The Virginia Marine Resources Commission voted unanimously on Sept. 24 to approve the Mathews Land Conservancy application concerning Williams Wharf along the East River in Mathews County.

The conservancy requested authorization to install an observation deck encroaching over 914 square feet of state-owned subaqueous bottom, to install two 16-foot-wide floating piers extending 103 feet channelward of the observation deck, and install an eight-foot wide open-pile pier extending 62 feet channelward of an existing bulkhead with an 14-foot wide by 100-foot-long T-head deck. The project is located at 1039 Williams Wharf Road.

At its August meeting, VMRC voted unanimously to uphold the Mathews County Wetlands Board’s decision to approve the project. A number of Williams Wharf Road residents had tried to have the decision of the wetlands board reversed.

The wetlands board had three public hearings on the application. After a January public hearing, the project was tabled when th...