SUFFOLK, Va. — Suffolk City Council on Wednesday approved major revisions to the comprehensive plan that would expand growth areas, over the objection of many residents.
The plan passed with most City Councilors voting in favor of it. However, Councilman Leroy Bennett voted in opposition, and Councilman Tim Johnson abstained.
The plan has been under discussion for months, with heavy public input. However, because the plan underwent additional changes following last month’s public hearing, many citizens believed there should have been another public hearing prior to Wednesday’s approval.
The plan includes an expanded growth area boundary for the southern growth area along the Route 58 corridor – one that was originally identified as an option, city officials said. It also recommended a higher residential density in future housing developments along the Route 460 corridor and removes the village of Hobson from the boundaries of the northern growth area.
The city also made changes to appropriate zoning districts for different areas, and appropriate uses for various zoning districts.
Councilman Leroy Bennett said he was concerned with the changes being made after the public hearing.
“I don’t know for sure whether or not our constituents have had the opportunity to really digest those concerns that were presented,” he said. “By not having another public hearing, that would’ve gave the public an opportunity to digest more into the changes that were being implemented into the plan.”
Other City Councilors said they believed the plan is good and can continue to be worked on, but that they needed to pass it to begin improving upon it.
“I’m going to continue to be disappointed in the amount of the growth area,” Chuckatuck Borough representative Shelley Butler Barlow said. “I was hoping that we would reduce that some, but I also realize that we have to move forward. … We do not want to approve this comprehensive plan and then put it on a shelf and wait another five years. I want to be very intentional and very persistent in looking into the parts of that that we don’t think are perfect.”
Citizen Denise Murden said during the speaker portion of the meeting that citizens are frustrated.
“Thank you, Mr. Bennett, for pointing out what is really bothering the citizens – the fact that we did not have a public hearing for such substantial changes made to the comprehensive plan after all of what we have already been through seems disrespectful,” Murden said. “We don’t really feel like we’re being listened to. We’ve seen this happen before where substantial changes are made after a public hearing is closed and then we have no recourse.”
