Dragon Run Special Area Management Plan

Advisory Group – Local Government Working Group

March 19, 2002

- Topics -

1. Welcome and Introductions

2. Advisory Group Overview/Background

3. Strengths/Weaknesses/Opportunities/Threats (SWOT) Activity

4. What’s next?

5. Adjourn

Minutes

Advisory Group Mission Statement

“The mission of the Dragon Run Special Area Management Plan is to support and promote community-based efforts to preserve the cultural, historic, and natural character of the Dragon Run, while preserving property rights and the traditional uses within its watershed by improving the tools available to manage its environmental, social, and economic resources.”

Attendance

Frank Herrin (Dragon Run Steering Committee); Mike Anderberg (Friends of Dragon Run); Rick Allen and Anne Ducey-Ortiz (Gloucester County); Paul Koll (King and Queen County); Beth Locklear (VA Division of Natural Heritage); Thomas Jordan (Middlesex County); David Fuss (Middle Peninsula Planning District Commission)

Welcome and Introductions

David Fuss welcomed everyone and began introductions.

Advisory Group Overview

David provided a brief overview of the SAMP project and the role of the Advisory Group.

Strengths/Weaknesses/Opportunities/Threats

David led the group through a brainstorming exercise to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of existing planning tools in the watershed. The group also discussed external opportunities and threats that exist to local planning and policy.

There was discussion about comprehensive plans, zoning ordinances, Bay Act and enforcement, and how to get the Boards of Supervisors to consider needed changes. There was discussion of the role of conservation easements and cluster development. There was also talk about utilizing the right channels for proposed changes (i.e. propose an MOA from the Dragon Run Steering Committee through the Middle Peninsula Planning District Commission to the local governments). It was noted that comprehensive plan changes are necessary before any zoning ordinance changes could be justified. The role of the Steering Committee was discussed. The group requested that David prepare a matrix to compare comp plans and zoning ordinances between counties.

What’s Next?

The group agreed to meet next on April 16 at MPPDC offices at 1 PM. David promised to digest the discussions into priority areas. The priority areas below were distilled from the discussions and mailed to group after the meeting. They appear in no particular order.

• Achieve consistency between agricultural/forestry zoning districts across county boundaries

• Achieve consistency for Bay Act enforcement across county boundaries

• Establish early review and coordination of comprehensive plan changes across county boundaries

• Encourage the use of complementary tools (e.g. easements with cluster development provisions)

• Utilize Dragon Run Steering Committee as vehicle for achieving consistency of policies across county boundaries

Adjourn

The meeting was adjourned.