THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, August 23, 1995 TAG: 9508230449
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY TOM HOLDEN, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Medium: 65 lines
If there was ever doubt about how residents of Larkspur feel about a proposed relocation of the departments of health and social services to their community, it faded Tuesday night.
One after another, in speeches short and long, residents denounced the project for every possible reason: Too much traffic. Too much noise. Too big a building. Too small a lot. The wrong architecture.
Even an alternative proposal by the Runnymede Corp. that addressed many of the secondary concerns appeared to do little to sway residents.
Traffic emerged as the central concern for a community that is hemmed in by some of the city's busiest thoroughfares - Independence Boulevard, Holland and Princess Anne roads.
``Larkspur has been the subject of its fair share of projects,'' said Del. Robert Tata, the Virginia Beach Republican. ``There is Mount Trashmore, the alternative school, Larkspur Middle School with 2,100 students, only 61 of whom are Larkspur residents.
``To add another 400 cars per day to the community would destroy its traffic patterns. I urge council to consider alternative sites and to rezone this property.''
His comments drew enthusiastic applause, and he was just the first speaker, prompting Mayor Meyera E. Oberndorf to caution the audience to be more restrained.
In July the city announced plans to move the departments of health and social services from Virginia Beach Boulevard to a 7.7-acre site of city-owned property along South Independence Boulevard.
City planners thought the project would solve several problems. The departments would receive a new building. The existing building is outdated, crowded, and seen as too expensive to upgrade.
Virginia Beach would sell the Independence property to Olympia Development Corp. which would design, build and then lease the building back to the city. The city would return the Independence property to the tax map and sell its property on Virginia Beach Boulevard at a small profit.
Estimates predict the project would bring about 1,500 more cars to the area daily.
Traffic also would swell at the beginning of each month when welfare recipients come to inquire about checks and benefits.
The problem with the Olympia plan, residents argued, is that it does not allow for easy access to northbound traffic on South Independence. Without it, drivers would have no choice but to head south on Independence and make a U-turn or another turn to head north.
The Runnymede alternative called for teaming up with the owners of property adjacent to the city's 7.7-acre parcel. With additional space, the building would become two stories - not four as presently envisioned - and it would be set closer to the road and thus further away from the neighborhood.
Most importantly, the proposal would contain traffic to the site and channel it to Silverleaf Drive, where the developers hope to install a traffic light.
But the idea seemed to fall short in at least one person's eyes.
``It does not change our view,'' said Elizabeth Gold, president of the Larkspur Civic Association. ``The project and the traffic it would create is not compatible with the neighborhood.''
The council will vote on the project Sept. 5. by CNB