DATE: Friday, April 18, 1997                TAG: 9704160108

SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER      PAGE: 08   EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: Letters 

                                            LENGTH:  135 lines

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR - CHESAPEAKE

In reference to the article ``Dock Landing may get grocery it's longed for,'' which appeared in The Virginian-Pilot on April 5, we would like to make several comments.

Erroneous information was given to you regarding the need and desire for this commercial rezoning along Dock landing Road and Emerald Woods Drive. The article led the general public to believe that residents want the shopping center, but many are actually angered by William ``Bud'' West's comments because he appears to be speaking for everyone. He is fully aware of the opposition by a number of neighborhoods and residents along Dock Landing Road. This issue of commercial development came up in 1994 and 1995; he opposed commercial development because of traffic.

The article stated that Mr. West has to go ``all the way to Portsmouth'' to do his grocery shopping. This statement is misleading, and his decision to travel to Portsmouth is obviously by choice and not by inconvenience. Mr. West lives five-tenths of a mile from Portsmouth, nine-tenths of a mile from Be-Lo and 2.2 miles from the Food Lion on Taylor Road. There are also four other grocery stores within approximately four miles: Farm Fresh on Western Branch Boulevard in Chesapeake, Super Fresh on Western Branch Boulevard in Chesapeake, a BJ's Wholesale on Portsmouth Boulevard in Chesapeake and a Food Lion on Portsmouth Boulevard in Portsmouth. Therefore, all the people along Dock Landing Road don't have to travel long distances to a number of grocery stores in Chesapeake as Mr. West said.

Also, the article said ``members of the civic league in Dock Landing have been complaining about the lack of supermarkets for years.'' My civic league never complained about the lack of supermarkets. In fact, close to 200 residents within Dock Landing Road corridor opposed the commercial development in 1994. And we have already spoken with a great number of residents in Dock Landing, Forrest Hills and Woodland Drive who oppose this commercial development again. They , too, are angered by Mr. West's comments. Mr. West slanted your story by giving you his own view and not that of the many residents who oppose it.

It makes us wonder where Mr. West's interest lies, knowing that he would rather travel farther to a proposed grocery store than the ones closest to him. There was a proposal in 1995 to build a Food Lion near the BJ's and Wal-mart across the street from him, and he opposed it. Why? Is convenience his motivating factor or does he have more than a passing interest? In 1994, he was also opposed to the commercial development along Dock landing Road because of traffic, and now ``desire for a neighborhood supermarket overrides his concerns about traffic''?

First, Mr. West wants the convenience of a closer grocery store, closer than nine-tenths of a mile, yet the ``proposed`` Food Lion would be two miles farther away.

Second, his statements were very self-serving and detrimental to the people on Dock Landing Road. Almost all the houses along Dock Landing Road face the street, and they will have trouble getting out of their driveways due to the increase in traffic. Traffic was part of his original opposition, and now his desire overrides his concern.

In addition, his comment ``I would say they (the developers) are going to have little trouble getting in,'' makes me question his position and his confidence. Is he aware of something off the record?

During November 1994, the city of Chesapeake proposed commercial zoning at Emerald Woods Drive within its five-year Comprehensive Land Use Plan. The surrounding neighborhoods did not support it. There was an overwhelming response by the adjacent neighborhoods to keep commercial development within the commercially zoned area of Portsmouth Boulevard. During that meeting, a signed petition by close to 200 registered voters was submitted to the Planning Commission. Portsmouth Boulevard is already zoned for commercial use and would better serve the residents of the Dock Landing Road. It would be one-stop shopping. There is already a BJ's, Wal-mart, TJ Maxx, many other full-service stores and plenty of room for a supermarket that Mr. West could walk to for his convenience.

The Chesapeake City Council denied the incorporation of ``commercial zoning'' of the Dock landing Road and Emerald Woods Drive because we made our voices heard through signed petitions and a presence at the City Council public meeting.

According to the city of Chesapeake, the traffic levels on Dock landing Road are already above capacity. In addition, widening the road (which will be needed) in the future would infringe on every resident along Dock Landing Road. There is also an elementary school that serves 674 school children.

About one year ago Mr. West didn't even want a bike path because property along Dock Landing Road would be taken for such use. And now he won't mind future widening of the roads for the convenience of a grocery store?

Where are the people who want the supermarket? I've talked to many residents opposed to this commercial development who feel angered by his comments, his lack of concern and his self-serving statements.

We don't mind being inconvenience by four miles or less to travel to grocery stores, six of them to be exact. We do mind being inconvenienced by crime, traffic, noisy trucks, dumpster odor, 24-hour gas station, and other shops that a shopping strip would bring to our quiet, rural area. Many residents moved here because of the quiet atmosphere which still exists along our lovely, tree-lined streets. In addition, there are horse farms, acres and acres of agriculture farms and numerous wetlands. After all, ``The river and its tributary streams serve to define and group neighborhood clusters within this study area (Dock landing) and thus contribute to a community feeling,'' reads the Comprehensive Land Use Plan dated march 21, 1995.

Incidentally, Dock Landing, Jolliff Woods and David's Mill, not to mention River Bend, Bailey's Creek, Lori Place and Colony Pointe are ``neighborhood clusters'' that are less than 10 years old, not 30, as Mr. West said.

The city of Chesapeake assured us in November 1994 during the development of the Comprehensive Land Use Plan, which they call their ``bible of development,'' that commercial development would not take place along Dock Landing Road and Emerald Woods Drive, because the neighborhoods obviously did not want it.

As citizens of Chesapeake, We hope that during the Planning Commission and City Council meetings we can count on their promise. What it really boils down to is trust. And we trusted it was a promise that would last, at least for five years, as written in the Comprehensive Land Use Plan.

We do hope that this letter makes you aware of how many residents along Dock landing Road really feel about the commercial development in our residential area. It is not the desire of most of the residents, as Mr. West led you to believe. It appears to be his desire for whatever reason. Many residents will gladly support the city of Chesapeake's effort for commercial development. Let's just keep it in the area zoned for such use - Portsmouth Boulevard.

Mr. and Mrs. Wilton Britt Jr.

Margaret Ann Court Pitiful sight

In the early morning of April 10, as our carpool departed Penhook Court in the Pines of Warrick section of Great Bridge, we witnessed the pitiful sight of a female duck lying crushed to death in the center of Pines of Warrick Drive, while its mate looked on nearby.

Our court has been frequented for the past several years by a pair of ducks, which, I'm told, mate for life. Perhaps the same pair of ducks which my kids have hand fed. Was it one of them, I pondered? Had she laid eggs and would her nest now be abandoned?

Was it an unavoidable accident? Or were you, like many others, speeding recklessly through life, in a hurry to get somewhere. Was it worth the price of an innocent animal's life? What if it were a small child? Would it have made any difference?

My advice to you, sir or ma'am, is to slow down and smell the roses and realize that there is something more to life than rushing to and from work. I know because I have been there!

Bill Gasser

Penhook Court

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