Mathews County planning staff asked the Board of Supervisors on May 15 for guidance on a suite of planning items including a proposed special‑events permit for county‑owned properties, how to handle agritourism in zoning code, and a study of smaller lot sizes and small‑house development.

Bobby (planning staff) told the board the planning commission had expanded a small‑house committee to include supervisor requests on lot‑size reductions, discussed whether a county‑owned parcel adjacent to the high school could be subdivided or sold, and flagged agritourism as a growing issue that may require code changes.

“We’ve had a complaint or two and then an application brought this to our attention… agritourism is a large umbrella of activities that is allowed by right,” Bobby said, and recommended a public hearing to consider zoning changes.

On special events, staff said other localities apply special‑events permits broadly (including private property), but Mathews County staff interpreted the board’s earlier discussion as limiting any county permit to county‑owned properties. The planning commission suggested a $50 administrative fee as a placeholder, but staff said that amount was arbitrary and not final.

Separately, the planning commission proposed a joint committee (two planning commissioners and two supervisors, plus appointed citizens as needed) to meet with the Hampton Roads Sanitary District (HRSD) to map sewer connections and available capacity. Supervisors Janice Phillips and David Jones volunteered to serve on the committee; the board approved forming the committee by motion and second.

Board members said the committee should review GIS overlays of HRSD sewer mains and consider capacity impacts from neighboring jurisdictions’ projects, including possible Middlesex County sewer work that could affect Mathews’ allocated capacity. Staff said HRSD shape files had been requested for overlay in the county GIS to identify properties with sewer access.

Planning staff also reported work on a municipal water and sewer planning grant that could expand access to grants if the county’s 2022 plan is revised and accepted by the Virginia Department of Health; Bowman Engineering was preparing to provide a quote for revising the 2022 plan.