THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, May 10, 1996 TAG: 9605100488
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY TERRI WILLIAMS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SUFFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 57 lines
A private Virginia Beach organization is saying ``Yes.''
But about 100 residents of the Driver community said ``No'' Thursday night to a plan to include Youth Entertainment Studios (YES) on the property of the old Driver Naval Radio Transmitting Facility.
Staffers from YES, city officials and consultants with the Alexandria-based consultant EDAW Inc. met with concerned residents at Driver Elementary. Public comment from the meeting will be used to help the Planning Commission and City Council make a decision.
Almost 600 acres are on the Driver site. About 150 acres will be used for Old Dominion University's environmental center; 208 acres will be used for a wildlife refuge; 141 acres will be used for a city park; 63 acres will be used for Little League and 35 acres would be used to house the YES complex.
Most residents seemed pleased to have accommodations for the Bennett's Creek Little League. But several raised issues about the YES plan:
How would the high school students be selected and why aren't more Suffolk children included?
YES - a partner of privately funded Regent University - would be getting public land and possible sewage connections.
YES President Harry Young said about 30 percent of the students would come from the local area with the others coming from around the nation.
The students would learn about education through media and film involvement while living in dorms at Hampton and Norfolk State universities pending construction of dorms on campus.
``You're an outsider coming here with a program no one knows about,'' said H. Barnes. ``We'd like to know when we close our doors at night there's a safe program next door.''
``Our students aren't knife-weilding kids. They're good students,'' Young responded.
Councilwoman Marian ``Bea'' Rogers, who represents the area, said she couldn't support the plan until several questions were answered. Rogers said she's not certain about YES's track record. The councilwoman said residents were ``burned'' before when another film studio tried to move to the area and failed.
The Planning Commission will make a recommendation later this month. City Council will vote in June.
However, the secretary of the Navy will make the final decision. ILLUSTRATION: THE BREAKDOWN
About 150 acres will be used for ODU's environmental center.
208 acres for a wildlife refuge.
141 acres for a city park.
63 acres for Little League.
35 acres to house the YES complex.
by CNB