York Notebook: Supes to Consider 444 New Homes and More

By Sam Thrift Monday, February 20, 2012

The Board of Supervisors will be voting on a mixed-used development that got mixed recommendations from staff and the York Planning Commission and AT&T has improved service in Yorktown. Read more about what is happening in York County below.

Board of Supervisors meeting
The Board of Supervisors will hear an application to build a mixed-used development with 444 residential units near Kiln Creek. The York County Planning Commission’s voted 4-2 to recommend approval; that vote went against York County staff’s recommendation to deny it.

The staff showed concern about the increased volume of traffic and students that the development will bring. Lacking a completed project in York County to compare the Commonwealth Green development with, the staff found it difficult to predict how the development would affect the surrounding area.

Commissioners were concerned about the location of the 49.5 acres of land where the Commonwealth Green development will be built, along with the fact that two mixed-use development projects approved by the board are currently underway. The proposed property is a landlocked parcel that begins at the end of Commonwealth Drive on the east side of York County, which is behind the Regal Kiln Creek Cinema on its northwesterly border, and just south of Coxton's on Route 17 to the southeast. The property borders the City of Newport News to the west.

According to the staff report, the development will consist of a maximum of 334 rental apartments, 94 town homes, 16 “live-above” rental units, and a minimum of 40,610 square feet of commercial space. According to Thomas Tucker, president of First Financial Consulting Corporation, a partner of Commonwealth Green LLP, the town homes will cost around $200,000 and the apartments will fluctuate in price according to their size.

Read more about the development by clicking here. The Board of Supervisors will meet at 6 p.m. on Feb. 22 at York Hall.

Better AT&T wireless coverage
AT&T announced last Friday the availability of its mobile broadband network along Old Williamsburg Road and at the Yorktown Naval Weapons Station.

According to a press release, the network enhancement will extend access for advanced mobile services, devices and feature-rich audio and video content to customers.

“Demand for wireless bandwidth is growing rapidly, and we want to provide the best network for our customers, especially for our brave military service members and their families,” said J. Michael Schweder, president of AT&T Mid-Atlantic in a press release. “We’re excited to bring mobile broadband coverage to Yorktown.”

Pruning clinic
The York County office of the Virginia Cooperative Extension will sponsor a free pruning clinic March 3.

The clinic will be held in the Seaford area of York County from 1 to 3 p.m. Registration is required. Upon registration, the clinic address will be given, along with directions to the site.

To register, email ex199@vt.edu or call the Extension office at 890-4940.