THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, October 19, 1996 TAG: 9610190232
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: By KATRICE FRANKLIN, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SUFFOLK LENGTH: 52 lines
Citizens with something to say about the city's family transfer ordinance will get their chance - again.
For the third time in four months, the city has revised the ordinance, which was created by the state to preserve family farm compounds and agricultural land. The Planning Commission voted this week to hold a public hearing next month on the new ordinance.
This version addresses residents' concerns, Planning Director Paul E. Fisher said.
``The commission has tightened the ordinance to prevent circumvention while, at the same time, recognizing what residents have said,'' Fisher said.
The proposed ordinance is different in several ways from the two previous versions, including:
Residents are allowed only one transfer to the same family member within the city of Suffolk.
The first two proposals were interpreted by some people to allow only one transfer to the same family member anywhere in Virginia.
Transfers may be made only to a spouse, child, grandchild, grandparent or parent.
Any trust or life estate given to those family members will be considered family transfers. The original did not have this clause.
Recipients of transfers must keep the land for three years, with earlier sale allowed in cases of foreclosure, death, judicial sale, condemnation or bankruptcy.
The original ordinance required recipients to keep land for 10 years and also allowed earlier sale for college tuition and medical expenses.
Applicants and recipients must obtain a deed and affidavit to ensure that receivers know they are getting land and understand that the property cannot be sold for three years.
The city has spent months studying the ordinance, and commissioners this week said they hope this will be the last revision.
``I hope, when this comes up again, we can all agree and vote on it,'' Commissioner George A. Howerton Jr. said.
City officials began trying to strengthen the transfer ordinance after some developers and contractors bought land and transferred it with intent to sell. Suffolk is the only Virginia city that still allows such transfers.
Sometimes the land is transformed into small subdivisions of no more than four homes.
City officials say such subdivisions don't receive the same city services as others. Their developers don't have to maintain the roads, as they would if they submitted a subdivision plan. MEMO: The Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on the
ordinance at 2 p.m. Nov. 19 in City Council chambers, 441 Market St. by CNB