Semper Farm rezoning deferred after neighbors raise traffic and safety concerns

Residents from the Simple Farm Road neighborhood pressed the Hampton City Council on safety, traffic and neighborhood character on a rezoning application for about 7.93 acres at 31, 39, 41 and 49 Simple Farm Road.

The council opened a public hearing on rezoning application 24-0278 from R-11 (single-family) to MD-1 (townhouse/multifamily) but staff said the applicant had requested a deferral. Neighbors who signed up to speak urged the council to retain single-family zoning and to reject plans that would place 67 townhomes at the corner of Simple Farm Road and Neil Armstrong Parkway.

Stephanie Winder, speaking for Simple Farm Road residents, said the neighborhood includes multigenerational families and a historic church and asked councilmembers to "keep our communities zoned as single family homes." Marilyn Leeper, a 23-year resident, said the two‑lane road will not be widened soon, described existing pedestrian traffic near multiple apartment complexes and a church cemetery, and said she opposed the proposed 67 townhomes as a public‑safety risk.

Another resident who organized a neighborhood town hall, Matthew Winder, told the council the community was not opposed to development but wanted inclusion and alternatives that preserve single‑family character. Multiple speakers also asked council to evaluate sidewalks, street lighting, school bus routing and emergency access before approving denser development.

Given the applicant's request and the number of residents who spoke, the council voted to defer rezoning application 24-0278 to the council's Dec. 11 meeting to allow further engagement and plan revisions. The motion to defer was moved, seconded and carried by recorded vote.