Hampton Planning Commission Public Hearing Meeting – October 18, 2018
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Hampton Planning Commission Public Hearing Meeting – October 18, 2018
The Hampton Planning Commission held a public hearing meeting on October 18, 2018, to consider three rezoning applications and receive a report from the youth planners. All actions were recommendations to the City Council.
Consent Calendar
- The minutes of the September Planning Commission meeting were approved unanimously.
Public Comments & Testimony
Rezoning 18-00001 (6 Windsor Drive)
- Steve Spruell (1805 Canterbury Road) expressed no objection, noting that the neighborhood already has narrow lots and that the existing historical home has been neglected.
- Teresa Spruell opposed the three-home plan, stating the two‑story homes would dwarf adjacent one‑story ranchers; she would support two homes instead.
- William Spencer (1824 Canterbury Road) opposed three homes, citing the historical value of the existing house (built with wooden pegs, survived the second burning of Hampton), drainage issues at the intersection, and that the proposed ~$289,000 price is out of scale with a neighborhood averaging $130,000–$175,000.
Rezoning 18-00004 & 18-00007 (WITH Elementary School and ball fields)
- Elizabeth Jones (President, Old WITH Neighborhood Association) expressed strong support for the preservation and adaptive reuse of the school.
- Judy Moore (1609 Chesapeake Avenue) and Elise Gore (144 Claremont) also supported the project, noting its historical significance and improvement to the neighborhood.
- Phil Everhart Jr. (President, Hampton West Little League) raised concerns about vehicular access to the back parking lot during construction; the applicant and staff committed to working with the league to maintain access.
Rezoning 18-00005 (Freedom Life Church)
- No public comments were made. The applicant (Chuck Macri, pastor) explained the request to replace a brick fence requirement with a landscaping screen.
Discussion Items
Rezoning 18-00001
- Staff (Tolu) presented: The applicant (BNB Contracting LLC and Natha Holloway) proposes to subdivide 0.8 acres at 6 Windsor Drive from R13 to R11 to allow three single‑family homes with proffered conditions (brick materials, single‑family use limit). The neighborhood is zoned R13 but most lots meet R11 standards. A community meeting on September 27 had 25 attendees; concerns included precedent, housing values, preservation of the historic on‑site home, traffic, and crime. Staff recommended approval.
- Commissioners discussed lot widths, setbacks, and the applicant’s statement that the difference between three 70‑foot lots and two 80‑foot lots is only 6.6 feet and that three homes are needed to make the project economically feasible.
Rezoning 18-00004 & 18-00007
- Staff (Lucy Stoll) presented: The former WITH Elementary School (built 1937) would be rezoned to MD4 for 40 market‑rate apartment units, preserving historic features (glazed owls, “Enter to Learn, Leave to Serve” signage, terrazzo, tile). The city would rezone surrounding ball fields (about 5.66 acres) to PO1 parks/open space to guarantee their recreational use. Community engagement prioritized preserving the ball fields and improving parking. The applicant (Laura Katz, architect) detailed the adaptive reuse plan; contractor WM Jordan; start March 2019, finish a year later.
- Commissioners commended the historic preservation and asked about unit types (mostly one‑bedroom, some studios and two‑bedrooms).
Rezoning 18-00005
- Staff (Anna) presented: Freedom Life Church at 2220 Coliseum Drive seeks to amend a previous condition requiring a five‑foot brick fence along the eastern property line. The amendment would allow a five‑foot fence of any material with evergreen landscaping. A similar amendment was approved for an adjacent property in 2000 (rezoning 1121). Staff recommended approval.
Youth Planner Presentation
- Simone and Will presented the 2017–2018 Hampton Youth Commission end‑of‑year report. Activities included a joint neighborhood commission meeting, a youth forum with Mayor Donnie Tuck, a joint youth advisory group meeting, a “Living Life and Losing Labels” program, annual boot camp and retreat, and committee work (the grants committee submitted a proposal to City Council but missed the budget deadline). Upcoming: attendance at the Community Plan Update kickoff on October 30.
Key Outcomes
- RZ 18-00001: Approved unanimously (6 ayes, 0 nays) with six proffered conditions.
- RZ 18-00004: Approved unanimously with six proffered conditions.
- RZ 18-00007: Approved unanimously.
- RZ 18-00005: Approved unanimously.
- All approvals are recommendations to the Hampton City Council for final action.
Meeting Transcript
Can we get the roll call, please? Dr. Coleman. Present. Miss Kellum. Here. Mr. South Hall. Here. Miss Garrison. Mr. Brown. Here. Miss Funting. Chairman Carter. Here. Okay, at this time, the minutes of September Planning Commission. Can we get a motion to accept those minutes? So moved. Second. Call a roll. Dr. Coleman. Aye. Miss Kellum. Aye. Mr. South Hall? Aye. Miss Garrison. Mr. Brown. Aye. Ms. Bunting. Chairman Carter. Aye. At this time, we should hear items from our public public hearing items at this time, Mr. O'Neill. She'll give us our some rules, and then he will go into that. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. To ensure that the affairs of the Commission may be conducted in an orderly manner, and to ensure that all persons desiring to address the commission on matters pertinent to it are afforded an opportunity to do so and to permit persons in attendance to observe and hear the proceedings of the commission without distraction and to permit the commission to conduct city business with minimal disruption. The following rules for public hearings and comment are established as follows. Please turn off your cell phone while in the chamber. No person may address the commission until he or she has first been recognized by the chairman. Speakers shall ref shall remain at the podium or microphone while addressing the commission and shall first state their name, address, and in the case of the agent or representative speaking for more than one location, furnish a written list giving names of addresses. Speakers who have signed up may use their allotted time only for themselves and may not donate time to other speakers. Comments must be confined to matters germane to the business of the Commission and shall not be cumulative or repetitive.
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