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Poquoson planning commissioners ask for more public input on Oakmore; staff to return Oct. 20
Summary
The Poquoson City Planning Commission discussed public engagement strategies and stormwater concerns tied to future phases of the Oakmore development, directed staff to return with draft language Oct. 20 for a joint work session and public hearings, and adjourned by roll call.
Poquoson City Planning Commission members spent the meeting focusing on how to broaden public input on proposed changes related to the Oakmore development and on stormwater runoff concerns tied to future phases of the project.
Commissioners and staff repeatedly encouraged residents to use existing contacts rather than relying solely on social media. Unidentified Staff (Speaker 1) said, "We have our individual emails are readily available. Our phone numbers and if we're in the office and someone comes to the counter with a question, we come to the counter and answer it." The exchange followed comments from an attendee who suggested Facebook as a forum for gathering comments and noted a perceived lack of city presence online.
Commissioners and staff also raised environmental concerns tied to Oakmore. An unidentified commissioner said the commission should be aware of stormwater and runoff issues; an attendee (Speaker 5) said developers have considered additional Oakmore phases "about 3 or 4 times" over the years and that such proposals had not proceeded "to a large degree because of the environment." Commissioners asked that technical staff, including traffic and engineering experts, be available for future discussions.
On next steps, staff told the commission they will return with draft language on Oct. 20 and that a joint work session would follow before formal public hearings. "That meeting is October 20 at at 07:00," an unidentified staff member said, and they added that a work session may precede the regular session and that meeting materials would be posted online.
The meeting concluded with a motion to adjourn. Raffner moved to adjourn and Speaker 3 seconded. The body conducted a roll-call vote in which Commissioners Peterson, Hirsch, Hartley and Yeager, Vice Chairman Geisinger and Chairwoman Schott voted "Aye"; the motion passed and the meeting was adjourned.
The planning commission directed staff to summarize meeting comments in next month’s staff memo and to schedule time for engineering input when the commission resumes discussion of Oakmore. Public hearings and any subsequent votes will be scheduled after the joint work session and publication of the draft language.
