TOWN OF, ONANCOCK  ONANCOCK Live it Love it VIRGINIA FOUNDED 1680  15 North Street Onancock, VA 23417  Meeting Notice  Planning Commission Meeting  Tuesday January 21, 2020  at 5:30 p.m.  The Onancock Planning Commission will hold a meeting Tuesday, January 21, 2020 at 5:30 P.M. The meeting will be held in the Town Hall Council Chambers at 15 North Street, Onancock, Virginia 23417  (757) 787-3363 Phone  (757) 787-3309 Fax  www.onancock.com Website    TownofOnancock, Virginia Planning Commission AGENDA January 21, 2020 5:30 p.m.  1. Call to Order and Roll Call  2. Review of the Minutes from the October 15, 2019 Meeting  3. Items of Business  a. Discussion ofthe Comprehensive Plan Visioning Session  4. Public Comment 5. Adjourn    Town of Onancock Planning Commission Meeting Tuesday October 15,2019 5:30P.M.  Call to Order and Roll Call:  Chairman Judith Grier called the meeting to order at 5:301 P.M.  Commission members Bill Bagwell, Robert Bloxom, Larry Frey, Judith Grier and Matt Spuck were present. Commission members Ridgway Dunton and Scott Schreiber were absent. A Town Manager William Kerbin and Deputy Clerk Mariellen Mearsheimer were present. Town Mayor Fletcher Fosque and Onancock residents Jim McGowan and John Bodie were also  quorum was established. in attendance. Minutes:  Chairman Grier asked for ai motion to approve the June 18, 2019 minutes. Commission: member Robert Bloxom made a motion to approve the minutes as presented. Commission member Matt Spuck seconded the motion. The motion was approved by unanimous  voice vote. Items of Business:  Discussion oft the Comprehensive Plan  Discussion centered around the Comprehensive Plan Workshop for residents held at the Historic Onancock School on Tuesday September 17,2019 from 5:301 P.M. until 7:00 P.M. Chairman Grier organized the information gathered from the three discussion questions (Question #1; What do you like about Onancock? What are Onancock's: strengths? Question #2; What do you not like about Onancock? What are Onancock's weaknesses? Question #3; What are three to five goals for Onancock that would help build on the strengths you identified and fix the weaknesses?) into five workshop themes; #1 Quality ofLife, #2 Business and Cultural, #3 Transportation, #4 Housing and Neighborhoods and #5 Town Services/ / Governance. Chairman Grier then led the discussion based on the five workshop themes. One result oft the discussion was the importance of gathering data in order to map out existing land use in town and the need to get someone to count. Examples given of what to count included developed land and undeveloped land, residential properties and commercial properties, occupied and unoccupied buildings, buildings that are owner occupied and buildings that are rented, the condition of Jim McGowan stated he is working on a draft ofthe Comprehensive Plan. Chairman Grier thanked him for his volunteer work on behalf oft the Town. Mr. McGowan stated the next meeting of the Planning Commission should be to draft a vision for the Town based on  buildings, derelict and abandoned buildings and accessory buildings.  comments collected from the residents.  1    Public Comment:  Mayor Fletcher Fosque requested the Planning Commission take up a discussion about the Historic Preservation District. He stated the Commission should include it in the Comprehensive Mr. John Bodie stated the importance of having a cohesive, overarching vision ofwhat we want the Town to look like in the future, a solid theme we want to reach for, then sharing the vision  Plan and decide whether toj pursue more regulations. and finding a wayofcommumicating it.  Adjourn:  Chairman Grier asked for ai motion to adjourn. Commission member Robert Bloxom made a motion to adjourn. Commission member Bill Bagwell seconded the motion. The motion was  approved by unanimous voice vote. The meeting adjourned at 7:00P.M.  Judith Grier, Chair  Mariellen Mearsheimer, Deputy Clerk  2    Meeting Notes: September17,2019 Town of Onancock Comprehensive Plan Workshop Historic Onancock School 5:30-7:00 pm  The workshop was facilitated by town volunteer, Jim McGowan  Notes were captured by. Judith Grier  Three questions were provided to the participants in the workshop; participants were: seated at tables and worked as group, by table. Agenda was provided at the: start of the meeting and each question was allotted discussion time, by table, with a report-out to the audience. The notes that follow are the notes 1. What do you like about Onancock? What are Onancocksstrengths? (10minutes)  captured from the report-out.  Small town feel Sidewalks Walkability Marina Artisan Ker Place- -history Theatre Farmers Market Year-round restaurants Playhouse Water Quality Public Space Playlields/Balfields Police Force Affordability of houses Nature and access to nature Neighbors ESYCC is close- by Safety Quiet Raise a family Old houses No traffic lighti in town Dog friendly Sense of community Feel like part of a group Businesses  Quaint feel/but cosmopolitan feel (restaurants)  Number of galleriesi in town andi in the 23417 zip code Events: Ker, ESCC, High School, Restaurants  1    Donuts Ballfield Marina Elevation Gardens HOS Ker  2. What do you not like about Onancock? What are Onancocksweaknesses,  Lack ofa affordable housing Lack of accommodationsie. hotels Northeast Onancock needs attention; playgrounds Lack of sidewalks Derelict buildings Lack of winter activities Limited town budget Limited recycling Lack of consistent zone enforcement Need for more events: fireworks! Lack of crosswalks No pedestrian safety downtown Speeding: Ames Street to the wharf Town currently unappealing No variety of stores in Town - little retail No drugstore No grocery store Abandon properties Need more parking No more House of Deals Lack of hotels Lack of sidewalks Lack of variety of businesses Lack of public wi-fi Speeders Runoff issues General infrastructure lacking  Sunday and Monday are business kill: nothing open  North St and Market Sti isac dangerous crossing; no real crosswalk  Lack ofv variety in: age, racial groups, many don't feel welcome in Onancock Growing number of rundown houses, damaged, yards unkempt  All white people, others do not feel welcome Large number ofh homes for sale Declining number of young families Town water and sewera a concern; expensive Mosquitos increasing (are we still spraying?) Drainage problems in certain areas Empty storefronts and buildings Rundowmacanvoepresed housing stock  2    Number of houses only rentals as "group homes" Illegal rentals/high urover/overcrowding Lack of assistance available to citizens Communication by/from Town Government (lack) identified and fix the weaknesses?  No grocery store  3. What are three to five goals for Onancock that would help build on the strengths you  Consistent enforcement of ordinances, building codes, and zoning Make an effort to preserve historic character of buildings  Town make decisions full-time residential community: find ways to fill empty buildings Work NE Onancock, remove the name "Boundary Avenue" and rename  (incentives)  Public Safety Issues: speed bumps, cross walks, improve the intersection re: visibility of North St  and Market St (enforce parking) Better enforcement overall: traffic, codes, etc Incentivize businesses to come to Onancock Electronic meter reading of H20 Partner with ES diversity, make town open and inviting Real need for transitional assisted living housing  Work with the landlords to reduce multiple families livingi in single family housing  Shore/EShore issue: More regional cooperation, kids leaving and don'treturn, building cohesive  communities More tourism Attract more businesses  Community picnic: covered dish, music, etc. (like Jamestown event, 2007) Citizen committee board for obtaining grants (state and federal $$) Community events; utilize the old fairgrounds Reduce the number of deteriorating houses Goal: increase efficiency of bug spraying by spraying at dusk Partnerships: work for the Eastern Shore to be the best place for all citizens Challenges: healthcare, poverty Work with Main Street initiative  3    Town of Onancock Comprehensive Plan' Workshop  Historic Onancock School September17, 2019 WORKSHOP THEMES  1. QUALITY ofLIFE + Small town feel + Walkability + Artisan Community +Safety + Quiet + Raise at family + Old houses + Dog friendly + Neighbors + Sense of community + Feel like part ofag group + Gardens + Nature and access to nature +Water Quality +Elevation Town currently unappealing Derelict buildings Abandoned properties  +Quaint feel/but cosmopolitan feel restaurants)  Lack of variety in: age, racial groups, many don't feel welcome in Onancock  All white people, others do not feel welcome Declining number ofy young families Lack of assistance available to citizens Challenges: healthçare, poverty  GOALS:  Partner with ES diversity, make town open and inviting  Community picnic: covered dish, music, etc. (like. Jamestown event, 2007)  2. BUSINESS & CULTURAL + Marina +K Ker Place - history +Theatre +D Donuts + Farmers Market  1    +Y Year-round restaurants + Playhouse + ESYCCi is close-by +N Number of galleries in town and in the 23417 zip code +Events: Ker, ESCC, High School, Restaurants +E Businesses + Historic Onancock School Lack of winter activities Need for more events: fireworks! Lack ofa accommodations, i.e. hotels Lack of hotels No variety of stores in Town - little retail Lack of variety of businesses No drugstore No grocery: store No more House of Deals Sunday and Monday are business kill: nothing open Empty storefronts and buildings Lack of public Wi-Fi GOALS:  Make an effort to preserve historic character of buildings Incentivize businesses to come to Onançock Community events; utilize the old fairgrounds  Town make decisions full-time residential community: find ways to fill empty buildings  (incentives) More tourism Attract more businesses  3. TRANSPORTATION + Sidewalks + No traffic light in town Lack ofs sidewalks Lack of crosswalks No pedestrian safety downtown Speeders Speeding: Ames Street tot the wharf Need more parking GOALS:  North St and Market Sti isa dangerous crossing; no real crosswalk  Public Safety Issues: speed bumps, cross walks, improve the intersection re: visibility of North  Stand Market St (enforce parking) Better enforcement overall: traffic, codes, etc.  2    4. HOUSING & NEIGHBORHOODS + Affordability of houses Lack ofa affordable housing Northeast Onancock needs attention; playgrounds Growing number of rundown houses, damaged, yards unkempt Large number of homes for sale fundowm/acan/cepresed housing stock Number of houses only rentals as "group homes" lllegal rentals/hight turover/pvercrowing  GOALS:  Work NE Onancock, remove the name "Boundary Avenue" and rename Work with the landlords to reduce multiple families living in single family housing  Real need for transitional assisted living housing Reduce the number of deteriorating houses  5. TOWN SERVICES/GOVERNANCE  +Police Force +N Marina +Public Space +P Paylields/Ballields Limited town budget Limited recycling Lack of consistent zoning enforcement Runoff issues General infrastructure lacking Town water and sewer a concern; expensive Mosquitos increasing (are we still spraying?) Drainage problems in certain areas Communication by/from Town Government (lack)  GOALS:  Consistent enforcement of ordinances, building codes, and zoning  Electronic meter reading of H20 cohesive communities  Shore/Eastern Shore issue: More regional cooperation, kids leaving and don'treturn, building  Citizen committee board for obtaining grants (state and federal $$) Increase efficiency of bug spraying by spraying at dusk Partnerships: work for the Eastern Shore to be the best place for all citizens  Work with Main Streeti initiative  3