Virginia Beach City Council Special Formal Session - Public Hearing on Westneck Rezoning and Golf Course Redevelopment (March 24, 2026)

The Virginia Beach City Council held a special formal session on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, beginning at 5:00 PM, to conduct a public hearing and consider a conditional rezoning and modification of proffers for the former Signature at Westneck golf course property at 31 Arnold Palmer Drive. The proposal by Harrison & Lear Incorporated, JBWK LLC, and White Clover LLC sought to rezone approximately 200 acres from P1 Preservation and PDH1 to conditional P1 and PDH2 to allow development of 143 age-restricted (55+) single-family homes and restoration of a nine-hole golf course, clubhouse, and other amenities. The meeting was broadcast on cable TV, Virginia Beach.gov, and Facebook Live. Approximately 110 speakers signed up, and the hearing lasted several hours, including public testimony and council deliberation.

Consent Calendar

• No consent calendar items were noted; the sole item was the public hearing on the rezoning application.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Applicant’s Presentation (Chris Pocta, attorney for Harrison & Lear): Described the proposal as a compromise shaped over four years of community engagement, including 10 committee meetings, 8 hosted meetings with over 560 surrounding homeowners, direct outreach to over 1,200 households, and 6 village-level sessions. The plan entails 143 age-restricted homes on 62 acres (PDH2), with the remaining 135 acres preserved as P1, including a nine-hole golf course, multi-use trails, wet ponds, reforestation, and conservation. Pocta highlighted voluntary proffers requiring the golf course to be operational before homes can be completed, and future ownership of the golf course to be conveyed to a new HOA. He noted that the current open space accessible to residents is only 3.79%, while the plan would increase that to 40.1%.
• Jonathan Skinner (President, Harrison & Lear): Emphasized extensive community outreach and modifications to the plan based on feedback. He described converting 14.66 acres of usable accessible open space to 154 acres, a tenfold increase. He also stressed stormwater improvements and a traffic signal at Signature Drive and West Neck, funded by the developer.
• Audrey Leishman (IRP resident, co-visionary of the golf course): Expressed personal connection to the community (Virginia Beach native, built home on former 5th green) and described efforts to negotiate a 50-year lease with two 15-year extensions to operate the golf course. She confirmed ongoing talks with clubhouse owner Noel Gonzalez.
• Mark Leishman (PGA Tour winner): Committed to investing several million dollars of personal funds into the golf course, aiming for a family-friendly, high-quality nine-hole course with practice facilities. He stated they want to start construction as soon as possible.
• Mike Bennett (Commonwealth Golf Asset Management): Provided a construction timeline of 12–14 months, noting that the golf course corridors already exist and the restoration is straightforward. He cited his 30 years in the golf industry and role as Mid-Atlantic president of the National Golf Course Owners Association.
• Billy Allman (land planner): Described the open space network, focusing on reforestation and managed meadows, with a natural pioneer forest emerging. The plan includes mowed edges for trails and selective vegetation management.
• Gretchen Heel (Hampton Ridge Chamber): Expressed full support for the project, citing additional housing stock critical for economic development and the golf course as a tourist attraction.
• Brian Bowers (IRP resident): Supported the proposal, citing a seven-year history of disrepair and calling the project the only viable option. He mentioned a nearby fire and rodent problems.
• David Smith (IRP resident): Supported the proposal, describing the overgrown property as a “wild pest-ridden thicket” and expressing hope for restored green space and golf.
• Heather Courtraye (IRP resident): Spoke about safety concerns from the abandoned property, including encounters with raccoons, homeless people, and a mentally troubled man. She supported the restoration as a way to regain safety.
• Jenny Perry (Coastal Virginia Building Industry Association): Supported the proposal as a solution to the housing shortage (100,000 unit shortfall across Virginia). She noted that age-restricted housing helps free up homes for families.
• Cheryl Land (Baylake Pines): Supported the project, citing the need for senior housing and the eyesore of the defunct golf course.
• Marie Grendel (Rosecrest Village resident): Supported the balanced approach of nine-hole golf and limited housing, preserving green space and restoring a community centerpiece.
• Mark Dewhurst (IRP resident): Supported the proposal as a “common sense practical compromise” that provides needed housing, restores open space, and improves stormwater management at no taxpayer cost.
• Fred Giles (IRP resident): Initially opposed earlier proposals but now supports the nine-hole golf course concept, calling it a substantial improvement to the neighborhood.
• Jim Cox (Westneck resident): Strongly supported, denouncing the SOTAR group (Save Our Transition Area) for aggressive tactics and intimidation. He said the proposal increases open space by 1000% and provides a top-level golf course.
• Colleen Craig (Westneck resident): Supported the proposal, citing a 10% sales rate in Westneck since Harrison & Lear began work, and disputed SOTAR claims about lot premiums and community opposition.
• Suzanne Feldman (Westneck resident): Supported the proposal, noting the need for a traffic light at the intersection (funded by developer) to improve safety, especially for older drivers.
• Marcy Rush (Westneck resident): Represented the “silenced majority,” describing intimidation by SOTAR, including threats, social media attacks, and FOIA weaponization. She pleaded with council not to let the majority rule.
• Mike Brewer (IRP resident): Recounted a fire on the property in March 2023, describing his panic and reliance on firefighters. He supported the proposal as the best available option.
• Tim Keating (IRP resident, retired Navy four-star): Asked for support to restore Indian River Plantation and Westneck to the ambiance that attracted him to retire in Virginia Beach.
• Brian Levine (IRP resident): Highlighted a key concession: the property owner will give the golf course and open space to the new HOA, ensuring community control. He argued no other option exists.
• Ben Loyola (IRP resident, board member): Spoke on behalf of Indian River Plantation Homeowners Association, expressing full support. He described the abandoned property as a safety hazard (fire, rodents, snakes) and a financial burden, and said 100% of IRP residents in a poll wanted a solution.
• Tom Scott (COMPASS): Pointed out that 86% of speakers at zoning hearings are typically opposed, but here over 50 speakers spoke in support, indicating strong community backing for the proposal.
• Jeff Hunn (Attorney for Westneck HOA): Opposed the application, arguing it violates zoning ordinance Section 1100 (no new PDH districts) and density/open space guidelines. He claimed the developer used intimidation through a supplemental declaration that says the property is not intended for golf, and that litigation has established the HOA’s interest in the golf course.
• Sharon Williams (Westneck HOA President): Opposed rezoning, stating the board supports maintaining transition area rules and that a golf course does not require rezoning.
• Nancy Connew (Westneck resident): Opposed, saying P1 zoning should be honored and calling the proposal a “divide and conquer” tactic.
• Joy Sharples (Westneck resident): Opposed, pointing out that the map shows construction access through Wordsworth, disrupting walking and quality of life.
• Ted Quinter (Browningstone condominium board president): Opposed, arguing that approval would break the covenant with citizens, set a dangerous precedent, and that the proposal does not address affordable housing (homes priced $575–750K). He cited the Fourth Circuit Court ruling that Westneck HOA can enforce maintenance.
• Numerous other opposition speakers raised concerns about construction duration, emergency access, health impacts on seniors (asthma, COPD), loss of property values, and the irreversibility of rezoning P1 land.
• WebEx speakers: Deborah Schumate and John Schumate supported the proposal as a workable compromise; Ken Landville opposed, citing alternative legal remedies through the Fourth Circuit ruling.
• Rebuttal (Chris Pocta): Noted that P1 land has been rezoned at least three times before; emphasized that the golf course sits between two communities and support came from both; argued that proffers are part of the rezoning process and not “broken promises.”

Discussion Items

• Councilmember Barbara Henley moved to deny the application, citing the rezoning request does not align with density/open space guidelines (2.79 units/acre vs. 1 unit/acre recommended) and would set a precedent threatening open space across the city. She stated the character of Westneck would be destroyed.
• Councilmember Stacey (opposed): While respecting the applicant, he noted the animosity created by the owner’s neglect and the forced nature of the proposal. He worried about a precedent for developers if this is allowed.
• Councilmember Ross (approved): Emphasized change is constant; the property is a nuisance; housing is a high priority (Navy request); and health/safety concerns compel approval.
• Several other councilmembers spoke briefly. The first motion to deny failed 3-8.
• A substitute motion to approve was made and seconded. It passed 9-2.

Key Outcomes

• The City Council voted 9-2 to approve the conditional rezoning and modification of proffers for the Preserve at Westneck, allowing development of 143 age-restricted homes and restoration of a nine-hole golf course.
• The motion to deny the application failed 3-8.
• The approval includes proffers requiring the golf course to be operational before home construction can complete, and future conveyance of the golf course and open space to a new HOA.
• The developer will fund a traffic signal at Signature Drive and West Neck Road.
• Council directed that the developer will be expected to be good neighbors, and the city will continue to monitor code compliance.
• The decision sets a precedent for transitioning P1 preservation land to residential use within the transition area, which opponents argued could have far-reaching implications for other protected lands in Virginia Beach.