The Virginian-Pilot
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NORFOLK
After a spirited hearing, the City Council approved a proposal Tuesday night to allow a $3 million, 21-unit apartment building to be built in the Highland Park neighborhood.
The 5-3 vote came after more than a dozen Highland Park residents pleaded with the council to block the proposal. Other speakers said the development would upgrade the neighborhood.
The neighborhood, to the east of Old Dominion University’s University Village, includes dozens of apartments and rental homes catering to ODU students. Civic league leaders said the city has been lax in enforcing code violations, including illegal boarding houses, broken windows and trash.
“The neighborhood has been beaten up,” Councilman Barclay C. Winn said.
However, a majority of the council agreed with attorney Peter G. Decker III, who represents developer Dietrich Heyder, that the rezoning is proper. Heyder consented to requests from council members to limit tenants to one per bedroom, allow inspections twice a year by the city and have decal-controlled parking.
Mayor Paul Fraim and Vice Mayor Anthony L. Burfoot joined Paul R. Riddick, Don Williams and W. Randy Wright in voting yes. Voting no were Winn, Theresa Whibley and Daun S. Hester.
The 3/4-acre site is at the intersection of 51st Street and Killam Avenue on the Lafayette River. Nearly all of the land west of Killam Avenue is zoned for high density or developed with apartments or university facilities, including dormitories.
“This development will improve the neighborhood,” Decker said.
Highland Park Civic League head Dale Ryder, who has lived in the neighborhood since 1980, disagreed. He said previous rezonings to encourage single-family housing are working.
“We are witnessing a resurgence in Highland Park,” he said.
A new apartment building will deal the neighborhood a setback, he argued.
Decker said it will have the opposite effect, that rents will be higher than surrounding apartments and rental homes.
Some of the more than 50 Highland Park residents who attended the meeting appeared upset when Fraim cast the deciding vote.
“There’s going to be an election,” someone shouted as spectators exited the meeting.
Harry Minium, (757) 446-2371, harry.minium@pilotonline.com
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Sadly,
with our current ward system an election will have little impact. The only person that went against the wishes of the community he represents is Mayor Paul Fraim. Do you think the people of Ocean View care how Randy Wright votes, if it is not an Ocean View Issue? Or Riddicks electorate? As long as it is not in their neighborhood, isn't that how it works? Great thanks to Mrs. Hester, Dr, Whibly, and Mr. Winn.
Connections, connections, connections
Developer has more connections than residents. the restrictions mentioned here by council are laughable and unenforable. one tenant per bedroom (?) yeh right. So goes the impotent civic league efforts and voice. All hail the big bucks - more apts? yep that'll help rejuvenante the neighborhood NOT, it will just give the criminals easy pickings when their time comes around.