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Planning commission agrees to review study for Nottoway River national scenic designation and invites Beech Tree Group
Summary
After a public listening session produced mixed reaction, the commission voted unanimously to invite Jamie Craig of Beech Tree Group to present materials on a feasibility/stewardship study for the Nottoway River and to place the PowerPoint and supporting materials on a future agenda for further review.
Members of the Southampton County Planning Commission agreed to consider a free stewardship-feasibility study that would evaluate whether part of the Nottoway River should be pursued for National Scenic River designation.
Ms. Austin summarized a listening session in which riverfront landowners predominated and many expressed opposition over concerns such as trespass, trash and additional boat landings. "It is a study," Austin said, "it may come out that this is something we want to do. It may be something we don't want to do, but we don't know until you go through the process of studying what we have and what's involved with being a national wild and scenic river."
Commissioners and a board member described the river as biologically diverse and noted potential benefits of pursuing a study, including eligibility for grants (one speaker cited roughly $75,000 a year to support stewardship). Several commissioners urged a slower, countywide outreach plan rather than inviting only riverfront property owners to initial meetings. Staff said a PowerPoint and packet are available on beechtree.biz and offered to request that Mr. Jamie Craig of the Beech Tree Group present the materials to the planning commission.
A motion to invite Jamie Craig to the commission’s next agenda and to include his PowerPoint and materials passed unanimously. Commissioners stressed that a study would not, by itself, change property ownership or automatically impose regulations — it would inform whether the county wishes to proceed and would be followed by additional community engagement and formal steps before any designation.
Next steps: staff will schedule Mr. Craig’s presentation and prepare background materials for further commission discussion prior to any formal recommendation to the Board of Supervisors.
