Suffolk News-Herald

Concerns about the rapid growth in northern Suffolk dominated the public comment portion of Wednesday’s Suffolk City Council meeting.

Evelyn Jones, who lives in the Glen Forest subdivision, urged council members to deny developer L.M. Sandler and Son’s request for a cluster development density bonus of 72 homes for River Club, its proposed development off Shoulders Hill Road. If approved, the subdivision would have 377 homes rather than the allowed 305.

Residents are mostly concerned by the increased traffic the development would generate.

&uot;Right now, there are 35 homes on Bobwhite Lane,&uot; Jones said. &uot;At build-out, the two-lane road will be serving 800 homes.&uot;

One effective way of dealing with the problem would be the realignment of Pughsville Road and Bobwhite Lane, Jones said.

Portsmouth lawyer Robert Barclay, representing convenience store owner John Dodson, expressed concern that future widening of Shoulders Hill Road could infringe upon the footprint of his business at the intersection of Bridge and Shoulders Hill roads.

Handled the wrong way, Barclay said, it could potentially create problems for Dodson with underground storage tank locations and mandates of the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act.

Dodson is also worried that it could interfere with the future sale of property he owns on the Shoulders Hill Road corridor.

Pughsville Road residents Charlie Richardson and Leon Mann told council that contractors working in their rapidly growing northern Suffolk community are clogging ditches with debris.

&uot;I have no problem with the construction, it raises the value of my property,&uot; said Richardson. &uot;But construction crews are stopping up the ditches.

&uot;During the last storm, I had to stop and pick up wood with nails in it just to turn in my driveway.&uot;

Mann questioned what responsibilities the contractors and city has to the neighborhood.

&uot;What bothers me most is that they just don’t seem to care,&uot; Mann said.

Manning Road resident William Harward said he wants the toll booth removed from the Lone Star Lakes Park entrance, that taxpayers should not have to pay $2 entrance fee.

&uot;I want to thank (U.S. Rep.) Randy Forbes for getting the parking lot fixed at the Holland Post Office,&uot; Harward said. &uot;His staff has promised to look into the post office lot problems in Whaleyville.&uot;

Bennetts Creek resident Leroy Schmidt said he believes residents want to elect their mayor.