THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, October 30, 1996 TAG: 9610300404
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY KATRICE FRANKLIN, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SUFFOLK LENGTH: 54 lines
Protecting Suffolk's rural character in the midst of growth and improving public perception of city schools were among matters put before the Planning Commission on Tuesday as it began a process to map the city's future.
The commission met with LDR International, a Columbia, Md., company hired to develop a new Comprehensive Land Use Plan. Statistics and other information about the city filled a 31-page report.
The working draft, focusing on census trends, growth areas, population, per capita income and community issues, was compiled from census information, zoning records, the Virginia Employment Commission and several city offices.
Among its contents:
Suffolk's current population of 52,000 is expected to increase to 65,000 by 2010, according to the Virginia Employment Commission.
The Hampton Roads Planning District Commission expects the population to be 110,000 by 2018.
Much of Suffolk's growth is in the northern end, where population has increased more than 38 percent in the last 10 years.
Suffolk's population growth, employment rate and median household income are lower than the rest of the region's.
Thirty percent of the city's land is in farms.
City officials plan to use the completed report as a guide to zoning and planning city services. A completed report is anticipated in the next few weeks.
A key question is whether the city's declining farmland should be preserved.
A series of meetings for citizens will be held next month:
Nov. 20 at 6:30 p.m. at Robertson Elementary School, John F. Kennedy Middle School and Northern Shores Elementary School
Nov. 21 at 6:30 p.m. at Southwestern and Mt. Zion Elementary schools.
For information, contact the Planning Department at 925-6485. ILLUSTRATION: Graphic
SUFFOLK STATS
In 1980, manufacturing represented 30 percent of the city's
employment. By 1993, it had declined to 13 percent.
From 1980 to 1993, the city lost 3,041 manufacturing jobs and
gained 2,733 service sector jobs.
On average, manufacturing jobs in 1993 paid about $30,526 yearly,
service sector jobs $18,666.
The city's unemployment rate is 6.6 percent, about 3 percent
above the region's and state's.
Per capita income in 1993 was $17,853 - $3,800 lower than the
state average and $2,947 lower than the national average.
Source: LDR International
KEYWORDS: SUFFOLK STATISTICS POPULATION GROWTH
UNEMPLOYMENT by CNB