Public Hearing scheduled for proposed Community Revitalization Fund

The Accomack County Board of Supervisors set a public hearing date of October 16 to hear comments on the proposed establishment of a community revitalization fund.  The primary use of the funding would be to make revenue available for local nonprofit organizations to allow them to demolish derelict buildings.  The fund would create a vehicle to make it’s previous Whitesville derelict building removal pilot project available to other organizations through the use of a competitive grant basis that the County would administer,  Under the proposed program, the County will invite nonprofits to apply for grant funds to improve their community by removing uninhabited derelict structures which they select.

The County currently has $300,000 budgeted for this program with a proposed cap of $150,000 per project. Successful applicants will be required to enter into an agreement with the County  detailing the terms and conditions of the grant.

During the public participation portion of the meeting Myra Riley Taylor, head of the Bayside Rehabilitation group told the Board that her group has been working on the project for several years and have identified 27 structures in the Bayside area that could be demolished. She said that 6 of the property owners have already agreed to have their building  included in the program.

Taylor asked the board to make the Bayside a project a priority because it is already in progress.