Letter to the Editor: Chastises decision on changes to site plan process

A great blow was dealt to the business community by New Kent’s Board of Supervisors at the Feb. 9 meeting. A change made was explained to “help” the site plan process, but its adoption had the effect of stripping authority from the planning department.

Before the change, a site plan applicant could appeal to the agent if there were minor adjustments needed to be made and could work through them, avoiding log jams in the process. If there was a disagreement, applicants could appeal for a meeting with staff and could ask for a hearing to seek a variance if no consensus is reached.

Monday’s change now requires any disagreement in the matter (business or industrial) to go back to the planning commission and then the supervisors for a decision. This change means months of delay and needless fees will be required that should be handled at the staff level. It also opens the door for matters that had been considered by the staff to be politicized. Without a single specific example of a previous problem, supervisors made the change.

New Kent’s staff does a very professional and thorough assessment of applications which usually takes a reasonable but considerable amount of time. The added time, expense, and bureaucratic sojourn now required will not encourage progress or the interests of citizens. It will, however, continue to consolidate power and authority in a board by their actions and send a vote of no confidence to their own staff to make the simplest of decisions.

I would encourage each person to witness this meeting’s proceedings.

Mark Daniel
Quinton