Mountain Grove Residents Say Floodplain Map Is Unsatisfactory

Warm Springs, VA – The floodplain map revision or Mountain Grove needs another revision. At Tuesday night’s Bath Board of Supervisors meeting county planner and zoning administrator Sherry Ryder discussed the revised map. Some Mountain Grove residents have been concerned that the current floodplain map was inaccurate, showing their properties as being in the floodplain.

Bath County provided additional information to FEMA to revise the map, but both the board and Ryder feel that FEMA’s revision is not satisfactory. A revised map must be approved by the county, which first requires a public hearing. The agenda for Tuesday’s meeting called for setting a public hearing date, but Ryder suggested tabling that.

Supervisor Jon Trees said the revised map helped some property owners but put others in the floodplain that shouldn’t be there. He said the revised map needs to be updated more. Ryder and County Administrator Bonnie Johnson will continue to work on the revision.

The board approved a request for funding from the Bath County Airport Authority for a tree removal project at Ingall’s Field. The state is mandating that 500 feet on both sides of the runway be cleared of trees for safety reasons. The tree removal project will cost a total of $7300 and the airport authority asked the board for $4300. The airport authority will pay the remainder of the cost.

A public hearing date was set for the potential rezoning of a site for construction of a Dollar General store. The site is near 5153 Sam Snead Highway in Healing Springs. The public hearing will be at 7:30 on Tuesday August 10, which is the board’s next regular meeting.

Also on Tuesday night the board approved the planting of an ornamental tree at the rear entrance of the library in memory of Betsy Fagan, a member of the Warm Springs Valley Garden Club who passed away this year. A joint meeting with the Bath School Board was set for Tuesday August 3 at 6:30 at Bath County High School to recognize the accomplishments of the sports teams and the band. Supervisor Stuart Hall was appointed to the board of directors of the Shenandoah Valley Partnership.