Williamsburg Notebook: Cupcakery Opens, DeWitt Joins State Board

By Amber Lester Kennedy Friday, January 27, 2012

Williamsburg celebrated its new cupcakery with a cupcake-cutting ceremony earlier this week. Extraordinary Cupcakes is open for business on Richmond Road. Next week, William and Mary will test its emergency siren at 12:15 p.m. on Wednesday. Read on for more news.

DeWitt Elected to Board of Economic Association

Michele Mixner DeWitt, economic development director for the city of Williamsburg, has been elected secretary of the Board of Directors of the Virginia Economic Developers Association (VEDA).

DeWitt joined the city as its first Economic Development Director in August 2005. Prior to serving in Williamsburg, DeWitt was the first Economic Development Director for West Point and has managed economic development programs at the state and regional levels.

She is a Virginia Beach native who earned an undergraduate degree in architecture from the University of Virginia and a master’s degree in public administration from Virginia Commonwealth University.

VEDA is comprised of more than 530 economic development professionals and industry leaders from across the state.

Cupcakery Open for Business

Owner Dyana Steely shares cutting duties with Mayor Clyde Haulman at Extraordinary Cupcakes.

Williamsburg’s new cupcakery, Extraordinary Cupcakes, celebrated its opening with a “cupcake-cutting” event on Wednesday afternoon.

Mayor Clyde Haulman had the honor of trying the first cupcake, alongside former mayor Jeanne Zeidler, who now serves as chair of the Arts District Task Force. Extraordinary Cupcakes, located in the Williamsburg Shopping Center on Richmond Road, is the fifth creative business to open in the Arts District.

Restaurateurs Adam and Dyana Steely collaborated to develop a menu of signature cupcakes, including the “Extraordinary Cupcake,” a spin on the Hostess cream-filled chocolate cupcake. Other flavors include “Marvelous Madagascar,” “Wicked Chocolate,” “Curious Coconut,” “Uncommon Carrot Cake,” “Remarkable Red Velvet” and “Amazing Chocolate Twist.”

The cupcakery is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays to Saturdays and noon to 6 p.m. Sundays.

Planning Commission to Host Two Public Hearings

The Williamsburg Planning Commission will host two public hearings at its Feb. 15 meeting.

The first public hearing will be to review the request of Mark E. Wright to rezone approximately 2.9 acres along Richmond Road from B-3 General Business District to B-2 Corridor Business District. Wright also seeks to reduce setback requirements for the area from 35 to 15 feet and seeks a special use permit for a Hertz Car Rental Business at 1441 Richmond Road. All of the businesses face High Street.

The second public hearing will review a request from The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation to revise regulations for museum and art gallery signs, and to move the Public Hospital and Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg from the Historic Area Sign District to the Downtown Sign District. CW would like to erect two 64-square-foot monument signs and a 100-square-foot banner for the art museums.

The meeting will begin at 3:30 p.m. Feb. 15 in the Council Chambers of the Stryker Building.

Planners Seek Public Input for Comp Plans

James City County, the City of Williamsburg and York County are concurrently reviewing their comprehensive plans and seek input from the community.

The localities will host four community forums to hear comments and discuss four focus areas where locality boundaries meet. Maps of the focus areas and more information are available here.

The meetings are:

• Feb. 2: From 7-9 p.m. at Magruder Elementary School’s cafetorium.

• Feb. 23: From 7-9 p.m. at Warhill High School’s auditorium.

• Feb. 27: From 7-9 p.m. at the Williamsburg Community Building.

• March 15: 7-8:45 p.m. at the Tabb Library Meeting Room.

WM Siren Test Scheduled for Feb. 1

The College of William and Mary will be testing its emergency mass notification and emergency siren system at 12:15 p.m. on Feb. 1.