Agenda Items for the April 23, 2002 Commission meeting are listed below with the Commission's actions in bold.
1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - March 26, 2002. The Commission approved the minutes as
circulated.
2. PERMITS (Projects over $50,000 with no objections and with staff recommendation for
approval). The commission voted, 8-0, to approve the permits.
3. ROBERT W. TAYLOR, #02-0022-21, requests authorization to construct a second
private, non-commercial, open-pile pier extending 190 feet channel ward of mean low
water and 32' by 16' open-sided boathouse adjacent to his property situated along the
York River in King and Queen County. An adjoining property owner protests the project.
The Commission voted, 8-0, to approve the permit as recommended by staff.
4. JEFF HARRIS, #00-0138-15, requests authorization to construct a 31-foot long by
16-foot wide private, non-commercial, open-pile boathouse with a 4-foot by 16-foot
elevated deck adjacent to his property situated along the Poquoson River in York County.
An adjacent property owner protests the project. The Commission voted, 5-3, to approve
the open-pile boathouse, but rejected the adjacent elevated deck.
5. RED RIVER COAL COMPANY, INC., #02-0399, requests authorization to construct a
30-foot x 40-foot clear span bridge across the Powell River to provide vehicular access to
a proposed mining operation in the Dorchester community of Wise County. A nearby
property owner protests the project. The Commission voted, 8-0, to approve the permit
with staff recommendations.
6. E. D. COCKRELL, SR., #00-0997-13, requests after-the-fact authorization to retain two
(2) 24-foot long by 31/2-foot wide extensions to an existing 24-foot long community-use
timber tending pier adjacent to his property situated along a cove of the Great Wicomico
River in Northumberland County. The Commission voted, 7-0, to approve the
after-the-fact permit request. (Associate Member Cowart did not participate or vote.)
7. STRATFORD HARBOUR POA INC., #01-1603-20, requests after-the-fact authorization
to retain a boatlift installed within a wet slip at an existing community pier situated along
Currioman Bay in Westmoreland County. The Commission voted, 8-0, to approve the
after-the-fact permit request with a $600 civil charge in lieu of other enforcement action.
8. PUBLIC COMMENTS: The James River watermen requested an extension of the season
in the clean-cull and seed areas of the river. The Commission voted, 8-0, to approve the
extension through June 30. Waterman Kelly Place also asked the Commission to hold a
public discussion at its May meeting on striped bass in regard to the upcoming ASMFC
meeting that will examine Virginia's approach to the striped bass coastal fishery.
9. SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS: Col. Steven Bowman, Chief, Law Enforcement Division
made two presentations to Marine Patrol Officers. Lawrence Ayers was recognized for his
20-years of service as he retires from the agency and Allen Marshall was recognized after
being presented by the U.S. Coast Guard with its Distinguished Public Service Award.
10. DISCUSSION: Adjustment of the summer period (May 1 - October 31) commercial scup quota, from 2774 pounds to 4987 pounds. Request for May 2002 Public Hearing. The Commission voted, 7-0, to set a public hearing for meeting May 28. 11. PUBLIC HEARING: Consideration of a proposed one-month extension of the allowance for small-mesh (to 2 inches) drift gill nets to be fished in upriver areas. The Commission voted, 7-0, to approve the extension. 12. PUBLIC HEARING: Consideration of an expansion of the 661-square mile Virginia Bay-wide Blue Crab Spawning Sanctuary and consideration of short-term prohibitions on the harvest of sponge crabs. The Commission voted, 7-1, to set a public hearing for May 28 to consider new alternatives offered for consideration regarding the "deep-water" crab sanctuary in the Chesapeake Bay. The hearing also will involve discussions on the proposals related to the several proposals restricting the taking of female crabs.