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Residents press officials on dredging, water permit and growth as Onancock readies comprehensive-plan review
Summary
At the April 1 Planning Commission meeting, residents asked who will evaluate dredged material at the town wharf, pressed whether the commission has a role on a DEQ water-permit for 1,000 homes outside town limits, and urged environmental protections and infrastructure planning ahead of the next comprehensive-plan review.
Speakers at the April 1 Planning Commission meeting raised environmental and growth concerns that the commission and town officials may address as the town prepares to review its comprehensive plan.
Dr. Greg Felthousen, who attended recent Waterfront Committee and Planning Commission meetings, said the town plans to dredge around piers and docks this fall and asked whether the removed material is sand, silt or mud and who has assessed its composition. "Is the material sand, silt or mud? Who knows this information and is there a plan to prevent it from happening in future?" he asked. Felthousen later suggested the material could be a mix of muck, sand, clay and silt and urged studies of the three tributaries that feed Onancock Creek to understand sources of runoff.
Rosemary Paparo asked whether the Planning Commission has any input on the town's permit application to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality to draw water for an additional 1,000 homes located outside the town limits and whether the commission had reviewed a CHA Consulting report that said current pumping levels are safe but could be imperiled by increased pumping. Chairperson Schreiber responded, "the Planning Commission does not have anything whatsoever to do with town water," clarifying the commission's lack of authority on that issue.
Felthousen also cited the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality's Source Water Protection Plan, saying the plan reported pollution in the middle branch tributary (noted in the transcript as "Coli"). He urged the town to enlist state and academic partners — including VDEQ, the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, the Nature Conservancy and Virginia Tech — to reduce silt and polluted runoff. He proposed the comprehensive plan emphasize eco-friendly tourism tied to the arts and suggested infrastructure changes for Queen Street parking: permeable surfaces and a solar-covered parking structure to power a visitor center and provide lighting and EV charging.
A WHRO announcement referenced during public comment noted new federal and EPA-linked funding for Chesapeake Bay restoration, including $96,000,000 listed from the federal infrastructure bill and $206,000,000 through the EPA to be used by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the Chesapeake Bay Trust; Tim Kaine was quoted about a focus on grants aimed at non-point-source pollution.
Chairperson Schreiber reiterated that the Planning Commission is advisory to Town Council; the commission cannot act unilaterally on town water permits or binding town policy. Town Manager Spuck told commissioners the comprehensive plan must be readopted every five years and recommended beginning the review in about a year.
