Richmond Times Dispatch
January 21, 2007
Meredith Bonney

Richard Brindle shares the woods with towering trees. A racoon sleeps on his outdoor swing. Deer, eagles and vultures come to visit.  Brindle loves his way of life. "You can hear snow falling here," he said.

So Brindle and other residents of the Donegal Glen community fought hard to pause growth and keep their quiet oasis along Pocahontas State Park in Chesterfield County.

He and close to 200 neighbors packed last week's county Planning Commission meeting and persuaded the commission to recommend denying a rezoning request that could have brought 24 new homes to the area.

Such denials are rare -- so rare that in the past 13 months, the commission has recommended denying only five out of more than 50 proposals.  But after more than an hour of impassioned debate, the Planning Commission voted against the rezoning 3-0, with two abstentions.

"The vote to recommend denial is a statement by the Planning Commission that it will not recommend approval of development in areas of the county where infrastructure is currently lack- ing and in which there are no plans in the foreseeable future to improve the infrastructure," said Dan Gecker, chairman of the commission. "The Planning Commission will continue to recommend responsible development to the Board of Supervisors."

The crowd broke into applause.  "There was a real groundswell here," said Kimberly Phelps, one of the residents who worked with Brindle to sway the Planning Commission.

The Donegal Glen residents still have one hurdle -- getting a final vote to deny the request from the Chesterfield Board of Supervisors at its Feb. 28 meeting. Still, the Planning Commission's vote has some county residents wondering whether their message is finally being heard.

"It's like this case is the straw that broke the camel's back," said Brindle, an executive with Kraft.  His wife, Dee, agreed. "People are saying, 'Enough is enough.'"

The proposed rezoning that triggered Donegal Glen's vocal opposition isn't big. It's a 53-acre area south of Spring Run Road and north of Beach Road, between Qualla and Hensley roads.

Green Acres Limited Partnership has proposed building 24 homes there, but residents worried that would just be the beginning. The partnership also owns an adjacent 239-acre tract that was rezoned in 1990 for 259 residential units.

Green Acres isn't letting residents stop its efforts to build in the area.  "I understand people don't want any development in this area," said Carrie E. Coyner, an attorney for the developer. "But it's coming."

After voting against the rezoning, some members of the Planning Commission said they weren't sure what to expect. And some county officials say Chesterfield may need to change its tune when it comes to growth.

Kelly E. Miller, newly elected chairman of the Board of Supervisors, said, "We can't continue to turn a blind eye to business as usual in the growth area."  At least three planning commissioners shared Miller's concerns.

"Yes, there are property rights, and we want to support the property rights -- but at the right time," said F. Wayne Bass, whose district includes Donegal Glen and the area proposed for rezoning.

Commissioner Jack R. Wilson III abstained from voting on the matter. He said he did so because he felt the county may be able to address some of Donegal Glen residents' concerns about roads and other infrastructure elements.

"I do not think we should just be knee-jerk denying cases because we want to appeal to those who want no growth in the county," Wilson said. "I don't know if this is the start of a trend. I still would hope that the Planning Commission would do what it has done in the past and look at each case on its merits."

Russell J. Gulley, vice chairman of the commission, voted to recommend denying the rezoning proposal.  "This is not a matter of stopping growth," he said. "It's a matter of better managing it."

Gulley said that in the past, when the commission has recommended pausing growth, the Board of Supervisors has still approved proposals.

"This is the perfect opportunity for the board to show that it is serious about addressing growth," he said.

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