James City County boards unanimously approve five shoreline and RPA exception requests with mitigation and surety conditions

The James City County Wetlands Board and Chesapeake Bay Board on Dec. 10, 2025, voted unanimously to approve five separate shoreline and RPA (resource protection area) permit requests, including a 65‑foot wooden bulkhead at 3096 North Riverside Drive and four Chesapeake Bay exception requests for residential additions and accessory structures. Each approval included conditions such as required federal, state and local permits, mitigation planting plans, surety payments and recorded affidavits.

Staff presented the first case, WJPA‑24‑0028, for 3096 North Riverside Drive in the Yarmouth Creek watershed. Emily Grojean, watershed planner, said the applicant (Andrew Gurley of CLS Marine LLC, on behalf of Jackie Stefan) proposes a 65‑linear‑foot wooden bulkhead in the existing footprint to replace a failed concrete bulkhead. Grojean said staff reviewed the application against the recent wetlands mitigation policy and listed required submittals, tree protection and a surety. "Staff has reviewed the above application and recommends denial of the application as presented because a living shoreline project will work in the scenario and is the preferred method of shoreline management by the Commonwealth of Virginia," Grojean said.…