VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WVEC) — Pungo is a one traffic light kind of neighborhood, but that could all change.
Developer Pungo Properties has proposed to build 164 units on 122 acres of land in the vicinity of Princess Ann Road and Indian River Road. The project is being called an 'agrihood project,' the first of its kind in the city.
“What we are is an active farm to table community that has an active farm as part of the neighborhood, and what that consists of is farm fresh food that is grown by a local farmer,” said Laura Zito, of Pungo Properties.
The community will also include 16 acres of commercial space.
“We are looking at doing a farmers’ market style with our farmer Brad that will sell local honey, soaps and of course produce,” said Zito.
More than 50 area residents packed the Princess Anne Recreation Center Thursday for a public meeting to hear these plans first hand. Many of them feel the project just doesn’t fit in.
“It sounds good on paper, but it does not sound good on my heart. I do not want 160 houses right at the heart of Pungo,” said resident Lynn Baker.
“They want the tranquil, rural, atmosphere with open fields, farm animals, slower traffic,” said resident Albert Henley.
Residents said this new community is going to cause a number of infrastructure problems, specifically drainage.
“I think you start putting in lots of impervious surfaces you are going to have a lot more problems with stormwater, flooding, that sort of thing,” said resident Bill Brown.
“We took the initiative, worked with the city of Virginia Beach for the last two years studying this property and really making sure we manage our stormwater properly,” said Zito.
However, Baker questioned where the developer's priorities lie with the least expensive home coasting about $400,000.
“I am not pro-growth. I think the people who are tend to be greedy, that they look more into what they can make out of something rather than what’s best for a community,” said Baker.
This project is expected to go before the Virginia Beach Planning Commission at some point in September, according to Zito.
► Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13News Now App.