Minutes 04/23/1979 - Laserfiche WebLink

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193 April 2~., 1979 Single-family housing would have a minimum square footage of 1,200 square feet and duplex would have a minimum of 2,200 square feet; except that Lots 188, 189, 190, 191 and 214 shall maintain a minimum floor area of 1,S00 square feet for a single family dwelling or 2,400 square feet for a duplex dwelling. All essential streets and public utilities will be provided by the developer in a form acceptable to the City of Portsmouth and shall not generate demands upon the municipal government for new streets or public utilities. Signed by Agent: Joseph Preziotti, Jr., Planning Consultant, Baldwin & Gregg, and Owner:R. Stuart Baldwin, Associated Churchland Investors" R. Stuart Baldwin, Owner of Associated Churchland Investors, spoke referring to the fol- lowing letter, and stating that the lots would remain the same: "In regard to the rezoning application of Associated Churchland Investors for 13 lots to be rezoned from R-150 to R-75K(duplex), I should like to make a statement. In some of the past public hearings, it has been alleged that promises and commitments of Associated Churchland Investors have not been met. It has been insinuated that we have conducted clandestine operations and have been involved with political influence and favors. None of this is true, though it has been apparent that we have been used as scapegoats for some who are in the local political arena. Since the proceedings of Council do not permit us the opportunity of rebuttal in public hearings, we would like to take this opportunity to rebut the charges. We have been accused of creating a borrow pit and of not fulfilling our commitments. The fact is the so called borrow pit was in existence as a previous excavation when ACI bought the property from the Trotman Estate. This previous excavation was done during World War II in the early 1940's. Inasmuch as the excavation was too deep to fill or use for housin it was our proposal to make this 11.6 acres into a lake. This plan was approved and a permit was granted by the Zoning Board of Appeals in accordance with a plan which was submitted with the application. The lake is now complete and has been constructed as per the approved plan, including the sloping and seeding of the banks. We will continue the maintenance until the banks become stabilized. We have also been charged with not providing open space around the Trotman farm home in Section One. The fact is that when ACI bought the Trotman property, it included this fine old landmark. It was our belief that whereas this fine old farm house should be preserved, that also it would not blend in with a modern subdivision for housing unless sufficient space were to surround it. A number of thoughts and plans were considered. At the presentation to the Planning Commission of the preliminary subdivision, we committed to a 3-acre parcel to go with the house and 5 acres of open space around it. The recorded plat of Section One pro- vides 3.0 acres for the Trotman house and 4.865 acres and a pumping station site. We are still committed to the 4.865 acres of open space. We had originally planned to form a homes associa tion, but this proved too unwieldy, so it ms our intention to turn this open space over to the community by way of the civic league, or some other equivalent vehicle. We have been charged with destroying the values of the existing homes in the community. The fact is nothing further could be in our wishes. At the time of this application, ACI had in excess of 60 lots still unsold. In addition,we have approximately 250 acres of prime real properly which has been planned and zoned but is undeveloped. We wish to protect our property values just as the local residents do theirs. We have been charged with wanting to bail out of a bad deal. We have also been charged by a city employee who is living in a by-product of our creativity of wanting to make a quick buck and run. The fact is we have been making our commitments and payiJng our taxes for over eight years, and we still have a long way to go. We have been accused of building cheap house~ and not in keeping with the neighborhood. The fact is that ACI is not in the house building business. We have tried to sell lots to builders who would build the best housing we could encourage for the local markeT, We have rejected bona fide offers from builders who wanted to build houses lesser than we would allow when we needed the sales. We believe that we have created a well planned community which included a school site and a church site, both of which are now in existence. We have done the best job that we could under the market conditions Ghat we have had to work with. I do not know why property in Portsmouth has considerably less value than similar property in Chesapeake and even less than in Virginia Beach, but even though we did not create this market condition,we have done our best to reverse this trend. We need the continued good will of the citizens of the community and the confidence of the Administration and the Council. We trust that the Council in its wisdom will consider the application on its merits rathe~ than the rhetoric of the few in opposition. At the last Planning Commission hearing, it was the recommendation of the City Planning Director that rezoning be granted on eight*of the lots in question on Parish Lane, leaving the 5 lots on Rivershore Road R-1S0, although this would leave a small strip of R-150 zoning (whic] is the reason they were included in the application). The lots across the street on Rivershor~ Road are compatible in size and personally I feel this is a good recommendation. This was not voted on by the Planning Commission. I recommend that the Council consider this alternati~ Further, we realize that the Planning Commission has not forwarded a positive recommen- dation, but that we have twice presented this application to the Commission. We believe that sufficient information is at hand for the Council to render a decision. Signed by R. Stuart Baldwin, Partner, Associated Churchland Investors."