THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, September 16, 1996 TAG: 9609160035
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY KATRICE FRANKLIN, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SUFFOLK LENGTH: 59 lines
Suffolk officials are trying to grab a privately owned and operated juvenile detention center the state proposes to build in the area.
If the city gets the center, Suffolk would be the home of two juvenile-correction facilities.
Three months ago, Virginia officials requested applications for a 225-bed center to be located somewhere in Hampton Roads. Although applications are not yet due, several companies have contacted Suffolk officials to express interest in building the center in the city.
To speed up the process, the city wants to amend its public land zoning ordinance to include privately owned correction facilities. The present zoning allows only publicly owned jails and detention centers.
On Tuesday, the Planning Commission will hold a public hearing at 2 p.m. in City Council Chambers on amending the ordinance.
``At least four, maybe five companies have talked to us about the center, but we have not gotten any formal requests yet,'' said James G. Vacalis, assistant city manager of operations.
The department is holding the public hearing so it can accept formal applications, Planning Director Paul E. Fisher said. ``In anticipation of applicants, we are amending the zoning ordinance so that a private detention center would be permitted. Right now, we have no place to put it without a zoning change.''
The proposal for a privately owned detention center comes at a time when Suffolk officials are searching for a consultant to do a needs-assessment study on whether Western Tidewater should have its own regional juvenile detention center. That area includes Franklin and Suffolk and Isle of Wight and Southampton counties.
Cindy Rohlf, assistant to the city manager, said that center could be in addition to the state-proposed facility.
``We are looking to provide our own facility for the 5th Judicial District,'' Rohlf said. ``We may go through the study and find out we don't have a big enough need, but this facility would be publicly owned.''
The commonwealth is interested in opening a center in or near Tidewater because most of the juveniles that are incarcerated in southeast Virginia are from that area, said Ron Batliner, deputy director for the Department of Juvenile Justice.
Batliner said the applications from potential developers are due Monday, and once they are turned in the General Assembly will make the final decision on building the facility. That, he said, should happen during its next session. ILLUSTRATION: PUBLIC HEARING
The Suffolk Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on
amending its public land district zoning ordinance at 2 p.m. Tuesday
in City Council Chambers. The city wants to include in this zoning
private and semi-private correction and detention centers.
The current public land district zoning includes public land and
buildings such as schools, offices, courts, community-oriented
recreational facilities, jails, water and sewer treatment plants,
garbage facilities and electricity stations.
KEYWORDS: SUFFOLK PLANNING COMMISSION ZONING by CNB