewal of issues like the floodplain ordinance.
Third, there is Article VIII, Section 46. Voting. Paragraph 9 reads “A member has the right to change his vote up to the time the vote is finally announced. After that, he can make the change only by permission of the assembly, which may be given by general consent; that is, by no member’s objecting when the chair inquires if any one objects. If objection is made, a motion may be made to grant the permission, which motion is undebatable.” Nothing like what is suggested above occurred during last evening’s show. Also please note that the chair may entertain the motion. The word “may” is permissive not mandatory.
And lastly, the so called "vote" on a matter of great importance was manipulated without notice to the public. Duh!
Poor Ms. Donato was duped into her action. It is ironic that some of the best friends she could have in pursuit of good things for this county were right in front of her, sitting in the audience, and she chose to slap them in the face. It is too bad she fell for the nonsense her disreputable colleagues fed her, embarrassing herself as well as those honest and capable folks on the Planning Commission and county staff, who were not participating in this ruse.
Let the Zoning Committee meet their little hearts out, whenever and wherever they want. If you give them enough time, they may even be able to get it right. If I understand correctly, it took three years for them to produce the first floodplain ordinance abortion. If the same monkeys bang on word processors for an infinite amount of time, eventually they will produce another work of fiction to waste more of the county’s time. PCW has already wasted enough time on this silliness. Let the monkeys play with themselves, as it were.
Time to move on to things that matter!
(This is A Guest Blog by An Anonymous Page County Watch Blogger)
If you would like your Guest Blog to show up here, email Research@PageCountyWatch.org OR hit the comments button and say your piece.
(Guest Blog)
You know folks, last night’s show at the Planning Commission really wasn’t much when you think about it. It was so flawed that what the Zoning Committee does or doesn’t do really is of no consequence. The Board of Supervisors should be embarrassed, just as the honest folks on the Planning Commission and county staff appeared to be last night.
While I do not profess to be a parliamentarian, when read in plain English, Robert’s Rules seem pretty clear to me.
First, there is Article IV, Section 21. Incidental Motions. In the second paragraph it reads “The question of order must be raised at the time the breach of order occurs, so that after a motion has been discussed it is too late to raise the question as to whether it was in order or for the chair to rule the motion out of order. The only exception is where the motion is in violation of the laws, or the constitution, by-laws, or standing rules of the organization, or of the fundamental principles of parliamentary principles, so that if adopted it would be null and void. This is called raising a question, or point, or order, because the member in effect puts to the chair, whose duty it is to enforce order, the question as to whether there is not now a breach of order.” Don’t think that happened! What was Ms. Donato thinking? Is there such a thing as a retroactive "point of order?” I don't think so.
Second, there is Article VI, Section 40. Dilatory, Absurd or Frivolous Motions. The very nature of this potion of Roberts’ Rules is to protect the parliamentary process from continued renewal of issues like the floodplain ordinance.
Third, there is Article VIII, Section 46. Voting. Paragraph 9 reads “A member has the right to change his vote up to the time the vote is finally announced. After that, he can make the change only by permission of the assembly, which may be given by general consent; that is, by no member’s objecting when the chair inquires if any one objects. If objection is made, a motion may be made to grant the permission, which motion is undebatable.” Nothing like what is suggested above occurred during last evening’s show. Also please note that the chair may entertain the motion. The word “may” is permissive not mandatory.
And lastly, the so called "vote" on a matter of great importance was manipulated without notice to the public. Duh!
Poor Ms. Donato was duped into her action. It is ironic that some of the best friends she could have in pursuit of good things for this county were right in front of her, sitting in the audience, and she chose to slap them in the face. It is too bad she fell for the nonsense her disreputable colleagues fed her, embarrassing herself as well as those honest and capable folks on the Planning Commission and county staff, who were not participating in this ruse.
Let the Zoning Committee meet their little hearts out, whenever and wherever they want. If you give them enough time, they may even be able to get it right. If I understand correctly, it took three years for them to produce the first floodplain ordinance abortion. If the same monkeys bang on word processors for an infinite amount of time, eventually they will produce another work of fiction to waste more of the county’s time. PCW has already wasted enough time on this silliness. Let the monkeys play with themselves, as it were.
Time to move on to things that matter!
(This is A Guest Blog by An Anonymous Page County Watch Blogger)
If you would like your Guest Blog to show up here, email Research@PageCountyWatch.org OR hit the comments button and say your piece.
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
FLOOD PLAIN Slime Alert!
FLOOD PLAIN slime alert!
May 29, 2007
In the most stunning act of slimy manipulative behavior, the Page County Planning Commission brought the proposed flood plain ordinance back to life tonight, and gave it back to the very same subcommittee to do a "revision."
Tonight's agenda made no reference to the flood plain. In fact, only a few minor zoning issues were on the agenda. Page County Watch had five people present, just in case.
It was lucky we were there.
Chairman John Woodward was absent. Commissioner Dot Donato was chairing the meeting. After all business was attended to, Ms. Donato said she had a "point of order". Her point of order was that she wanted to change her vote from April 23, which ended debate on the proposed flood plain ordinance. Then either Newton or DeSerio, I was too blinded by rage to tell which one, made a motion that they should bring the proposed flood plain ordinance back alive, and give it back TO THE SAME PEOPLE, to make revisions. This motion passed.
Here's who voted for it:DeSerio, Newton, Eldridge, Judd, Otto, Donato
Here's who voted against it:Short, Bosley
Since the Board of Supervisors TOOK NO ACTION in the May 15 meeting when we were all there, Attorney George Shanks sanctioned, hopefully only through temporary insanity, this action to bring the Proposed Flood Plain Ordinance back alive and give it back to the same people.
In the Public Comments section, Alice Richmond (me) pointed out that this item was not on the agenda and should not have been brought up with out public notice. Mr. J D Cave also made a public comment, I'm sorry I can't exactly remember what he said, but he was on our side. I think he said something with the word slimy in it.
I was going to use this space to bring up the June 1 "Meet the Republican Candidates" meeting at 7 p.m. at Browns Restaurant. This would be a good place to make sure that John Rust and Gerald Cubbage, who are up for election, know what the public thinks about how the Supervisors and the Planning Commission are acting.
Planning Commissioner Eldridge, who is Chairman of the Committee that wrote this, named a date and a time for the first meeting of the subcommittee, which he said would be no more than 90 minutes long. If citizens would like to know when these subcommittee meetings are held, I would imagine they will have to call the county office and ask. I won't be posting them on the Page County Watch website.
At this time, I will no longer be attending Planning Commission meetings.
Call your lawyers.
Respectfully,
The Page County Watch Blogger, Alice Richmond
Please print this blog and pass it around to all the people you know who don't have Internet.
You can comment here, but why bother? Best to comment here:
Mr. Tommy LaFrance Telephone: 743-3715
May 29, 2007
In the most stunning act of slimy manipulative behavior, the Page County Planning Commission brought the proposed flood plain ordinance back to life tonight, and gave it back to the very same subcommittee to do a "revision."
Tonight's agenda made no reference to the flood plain. In fact, only a few minor zoning issues were on the agenda. Page County Watch had five people present, just in case.
It was lucky we were there.
Chairman John Woodward was absent. Commissioner Dot Donato was chairing the meeting. After all business was attended to, Ms. Donato said she had a "point of order". Her point of order was that she wanted to change her vote from April 23, which ended debate on the proposed flood plain ordinance. Then either Newton or DeSerio, I was too blinded by rage to tell which one, made a motion that they should bring the proposed flood plain ordinance back alive, and give it back TO THE SAME PEOPLE, to make revisions. This motion passed.
Here's who voted for it:DeSerio, Newton, Eldridge, Judd, Otto, Donato
Here's who voted against it:Short, Bosley
Since the Board of Supervisors TOOK NO ACTION in the May 15 meeting when we were all there, Attorney George Shanks sanctioned, hopefully only through temporary insanity, this action to bring the Proposed Flood Plain Ordinance back alive and give it back to the same people.
In the Public Comments section, Alice Richmond (me) pointed out that this item was not on the agenda and should not have been brought up with out public notice. Mr. J D Cave also made a public comment, I'm sorry I can't exactly remember what he said, but he was on our side. I think he said something with the word slimy in it.
I was going to use this space to bring up the June 1 "Meet the Republican Candidates" meeting at 7 p.m. at Browns Restaurant. This would be a good place to make sure that John Rust and Gerald Cubbage, who are up for election, know what the public thinks about how the Supervisors and the Planning Commission are acting.
Planning Commissioner Eldridge, who is Chairman of the Committee that wrote this, named a date and a time for the first meeting of the subcommittee, which he said would be no more than 90 minutes long. If citizens would like to know when these subcommittee meetings are held, I would imagine they will have to call the county office and ask. I won't be posting them on the Page County Watch website.
At this time, I will no longer be attending Planning Commission meetings.
Call your lawyers.
Respectfully,
The Page County Watch Blogger, Alice Richmond
Please print this blog and pass it around to all the people you know who don't have Internet.
You can comment here, but why bother? Best to comment here:
Mr. Tommy LaFrance Telephone: 743-3715
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