THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, August 17, 1994 TAG: 9408160129
SECTION: ISLE OF WIGHT CITIZEN PAGE: 07 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LINDA McNATT, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: ISLE OF WIGHT LENGTH: Medium: 58 lines
A company specializing in building components for homes wants to build a small industrial park near Carrsville, locate a manufacturing plant there and ship its products by rail to points all over the U.S.
But Atlantic Building Components Corporation will have to wait a month before trying again to win approval for the project from the county Planning Commission.
The commission tabled the request for rezoning from agricultural to industrial general for a month until commissioners have a chance to check the track record of Bob Cook, a partner in the project, and to answer the questions of residents who live near the proposed site.
About 25 Carrsville residents appeared at the Planning Commission meeting recently to oppose the rezoning, and a lawyer representing them presented a petition with about 125 additional names.
The property, about 180 acres between Carver Road and Jenkins Mill Road, currently is zoned agricultural. ABCCO has asked for conditional industrial general zoning. The company wants to build a self-contained plant to manufacture roof trusses, moldings, pre-hung doors and floor trusses, using 50 acres of the land.
The remaining land would be developed for other businesses seeking rail access, Cook said, businesses like warehouses, cabinet shops, supply houses. Cook said ABCCO already has received a $110,000 grant from the Virginia Department of Transportation to build a railroad spur into the park.
``Everything will be under roof, enclosed, to control sound, dirt and dust,'' Cook said. ``Only the logs won't be under roof.''
The company plans to manufacture its own lumber from raw materials. It also plans to plant mature, 20-foot trees to create a buffer zone around the development.
But Taylor Williams, representing the opponents, said that ABCCO had failed to search for locations already zoned industrial before applying for the rezoning of the land just off U.S. Route 58. He said residents are concerned about noise and water pollution.
``We also have traffic concerns,'' Williams said. ``DOT has predicted something like this could create more than 9,000 vehicles a day. There are presently about 4,500 cars a day on 58. We're talking about adding that many more.''
Planning Commission members were concerned about Cook's lack of experience with such a project, although Cook said he had developed other industrial parks, most recently in Texas.
``I feel we have so many questions this afternoon,'' Planning Commission member Edna King said, when she suggested tabling the application until September.
``I think we should ask the developer to meet with the citizens and our economic development staff. The meeting should provide an opportunity for him to show documentation of the success of any previous developments.'' by CNB