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Planning commission backs 685-space parking lot on Harper Avenue to support NASSCO operations
Summary
The commission recommended approval of a use permit for a 14.84-acre parking facility at 2000 Harper Avenue to support increased personnel for ship maintenance at General Dynamics NASSCO, subject to conditions including compliance with a traffic-impact analysis and stormwater controls.
The Portsmouth Planning Commission on Aug. 5 recommended approval of a use permit to develop a 14.84-acre surface parking facility at 2000 Harper Avenue to support industrial operations, including maintenance of larger vessels at General Dynamics NASSCO.
Planner Patrice Branch told commissioners the subject parcel is about 21.3 acres overall and zoned industrial; the parking facility would occupy the vacant eastern portion and provide approximately 685 vehicle spaces. Branch said the site is partly within the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area’s resource protection zone and that the applicant had taken steps to avoid environmental encroachment.
A traffic impact analysis submitted for the project estimates the lot could generate about 550 vehicle trips during each of the AM and PM peak hours and recommends intersection and driveway improvements. As a condition of approval, staff included requirements that the development implement the TIA recommendations. The proposed site plan shows two 30-foot-wide driveways on Harper Avenue, each with sliding gates and a staffed guard shack, and a new sidewalk within the public right of way.
Devin Simpson and Robin Niss of Kimley-Horn, the project consultants, told the commission the lot’s surface will be permeable pavement (permeable asphalt or permeable concrete) to meet stormwater infiltration requirements. Simpson said the lot will help NASSCO park personnel associated with ship maintenance and enable the yard to serve larger vessels.
Commissioners moved to approve the use permit with staff-recommended conditions. The commission recorded the approval by electronic vote and announced the item as approved 5-0. The approval will be forwarded to City Council for final action.
Why it matters: The lot is intended to provide industrial-support parking tied to naval ship maintenance; the TIA-related conditions and permeable surface aim to manage traffic and environmental impacts.
Next steps: The project must implement the TIA recommendations, comply with Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area rules, and satisfy the planning department’s conditions before permits are issued.
