DATE: Friday, June 27, 1997                 TAG: 9706270677

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B5   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY JON GLASS, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: NORFOLK                           LENGTH:   81 lines

BLACK PASTOR RESIGNS FROM NORFOLK BOARD, CLAIMING RACIAL BIAS REV. ANTHONY PAIGE SAYS CITY'S PLANNING DOESN'T ``HAVE BLACK FOLKS IN MIND.''

Charging that the city has two sets of rules - one for blacks and another for whites - a black member of Norfolk's Planning Commission, the Rev. Anthony C. Paige, resigned in protest Thursday.

Paige, pastor of First Baptist Church of Lamberts Point and an outspoken advocate for the city's black communities during his five years on the panel, voiced frustration over what he viewed as unequal treatment of black businesses and residents.

His resignation came during a public hearing that touched on the years of delays and unsettled concerns among residents and businesses over the proposed widening of Church Street, the historic heart and soul of the black community.

``In black communities we play politics and half do the job, and then ask why there's a revolution coming,'' said Paige, a self-described ``radical.''

``These people have been victimized by the leadership of this city.''

Before abruptly leaving his seat at the dais in the City Council's meeting room in City Hall, Paige said, ``I feel the Planning Department and the leadership of this city are not credible and fair, and I don't want to be a part of it.''

In an interview a few months ago, Paige said he believed that racism is a problem regionwide, citing as examples a dearth of black musical acts during the inaugural season of the GTE Virginia Beach Amphitheater and a lack of support shown to Norfolk's black entrepreneurs.

``Why can't we give minority business people the same support we're giving to Nordstrom?'' Paige said of the MacArthur Center's mall anchor downtown.

``Why can't we go onto 35th Street or Church Street and put in the infrastructure and offer the incentives? The things this city is planning don't have black folks in mind. They don't feel welcome at Waterside, they don't feel Nauticus was built for them.''

White leaders who said they consider Paige a friend voiced disappointment in his resignation - even though they said they don't share his opinion.

``I think the racial sensitivities in this city in the past 10 years have been on the front burner,'' said Robert L. Layton, a white member of the Planning Commission. ``Both white and black leaders are listening very closely to each other's concerns and trying to make sure that racism is not allowed to play a part in the decision-making process.''

Mayor Paul D. Fraim, who said he had talked to Paige earlier in the week about improvements to Paige's church, said he hopes to open ``a frank dialogue with (Paige) about his concerns over race relations.''

Fraim said the city ``makes every effort to be inclusive in its decision-making.''

Currently, the Planning Commission, the city's planning department and the School Board are led by black men.

Paige's last act was to vote with fellow commission members to recommend zoning and land-use changes along Church Street that will create space for black businesses dislocated by the widening.

His sudden resignation was the second time this week that city business has turned on racial issues. Blacks pushed unsuccessfully for the City Council to appoint the first majority-black School Board.

While other black leaders acknowledged Paige's frustration, they also were disappointed that he resigned.

``There might be some truth to his comments, but we have to keep working together and keep on trying,'' said City Councilman Herbert M. Collins Sr. ``We can't give up.''

The Rev. John H. Foster, a former member of City Council who sponsored Paige's appointment to the commission in 1992, said, ``I regret we have come to this. My philosophy is that if there is a need for progress and a goal to be achieved, you need to continue to work on them.''

Paige's father, Joshua Paige, a civic activist and a member of the Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority's board of commissioners, said Norfolk's leaders have brought diversity to city boards by appointing blacks who may hold contrary views. But he said he shares his son's view that blacks still often receive unequal treatment.

``This is one man's frustration, but it also represents a segment of the population that is truly frustrated with the city's efforts in our community,'' Joshua Paige said.

On the Church Street widening issue, Paige called on the city to make the effort to bring the black community together to discuss concerns.

City officials note that there is disagreement within the black community over how to proceed with the redevelopment of Church Street and the surrounding Huntersville area, part of the problem involved in developing plans. KEYWORDS: RESIGNATION RACIAL DISCRIMINATION

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