York Notebook: Oyster Farm Under Consideration, Annual Ski Trip Set

By Sam Thrift Monday, December 12, 2011

The Planning Commission is expected to decide this week whether to recommend an application for an home oyster farm operation to the Board of Supervisors and high school students can now sign up for a county ski trip. Read below for more information.

Oyster farm on Planning Commission agenda
The Planning Commission is meeting this Wednesday to discuss an application for a Special Use Permit to authorize seafood harvesting as a home occupation.

Anthony Bavuso of 114 Creek Circle in the York Point area, applied to grow, harvest, package and ship oysters on his property on the Poquoson River. According to the staff report, Bavuso’s property is a 0.3-acre waterfront parcel located at the end of a cul-de-sac.

The staff recommended the commission forward the application with a recommendation of approval to the Board of Supervisors subject to certain conditions. Some of the conditions included no pressure washing of cages before 8 a.m. or after 8 p.m., no heavy trucks and no outdoor storage of goods.

Realtor Greg Garrett’s oyster farm application was also set to go before the Planning Commision Dec. 14, but was postponed because Garrett said he would not be able to make the meeting, according to Assistant County Administrator Mark Carter.

The Planning Commission recommended the Board of Supervisors reject Garrett’s previous application (click here to read more about that)  during their November 2010 meeting, but Garrett pulled the application before it was scheduled to go before the board. Garrett requested that his revised application be sent back to the Planning Commission for a second hearing and review, even though it could have gone directly to the Board of Supervisors since the Planning Commission had considered it and made a recommendation.

Garrett’s application was removed from this week's agenda and will be held for consideration at a future meeting. Carter said whether it would be on the Commission's January meeting agenda has yet to be determined.

The Planning Commission will meet at 7 p.m. at York Hall. See the agenda by clicking here.

Board of Supervisors work session - sewer fee increase possible
When the Board of Supervisors finished their discussion on the 2013 budget during their work session Dec. 6, the group listened to the county’s sewer and storm water capital improvement projects budget proposal.

Many of the changes dealing with sewers and storm water are to comply with regulations set by the EPA for a program they created to clean the Chesapeake Bay. John Hudgins, York County director of environmental and development services, told the supervisors about the 16 sewer projects currently taking place and the eight sewer projects during the 2013 to 2019 budget cycles, which will cost around $11 million. He added that they are budgeting $4 million for six storm water projects during the 2013 to 2019 time period.

The county staff has proposed rate increases for sewer service from $37.50 bi-monthly to $42 beginning this March. Hudgins has suggested a $1 increase for the following year.

To watch the work session, click here.

Register now for countywide ski trip
Registration is now open for York County’s 11th annual countywide high school ski trip to Wintergreen Ski Resort near Charlottesville.

The chaperoned day trip is scheduled during semester break on Friday, Jan. 27. The trip is open to any high school student (grades 9-12) residing in York County, including public, private and home-schooled students.

Registration is due to close on Jan. 13 unless available charter bus spaces fill up sooner. The cost of the trip is $84 and includes transportation, lift ticket, ski or snowboard rental from Wintergreen, and a beginner’s lesson. For those bringing their own ski/snowboard equipment, the cost is $72 and includes transportation and a lift ticket.

Downloadable registration forms and complete trip details are available online at the York County Youth Commission’s website www.ycyc.info.