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Council approves rewrite of water-protection code to align with state changes
Summary
Winchester’s council approved O-2024-11 on second reading, repealing and reenacting Chapter 9 (water protection) to consolidate two parallel state-aligned programs; staff described the changes as housekeeping with no substantive policy shifts and no public speakers at the hearing.
Winchester City Council approved O-2024-11 on second reading Tuesday, repealing and reenacting Chapter 9 of the city code to align the city’s water-protection rules with recent state code revisions.
At the public hearing, city staff member Kelly Henshaw told council the ordinance is primarily administrative: the state consolidated two previously parallel programs and the city’s update brings municipal language into conformity. “They put both programs together so it’s easier to run the program and enforce the programs,” Henshaw said.
No members of the public spoke on the ordinance during the hearing. Mayor John Davis Smith moved to approve; Councilor Beach seconded. The council took a roll-call vote and passed the ordinance.
The city will implement the revised definitions and administrative procedures as written; staff said there have been no changes since the first reading. Councilors did not request additional amendments during Tuesday’s meeting.
The ordinance is effective per the terms stated in the city code and will be enforced according to the updated definitions adopted to match state requirements.
