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Westmoreland supervisors say county started ordinance process but deferred enforcement to Virginia DEQ
Summary
At the end of a Westmoreland County Board of Supervisors meeting, the board said a county ordinance process is underway in response to a property complaint but that state regulators — the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality — were asked to take enforcement action.
The Westmoreland County Board of Supervisors said a county ordinance process has begun in response to a complaint about activity on private property, but the county deferred enforcement to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.
Board chair said the county had opened an enforcement process under a county ordinance and that the work could not be rushed. "The process is in motion. You may not get instant result tomorrow, the next day, but the process is in motion," the chair said during public comment and board discussion.
Supervisor Henson, who the chair deferred to for the matter, described going to inspect the site, consulting the county administrator and referring the case to the planning commission. "I even discussed it with the county administrator," Henson said, adding that officials were asked to step back so the state could pursue larger fines and penalties. "We were asked to stay out of it because the state could put bigger fines, bigger penalties, and more pressure on the person that's allowing things to go on" on the property, Henson said.
Transcript remarks named Jimmy Coats of the Planning Commission as a recipient of information about the complaint; the board did not provide additional public scheduling or a timeframe for county action. The chair later said the public comment portion of the meeting had been closed.
Why it matters: shifting enforcement to a state agency can change the timing and penalties applied to alleged violations and limits the county's immediate enforcement options. The board’s statements indicate the county is handling the complaint through its ordinance procedures while leaving criminal or regulatory prosecution to state authorities.
The record does not include a formal vote or a deadline on the county’s next steps; the board’s public remarks indicate officials believe the matter is in the appropriate hands and will be resolved through existing processes.
Ending: The board provided no further public details about the property, the specific ordinance cited, or any timeline for state action beyond saying the state DEQ had the authority and intention to pursue the matter.
