Editor, Gazette-Journal:

I write today because I think there is still a great deal of frustration and confusion regarding the Mathews County Floodplain Ordinance, which is the subject of a public hearing next Tuesday.

In my view, much of the problem stems from the perception that this document is an unchanging monolith that should either be accepted or rejected. It is not; rather, it is subject to modification and choices.

There are mandatory provisions and a proposed format which allows a locality to taper its particular ordinance to its needs and circumstances. This is done primarily by electing to adopt stricter requirements than are mandated. It is through this process that our ordinance was developed and put before the citizens for comment.

Following that process, concerns emerged that these stricter requirements could have unintended consequences when extending to “existing structures.” In response, the BOS voted that three key provisions (“freeboard,”...