[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6505589,"mediaKeyId","5610158-1d0ec4b15b08794475aecfefb2575ddd","parentId",5610158,"title","Votes at a glance: Accomack supervisors approve airport and zoning measures, set hearing on town boundary request","audioSeconds",1311,"startMs",4810000,"endMs",6121000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5610158-1d0ec4b15b08794475aecfefb2575ddd&start=4810&end=6121","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5610158-1d0ec4b15b08794475aecfefb2575ddd/thumbnail_4810000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6505589/Accomack-County/Virginia/Votes-at-a-glance-Accomack-supervisors-approve-airport-and-zoning-measures-set-hearing-on-town-boundary-request","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6505589-8922d05a8587174063732d33eae45567/orig.mp4?Expires=1770433906&Signature=B0ZPpVEN1nzNntX0xW2wWWai~QiouqHmXY5u~mwuazOJQPBu93S3GGwCLGa6gZ~GHVQS1HzD5K-gnYFxuoRpP0LpRgK3L7Hbj-axu5RkoJ5g3VlDyODJut-Y2p9kR2NgLluGE9eot1pg~4oxLVWyKpZllyaCT1c-KLcS6M2odGiqAH5y1unZrl876La-C5M0RbHcQkE5~YZFzgQnSD1YZ0IX2eWGRUub64Y4H6LsyGJaAwOFX6F8ARazBlDVOjWrN4-qgZoMdf14o7B7~hDPZ51h1BY4Ay7~w2RDLSphUfbfjYiLdSOd99Cjz6-ARWWBa3lCkuoCQYD34p-c0iU0oA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Accomack","date","2025-08-20T00:00:00Z","article","The Accomack County Board of Supervisors took a series of administrative and land-use votes at its August meeting. Actions below list the motion text as stated on the record, the outcome and where the item appears in the meeting transcript.

Votes at a glance

- Authorize county administrator to execute amendments to 2022 agreements for hangar construction at Melfa Airport.
- Motion: \"authorize the county administrator to execute those 3 agreements.\" (presented by Mike Mason)
- Mover/second: Motion made and seconded on the record; mover named as \"mister Jones.\" (transcript)
- Outcome: Approved (voice vote).
- Notes: Amendments include a facilities agreement, a managing agent certificate and a construction/operation agreement. (transcript)

- Approve acceptance and budget amendment for FAA grant to Accomack County Airport (Runway 21 turnaround).
- Motion: Board approved appropriation of grant funding as presented by staff following a required public hearing.
- Mover/second: Motion made and seconded; mover not specified in the record.
- Outcome: Approved (voice vote).
- Clarifying detail: Agenda listed a grant \"not to exceed $1,461,100\"; staff earlier referred to a tentative award of about $1,400,000 and noted a 1% county match (county share roughly $15,380, with $15,000 included in the current fiscal year budget).

- Reappointments and appointments (several boards/commissions).
- Sean Matthews to Eastern Shore Community College advisory board; Steven Bloat (reappointment) to Accomack County audit committee; Kathy Fleming to Greenbackville Harbor Committee. All motions seconded and approved (voice votes).

- Amend Chapter 106 (Zoning) to clarify \"building height\" definition and related provisions.
- Motion: Approve amendment as recommended by the Planning Commission (presented by Lee Pambit).
- Mover/second: Motion made and seconded; mover not specified on record.
- Outcome: Approved (voice vote).
- Notes: Proposal changes how roof height is measured (mean between eave and ridge), adds an \"overall height\" cap of 45 feet for residential, clarifies accessory structure height (cap suggested at 18 feet), and provides exceptions for farm silos and similar structures.

- Amend Chapter 106 (Zoning) to revise sign-area calculation in the Industrial I district.
- Motion: Approve amendments to add a method for calculating sign area based on building elevation and standard geometric shapes, and to allow up to four signs per building on multi-structure sites.
- Outcome: Approved (voice vote).
- Notes: Staff said current 160-square-foot cap and a maximum of four site signs can be inadequate for large industrial buildings; the revision bases allowable signage on building size and lot configuration.

- Refer proposed boundary-line adjustment for the town of Nancoke (84.45 acres) to a public hearing (schedule Sept. 17).
- Motion: Set public hearing on the town’s request to incorporate about 84.45 acres (presented by Mike Mason).
- Outcome: Motion to set public hearing approved (voice vote).
- Notes: The BLA is voluntary and, if advanced, requires property-owner notice, separate town and county hearings and a circuit court approval. The town agreed that any sewer needs would count against the town's HRSD allocation rather than the county's.

- Approve draft model agreement allowing four local organizations to participate in the county’s self-funded health insurance plan.
- Motion: Approve draft agreement and authorize county administrator to sign once returned.
- Mover/second: Motion made by Supervisor Jones and seconded; approved (voice vote).
- Notes: Organizations include the Eastern Shore Public Library, Eastern Shore Area Agency on Aging/Community Action Agency (ESAAA/CAA), Accomack-Northampton Planning District Commission (AMPDC) and the Eastern Shore Soil and Water Conservation District. Agreements require timely enrollment documentation, pro rata contributions if claims exceed projections and 30 days’ notice for withdrawal.

- Approve proposed 911 ordinance amendment to align commission dispatch compensation with Northampton County sheriff dispatch positions.
- Motion: Approve ordinance amendment as presented (endorsed by the 911 commission).
- Outcome: Approved (voice vote).
- Notes: Effective date not specified in meeting; the amendment states no current employee salary will be reduced. Northampton County must also approve the change.

- Approve 2025–26 budget amendments and payment of bills.
- Motion: Amend budget as presented and approve payment of bills.
- Outcome: Approved (voice votes).

Why it matters: The votes advance a mix of infrastructure, land-use, fiscal and intergovernmental administrative steps: airport construction and FAA grant appropriation, zoning clarifications intended to reduce variance requests, a forum for a town boundary adjustment that could extend municipal water and sewer, and formalizing financial terms for organizations using the county’s self-insured health plan.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Accomack - Board of Supervisors","oneSentenceSummary","The Accomack County Board of Supervisors approved a set of administrative, budgetary and land-use measures at its August meeting.","taxTitle","Accomack County, Virginia","taxId",73497,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6505593,"Accomack emergency managers brief supervisors on Hurricane Aaron response, alerting and sheltering plans",419,2202000,2621000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5610158-1d0ec4b15b08794475aecfefb2575ddd&start=2202&end=2621","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5610158-1d0ec4b15b08794475aecfefb2575ddd/thumbnail_2202000.jpg","/articles/6505593/Accomack-County/Virginia/Accomack-emergency-managers-brief-supervisors-on-Hurricane-Aaron-response-alerting-and-sheltering-plans","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6505593-dbf0a788d04b65f9e85f8667fa601135/orig.mp4?Expires=1770433906&Signature=Kp~CqmwrUCov0W0~fD8jxJmPdZ8b9T8VhxZLewcWZq1Oa0RM58qvN8BBk9~4i~apdHv7ctSsPiRM-g3rfHWTjQv3wmARk-bBss-ndd124BsJpl4D77W3oVE4zXWZwwqLW8CYrWp8SNHO4rKMg4gGFBm4C2-0EpY~iN9nxfg3RSqSYXaHKlCqnWhh00VuUa7Ans83680yev8ZSVYaqvH-h6y4eJVVa93dtmwf5gJU1LlnUo-qdXchZ9xG6P6-LBKGCxA6eR2ket9ShBChqPtsjU9yfECHkSlNIZektp35bYAMdvDAlHhLqxlpuvs-qjSmBD8BP1UXkwR1MIEniM0UkA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Charles Pruitt, director of public safety and the county’s emergency management coordinator, and Sarah McCliston, deputy emergency management coordinator, briefed the Accomack County Board of Supervisors on preparations for Hurricane Aaron and on the county’s emergency operations and public-alerting systems.

Pruitt said the National Weather Service placed Accomack County under a tropical storm warning and that the county should begin to see tropical-storm-force gusts of up to about 45 mph between roughly 8 p.m. and midnight. He said gusty conditions and tidal surge could continue for up to 72 hours and that tidal flooding and coastal erosion are expected, with the lower Eastern Shore and Northampton County likely to see the most flooding. \"As of today, the governor has not declared a state emergency,\" Pruitt said; he added the county will request state resources through normal situational-report (sitrep) procedures if needed.

McCliston walked supervisors through the county’s planning documents and communications tools. She summarized the county’s hazard-mitigation plan, continuity-of-operations plan, and the emergency operations plan and its annexes for sheltering, evacuation, radiological response, debris removal and commodity-distribution points. She explained the sequence of alerts: initial wireless emergency alerts originate with the National Weather Service, and the county’s CodeRed/reverse-911 system is a separate, non-immediate platform that requires staff to log in, craft messages and select target areas. McCliston emphasized that residents should sign up for CodeRed and described other communication channels the county uses, including social media, local radio partner WESR and the Eastern Shore Amateur Radio Club as a backup in shelters.

On sheltering and logistics, McCliston said the county has six designated shelters and will open sites \"as needs dictate,\" with the ability to request staff or resources through WebEOC. She explained prestaging supplies and the use of cut-and-toss crews to clear roads needed for response operations. She said damage assessment is led by building and zoning staff to document losses for potential FEMA assistance.

Supervisors asked procedural questions about incident command and about availability of the county’s emergency operations plan. McCliston confirmed the EOP is available on the county website and said incident command is structured as a unified command determined at activation. Supervisor Parks recommended work on more localized alerting methods for exposed neighborhoods.

Why it matters: The briefing clarified how warnings reach residents, emphasized the county’s operational readiness for sheltering and damage assessment, and flagged that coastal flooding and tidal surge are the likely hazards from Aaron.","Charles Pruitt and Sarah McCliston briefed the board on Hurricane Aaron projections, warning systems, reverse 911 enrollment and shelter and debris-planning procedures; the county has six designated shelters and expects tropical-storm-force gusts and potential coastal flooding.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6505598,"NASA Wallops director outlines expansion, new Rocket Lab Neutron pad and hypersonics work",1469,507000,1976000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5610158-1d0ec4b15b08794475aecfefb2575ddd&start=507&end=1976","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5610158-1d0ec4b15b08794475aecfefb2575ddd/thumbnail_507000.jpg","/articles/6505598/Accomack-County/Virginia/NASA-Wallops-director-outlines-expansion-new-Rocket-Lab-Neutron-pad-and-hypersonics-work","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6505598-96080701f4b0ac7d7da8d00bf7711d67/orig.mp4?Expires=1770433906&Signature=XpfJL9VSS8kUIrHD~BAczG6p6RRHu8b3Oy3rBKdq0vZ3i4uhaKL3pOggGAFnvMJBVcTBbsWUFovd-00TU8nF-BVxrGYqMUCdMxJ1iAGS~eUWfG8mGlQGkWQruVDtxeljUyc4j5EFcyQSC7nb-~BwmJrk9l0W1RYIzRMf0v4DufAzK4v5RpYF8sx0gWQgTfC-maCtvDcgM84MZ6JokUTO7Q7ea8UzvDzvbmnEE~6fLKuQWtU5bvDklYzQD1PU7siQsRm-hZOx8bkVugvEaQmJgLTuOUQcfr9S3FwC7Zj6iD4hjBFPPKRXl8-DpTzsVVWN9miz0LP01VpEcUcW7FPMpw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","David Pierce, director of NASA Wallops Flight Facility, told the Accomack County Board of Supervisors on Aug. 2025 that Wallops is expanding launch capabilities to support NASA, Department of Defense and commercial partners. \"Wallops is 1 of only 4 orbital launch sites in The United States and NASA's only owned launch range,\" Pierce said, adding the site supports suborbital, small-satellite and medium-class orbital missions.

Pierce described several major developments under way: construction of Rocket Lab’s Neutron launch pad, planned ribbon-cutting by the governor at the end of the month, and upgrades to enable higher launch cadence. He said components too large for road transport will be barge-delivered via Chesapeake Bay and then moved across the Wallops causeway to an integration facility outside the gate. \"Neutron launch vehicle marks the beginning of a new era of commercial space flight at Wallops,\" Pierce said, noting the vehicle is a medium-lift, reusable rocket and that early recovery operations will use barges with future plans to return stages to Wallops Island.

Pierce said Wallops is also growing hypersonics activity and has executed a 10-year agreement with DOD to support about 200 launches for hypersonic research. He said Wallops plans to increase launches from about 18 per year to roughly 52 per year by 2033 and expects construction of more than 10 launch pads, including the Neutron pad.

The director reviewed coastal-protection and infrastructure investments tied to launches, including a bridge project funded with federal partners (he cited a $103 million federal contribution), Army Corps beach nourishment work supported by nearly $48 million in NASA funding, and measures to protect what Pierce described as about $1.5 billion in launch assets on Wallops Island. He also mentioned fiber and data upgrades to support commercial partners.

Pierce addressed workforce changes tied to NASA’s budget environment. He said about one-third of civil servants at Wallops took a voluntary deferred-resignation option and that some staff departures are being followed by hires from commercial companies such as Rocket Lab and Firefly. \"There may be a reduction in workforce on the NASA side, but an increase in jobs on the commercial side as Wallops becomes more commercial,\" Pierce said. He emphasized that no final decisions on facility closures had been made and that any changes would be communicated per legal requirements.

Supervisors asked about jobs, the visitor center and the potential for closures. Supervisor Crockett said the remarks \"show Wallops is not closing, plain and simple,\" and Pierce confirmed the visitor center will remain open. Pierce also described educational and workforce pipeline partnerships with Eastern Shore Community College, Old Dominion University and other institutions.

Why it matters: the changes Pierce outlined signal a shift at Wallops toward more commercial launches, new infrastructure needs and a mix of federal, state and private investment that will affect local jobs, shoreline protection and transportation logistics for large rocket components.","David Pierce, director of NASA Wallops Flight Facility, updated Accomack County supervisors on construction at Wallops, new commercial launch activity including Rocket Lab’s Neutron pad, hypersonics agreements with DOD, workforce transitions and coastal protection projects.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: Accomack supervisors approve airport and zoning measures, set hearing on town boundary request

Accomack emergency managers brief supervisors on Hurricane Aaron response, alerting and sheltering plans

NASA Wallops director outlines expansion, new Rocket Lab Neutron pad and hypersonics work