EASTERN SHORE, Va. (Delmarva Now) -- The Chincoteague Town Council voted Monday night to approve a conditional use permit for a waterpark on Chincoteague Island.
The motion to approve the permit at the 2.5-acre former Maddox Family Campground passed in a 5-1 vote and ended a lengthy development period where residents argued if the project would change the landscape of the town.
The meeting was moved from council chambers in the town municipal center across the street to the Chincoteague Center to accommodate the large crowd.
The proposed project by Blue Water Development Corporation from Berlin, Maryland, lies within the towns C-4 Resort Commercial zoning district but required the permit to open the park to the public in addition to campground patrons.
The town's planning commission had approved a recommendation be sent to the town council in a 3-2 vote on Jan. 17.
Overall, 13 individuals spoke during the public hearing portion of the Monday meeting with 10 speaking outright against the project or voicing concerns and three speaking in favor.
"As you already may know, my wife and I are passionately opposed to this waterpark because we believe it will change the character of Chincoteague forever," said Paul Brzozowski.
Brzozowski spoke vehemently against the project and held aloft photographs taken at Jolly Roger’s Splash Mountain waterpark in Ocean City as an example of what he felt stood in stark contrast to the "natural setting" of Chincoteague.
Reid Thornton voiced his support for the waterpark and cited tourism as the driving force.
"Tourism not only has provided me with a job since I was 14 but has also provided the town a lot of money over the years. It's definitely the largest business we have," said Thornton. "We are a town that is built off that industry and it will continue to grown. You cannot stop that."
John P. Custis, who represents Oceanside Resort LLC, a subsidiary of the Blue Water Development Corporation, gave a presentation addressing many concerns of the residents.
The Blue Water owns properties up and down the Delmarva Peninsula, including the Commander Hotel in Ocean City, Sunset Beach Resort in Cape Charles, Bethany Beach Ocean Suites in Bethany and recently acquired Pine Shores Golf Course on Route 611 in Berlin, which it intends to convert into a campground and waterpark, too.
The company also owns the Fairfield Inn and Suites and The Jackspot restaurant on Chincoteague.
The council voted following discussion of the seven proposed conditions refined by the planning commission during the January meeting regarding color scheme, permissible maximum height of slides and safety measures, overflow parking, fencing, a potential decommission plan, impact to wetlands and future permitting.
Monday's approval by town officials was only agreed on with five conditions the park have:
- 36 feet height total for the slides, canopies and safety railings,
- Overflow parking containing 50 additional spaces provided by the property owners,
- A fence around the waterpark that would be a 6-foot chainlink fence with a green, vinyl cover,
- A decommission plan in case of closure of park that does not require a bond,
- No impact to tidal wetlands and marshes, and
- Any deviation, alteration or expansion of the plan shall require the permitting process again.
