Hampton denies Gates at South Hampton

The Hampton city council voted 4-1 (Mitchell opposed, Turner absent) to deny first reading of the proposed Gates at South Hampton subdivision. The council considered the request on February 11.

Gates at South Hampton consists of 244.66 +/- acres located between Floyd Road and South Hampton Road south of Cobblestone Ridge subdivision. The applicant, HP Henry LLC, had proposed 389 lots on the property.

The council will consider second reading of the request in March. All city of Hampton ordinances are considered twice before either being adopted or denied.

The project includes several components and the council voted 4-1 on each of the following:

• To deny an amendment to the comprehensive land use plan from rural residential to low-density residential for 201.43 +/- acres located off Floyd Road.
• To deny an amendment to the comprehensive land use plan from rural residential to low-density residential for 43.23 +/- acres located off South Hampton Road.
• To deny a rezoning request from RA (residential agricultural) to R-3 (single-family residential) for 201.43 +/- acres located off Floyd Road.
• To deny a rezoning request from RA (residential agricultural) to R-3 (single-family residential) for 43.23 +/- acres located off South Hampton Road.

The council will also consider the second reading to annex the forty-three acres in March. First reading on the annexation passed 4-3 in August 2019 when considered by the previous city council.

Mayor Hutchison asked planning staff the difference between the city’s R-3 and R-2 zoning districts, but the council voted to deny the comprehensive plan amendments before the question could be answered. The city of Hampton’s R-3 zoning district allows minimum lot sizes of 12,000 square feet, and planning staff recommended an average lot size of 18,000 square feet for the development.

Hampton planning staff recommended approval of the rezoning request with fifteen (15) conditions. Some of the conditions included requiring a left-hand turn lane into the development off Floyd Road, a minimum twenty feet evergreen vegetative buffer along the property boundary, privacy fencing along the rear lot lines for lots adjacent to Cobblestone Ridge subdivision, and requiring gated access into the subdivision.