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Planning commission approves Coastal Virginia Developers’ permit for five townhouses in Port Norfolk
Summary
The Portsmouth Planning Commission voted to approve a conditional use permit allowing Coastal Virginia Developers to subdivide three parcels and build five townhomes on Douglas Avenue in the Port Norfolk historic residential district, with conditions reflecting the Historic Preservation Commission’s certificate of appropriateness.
The Portsmouth Planning Commission on June 3 approved a conditional use permit for Coastal Virginia Developers to construct five two‑story townhomes on two parcels at 43436 and 442 Douglas Avenue in the Port Norfolk historic residential zoning district.
Staff planner Patrice Branch told commissioners the application proposes to re-subdivide three parcels into five individual lots and build five two‑story townhomes, each about 20 feet wide by 50 feet deep with roughly 2,000 square feet of living space, three bedrooms and 2½ baths. Branch said the combined acreage is approximately 0.47 acres and that the properties are shown as mixed residential on the Build1 Portsmouth comprehensive plan.
“An approved use permit is required for townhouse dwellings within the historic residential zoning district,” Branch said, and noted the applicant had obtained a certificate of appropriateness from the Historic Preservation Commission; that certificate and the architectural elevations were incorporated into the permit conditions.
Attorney Grady Palmer, representing Coastal Virginia Developers, said the company sought the conditional use permit to maximize the number of housing units and keep prices lower than comparable single‑family lots would allow. “This maximizes the availability of affordable housing in the city of Portsmouth,” Palmer told the commission.
Neighbors who spoke at the public hearing urged the commission to preserve the single‑family character of Port Norfolk. John Lipsky, of the Port Norfolk Civic League, said the neighborhood has built single‑family homes since the district’s 1984 designation and urged denial: “These townhouses are definitely not consistent with the guidelines or with their historic neighbors,” he said. Donna Biggs, another resident, said she wanted development that honors the neighborhood’s historic look.
Commission discussion focused on compatibility with the historic district and the Historic Preservation Commission’s conditions. After a motion to approve with conditions, the planning commission recorded a vote described in the record as 5–2–1 in favor of the permit. The planning commission’s action is a recommendation to city council per the normal approval process.
