Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Why should some districts in Charlotte County have more representation on the planning commission than others? That was a question raised two weeks ago in a letter to the editor from Terry Ramsey. He raised the same question to the board of supervisors in their Dec. 11 meeting, asking why there’s not equal representation on the Charlotte commission for the entire county. 

“Supervisors Smith, Carwile, and Toombs, please explain how it is fair that your district’s voters only get half the voting representation on the Planning Commission as the other four districts,” Ramsey said. “Supervisors Walker, Davis, Shook, and Bailey, please explain why your districts deserve twice the PC votes as the other districts.” 

Beyond representation, Ramsey said, there’s also a problem with a lack of training. 

“Zoning routinely deals with complex requirements and issues. It is essential that PC members be trained on zoning basics to understand their roles and responsibilities,” Ramsey said. He questioned if a lack of knowledge about zoning is why only a few planning commission members actively participate in discussions during meetings. And to fix that, Ramsey suggested that the county make it a requirement that a new planning commission member take the Virginia Commonwealth University four-day certified training program. “I suggest training may provide more members the knowledge and confidence to actively participate.” 

Ramsey also said since the county zoning ordinance doesn’t apply within the four incorporated towns, because they have their own zoning ordinances, then why do the towns need to have a member on the Charlotte commission? 

Drawing attention for Charlotte commission

Supervisors said they had already received feedback from residents about Ramsey’s letter to the editor in the Charlotte Gazette. 

“Mr. Ramsey’s letter in the Charlotte Gazette drew a lot of attention from different people who were reading it and a lot of people in my district had the same concerns Mr. Ramsey had expressed,” said Supervisor Hazel Bowman Smith. “And I think if we’re possibly looking at doing any changes to the town representatives on the planning commission, that this would be a good time to do it, because so many of their terms expire at the end of December. Suggestions that I received from different people were right along the lines of what Mr. Ramsey said today that the towns should be included but they felt they should be non-voting members and have input in discussion. I would really like to discuss that in detail at the January meeting.” 

Board Chairman Gary Walker disagreed with the idea of eliminating town representation on the planning commission. He pointed out that both sides need input from each other.  

“The towns are very important to Charlotte County,” Walker said. “And while some people don’t live in the towns, they come to the towns, they shop in the towns, they go to school in the towns. Our schools are mostly located in the towns. I think it’s important that we have their input.” 

Walker said he didn’t feel that the towns had any more say than anybody else, when it comes to the planning commission. They simply have a voice at the table and he wants to keep it that way. 

“Whether it’s Drakes, Phenix, Keysville or Charlotte Court House, they add a lot to this county and I think it’s important to let them have a say in what’s going on.”  

What happens next?

While nothing was set in stone, it was agreed that the discussion will continue during the board’s January meeting, to see if changes need to be made.