Breckinridge at Western Branch
CHESAPEAKE -- Some Chesapeake residents are fighting to stop a planned development in Western Branch.
The developers of Breckinridge at Western Branch want to build a mixed-use community with more than 1,500 residential homes on 482 acres on Portsmouth Blvd. and Jollif Road. The company says it would have a grocery-anchored retail shopping center with office buildings, and a hotel and a variety of single-family homes, townhomes and condos to accommodate families, young professionals and seniors.
Bonaventure Realty Group says it could be a huge tax boost for the city and create hundreds of jobs for businesses and the construction industry.
People living in the area are worried the city's not prepared to handle the increase in children who would attend schools and the increased traffic the development would generate.
Some Planning Commission members echoed those concerns at the December 14 meeting. Other members said the project would help recover lost revenue.
They're going door-to-door and on Facebook with a petition to stop the development.
The developer also has nn online petition looking for support from the community.
City Council will vote on the rezoning application at its February 21 meeting.
