THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, July 25, 1995 TAG: 9507250271
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY SHAWN M. TERRY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH LENGTH: Medium: 67 lines
Randi Strutton finds peace of mind when she walks through the woodlands and wetlands around a 35-acre man-made lake near her River Shore neighborhood.
On one day she might see egrets swooping in midair; on another, otters splashing in the cool water of the former borrow pit on the 142-acre site.
``That's the wonder of this place, because you'll never know what you'll see,'' Strutton said as she stood at the lake's edge, looking through binoculars.
On Monday, Strutton and other members of a committee of environmentalists and developers presented a report to the City Council on possible uses for the wildlife haven along Hoffler Creek that is one of Portsmouth's last undeveloped, wooded tracts.
A public hearing on the matter is scheduled for Aug. 7.
After examining alternatives ranging from keeping the land in its natural state to fully developing it, the committee recommended that the council consider two options:
Developing the site as an educational preserve with passive-recreation facilities. The city could allow River Shore residents to form a partnership with a community development group to build an observation platform, a trail loop around the lake, a small parking lot and restrooms.
Limited development of 44 acres of the site, with another portion set aside for wildlife.
Preliminary talks with the landowner, the Virginia Department of Transportation, have indicated a willingness to work with the city in developing a preservation program, said committee chairman Kenneth A. Dierks, director of environmental planning for the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission.
Earlier this year, state officials offered to sell the land to the city for $1 if it were dedicated as a refuge. The city rejected the offer.
Dierks said that simply preserving the site was not enough. The land must be promoted as a recreational asset to the city, he said.
Councilman James C. Hawks expressed concern over the site being left unsupervised. He wondered what the land would be used for.
``The area would be used for walking, jogging . . . light recreational use,'' Dierks replied.
The committee also recommended that a nonprofit conservation organization be named to manage and promote the property.
In analyzing the site, the committee acknowledged the city's limited tax base and the need to increase the stock of quality housing in Portsmouth.
Mayor Gloria O. Webb asked whether there had been discussion of turning the area into a state park.
``We would have to go through the state legislators,'' said Dierks, who added, ``It would be one of the more difficult ways to preserve the site.'' by CNB