THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, January 22, 1997 TAG: 9701220382
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MAC DANIEL, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE LENGTH: 39 lines
The City Council on Tuesday postponed its decision on what could be Chesapeake's largest private residential-recreational complex after developers asked for time to resubmit plans as a densely zoned planned-unit development.
James R. Bradford, an attorney representing the developers, asked that the rezoning of the private 472-acre Cahoon Plantation be continued for 30 days.
The delay will allow the developers to examine whether the project can be zoned as a planned-unit development - a self-contained community which mixes various zoning codes.
A smaller planned-unit development, Warrington Hall, was recently approved by the council. This development is being vehemently fought by neighbors and a civic-league umbrella organization, many of whom said the dense mixed zoning would burden local roads and schools.
Cahoon Plantation's recreational investment alone is valued at about $2 million, according to city staff. A 36-hole links golf course, an 18-hole par 3 course, indoor and outdoor swimming pools and bowling are some of the proposed amenities.
A fiscal analysis by the city's Planning Department estimated the facility would generate surplus revenues to the city of more than $1 million annually.
Located on a swath of land southeast of the intersection of Dominion Boulevard and Cedar Road, the area around Cahoon Plantation is currently seeing rapid growth.
With this in mind, city staff have said the development could save the city from an estimated 1,227 homes and a dearth of recreation if the land was developed under the current mix of zoning, including agricultural, office-institutional and residential.
Along with the golf and other recreation, the council would be asked to approve 160 homes on the site and 20 acres of time-share and rental condominiums.
The golf courses and recreational facilities will be privately owned but opened to the public, the developers said.