The Mathews County Planning Commission held its first meeting of the year virtually Tuesday night. At the meeting, planners voted unanimously to recommend a text amendment to the zoning ordinance pertaining to utilities.

According to planning and zoning documents, as staff continues “to work on Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Ordinance updates to address utility-scale solar, this amendment is being proposed to protect the county from any major utility use potentially being permitted by right under current Zoning Ordinance language for Utility (public).”

The amendment would allow for minor utility components as a by-right use in each zoning district, while major utility use would require a Conditional Use Permit.

CIP

Next on the agenda was the discussion of capital improvement projects for fiscal year 2022. According to Planning and Zoning Director Thomas Jenkins, the Enterprise Resource Planning Software is a high-priority item for the county and is projected to cost $130,000.

Other necessities discussed included the ductless HVAC for the Emergency Services Building which is projected to cost $6,000 and an ADA ramp for the Administration Building which is projected to cost $8,500.

The planners unanimously voted to recommend funding for the software, the ductless HVAC system and ADA ramp.

One hot-button issue was the CIP for Mathews County Public Schools. The planners discussed the funds needed for the window replacement/repair for the schools which is proposed to cost $50,000 every year for the next five fiscal years.

The planners unanimously voted to recommend that funding of $25,000 be used for the boiler burners at Thomas Hunter Middle School and funding of $10,000 be used for the window replacement/repair project for the schools for fiscal year 2022.