The Mathews County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a request by Joe Perdue of Port Haywood to create a private landing strip for a small airplane on property he owns on Route 14 near the waste transfer station.

County Administrator Mindy Conner recommended that the board approve the request. Her memorandum to the board on the matter said that the county had approved two similar requests in the past and that she was not aware of any that had been denied. She said that Perdue could still have the landing strip even if the board denied his request, but Virginia Department of Aviation rules would limit his use of it. She said further that the board has set a precedent and that the matter was a property rights issue.

Four board members voted in favor of the request, with supervisor Charles Ingram abstaining because of a personal interest in the matter; Ingram owns property near the proposed landing strip. Ingram had previously been the board member most vocally opposed to the pro...