THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, September 19, 1996 TAG: 9609190351
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY TERRI WILLIAMS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SUFFOLK LENGTH: 47 lines
The City Council on Wednesday delayed a vote on Hillpoint Farms - a proposed planned development of more than 2,000 homes - because the property owners' plan doesn't fit the zoning ordinance.
For the past two years, a group of Hampton Roads businessmen have been trying to develop a 982-acre site off U.S. Route 10 and north of downtown.
But their efforts were stalled because the owners hadn't come up with a unified plan or proven their development would have a positive financial effect on the city. Although the developers have ironed out those problems, a housing ratio is holding up the project.
Planning Director Paul E. Fisher told the council that the owners must have no more than 25 percent multi-family housing to meet the zoning ordinance. The developers have proposed 30 percent.
Fisher said he will meet with the developers in the next several weeks, and said he expects a resolution. Once the ratio is settled, the matter will again go before the council.
In other business, the council made a motion supporting efforts to get the Hampton Roads Sanitation District to extend sewer near the Suffolk Municipal Airport and around the Route 13-32 corridor.
Councilman Curtis R. Milteer, who represents the area, said extending sewer will promote revitalization and growth in the corridor.
During a work session earlier Wednesday, a consultant hired by the city to study Falcon Cable said she will conduct customer surveys to help improve service.
A few months ago, the council hired Rice, Williams Associates to help correct reported problems such as outages and slow response time from cable company staff. Jean Rice said she will start a telephone survey in the next several weeks to find out what citizens think of their service.
Also during the session, City Manager Myles E. Standish urged the council to hire an engineering and surveying firm to establish a firm boundary between Suffolk and Chesapeake.
Officials in both cities contend that property tax collection, as well as permitting, have become confusing because there's no clear definition between the localities. Both cities would split the surveying costs, which would range from $35,000 to $50,000.
KEYWORDS: SUFFOLK CITY COUNCIL HOUSING DEVELOPMENT HILLPOINT
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