Virginia State Senator Richard H. Stuart of Montross and Va. Delegate Barry Knight of Virginia Beach have filed bills for introduction in the 2012 Virginia General Assembly which could set the stage for total extinction of the Menhadden fishery in the Chesapeake. Menhadden, which form a basic foundation of the Chesapeake Bay's food chain have been increasingly subject to overfishing, and in November, 2011, the Atlantic States marine Fisheries Commission took the first steps towards establishment of science based "catch limits" to preserve the species.

The menhaden fishing industries reaction: let's move to remove all limits and make a fast buck while we can. Two bills pre-filed for introduction in the 2012 Virginia General Assembly pose a grave threat to efforts to promote Bay conservation.

HB 88
Introduced by Barry D. Knight would remove the cap by removing a provision that allows an adjustment for underages or overages in the annual harvest cap to be carried over to the next year's cap limit. Currently, if a person harvests less than the 109,020 metric ton limit on taking menhaden, he can add the difference to his cap for next year's harvest. Conversely, if he exceeds the cap in any one year, he must reduce his harvest in the succeeding year by the amount of the overage of the preceding year.

A copy of this bill is available at:http://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?121+ful+HB88+pdf" rel="external" title=""> http://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?121+ful+HB88+pdf

SB 18
Introduced by: Richard H. Stuart removes authorization for Virginia's membership in the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Compact. The purpose of the Compact is to promote better utilization of the marine, shell, and anadromous fisheries of the Atlantic seaboard through the development of a joint program for the promotion and protection of such fisheries and by the prevention of the physical waste of the fisheries from any cause. If any state desires to remove itself from the Compact, it must send a six months' notice in writing to the member states of its intention to withdraw from the Compact.

A copy of this bill is available at http://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?121+ful+SB18+pdf

To stop these bills, Virginia legislaturive representatives need to hear from you now - early and often!

Go tohttp://legis.state.va.us/" rel="external" title=""> http://legis.state.va.us/
to find the name of your Delegate and Senator and others and write them to stop these bills.

Welcome to Williamsburg.Biz - the "Web 2.0" website serving the City of Williamsburg, Virginia. Watch this site as we roll out new features. Register as a user and take advantage of the opportunity we offer to promote your business, share news and announcements of your group or organization, interact with fellow residents of the City of Williamsburg, Virginia via the internet, and keep abreast of whats going on in the City of Williamsburg, Virginia.

This site will be primarily devoted to promoting local content contributed by local businesses, organizations and residents. If you are interested in being a contributor, contact us. We welcome the opportunity to provide you the ability to promote your local business, share the success of your local sports teams, promote your local club or charity. Register as a user and take advantage of the free opportunities we offer to promote your business, share news and announcements of your group or organization, interact with fellow residents of the City of Williamsburg, Virginia via the internet, and keep abreast of whats going on in the City of Williamsburg, Virginia.

The first step to use our features is to register as a user on our site. Then, as you explore Williamsburg.Biz let us know what feature or news you want to share. Upon verification, we can give you privileges to input and post your news instantly.

Local businesses may become "Link Partners" and receive free promotion via banners ads, links and the ability to post news and announcements. Local Businesses may also list themselves for free in our local Business Directory and grow their business via the world wide web.

Local organizations, charities, and contributing writers may even profit by contributing content as qualifying contributors can earn financial rewards via Google Adsense from clicks by visitors to the news, announcement and content you supply.

Williamsburg.Biz is what is known as a "Web 2.0" website - i.e. a feature that is composed of contributions by those who view and participate in the site. Anyone can participate. In order to post, you must be a registered user of the website. Posting is subject to our Terms of Use as linked from the bottom of our Home Page. By posting, you adopt and agree to our Terms of Use and News and policies applicable to various features as a binding legal agreement. These include (i) a representation by you that the post is accurate, does not contain any copyright content of any third party unless you have the right to post it, (ii) a prohibition against any posting that is slanderous, illegal, containing "hate" material," (material expressing racial, religious, sexual orientation or other bigotry) or known to you to be untrue, and (iii) a representation by you that if posting on behalf of an organization or other person, that you have the right to make such posting. Violators are subject to loss of posting and/or website access privileges. If you observe any posting which violates our Terms of Use, please notify us via our contact link (on the Home Page) and report the abuse and we will endeavor to promptly investigate and remove if appropriate.

ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD
WILLIAMSBURG, VIRGINIA
AGENDA
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
The meeting will be called to order by the Chairman on Tuesday, August 25, 2009 at 6:30 P.M. in the Third Floor Conference Room 3A, Williamsburg Municipal Building, 401 Lafayette Street. When invited by the Chairman, speakers should state their name and address before making brief comments.
ARCHITECTURAL PRESERVATION DISTRICT
*ARB #09-064 Braxton/128 Braxton Court – Fence
ARB #09-065 Wesley Foundation Methodist Church/526 Jamestown Road – Window Replacement
ARB #09-066 Hermes Inc./755 Scotland Street – New Building
ARB #09-067 Newell/220 North Henry Street – Garage & Breezeway
CORRIDOR PROTECTION DISTRICT
*ARB #09-068 High Street/1430 High Street – Bus Shelter
SIGNS
*ARB
SIGN #09-038 Towne Bank/1510 Quarterpath Road - Monument Sign
*ARB
SIGN #09-039 Quarterpath Shopping Center/1470 Quarterpath Road – Monument Sign
*ARB
SIGN #09-040 Chipolte Mexican Grill/1413 Richmond Road – Monument & Building Signs
*ARB
SIGN #09-041 MHI Hospitality Corporation/410 West Francis Street – Freestanding Sign
ARB
SIGN #09-042 I Must Say/423 Prince George Street – Building Signs
*ARB
SIGN #09-043 CWF/Charlton’s Coffee House/429 East Duke of Gloucester Street – Freestanding Sign
OTHER
Minutes of the August 11, 2009 meeting

The Williamsburg City Council will hold a public hearing on Thursday, September 10, 2009,
2:00 p.m. in the Stryker Building, 412 North Boundary Street, to consider the following:
PCR #09-008: Request of The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation to amend the Zoning
Ordinance by adding radio and cellular communications towers and antennae that are a
part of a distributed antenna system (DAS), and with a maximum height of 50 feet, as a
special use permit in the Museum Support District MS [Article III, District Regulations,
Division 13. Museum Support District MS, Section 21-434(5.1)].
PCR #09-009: Request of The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation for a special use permit
to construct two “slick poles” as a part of a coordinated Distributed Antenna System at 305
South England Street/300 East Francis Street (50 foot height behind the former Craft
House) and 107 Visitor Center Drive (41 foot height behind the Group Arrivals Building).
The properties are located in the Museum Support District MS and are identified as
Williamsburg Tax Map Nos. 496-0A-00-009, 497-0A-00-001,2 and 436-10-00-001.
PCR #09-014: Rezoning of 0.3 acres at 509 Lafayette Street and Virginia Avenue north of
Lafayette Street from RS-2 Single-Family Dwelling District to B-1 Downtown Business
District. This property is identified as Williamsburg Tax Map No. 435-02-00-034. This
rezoning will correct the zoning boundaries in the vicinity of the Municipal Building
expansion.
VAC #09-001: Request of the City of Williamsburg to vacate a portion of Harrison Avenue
north of Lafayette Street (a 50 foot right-of-way approximately 40 feet in length and with an
area of approximately 0.05 acres) and Virginia Avenue north of Lafayette Street (a 50 to 60
foot right-of-way approximately 60 feet in length and with an area of approximately 0.08 acres).
The street vacation is requested as part of the Municipal Building expansion, and was a
condition of the site plan approval (SPR #09-010).
Additional information is available at www.williamsburgva.gov/Index.aspx?page=483; at the
Planning Department [(757) 220-6130], 401 Lafayette Street; or at the Williamsburg
Regional Library. Interested citizens are invited to attend this hearing and present their
comments to the Council.
If you are disabled and need accommodation in order to participate in the public hearing,
please call the City Manager's office at (757) 220-6100, (TTY) 220-6108, no later than
12:00 noon, Thursday, September 3, 2009.
Donna F. Scott
City Council Clerk

Todd P. Haymore, Commissioner of Virginia’s Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS), will join Mayor Jeanne Zeidler, members of the Williamsburg Farmers Market’s Board of Directors, and representatives from American Farmland Trust (AFT) at a public ceremony on Saturday, August 29, to recognize Williamsburg Farmers Market’s selection as one of America’s FAFTavorite Farmers Markets. The ceremony will take place in Merchants Square in downtown Williamsburg at 9am. No Farms No Food® tote bags from AFT will be given away after the presentation. The Farmers Market will operate as usual from 8am - 12 noon. More information on the day’s festivities can be found at www.williamsburgfarmersmarket.com

The Williamsburg Farmers Market was ranked number one in a nationwide "America’s Favorite Farmers Market" contest conducted by the American Farmland Trust (AFT) this summer. The AFT, whose mission is to protect farmland, designed the online contest to promote the economic and social value of farmers markets in communities, and to bring attention to the need for consumers and communities to recognize the necessity of local farm and ranchland to the existence of local food.

“We are so grateful for the outpouring of support we received from the community -- our sponsors, loyal customers and friends,” said Marty Wilson, Chair of the Williamsburg Farmers Market Board of Directors. “The Market’s success is the result of years of hard work and a commitment from our board, generous sponsors, staff and loyal customers,” Wilson added. We are proud to be recognized by the American Farmland Trust, whose goal is in line with our own: Healthy Farms, Healthy Food, and Healthy Communities.”

In its inaugural year, the AFT contest registered just shy of 30,000 votes in support of local farmers markets across the nation and featured 857 participating farmers markets.

Markets were categorized in three divisions, small, medium, and large. The Williamsburg Farmers Market registered 725 of these votes and swept the ‘Medium’ category of markets (31-55 vendors). Davis Farmers Market in California took home the large market prize (56 or more vendors), and Collingswood Farmers Market in New Jersey, the small (1-30 vendors).

“This recognition gives us an opportunity to show our support and appreciation to our vendors, who make the Market possible,” added Libbey Oliver, Manager of the Williamsburg Farmers Market. “It was wonderful to get the votes, but also to read the comments that accompanied the votes. Our customers remarked on the friendly and beautiful atmosphere of our market, and the variety and breadth of selection.”

Founded in 2002, the goals of the Williamsburg Farmers Market are to:
• Provide healthy regionally produced food to the Williamsburg Community.
• Stimulate the farm economy and preserve agricultural land.
• Revive the historic role of the Williamsburg town center as a place for markets.
• Create a fun and educational venue to enhance community life in Williamsburg.

Its Founding Sponsors are City of Williamsburg, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and Merchants Square Association. Additional support comes from Howell Creative Group, Riverside Health System, Prudential Towne Realty, Towne Bank and Ukrop’s.

American Farmland Trust is a national nonprofit organization working with communities and individuals to protect farmland, promote sound stewardship of that land and improve the economic vitality of agriculture. It is the nation’s leading advocate for farm and ranch land conservation. AFT’s headquarters are in Washington, DC. www.farmland.org

A list of the Top 20 markets is available at http://action.farmland.org/site/PageN ... rkets/top_farmers_markets