Northampton County, Virginia

Chesapeake Bay Act

The Virginia General Assembly enacted the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act in 1988. The Act is a critical element of Virginia's multifaceted response to the Chesapeake Bay Agreement. The Bay Act established a cooperative relationship between the Commonwealth and local governments and is aimed at reducing and preventing nonpoint source pollution. The Bay Act, like many other environmental protection programs, is an extension of the public trust doctrine. The beds of Virginia's streams, rivers and estuaries and the waters above them are held and managed by the Commonwealth for the benefit of all Virginians.

Northampton County has adopted zoning overlay district known as the Chesapeake/Atlantic Preservation District (CAP) to incorporate into county zoning water quality protection measures consistent with the state's Bay Act Regulations. Because of Northampton's proximity to the fragile Atlantic Ocean marine marshlands, Bay Act protection regulations have been extended to the County's seaside area as well. The Regulations address non-point source pollution by identifying and protecting certain lands called Chesapeake/Atlantic Preservation Areas.

The lands that make up Chesapeake/Atlantic Preservation Areas are those that have the potential to impact water quality most directly. Generally, there are two types of land features: those that protect and benefit water quality directly (Resource Protection Areas, or RPAs) and those that, without proper management, have the potential to damage water quality (Resource Management Areas, or RMAs). By carefully managing land uses within these areas, Northampton County can help reduce the water quality impacts of nonpoint source pollution and improve the health of the Chesapeake Bay and Seaside marshes.

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Wetlands Board

The Northampton County Wetlands Board meets on the third Wednesday of each month to administer the Northampton County Wetlands and Coastal Primary Sand Dune Ordinances adopted to preserve and prevent the despoilation and destruction of wetlands and coastal pimrary sand dunes and beaches within the County. These meetings are opened to the public during which the Board conducts public hearings in accordance with Virginia Code requirements. The Board also conducts site evaluations for all applica-tions prior to the public meetings. Board members are appointed by the Northampton County Board of Supervisors.

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Links:

Link to Virginia Institute of Marine Science

The Virginia Marine Resources Commission

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Public Notice

The Northampton County Wetlands Board will meet Wednesday, November 16, 2011, at 10:30 a.m.in the Board Chambers located at 16404 Courthouse Road in Eastville, Va., for the purpose of considering the following wetlands/coastal primary sand dunes matter under public hearing and to conduct regular business.

VMRC 2011-1180: Joachim J. Buono has filed to construct a 6-foot wide by 450-foot long boardwalk with a 250 square foot cart turnaround to create access over the Resource Protection Area (RPA) as well as secondary and primary dunes from the existing house. The property is located at 2022 Bayview Point Lane in the Bay Ridge Subdivision with frontage on the Chesapeake Bay. The property is described as being Tax Map 104A, double circle 1, parcel 8A.

Board members will assemble at the Dept. of Planning & Zoning located at 16404 Courthouse Road in Eastville at 9:00 a.m. then travel to the property described above in order to conduct a field visit prior to the scheduled public hearing.

Anyone interested in the above matter should attend the scheduled public hearing. The application may be viewed in the Planning & Zoning Department located at 16404 Courthouse Road in Eastville, Va.

Handicapped Assistance Available: Call (757) 678-0440 extension 543 at least 48 hours in advance.

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Board Members

Marshall Cox, Sr.
6428 Rocky Lane
Cape Charles, VA 23310
757-678-5049
Term expires 6/30/2014

John E. Chubb, Jr.
P.O. Box 836
Eastville, VA 23347
757-678-5469
Term expires 6/30/2014

Nancy Wells Drury
P.O. Box 209
Jamesville, VA 23398
Term expires 6/30/2016

Dot Field
7179 Batchelers Branch Drive
Exmore, VA 23350
757-678-6208
Term expries 6/30/2016

Mark Gates
6203 Salt Works Road
Exmore, VA 23350
757-442-2806
Term expires 6/30/2013

William T. Brown, II
5042 Sunnyside Road
Cape Charles, VA 23310
Term expires 6/30/2016

Bowdoin Lusk
P.O. Box 8
Cheriton, VA 23316
757-331-4375
Term expires 6/30/2015

(updated Jan. 30, 2012)

Northampton County Wetlands Board Public Hearings

Meeting Minutes

 

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