Mathews County Planning Director John Shaw explained proposed revisions to the comprehensive plan during a brief meeting held for residents on Oct. 13. Only one resident attended the meeting, but she had quite a bit of advice to offer planning staff, supervisors and planning commissioners.

Shaw defined what a comprehensive plan is, gave the history of comprehensive planning in Mathews, and explained that the revisions are the result of a five-year review required by the state in order to determine whether or not the plan needs amending.

The focus of the review, said Shaw, is to update demographic data such as population, housing, and economic statistics; make sure the plan is in compliance with the Chesapeake Bay Act and the Virginia Wetlands Act and that it is consistent with VDOT, DEQ, and VMRC regulations; and to address concerns regarding stormwater management, water quality, ditch maintenance and recurrent flooding.

Among the findings, said Shaw, were that the county’s po...