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Residents urge investment in water and sewer; board moves rezoning question to planning commission
Summary
Citizens told the Gloucester County Board of Supervisors that water and sewer infrastructure needs extensive investment; county staff reported full obligation of ARPA utility projects and the board voted to send an ordinance amendment on residential replacements in B‑1 zoning back to the Planning Commission for review.
County officials and residents pressed the Gloucester County Board of Supervisors on Jan. 7 to prioritize water and sewer infrastructure investment as staff reported full obligation of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for several utility projects.
The county administrator told the board that Katie Legg, director of utilities, “successfully obligated all ARPA funds by 12/31,” and listed projects that the utilities team funded or put under contract using ARPA: a fully outfitted crash truck (with cones and rumble strips), pump station control upgrades (including pump station 14), replacement of a raw water pump at the water treatment plant, the Gloucester Point tower water-age management system, SCADA improvements, hydrant replacements, a slope mower and attachments, an RO membrane replacement, and design work for pump station 11.
Residents who submitted written comments expanded on infrastructure concerns. Kenneth Hogg Sr. called for long-term investment and criticized prior choices that he said prioritized parks, recreation and tourism funding over utilities maintenance; he said tens of millions of dollars are needed to modernize the county’s systems and urged stronger utility governance and mandatory hookups in some areas. Howard Mowery, of the York District, also submitted comments on utility operations and county administration compensation.
After the county administrator described a request from a property owner seeking to place a house in a B‑1 (business) district, the county attorney advised the board that the appropriate next step is a resolution sending consideration of an ordinance amendment to the Planning Commission. The suggested ordinance amendment would allow replacement of manufactured homes and mobile homes in the B‑1 district with other residential structures; the board approved a motion to send the matter to the Planning Commission to begin that review and public comment at the commission level.
Board members and staff also noted the county’s efforts to ensure utility purchases were legally vetted and thanked finance and purchasing staff for rapid work to obligate ARPA funds by year-end.
(Ending) Supervisors directed staff to proceed with Planning Commission review of the zoning amendment and noted they would return with formal dates and materials; county officials said further utility- and budget-related items will appear on future agendas.
