The Mathews County Board of Supervisors held a lengthy discussion regarding the floodplain ordinance during its June 26 meeting.

Supervisor Amy Dubois reported that she and fellow board member Pepper Love had met as a committee to examine the appeals process for matters that fall under the floodplain ordinance. Mathews contractor Dave Jones, arguing on behalf of the owners of the Islander Motel on Gwynn’s Island, has complained during several recent board meetings about Mathews Building Official Jamie Wilks’s assertion that the ordinance has no appeals process.

Dubois and Love suggested that the ordinance should outline a full, uncomplicated appeals process so that anyone with a grievance would know how to appeal the floodplain administrator’s decisions. In addition, they said the ordinance should include a definition of market value and substantial improvement that correlates with other counties that have the definitions in their floodplain ordinances.

County Atto...