A battle over commercial oyster farming is acceptable on certain lands in York County reached the Supreme Court of Virginia earlier this year, however it may be resolved by a different Richmond institution.

The Virginia Senate is currently considering House Bill 1089, which has already cleared the House of Delegates with support from both Historic Triangle delegates. The bill, introduced by Del. Rick Morris (R-64th District), would bar municipalities from requiring special-use permits to engage in certain activities, including aquaculture, on land zoned for agriculture.

That change would be a big win for Greg Garrett, a Dandy man who wants to use his property to facilitate a commercial oyster harvesting operation in nearby waters despite objections from the county dating back to 2010. He has twice filed for a special-use permit for his oyster operations, however the applications were both pulled by him before they reached the York County Board of Supervisors, which has the final say over the issuance of special-use permits.

Read the full story at Williamsburg Yorktown Daily>>