THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, June 22, 1994 TAG: 9406220501
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JEFF HOOTEN, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: 940622 LENGTH: CHESAPEAKE
The proposal had called for a minimum security jail on city-owned land in Greenbrier near the City Garage. The facility would house up to 200 inmates in the city's work-release and community-service programs.
{REST} The council decided to reconsider the plan at its Aug. 16 meeting.
Community-service inmates pay their debt to society by working for the city at such tasks as mowing grass, collecting trash and rotating tires at the City Garage.
Sheriff John Newhart wanted the $2.3 million facility built near the City Garage so that inmates could sleep within walking distance of one of the places where they would work.
The City Council had planned to vote on the proposal in May, but hastily organized opposition from Greenbrier residents stopped the vote.
Several neighborhood groups opposed the project, arguing that there already is a state-run prison farm next to the proposed jail site.
Some said they worry that a jail annex would be one more step toward turning Greenbrier into a major prison area.
Residents worried that another jail would stigmatize the area and erode property values. Some said they don't trust the city to keep its promise not to expand the size and scope of the proposed facility, which is near Chesapeake City Park.
``A minimum security facility next to a playground - does that seem logical?'' asked Helen Skiba, who lives near the proposed site. ``It's wrong.''
About 50 people showed up at Tuesday's meeting to oppose the jail annex.
{KEYWORDS} CHESAPEAKE CITY COUNCIL CHESAPEAKE JAIL
by CNB