Forward from your Chapter President FYI and action as possible...Paula "Value the land for the life it harbors" Sarah Stein ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ida Hall" ida@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx To: "Paula Boundy" paula.boundy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Sent: Fri 09/02/11 10:00 AM Subject: Fwd: 9/8/11 BOS meeting on Bluff Point Hi Paula, I wanted to update you and hope that you will pass the enclosed info on to the Audubon Society membership. On Thursday, September 8, 2011 at 5p.m. at the Northumberland High School in Claraville, the consultant that has been reviewing the Bluff Pt. PUD, will give his final report at a public meeting. At the 7p.m. meeting the public will be able to comment. On October 13, 2011 the Board WILL vote on the Bluff Pt. PUD. I hope that you and the membership will attend and hear the report and stay to comment later. It is critical that we continue to voice our opposition to this project. Thank you for all of your help in this matter of great concern. (I just saw a pair of pileated woodpeckers in a walnut tree in my yard. I know that aren't rare, but I haven't seen any in my yard before.). Ida Hall 804-761-2342 Subject: Concerned Citizens for Preserving Bluff Point Enviromental Wetlands From: To: Date: Thu 09/01/11 4:14 PM Concerned Citizens for Preserving Bluff Point Enviromental Wetlands BREAKING NEWS UPDATED 1 Sep The Bluff Point PUD Special Execption Permit Consultant's Report is scheduled to be presented to the Northumberland County Board of Supervisors on 8 September 2011 at 5:00 PM at the Northumberland High/Middle School Auditorium near Claraville. Click Image to Enlarge According to the agenda released by the County Administrator, the Consultant's report will start about 5:25 PM. The meeting will adjourn for dinner and resume at 7:00 at the new Courthouse building with the public hearing session. There is a public comment session at the end of the hearing at which citizens may address the Board on any topic. Please plan to attend both the 5:00 PM session on the consultant's report and the 7:00 PM session for citizen comments. ------------------------- Bluff Point Opposition Rises to 843 - 11 August 2011 ------------------------- NAPS' Position Paper on the Bluff Point PUD Northumberland Association for Progressive Stewardship ------------------------- Center for Conservation Biology Letter to Board of Supervisors - 11 August 2011 ------------------------- Chesapeake Bay Foundation Letter to BoS - 26 August 2010 Chesapeake Bay Foundation Letter to BoS - 15 March 2010 Chesapeake Bay Foundation Letter to VMRC - 19 August 2011 ------------------------- Audubon Society Newsletter President's Annual Report - August 2010 ------------------------- Northumberland Board Tables One Bay Issue Only to Face Another Community Idea Station(WCEVE-FM) by Pamela D'Angelo Fri, 07/15/2011 Residents hold signatures opposing Bluff Point Development Petition Opposing Bluff Point Attrachs 620 Signatures Rappahannock Record, by Shannon Rice - 21 July 2011 ------------------------- Citizens to Protect Bluff Point Turn in 620 Signatures to Supervisor James Long - 14 July 2011 MEMORANDUM FOR: Mr. James M. Long, Supervisor for District 3, Wicomico Church VA 22579 FROM: David Mower, 1112 Monarch Shores Road Carl and Donnette Gruel, 97 Barnes View Lane Ida Hall,1430 Jarvis Point Road Pete and Barbara Kauneckas, 41 Barnes View Lane SUBJECT: Your Request for a Bluff Point Planned Unit Development Special Exception Permit “Sense of the Community” Survey During the Citizen Comment period at the April 2011 regularly scheduled Board of Supervisors meeting, David Mower posed the question to the Board regarding the Bluff Point PUD SEP of what was the compelling reason for putting this PUD on flood-prone conservation land. After the meeting adjourned, you approached him and the group that continued to discuss the issue and asked (paraphrasing) if we “were the only ones who believed the PUD SEP was wrong or were there others sharing our beliefs.” You indicated you would like to see some verification that we were not just a noisy minority alone in our opposition. To that end, we offered to conduct a survey of the Bluff Point Road area to help gauge the depth of community opposition, which you agreed would be helpful. While the survey’s original target were those residents directly adjacent to or otherwise directly impacted by the proposed development, we were astonished at the county-wide response. Once word spread that a survey was being conducted the initiative gained a life of its own. People from all over the county called or contacted us requesting copies of the “petition” and organized their own local sign up campaigns. To date, county residents have turned in about 620 signatures (see attached), with more arriving every day. Originally we planned to cut off the survey on 30 June, but given community appeals to continue into July, we have extended the survey period for another month. Consequently, this is an interim report. Early returns indicated that: * About half of the 620 signature are from Districts 4 and 3b (south of the Wicomico River) – we expected to get signatures from here * The other half of the 620 signatures are from Districts 1, 2, 3a and 5 (Route 360 corridor) – this is astounding, who knew? * Anecdotal evidence is that more than a few of people are not just against the SEP, but “angry” that it has gotten as far as it has. [This is somewhat supported by the “self generating” nature the survey took on, especially in the northern districts of the county.] Final results and a summary will be turned in at the August Board of Supervisors meeting. Read More HERE ------------------------- Bluff Point Documentation Observations – 25 June 2011 In reviewing the developer’s documentation regarding the Bluff Point Planned Unit Development Special Exception Permit, (PUD SEP), there is a 12 January 2011 letter from Dr. John Swaddle, College of William & Mary that proposes "…_to build a field lab, teaching facility, and residential areas for students_…" at the site. There is no mention of this proposal in the submittal plan other than the proposal for a nature education center. *Where are these facilities to be constructed? *How many "density rights" would be allocated to these facilities? *What impact would the use of density rights for these facilities have on other proposed residences and commercial facilities? Read More also, Citizen Letter response to William and Mary letter. ------------------------- Northumberland County's Consultant on the Bluff Point PUD makes Initial Traffic Impact Analysis & Assessment Are 50 car traffic queues coming to Kilmarnock intersections? You be the judge. ------------------------- _A CRITICAL LOOK AT THE BLUFF POINT WATER SUPPLY PLAN BY DR. FRANK FLETCHER_ ------------------------- Spring is here so the Bluff Point PUD SEP is again stirring. 14 April 2011 - The BOS has voted tonight at the 5:00 PM session to hire the AES group for a total price of $33,800. Of this amount, The developer is paying $25,000 which will be paid to the County and held and disbursed to Consultant. The vote was 4-1 (Tomlin). Prior to the vote, Mr. Tomlin reiterated his comment of 4 Oct 2010 that the Board did not need a consultant and not now either, but if the County is going to hire a Consultant, the County should pay for it 100% to avoid an appearance of collusion or improperness. The Board originally agreed that the county should pay 100% back in Oct, but this vote changed that previous position. Once the the signatures are on the contract, the Consultant will have 22 weeks to complete assessment and present the report, therefore, it will come back in late September or early October. ------------------------- The Developer and the Board of Supervisors seem intent in confusing the public with red herring hot button issues and various analysis of environmental and economic issues that bury the one key legal problem facing a favorable decision for the Bluff Point Special Exception permit; that of: Converting a low density Conservation zoned parcel to very high density by allowing an exchange/swap with multiple higher density Residential and Agriculturial zoned parcels located elsewhere in the county. For example, can parcels A, B, and C which are zoned for high housing density (Agricultural or Residential) and located geographically apart be combined and swapped with parcel Z which is zoned for low housing density (Conservation) and not geographically contiguous with any of the other parcels? The Case: Can the Bluff Point PUD exchange the allowable density of multiple parcels with combined "by right" housing density of 500+/- with a separate non-bordering parcel that has "by right" housing density of 30+/-. ------------------------- Bluff Point is Both a Place and an Idea - by Dr. Frank Fletcher, 17 April 2011 ------------------------- 27 March 2011 - The Developer has initiated a new Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA) and forwarded to both the Board of Supervisors and VDOT. VDOT has 45 days to review and comment which should be on or about May 12, 2011. The TIA documents (not all are new) are available below: "SITE" DEVELOPMENT DENSITIES & TRIP GENERATION TIA STUDY VDOT RESPONSE 16 FEBRUARY 2011 APPENDIX A-D TIA SCOPING CORRESPONDENCE APPENDIX E - G TRAFFIC SIGNAL LETTER 7 MARCH 2011 ------------------------- 14 March 2011 The Developer provided another comparison analysis of Bluff Point, but made sure to note that this one was not requested by the County Administrator or anyone else (7 Feb comparison was in response to the county's request). The county administrators, the Board of Supervisors and the developer certainly seem to have an easy and robust relationship whereas the general public appears to be generally kept at arms length. Cover Letter 14 March 2011 INTRODUCTION TASK 1 Property Use TASK 2 Public Facilities TASK 3 Project Phasing TASK 4 Financial Impact Summary PUD BRSD TASK 5 Environmental Impact TASK 6 Local Impact TASK 7 Traffic TASK 8 Economic Impact TASK 9 Conditions ------------------------- 4 February 2011 [In lieu of a consultant?] The developer has provided the Board of Supervisors at the request of the County Administrator a "Comparison Of Bluff Point Planned Unit Development And By-Right Subdivision Development Plan" While it is not mentioned on the County's website, there will be a "working session" meeting of the Board of Supervisors on 1 March 2011 at 4:00 PM in the Board of Supervisors room in the old Courthouse to discuss the Bluff Point PUD RFP. The public may attend the working session, but will not be allowed to speak. Some well thought out concerns regarding the By Right Comparison documents have been offered by a local citizen below: 29 March 2011 Letter to the Editor 17 February 2011 Letter to BOS 22 February 2011 Letter to the Editor ------------------------- Planning & Zoning 101 Land Use Handbook ------------------------- "THERE\'S NO SUCH THING AS A FREE LUNCH" by Frank Fletcher, 20 Nov 10 ------------------------- Request for Proposal (Draft) for BLUFF POINT PUD CONSULTANT Release Date: 31 Oct 2010 Due Date: 15 Sep 2010 Chesapeake Bay Foundation's excellent suggestions for improving the Request for Proposal ------------------------- Board of Supervisors Meeting - 14 October 2010 Results The Northumberland County Board of Superviors met in regular session at 5:00 PM on 14 October at which they decided by a 4-1 vote not to hire an outside legal counsel to review the entanglement associated with the Bluff Point PUD Special Expection Permit. The County's legal counsel will first review the legal questions, and any that are beyond his scope of expertise will be consider for outside counsel at a later date. The Board will meet at 7:30 AM on Wednesday 27 October 2010 to review and approve the RFP for an outside consultant to review and make recommends on the conditions to be placed on the developer for the SEP approval. This hearing is open to the public. In other business conducted by the Board two items were of interest: * Traffic jams at the High School turn lanes on Route 360 appear to be causing safety concern due to the backup and motorist making unsafe driving decisions to get around the backup. This condition is cause by only a couple dozen cars travelling Route 360, but the board did not seem to draw any parallel with future unsafe conditions they may be creating caused by 7,000 a day cars turning at Route 200 and Bluff Point Road. * Appartently, Little Wicomico River mouth needs to be dredged after only 5 years. The cost of the dredging study and ultimate dredging to the county was unclear. The board did not seem to draw any parallel with potential problems caused by the proposed dredging of the marina and channel in Barnes Creek for the Bluff Point PUD if the SEP is allowed to proceed. ------------------------- The Northumbrland County Board of Supervisors met in a working session at the new Court House building in Heathsville on Monday, 4 October 2010 at 5:00 PM to consider the proposed conditions the developer must meet to obtain approval of the proposed BLUFF POINT PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT special exception permit. County Staff Summary Presentation of PUD Condtions and Issues - 4 October 2010 Staff Presentation EDITED for Simplicity and Clarity (Removed at the request of one of the Developer's "Team" members) 11 October 2010 21 October 2010 Northumberland County Zoning Ordinance Current Useages As of 30 April 2009 "By Right" C-1 District Overlay RESULT: The Board Chairman, Mr. Jett, with a concurring nod from the developer, suggested that this was too complex for the staff and board members to deal with themselves and proposed that an outside consultant be hired to evaluate the proposal, conditions and all the citizen issues and input and provide the Board with guidance and recommendations as to how it should proceed. Mr. Jett, with a concurring nod from the developer, proposed that the developer fund/pay for the outside consultant study. District 4 representative, Mr. Tomlin, rose to speak in agreement with the need for an outside consultant, but objected to the developer funding the study. Correctly, Mr. Tomlin pointed out the need to avoid all appearances of collusion between county representatives and the developer. Mr. Tomlin motioned that an outside consultant should be contracted and that the county should bear the entire cost of the consultant fee. The board, with the developer negatively shaking heads, unanimously voted for the outside consultant funded at county expense. Mr. Tomlin also suggest the county hire qualified legal expert consultants to advise the board on various matters that relate to the board’s ability, authority and jurisdiction over certain matters related to both the zoning conversion issues, and assigns and successors restrictions. That matter was deferred until a later date. The County Administrator was instructed to prepare an RFP for consultant services. To be continued .... ------------------------- NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY PROPOSED PUD CONDITIONS CITIZEN MARKUP OF PROPOSED PUD CONDITIONS - 100927 For all Northumberland County documents regarding the Bluff Point Planned Unit Development click HERE *Northumberland Board of Supervisors Meeting Minutes for denial of Bluff Point Road 288 Unit Cluster Development - 10 May 2007 "Supervisor Russell stated she would like to make a motion on the request. She explained that she had talked to a lot of people and this was really hard. She said the people in Indian Creek needed sewer, but this is not a sewer issue it's about density and that she did not receive support from anyone that didn't want a sewer. She stated this is just not the right property for this request." [NOTE: The Board subsequently voted unaminously to deny the request.] *Northumberland Board of Supervisors Meeting Minutes for Camp Kittamaqund Conservation Zoning Emergency Ordinance - 8 Feb 07, 8 Mar 07, & 5 Apr 07 8 Feb 07 - Chairman Ronald Jett stated that he had been giving this a lot of thought since the first time he had heard about the sale. He went further to state that he had discussed this matter with legal council and felt that we needed to look at the conservation zoning district and review the provisions within this district. [NOTE: The Board subsequently voted unanimously to adopt a Conservation, C-1 Zoning District Emergency Ordinance.] 8 Mar 07 - Upon motion by Pamela C. Russell duly seconded by, James M. Long, the Board voted to pass the following resolution and change staff's recommendation to only allow 10 acre lot size on the remaining parcel instead of the 5 acre lot size. [NOTE: The motion passed unanimously.] 5 Apr 07 - County Attorney Les Kilduff stated that this is not about the Girl Scout property; it's more about preserving the Conservation Areas in the County. Upon motion by Pamela Russell, duly seconded by James M. Long, the board voted to floow the Planning Commission recommendation to amend the C-1 zoning district to the County Code in Chapter 148, Article II, Sections 148-; 148-8; 148-9, and 148-10 to increase the area regulations, setback, frontage and yard requirements for property that is zoned Conservation; C-1. The changes to area regulations allow one (1) lot equal to fifty percent (50%) of the total acreage of the parent parcel and a minimum of ten (10) acre lot size for the remaining parcels. The setback requirement is increased to a minimum of 100 feet; frontage requirements to a minimum of 450 feet, the side yard minimum at 75 feet and a rear yard at a minimum of 100 feet. [NOTE: the Board passed the motion unanimously.] DEVELOPER RESPONSE TO CONDITIONS - 100824 VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND BUDGET ECONOMIC IMPACT ANALYSIS - 100803 VDOT TRAFFIC STUDY UPDATE LETTER - 100813 ------------------------- CITIZEN DEVELOPED PUD CONDITION OPTIONS *SUGGESTED ADDITIONAL PUBLIC SAFETY CONDITIONS - 100826 *BARNES CREEK DREDGING CALCULATIONS - 100820 *ISSUE PAPER - 100819 UPDATED *CONDITIONS - 100818 *CONDITIONS - 100817 ------------------------- WHAT OTHERS HAVE SAID *CITIZEN LETTER TO BOS - 100920 *CITIZEN LETTER TO COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR - 100916 *CITIZEN LETTER TO VMRC - 100916 *CITIZEN ADDRESS TO BOS - 100909 *CITIZEN LETTER TO BOS - 100819 *CITIZEN LETTER TO BOS - 100820 *CITIZEN LETTER TO BOS - 100820 *CITIZEN LETTER TO BOS - 100820 *CITIZEN LETTER TO BOS - 100820 *CITIZEN LETTER TO JETT - 100819 *CITIZEN LETTER TO TOMLIN - 100819 *CITIZEN LETTER TO EADES - 100818 *CITIZEN LETTER TO BOS - 100814 ------------------------- Local Newspaper Coverage of 26 August BOS Hearing Rappahannock Record - 2 Sep 10 Northumberland Echo - 2 Sep 10 ------------------------- Project Area Map PHASE 1 - Town Center AREA Villege & Marina Area Hotel and Cottage Area Hotel & Spa Area Club & Cottages Area Proposed Open Spaces 15 Years - 5 Phase Development Plan ------------------------- Bluff Point Development Site Plan Submission Executive Summary COPYRIGHT © NORTHERNNECK.COM 2010. function Go(){return} Your browser does not support script