Newport News’ City Council voted 5-0 on Dec. 9 to adopt an ordinance approving the Iverson Landing rezoning despite vigorous public opposition from nearby Wood Creek residents who said the site’s single access point and constrained roads pose a public-safety risk.

Public-comment speakers detailed a string of concerns about traffic, drainage and long-term costs the city could inherit. Latonya Clay told the council, "Approving a high density development with a single access point creates an avoidable public safety hazard." Anton Ricoon, a Wood Creek resident, said the project would "inject hundreds of additional daily vehicle movements" into a corridor he described as narrow and previously rated among the city's more dangerous intersections. Another resident warned that traffic studies do not always predict human behavior at busy merges and left turns, saying drivers acting under time pressure can create “a bit dangerous” conditions.

Project representatives defended the plan as consistent with the comprehensive plan and city goals to increase housing supply. A project representative described mitigation steps included in the traffic-impact analysis — a 200-foot eastbound right-turn lane on Fort Eustis Boulevard, widening Old Fort Eustis Boulevard to 32 feet in the project area, improvements to the Old Stable Road entrance, and a warrant analysis for a traffic signal as the development builds out. The developer said the team "are committed to developing a very nice project" and that it had undertaken community engagement over the prior 10 months.

Council closed the public hearing and adopted the ordinance after the presentations and comments. The project as discussed would include roughly 120 units and a single primary egress; council and staff did not record additional, binding proffer timelines on the record during the motion.

What happens next: Council adopted the rezoning and the related ordinance on the floor; implementation will proceed through permitting and any conditions tied to site-plan review. Several residents asked the city to require enforceable proffers or additional traffic-safety measures before building permits are issued.