Numerous projects are either OK’d or pending

By Diana McFarland

Managing editor

A housing development approved more than 30 years ago is on the move, along with a few others approved more recently, for a total of 692 units — all in the Carrollton area. 

Timber Preserve, located along Smith’s Neck Road, is slated for 250 single-family homes and 90 townhouses. The preliminary subdivision plat is under review, Isle of Wight Director of Planning and Zoning Amy Ring told the Board of Supervisors during a planning retreat Monday. 

The project was approved in 1986.{mprestriction ids=”1,2,3,4,5,6″}

Ring outlined a series of other projects in the northern end of Isle of Wight — either already approved, under construction or expected to be submitted for rezoning. If all the projects that are now either approved or pending are eventually built, they will total more than 3,530 housing units. 

Projects more recently approved and moving forward are The Crossings, which calls for 190 condominiums and commercial space, as well as Brewer’s Station, which has 162 apartments mixed with commercial. 

The Crossings, located at the intersection of Brewers Neck and Carrollton boulevards, is under review and the developers plan to build the housing units first, said Ring. 

Brewer’s Station, located near the intersection of Brewer’s Neck and New Towne Haven Lane, is in the midst of having its initial site plan review, said Ring. 

After Timber Preserve gets its subdivision plat approved, the developer needs to submit construction plans and then a final plat, said Ring. 

Once all homeowner’s association documents, BMP maintenance and other agreements are approved, the plat is recorded and the developer can begin selling lots, said Ring. 

Ring expects the Timber Preserve developers to aim for beginning construction in the spring of 2020. 

The development was originally approved for a community wastewater treatment plant, not HRSD, and the developer, Burt Cutright of BECO Construction, will have to pay for that and get it permitted, said Ring. 

Public sewer cannot be extended outside the Newport Development Service District, said Ring, describing an area set aside for higher density development. 

The next step for The Crossings is to submit a preliminary plat and final plat, said Ring. 

After the Brewer’s Station developers has its final site plan approved, it can apply for zoning, stormwater and building permits. They are also a few months off from beginning construction, said Ring.  

Ring also updated the Supervisors on a few other projects, all in the northern end of the county, that are going to be submitted for rezoning — Channel Farm (up to 340 units), Sweetgrass (685 units) and the Seasons (150 units).

Channel Farm, also known as the Pitt-Lippe tract, is located behind Bojangles along Carrollton Boulevard in the Eagle Harbor area. 

Sweetgrass is the former Yeoman Farm just outside the Town of Smithfield along Benn’s Church Boulevard, and the Seasons is located in Smithfield behind Royal Farms along Battery Park Road. 

Currently under construction are 194 single family homes in the Cypress Creek neighborhood in Smithfield; Benn’s Grant with a total of 536 units; and Briar Glen (formerly Carrollton Meadows) with 43 single family homes — for a total of 773 units. 

Already approved in the northern end of Isle of Wight, but currently dormant are St. Luke’s Village (179 units plus retail); Bridgepoint Commons (230 condominiums plus retail); Red Oaks mobile home park (191 units); Carrollton condos (34 units); and Mallory Pointe in Smithfield (265 units), for another 899 homes.

Several projects — namely Channel Farms, Sweetgrass and Cypress Creek — are either fully or partially age-restricted. 

Age-restricted falls under two categories and is sanctioned by the federal government — everyone is either over 62 years of age or 80 percent of residents have to be over the age of 55, said Isle of Wight County attorney Bobby Jones.  {/mprestriction}