THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, December 20, 1994 TAG: 9412200358
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B9 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY TONI WHITT, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH LENGTH: Medium: 74 lines
A potentially explosive situation over the location of a regional jail in the Hattonsville neighborhood seems to have been defused by a state legislator who once threatened to block the project.
The city has approved the jail as a source of much-needed revenue, but its location - in the small, historically black neighborhood - has threatened race relations in Portsmouth.
The City Council consistently voted along racial lines to build the jail in partnership with Hampton, Newport News and Norfolk.
Del. Kenneth R. Melvin, the black legislator who had promised to work in the state legislature to stop the jail, instead wound up as mediator in the dispute.
Residents still would prefer the jail not be built, said Sylvester Brown, president of the Hattonsville Civic League.
But Melvin worked with them to discover how the city could reach a compromise with the residents.
The compromise, apparently, involves promises of improved drainage in their neighborhood, a park, extensive landscaping around the jail and assurances that no subsidized housing would be erected in the area.
Other concessions include trees planted throughout Hattonsville and a hill and shrubbery along Airline Boulevard.
Melvin will announce the agreement today at 11:30 a.m. in Hattonsville. Sen. Louise Lucas, city officials and residents are slated to participate in the news conference.
``I think this is a very, very positive move,'' Melvin said. ``It will mean a lot to the psyche of the city.''
But Councilman Johnny M. Clemons, one of two black council members who has opposed construction of the jail in Hattonsville, was not happy with the agreement.
``I'm still opposed to it,'' Clemons said Monday. ``When they said they didn't want the jail, it fell on deaf ears. This is crumbs from the table where the main cake has already been served.''
The City Council voted along racial lines to build the regional jail. It completed its final hurdle in September when the council approved a zoning permit for the facility.
Afterward, Melvin vowed to fight the jail by introducing legislation, in the coming General Assembly session, that would prohibit any jail from being built in Hattonsville.
Residents of the predominantly black community have long fought against having the jail at their back doors.
Brown said Monday, that the community had not made any final decisions on the agreement, but he added: ``Mr. Melvin is our adviser; we'll listen to him.''
The issue became explosive in September after a councilman and a black pastor traded threats during a highly charged council meeting.
The Rev. Rudolph Perry threatened that ``black money will dry up in this city'' if the jail were built in Hattonsville. Councilman Cameron C. Pitts said the city could not build the I.C. Norcom High School - a project which black residents have lobbied for - without the revenues from the regional jail.
The city will earn $2 million by selling the land to the regional jail authority, and gain an additional $250,000 annually as payment in lieu of taxes. The jail is also expected to bring 350 jobs.
``Talking to the residents seemed to have allayed their fears,'' said Mayor Gloria O. Webb. She added that the council had also rezoned the nearby property that the residents feared would be used for subsidized housing.
``I have to give council credit for their willingness to go back and take a re-look at the whole process and for their willingness to work with the residents,'' Melvin said. ILLUSTRATION: STAFF Map
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