New Kent water-skiing issue returns, heads to February public hearing

After six months of concerns and questions about an ordinance that has prevented water-skiing on Chickahominy Lake since 1979, New Kent supervisors have voted to have the issue go to public hearing in February for a possible repeal.

Started in July by avid recreational skiers Jonathan Edmonds and Daniel Moore on why the body of water was the only one in the state that prohibited water-skiing, a motion passed 3-2 during the board’s Monday night meeting to address the issue.

Edmonds and Moore once again approached the board on the matter during the public comment portion of the meeting, the fourth time within a six-month span.

At issue is an ordinance passed in 1979 by county leaders to prevent the recreational activity on the lake. On the board at that time was Ed Allen Jr., who owns a business on the lake. Edmonds and Moore claimed that it was a conflict of interest when the ordinance passed in 1979 due to Allen having a say so in the vote. The pair brought up recent activities and issues taken up by county leaders and county administrator Rodney Hathaway.

“As recently as Sept. 14 of this year, this topic [Virginia Conflict of Interests Act] came up when Mr. Stiers disqualified himself from participating and voting on a New Kent Chamber of Commerce lease agreement,” said Moore. “This was the right thing to do in 2015 and I would like to think we would all agree it was also the right thing to do in 1979.”

Moore quoted comments made by Hathaway during an October work session regarding duck blinds, an issue that the county administrator said local leaders had no authority to do anything about. Moore said the same applies in his argument to address the water-skiing issue.

“I maintain my position that state law regarding skiing would also trump this local law,” he said, referencing an ordinance that allows public skiing on lakes in Virginia.

Edmonds presented a list of 10 points arguing why the ordinance should be taken off the books. Among them are the Dillon Rule that focuses on boating laws, the waterway being opened to the public, and that Chickahominy Lake is the only one out of 148 lakes in the state that doesn’t allow water-skiing.

“The Pamunkey has very similar shorelines but with more boat traffic,” Edmonds said, speaking on how the activity is legal on the waterway. “On one end of the county, we have a policy against skiing and on the other, we have freedom on similar water which parallels state law.”

Supervisors pondered, with District 3 supervisor Jimmy Burrell commenting on the issue.

“I understand where these gentlemen are coming from and I want to be fair,” he said. “This is an issue of fairness and I want to make sure this board does what’s fair for the citizens.”

A motion was made by District 2 representative Tommy Tiller to send the issue to a public hearing. The motion passed by the narrow margin, with District 4 leader Ron Stiers and District 5 supervisor Ray Davis casting dissenting votes.