Council approves rezoning for group home at 1644 Briarfield Road to permit juvenile residence/shelter

Hampton City Council approved Rezoning 25-0576 to expand permitted uses at 1644 Briarfield Road to include group home 1, group home 2, juvenile residence or shelter, after a staff presentation and without public speakers.

Chief Planner Donald Whipple summarized that the property contains an existing roughly 8,000-square-foot building with living spaces, common areas, kitchen, laundry and office space. The site had previously been rezoned to MD-1 with nine conditions; the current rezoning expands the allowable uses in response to community needs. Staff said the rezoning fits city land-use policies supporting housing opportunities for people with special needs and adaptive reuse of a vacant building.

Whipple said planning staff recommended approval subject to ten proffered conditions that limit the allowed uses to the stated groups and address fencing, on-site signage, maintenance, lighting and preservation of the building’s architectural character. No members of the public signed up to speak during the public hearing. The council voted to approve the rezoning, with the roll call recorded as “Aye” by Councilman Randy Bowman, Vice Mayor Steve Brown, Councilwoman Carolyn Campbell, Councilwoman Ferebee, Councilwoman Hope Harper, Councilwoman Martha Mugler and Mayor Jimmy Gray.

Staff and the Planning Commission recommended approval; the rezoning will allow the Hampton Redevelopment and Housing Authority, which owns or controls the property, to pursue leasing or operations that address community needs for group-home or shelter functions. The proffered conditions require compliance with site maintenance, signage and building material quality standards, and standard compliance/revocation language.