Magnolia Green gets county leaders' attention
By Greg Pearson STAFF WRITER

The county's transportation summit is placing more emphasis on Chesterfield's road needs and what to do about them. And several supervisors are considering whether those who buy homes or lots in Magnolia Green should pay a higher property tax rate to fund the necessary roads and schools that 4,886 new homes will require over the next 15 years or more.

"We need to start the discussion about a transportation district at Magnolia Green," said Matoaca Supervisor Renny Humphrey, whose district would house the 3,982-acre development off Route 360 five miles west of Route 288. "There could be others."

Initially, the major entrance of Magnolia Green will be the extension of Woolridge Road into the community at the intersection of Otterdale Road. Both roads are not designed to carry heavy traffic, but road improvements by the developer have been proffered at the intersection. The Route 360 entrance won't open for about a year, and although that road is four lanes, it's not built to today's standards.

Traffic congestion already exists in the 360 corridor during rush hour and peak shopping times. And most of the schools there have trailers as temporary classrooms due to overcrowding.

History

Many citizens wonder how such a large residential case could have been approved without larger proffers. Actually, the $2,800 cash proffer per residence was more than Chesterfield required on Dec. 11, 1991, the day the "lame duck board" approved the rezoning. That board meeting was the last for four of the supervisors. Magnolia Green was approved on a 3-1 vote with one abstention.

During the meeting, Dale Supervisor Harry Daniel argued with his fellow board members that Magnolia Green should be deferred, calling it "leapfrog development" since it was so far from other development in the county. According to a summary of the meeting kept by the planning department, Daniel said, "There is insufficient infrastructure to sustain the development."

In January 1992, Daniel would be the sole remaining board member returning as a supervisor. He had run unopposed.

Ironically, even though it was in his district, Matoaca Supervisor Jesse Mayes abstained. In the election a month earlier, he had been beaten by Whaley Colbert.

During the public hearing that night, supervisor-elect Ed Barber also asked the board to defer the case until he, Colbert, Jack McHale and Art Warren were seated as supervisors. Barber (5,508 votes) had defeated Supervisor Maury Sullivan (4,412) while Jack McHale claimed 68 percent of the votes in the Bermuda District race, defeating incumbent Sonny Currin. Warren, who voted against Magnolia Green as the Clover Hill planning commissioner on Nov. 19, 1991, shortly after election day, was elected unopposed.

"In 1991, we had a very developmentfriendly board," recalled McHale during a recent interview. Jeff Applegate was in real estate and Currin "was beaten in part by a zoning case involving medical waste," said a source who declined to be identified.

Sullivan was reported to have health problems. It was also the last board meeting as supervisor for Applegate, who was remarrying and moving out of state.

Kelly Miller, now Dale supervisor, but then the district's planning commissioner, strongly opposed the rezoning.

On Nov. 19, 1991, with one member absent, the planning commission voted 4-0 to recommend that the board deny the rezoning application by Chesterfield Land Associates. The planning department also recommended denial.

But supervisors Currin, Applegate and Sullivan voted for the rezoning. In the planning summary, Applegate is reported as saying he "had been elected to serve through Dec. 31, 1991 and would fulfill [his] term." Sullivan and Currin echoed his remarks.