The Mathews County Board of Supervisors and Planning Commission will hold a joint public hearing Tuesday to consider a proposal to rezone the county’s two-acre property at 897 South Bay Haven Drive on Gwynn’s Island from Waterfront Residential to Waterfront Business in order to provide water access to the public.
Mathews acquired the property through a FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant, so it can only be used as open space, for wetlands management practices, or for recreation.
The hearing will be held at 7 p.m. in the historic courthouse.
Two island residents, speaking during the public comment period at the supervisors’ April 26 regular meeting, objected to public use of the property.
Phyllis McArron of Millstone Lane said that the issue had come up several months ago and the board voted not to pursue rezoning, and she questioned why the issue had come up again.
John Hall of South Bay Haven Drive said his home is adjacent to the property and that people sometimes drive on the county proper...