The Gloucester County Planning Commission unanimously voted last Thursday to recommend denial of a rezoning application that would allow 120 townhouse units on nearly 30 acres of land between Tidemill Road and Guinea Road, a project known as Tidemill Townhomes. The meeting was held in the T.C. Walker Education Center auditorium to accommodate the anticipated crowd.
The applicant, Destino Jubilacion, LLC, requested that seven parcels on the property be rezoned from single-family residential (SF-1) to multi-family residential (MF-1). The property is currently vacant and undeveloped. The company stated that it would not exceed 7.5 units per acre.
Planning and zoning staff recommended that the commission vote to recommend denial of the project for multiple reasons, including improper spot zoning since the new zoning would be different from the zoning of surrounding properties.
The auditorium was packed with people upset about the prospect of the project coming to their neighborhood. Residents raised concerns over increased traffic and noise, as well as negative impacts to the area’s rural character and wildlife.
“Gloucester is a rural community that’s not made up of a bunch of townhomes” said Mike Kinser, expressing his frustration of recent townhouse developments in the county. “I believe enough is enough. Gloucester must not turn into another York County, Newport News or Hampton.”
“I can’t get my mail because I can’t step out onto Tidemill to open the mailbox because it’s constant traffic,” said Shelley Kinser, arguing that the area is too busy to add more townhouses and traffic. “It takes me three lights to get out onto 17.”
“The proposed development will strain our infrastructure, leading to traffic issues, noise pollution, strain on public services,” said Kelly Crowley. “Additionally, this will result in significant environmental damage, destroying natural habitats and putting wildlife at risk.”
“We never imagined moving to the city, nor did we imagine the city would move to us,” said John Carpenter. “To change the zoning to allow high-density housing right on top of us and our neighbors is just unconscionable.”
Resident T.J. Patterson also expressed his disapproval for Tidemill Townhomes, but voiced his concern with other similar housing developments with the county.
“What I’m asking for is a pause in high-density housing approvals until written plans link growth to infrastructure, developer accountability, real contributions to roads, EMS and clinics, not vague promises, guaranteed funding and full staff jobs for our fire and rescue teams, modern upgrades to roads, broadband, sewer and water before another rezoning is approved,” said Patterson. “This isn’t about stopping progress. It’s about protecting what makes Gloucester worth calling home. It’s about peaceful neighborhoods, not packed parking lots.”
After an hour and a half of public comment, Alistair Ramsay, speaking on behalf of the applicant, asked the planning commission to hold off on voting for or against the rezoning due to documents not yet received from the Army Corps of Engineers about the wetlands impact of the project. According to Ramsay, the federal government shutdown has delayed the review process.
“I think we knew this information coming in here tonight,” said planner Douglas Johnson. “I think we’ve had a hearing. I think these folks knew this coming into this hearing tonight, and we could have staved off this hearing and allowed ourselves the opportunity to get this material. I think we knew that. We’ve had a hearing.”
“I think we’ve gone through two hours of public hearing and I think we owe a vote,” agreed planning commission member Chris Poulson.
The planners voted 6-0 to recommend denial of the rezoning case to the Board of Supervisors.