THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, January 17, 1996 TAG: 9601170334
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY KATRICE FRANKLIN, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SUFFOLK LENGTH: Short : 38 lines
After months of meetings with local residents to discuss what should be done with a prized chunk of Suffolk land once owned by the Navy, city officials are ready to present their plans for the former Naval Radio Transmitting Facility near Driver.
Tonight, the City Council will hold a public hearing at 7 p.m. in council chambers on Suffolk's proposal for the facility, which has been closed since 1993.
Under the city's plan, the land would be used for three things: an environmental education center, to be run in conjunction with Old Dominion University; a Little League athletic field and a city park that would include access to the Nansemond River.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Department of Interior and the city have all been vying for portions of the the 597-acres of surplus land that has access to the Nansemond River.
If the council approves the plan, the proposal will be submitted to the Navy, which will decide between the competing proposals. City officials said it was unclear when the service would make the decision.
In the city's plan, 243 acres would be used for a public park, and 240 acres would be given to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services to link two parts of the Nansemond River Wildlife Refuge. Old Dominion University would get 150 acres for an environmental research center.
City officials estimate Suffolk will spend about $8 million to convert the land into a park.
The city devised its proposal after consultants conducted a series of meetings with residents about what should be done with the property. by CNB