The city of Suffolk has a five-page wish list for the Virginia General Assembly when it convenes next month.

The city’s 2009 legislative agenda includes transportation projects totaling $599 million, a request to change the state code regarding family transfers, and a request for a change in state code to be able to appoint eight EDA members, rather than seven.

Transportation needs take up a full page in the city’s legislative agenda.

“In order to address significant transportation deficiencies and to foster future major economic development initiatives funding is desperately needed for the following projects,” a draft of the agenda says.

The five projects listed include improvements related to increased rail traffic ($350 million), replacement of the Kings Highway Bridge ($65 million), widening Holland Road to six lanes ($94 million), widening Nansemond Parkway to a four-lane divided median roadway from Northgate Industrial Park to Interstate 664 ($25 million), and construction of a parallel bridge over the Nansemond River ($65 million).

The agenda also outlines the need for the projects. The Kings Highway Bridge replacement “is needed to address a 19 mile detour that has been created by the closure of this bridge,” the agenda says. The widening of Holland Road is needed to accommodate existing traffic and traffic from the port. A wider Nansemond Parkway is critical to successful development of Northgate Industrial Park, and a bridge over the Nansemond River is needed to prevent hours-long detours in case the bridge needs to be closed because of accidents or repair.

A separate request asks for state code to be amended to make the family transfer ordinance an optional provision. State code currently states that all counties and the city of Suffolk must provide such an ordinance.

“The city of Suffolk would rather have its own discretion in regard to family transfer subdivisions,” the agenda says.

City Council and the Planning Commission have bandied a request from a Suffolk resident for an exception to the ordinance for nearly a year. The resident got a better-paying job out of town, and wanted to sell his house, but cannot unless he gets an exception.

The agenda also asks for a request for an exception to state code stating that the Economic Development Authority will have seven members. Several such exceptions have been approved for other localities. The city is asking for the exception because council will have eight members in January, and wants the city’s boards and commissions to mirror council.

Other requests include the lifting of use restrictions on Driver Transmitter Station, which the city would like to turn into a recreational complex; and increased lease funding for the Social Services budget to cover the rent increase for the new Health and Human Services building.

In addition, the city pledged to monitor discussions of impact fee authority, legislation concerning wastewater approval processes, groundwater regulations and Miss Utility markings. The agenda also makes clear that Suffolk opposes unfunded and underfunded mandates.