In March 2010, the Planning Commission denied the request of Suffolk Public Schools to build a school on Copeland Road. This was likely NOT a surprise to the School Board as staff members with the City of Suffolk had already determined that the school site to “be inconsistent with the policies for siting and location for schools as stipulated in the 2026 Comprehensive Plan.”
Additionally, it should have been no surprise that Council upheld the decision of the Planning Commission since the project is not consistent with the Comprehensive Plan. In my dealings with staff in the planning office, one of the things I have learned is that there is a focus on ensuring that projects are aligned and compatible with the Plan. I also learned that there is much discussion for as much time as is needed to work the details of a project with city staff, who also share the recommendations that will be made to the Planning Commission and the Council. District staff likely knew that the project did not match the Comprehensive Plan but allowed its submittal anyway.
Why would the Board submit a project that did not fully meet the Plan’s requirements? Why waste everyone’s time and energies? Am I missing something?
9 comments:
Communication between the Suffolk Public Schools and City Council and staff has been practically nonexistent. This should be no surprise to anyone. The saga surrounding the placement of a new elementary school is just the latest example of this problem. Why did the School Board proceed to submit a project that does not comply with the Comprehensive Plan? Two reasons, first a total disconnect between the two institutions, and second a false sense of total autonomy on the part of the School Systems staff. A 30 minute meeting between Planning staff and the School’s “planner” could have come to the same conclusion as the Planning Commission and City Council. The School Board should have known better. And shame on the City for not realizing the need to lead them by the hand during the process of determining an appropriate location. This is obviously necessary. The question that we should be asking is “why can’t these two of bodies of local government seem to be able to work together when their functions are so dependent on each other?”
I believe this was a case of total disregard for the city's Comprehensive Plan by the School Board. The school administration has built schools all over the city and has full knowledge of what can and cannot be done.
It's up to City Council and the Planning Commission to address the Comp. Plan along the corridors where growth is being experienced down Routes 58, 460, 10, 13 and 32. Once that is resolved then a new school location can be determined.
The council needs better leadership. I read in the SNH that Mr. J.B. Varney of King's Fork HS is retiring and thinking about getting back into politics.
Mr. Varney teaches at King's Fork and coaches several sports, but is retiring this year and thinking about getting BACK into politics. He served on the Botetourt County Board of Supervisors before coming to Suffolk. He said in the article that he only won by 7 votes.
He has been in Suffolk for the past 30 years though and has taught at John Yeates, Nansemond River and now King's Fork.
I wonder what Borough he lives in? He may be in one of the boroughs that is up this year, since he left open the possibility of returning to politics so soon.
As a teacher, he could help the council work with the school board. My councilman is up this year, and I'm not voting for him.
One School Board member from the southern end of towm is still blasting away at City Council's decision not the modify the Comprehensive Plan. Apparently she will not take no for an answer. She wants to have "her" school complete with its own well and sewage system all taken care of with school hirings. She doesn't care how the neighbooring farms are going to manage spraying and harvesting crops nor what type of traffic it will create just as long as she gets her way.
Is that because the property that will be purchased is in the family's name?
THE MISSING POINT: If the school board could agree on a school down in Whaleyville the city would be obligated to supply it with water and sewers. That fact alone would cause a buildup of businesses down there. Sewers and water make miracles. The City Mothers have spent a fortune dressing up that village that now looks like a movie set when you first come across it. Give them sewers and water and watch it grow.
Which village has a greater potential for growth Whaleyville or Holland? Which has more projects on the books? Which has the greater traffic flow? Whaleyville is a way station to Summerton, Gates County and Ahoskie. Holland connects to Carrsville, Franklin, Emporia and major interstates. So which village is likely to experience growth some day and consequently need a school? For the foreseeable future children from these two areas should be bused. The city should look to land purchases in or around Holland now and plan for a new school in about ten years.
In order to have a property re-zoned for the use as a public school, it must first be in the Comprehensive Plan. Then the necessary paper work must be prepared and reviewed by the school administration and the School Board. Before anything else can be done the subject property must be owned by the many friends of Linda Johnson. An option is to cut a check to her favorite Suffolk Mayoral candidate. Following that there should be absolutely no problem going forward with a new school.
Ahem, the for sale sign does not indicate Linda Johnson Realty. Do you want your school or not.
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