CHESAPEAKE, Va. — The Chesapeake Planning Commission voted 7-1 to recommend denial of the rezoning of the former White’s Nursery and Garden Center property in Deep Creek.
Neighbors applauded after the vote on the proposed Stockton Meadows development, which calls for up to 296 homes across roughly 75 acres along Old Mill Road and Weiss Lane.
News 3 Chesapeake reporter Erin Holly has been following plans for the property since last year, when neighbors first raised concerns about how hundreds of additional homes could affect traffic, schools and other infrastructure in Deep Creek.
Watch previous coverage: Deep Creek neighbors concerned about potential rezoning of former White's Nursery into residential development
Those concerns were emphasized by several neighbors at the Planning Commission meeting last week.
“My husband and I, alone, are raising our special needs nonverbal grandson who attends an already exhausted and undermanned school here in the creek,” Deep Creek neighbor Donna Miller told commissioners. “We are the folks that will be affected by the rezoning.”
Kotarides Developers' current proposal includes 100 detached single-family condominiums, 140 attached townhouse-style condominiums and 56 units in four-plex buildings.
The developer’s initial formal submission called for 359 units, according to a Chesapeake Planning Department staff report. City staff then asked the developer to reduce that number to bring the project in line with the city’s comprehensive plan, resulting in the current proposal for up to 296 homes.
City planning staff had previously recommended approval of the rezoning with several conditions designed to address concerns surrounding the project, including the timing of construction.
The city’s review found Deep Creek Central Elementary is currently at 137.2% capacity, above the city’s level-of-service standard of no more than 120%. A new elementary school is under construction in Culpepper Landing, and the city expects the Stockton Meadows property to be zoned for that school once it opens.
Traffic is another concern.
Watch previous coverage: Nearly 300 homes proposed for former White’s Nursery as rezoning heads to Chesapeake Planning Commission
The city found the intersection of George Washington Highway and Moses Grandy Trail near the Deep Creek Bridge currently operates at a failing Level of Service F during morning and afternoon peak travel times.
The city expects conditions at the intersection to improve after the ongoing Deep Creek Bridge replacement and expansion project is completed. The city's analysis anticipates the intersection operating at Level of Service C after the project, even with traffic generated by Stockton Meadows.
Watch related coverage: Traffic to shift onto new bridge in Chesapeake as Deep Creek Bridge Project reaches major milestone
A traffic impact analysis estimates Stockton Meadows would generate approximately 2,428 vehicle trips per day.
To address the existing school and traffic conditions, the developer agreed that building permits would not be requested or issued until the new Culpepper Landing elementary school opens and the new Deep Creek Bridge project is complete, or Jan. 1, 2029, whichever comes first.
The proposal also includes several improvements and amenities for the surrounding area. Kotarides would dedicate approximately six acres to Chesapeake for a future public park and construct a 10-foot-wide multi-use trail along the property's frontage on Old Mill Road and Weiss Lane.
Plans also include land for future road widening, improvements around Old Mill Road and Weiss Lane and property that could eventually help the city straighten the curve along Old Mill Road. Stockton Meadows itself would include sidewalks, trails and private recreational amenities.
The property has been in the White family for nearly a century. A member of the White family previously told News 3 the family grew its last crop at the nursery in spring 2024. He said the family was sad it could no longer continue farming and selling flowers because of economic challenges facing the business, but believes the community needs additional housing.
The Planning Commission’s 7-1 vote to recommend denial is only a recommendation. The Stockton Meadows proposal will next go before Chesapeake City Council, which will have the final say on the rezoning.
Watch for Erin Holly's reporting on News 3 and WTKR.com. Have a story idea or tip for Erin? Email her.
Click here to see how we use AI at WTKR News 3.
