The Mathews County Planning Commission voted once again, at its June 19 meeting, to recommend that the board of supervisors approve a zoning text amendment that would add piers to the property line setback requirements in the zoning ordinance.

At its May meeting, the board of supervisors discussed the commission’s previous recommendation and decided to send the measure back to the commission for further evaluation. Supervisor Neena Putt had objected to adding piers to the ordinance, saying it placed an undue burden on the property owner.

However, on June 19, planning and zoning director John Shaw reiterated the point he made last month, saying that, as structures, piers had always been subject to the permitting process, since the definition section of the ordinance requires setbacks for buildings and structures. From the time that the zoning ordinance was first adopted in 1987, pier permits have been handled in that fashion, said Shaw, with 327 zoning permits for piers issu...