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Newport News council approves rezoning for Old Fort Eustis project amid heavy neighborhood opposition
Summary
The City Council voted 5-0 Dec. 9 to rezone a 6.297-acre parcel at 628–634 Old Fort Eustis Boulevard to R-7 for a multifamily project despite residents’ repeated public-safety and traffic concerns and requests that the council preserve the property as single-family.
The Newport News City Council adopted an ordinance Dec. 9 to change zoning for a 6.297-acre parcel at 628 and 634 Old Fort Eustis Boulevard from R-4 to R-7 with proffers, approving the application for Fort Eustis Investment Partners LLC by a 5-0 vote. The item (Case Charlie Zulu-2024-0001) followed extended public comment and applicant presentations.
The applicant’s attorney, Tyler Rose, told the council the project team had increased community outreach since an earlier hearing and added design and traffic proffers, including expanding a buffer along the property’s east side from 20 feet to 40 feet, installing an 8-foot privacy fence, preserving evergreen trees with additional shrubs, and committing to traffic improvements recommended in the traffic impact analysis such as a 200-foot eastbound right-turn lane and widening the project entrance to 32 feet. "Respectfully request approval of the matter here tonight," Rose concluded.
Residents and nearby property representatives urged denial. Latonya Clay said, "Approving a high density development with a single access point creates an avoidable public safety hazard," and asked the council to keep the property single-family. Wood Creek resident Anton said the council rejected the same project earlier in the year and that "not many things have changed," citing local crash rankings and warning the development would inject "hundreds of additional daily vehicle movements" onto narrow lanes. Titania Raccoon, representing Wood Creek neighbors, presented nearly 350 petition signatures and raised school-bus safety concerns, saying a traffic signal "will only be considered after accidents occur. That is not an acceptable safety plan." Resident Sean Fowler highlighted the single narrow egress and predicted daily peak-hour congestion.
City staff and project engineers said the proposal complies with the city's comprehensive plan for medium-density (R-7) uses at that location and described stormwater management and standard BMP treatments. Architect Tom Rettnauer and an engineer for the project said they will be available to respond to technical questions.
After public comment, the council closed the hearing, moved to adopt the ordinance and recorded a 5-0 vote in favor. The ordinance’s adopted proffers include the buffer, fence and the commitment to implement traffic improvements identified in the traffic impact analysis; the transcript and public statements did not specify a timetable for the traffic improvements beyond commitments to construct them as part of the project build-out and to perform a warrant analysis for a traffic signal "if needed." The record does not show a council-directed timeline for the traffic signal nor a funding source for off-site traffic mitigation beyond developer proffers.
Next steps: the ordinance was adopted and counsel and staff indicated engineers and applicants will remain available to respond to follow-up questions; no additional council conditions, amendments, or appeals were recorded in the meeting transcript.
