ongratulations to the Mathews Land Conservancy. With approval last week by the county’s wetlands board, the nonprofit organization can now move forward with plans for the Williams Wharf Boathouse Center.

One hurdle remains, with the Virginia Marine Resources Commission yet to sign off on it. But prospects look good for turning this site into a regional destination for rowing and other water-related activities.

The path to getting to this point was rocky at times, as the group met with some opposition and had to jump through a number of regulatory hoops. Concerns were brought up about the extent to which the project would disturb wetlands, as well as other issues related to the project’s scope and water dependence.

The two sides came to an accord with the conservancy agreeing to mitigate some of the lost wetlands by planting new grass elsewhere and making other alterations to minimize the impact. It was a learning experience for all concerned, and it is hoped that th...