Planning commission recommends approval of Duncan Manor preliminary plat for 29-lot subdivision

The Accomack County Planning Commission on Sept. 10 recommended approval of PLAT-000135-2025, a preliminary plat to create a 29-lot single-family subdivision in Duncan Manor.

The recommendation came after a staff presentation by Lee Pandit, Deputy County Administrator for Community and Economic Development, who said the proposal would consolidate a group of existing 50-foot lots into wider 60-foot lots and reduce the total number of building lots in the mapped area to 29. Pandit said the 14.28-acre site is a mix of business- and agricultural-zoned parcels in the village development area and is served by Anancock Water and the Hampton Roads Sanitation District (HRSD).

Pandit told commissioners the commission is acting in a recommending role under the subdivision ordinance: "this is a preliminary plat review, where the planning commission, by provision of the zoning ordinance, provides a recommendation to the subdivision agent, who is me." He cited Sections 78-9(c) and (d) of the county zoning/subdivision rules during his presentation.

Chris Carball of Atlantic Group, the applicant's representative, described the project as a consolidation and improvement of an existing platted area. "We are simply taking 50 foot wide lots and making them 60 foot wide," Carball said, adding the developer expects to offer house lots to builders and to provide a turnaround at the end of the road for emergency access. He said the developer intends sidewalks and street lighting and expects to pave the existing gravel road and upgrade it to current VDOT standards.

A resident, Sharon Bonawell of Lot 27, asked whether new lots would be served by town water. Pandit answered that the subdivision would be served by Anancock town water and that existing private wells would not be forced to connect.

Pandit and staff said the subdivision must precede any special-use-permit process for residential uses in the business district because the Board of Zoning Appeals needs to know the number and configuration of lots when reviewing special-use permits. Staff recommended approval, noting the proposal is consistent with the county's growth management strategy and the village development area land‑use designation and that it responds to housing inventory needs identified in the March 2022 housing study.

Commissioner [unnamed] moved that the commission recommend approval of PLAT-000135-2025 to the subdivision agent; the motion was seconded by Commissioner Tyler and approved by voice vote. The commission closed the public hearing after the vote. The commission's recommendation will be forwarded to the subdivision agent (the deputy county administrator) for the next steps in the plat and special-use process.

The staff report included renderings of possible housing types but described those as nonbinding; staff noted single‑family dwellings in the business district require a special-use permit from the Board of Zoning Appeals and that the planning commission does not make decisions on variances or special-use permits.