AN ADVISORY SERVICES PANEL REPORT Pungo Crossing Virginia...

A N A D V I S O R Y S E R V I C E S P A N E L R E P O R T

Pungo CrossingVirginia Beach, Virginia

Urban LandInstitute$

Pungo CrossingVirginia Beach, VirginiaStrategies for a Rural Gateway

June 11–16, 2006An Advisory Services Panel Report

ULI–the Urban Land Institute1025 Thomas Jefferson Street, N.W.Suite 500 WestWashington, D.C. 20007-5201

An Advisory Services Panel Report2

The mission of the Urban Land Institute is toprovide leadership in the responsible use ofland and in creating and sustaining thrivingcommunities worldwide. ULI is committed to:

• Bringing together leaders from across the fieldsof real estate and land use policy to exchangebest practices and serve community needs;

• Fostering collaboration within and beyondULI’s membership through mentoring, dia-logue, and problem solving;

• Exploring issues of urbanization, conservation,regeneration, land use, capital formation, andsustainable development;

• Advancing land use policies and design prac-tices that respect the uniqueness of both builtand natural environments;

• Sharing knowledge through education, appliedresearch, publishing, and electronic media; and

• Sustaining a diverse global network of localpractice and advisory efforts that address cur-rent and future challenges.

Established in 1936, the Institute today has morethan 35,000 members from 90 countries, represent-ing the entire spectrum of the land use and develop-ment disciplines. Professionals represented includedevelopers, builders, property owners, investors,architects, public officials, planners, real estatebrokers, appraisers, attorneys, engineers, financiers,academics, students, and librarians. ULI reliesheavily on the experience of its members. It isthrough member involvement and informationresources that ULI has been able to set standardsof excellence in development practice. The Insti-tute has long been recognized as one of the world’smost respected and widely quoted sources of ob-jective information on urban planning, growth,and development.

About ULI–the Urban Land Institute

©2007 by ULI–the Urban Land Institute1025 Thomas Jefferson Street, N.W. Suite 500 WestWashington, D.C. 20007-5201

All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of the whole or anypart of the contents without written permission of the copy-right holder is prohibited.

Virginia Beach, Virginia, June 11–16, 2006 3

The goal of ULI’s Advisory Services Programis to bring the finest expertise in the realestate field to bear on complex land use plan-ning and development projects, programs,

and policies. Since 1947, this program has assem-bled well over 400 ULI-member teams to helpsponsors find creative, practical solutions forissues such as downtown redevelopment, landmanagement strategies, evaluation of develop-ment potential, growth management, communityrevitalization, brownfields redevelopment, mili-tary base reuse, provision of low-cost and afford-able housing, and asset management strategies,among other matters. A wide variety of public,private, and nonprofit organizations have con-tracted for ULI’s Advisory Services.

Each panel team is composed of highly qualifiedprofessionals who volunteer their time to ULI.They are chosen for their knowledge of the paneltopic and screened to ensure their objectivity.ULI’s interdisciplinary panel teams provide aholistic look at development problems. A re-spected ULI member who has previous panelexperience chairs each panel.

The agenda for a five-day panel assignment is in-tensive. It includes an in-depth briefing day com-posed of a tour of the site and meetings with spon-sor representatives; a day of hour-long interviewsof typically 50 to 75 key community representa-tives; and two days of formulating recommenda-tions. Many long nights of discussion precede thepanel’s conclusions. On the final day on site, thepanel makes an oral presentation of its findingsand conclusions to the sponsor. A written report isprepared and published.

Because the sponsoring entities are responsiblefor significant preparation before the panel’s visit,including sending extensive briefing materials toeach member and arranging for the panel to meetwith key local community members and stake-holders in the project under consideration, partici-

pants in ULI’s five-day panel assignments areable to make accurate assessments of a sponsor’sissues and to provide recommendations in a com-pressed amount of time.

A major strength of the program is ULI’s uniqueability to draw on the knowledge and expertise ofits members, including land developers and own-ers, public officials, academicians, representativesof financial institutions, and others. In fulfillmentof the mission of the Urban Land Institute, thisAdvisory Services panel report is intended toprovide objective advice that will promote the re-sponsible use of land to enhance the environment.

ULI Program StaffWilliam P. KistlerExecutive Vice President, Exchange Group

Mary Beth CorriganSenior Vice President, Advisory Services

Thomas W. EitlerDirector, Advisory Services

Nicholas GabelSenior Associate, Advisory Services

Carmen McCormickPanel Coordinator, Advisory Services

Yvonne StantonAdministrative Assistant

Nancy H. StewartDirector, Book Program

Lise Lingo, Publications Professionals LLCManuscript Editor

Betsy Van BuskirkArt Director

Martha LoomisDesktop Publishing Specialist/Graphics

Kim RuschGraphics

Craig ChapmanDirector, Publishing Operations

About ULI Advisory Services


On behalf of the Urban Land Institute, thepanel wishes to thank the city of VirginiaBeach for inviting it to address the issuesassociated with the dialogue between the

Pungo area and the city. Special thanks are ex-tended to Mayor Meyera Oberndorf, CouncilmanJim Reeve, and Councilwoman-elect BarbaraHenley for their hospitality and support duringthe panel’s visit. The panel also wishes to thankJim Spore, city manager; Bob Scott, director ofplanning; and Tom Pauls, comprehensive planningcoordinator, for their leadership during the panel’sengagement. Their dedication and vision will helpguide the development of a positive and sensibleplan for the future of the Pungo area. The panel

also extends its thanks to Melisa Chimienti,Robert Davis, and Deborah Zywna from the Plan-ning Department for their assistance before andduring the panel’s visit.

The panel extends its sincerest gratitude to themore than 50 community members, including gov-ernment officials, business leaders, property own-ers, and residents, who volunteered their time andcandid thoughts during the interview process.Their insights were invaluable in helping thepanel formulate its recommendations.

Acknowledgments


ULI Panel and Project Staff 6

The Panel’s Assignment 7

Introduction and Summary of Recommendations 8

Market Potential 14

Development Strategies 17

Planning and Design 22

Implementation 32

Conclusion 34

About the Panel 35

Contents


Panel ChairFranklin A. MartinPresidentMartin Community Development, LLCBoise, Idaho

Panel MembersW. Easley HamnerChairmanBoston International Design Collaborative, LLCCambridge, Massachusetts

Andrew IrvineSenior Associate EDAWDenver, Colorado

William G. Lashbrook IIISenior Vice PresidentPNC BankEast Brunswick, New York

Donna LewisPlanning Director Mercer County New JerseyTrenton, New Jersey

Ralph L. NúñezPresident/Design PrincipalDesignTeam LimitedSouthfield, Michigan

Bradley ScheibVice PresidentHoisington Koegler Group, Inc.Minneapolis, Minnesota

ULI Project DirectorThomas W. EitlerDirector, Advisory Services

ULI On-Site CoordinatorRose KimManager, International Programs

ULI Panel and Project Staff


In response to a request from the Pungo VillageLandowners Association, the Virginia BeachCity Council passed a resolution to have ULIperform a land use study of the area immedi-

ately around Indian River and Princess Anneroads. Four specific tasks were to be addressed:

• Reaffirm or redefine the role of Pungo withinthe framework of the 2003 Comprehensive Planand the 2005 Hampton Roads Joint Land UseStudy.

• Clarify and define the planning, design, andphysical characteristics of the study area.

• Evaluate the economic viability of the pro-posed plan.

• Identify realistic development and implementa-tion strategies to help achieve the goals and rec-ommendations of the study.

After an extensive briefing and tour, the advisorypanel members interviewed more than 50 stake-holders, then formulated recommendations basedon what they had read, heard, and observed. Theadvantage of this approach is that each panelist isa leader in his or her field of expertise and has ex-tensive experience in addressing and solving com-plex land use issues. Panelists have the addedadvantage of viewing land use issues from an ob-jective and unbiased point of view, because theyare from outside the area and have no specific fi-nancial interest in or preconceived knowledge ofthe issues.

The Panel’s Assignment

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NORTH CAROLINA

Tennessee

Kentucky

MARYLAND

DELAWAREWEST VIRGINIA

NEW JERSEYO H I O

P E N N S Y L V A N I A

V I R G I N I A

PRINCE WILL IAM

FAUQUIERFAIRFAX

LOUDOUN

MONTGOMERY

SOUTHAMPTON

SUSSEXISLE OF WIGHT

SURRY

YORKJAMES CITY

CITY OF CHESAPEAKE

Potomac R.

Susquehanna R.

Delaware R.

James

R.

James R.

Rappahannock R.

Ohio R.

Ohio

R.

Ohio R.

Licking R.

New R.

Holston R.

Nottoway R.

Meherrin R.

Guyandotte R.

Gree

nbrie

r R.

Tug Fork

James River

HAMPTON ROADS

ATLANTIC OCEAN

CHESAPEAKE BAY

Washington D.C.

Annapolis

Baltimore

Alexandria

Arlington

Annandale

Reston

Manassas

Waynesboro

Staunton

Fredericksburg

Front Royal

Salisbury

Cambridge

Fairfax

Winchester

Easton

Martinsburg

Cumberland

Uniontown

WestminsterAberdeen

Havre de Grace

Chambersburg

Hanover

Bridgeton

Elkton

Glassboro

Coatesville

Woodbury

West Chester

Bellmawr

Springfield

Virginia Beach

Chesapeake

Norfolk

Newport News

Hampton

Suffolk

Portsmouth

Pungo

Munden

AtlanticOcean

ChesapeakeBay

DelawareBay

N O R T H C A R O L I N AT E N N E S S E E

KENTUCKY

M A R Y L A N D

DELAWAREW E S T V I R G I N I A

NEW JERSEYO H I O

P E N N S Y L V A N I A

V I R G I N I A

Washington D.C.Alexandria

Arlington

Fredericksburg

Virginia BeachNorfolkNewport News Hampton

SuffolkPortsmouth

Richmond


Pungo is a rural crossroads, located at theintersection of Princess Anne and IndianRiver roads in the southern portion of Vir-ginia Beach, Virginia. Pungo has been the

focus of an on-again, off-again discussion of growthissues facing the city. Even the name Pungo isfraught with controversy. The area is alternativelycalled Pungo, Pungo Village, the Crossroads, Pungoproper, or one of a half-dozen other names. For thepurposes of this document, the panel refers tothe area immediately around the intersection ofPrincess Anne Road and Indian River Road asPungo Crossing. This name, coined by the panel,is intended to produce recognition of the physicalroad intersection as well as the figurative bridgebetween the rural and urban areas of the city.

The northern half of the intersection lies in thetransition area between the urban and rural areasof Virginia Beach, in which sanitary sewer andtransitional suburban densities are permittedthrough the rezoning process. The southern halflies in the rural area, where, as a means of control-ling density, sewer extension is not permitted. Theolder commercial areas of Pungo Crossing are lo-cated primarily along Princess Anne Road in therural area. Sanitary waste disposal for these areasis provided either through standard septic systemsor through pump-and-haul operations for thoseproperties in which septic systems have failed.

The city has determined that, in the long term, por-tions of the city will have very different characters.The area south of Indian River Road, regardlessof growth pressures, will remain primarily rural.Although some small commercial operations standalong the Princess Anne Road corridor south ofPungo Crossing, most are isolated or stand-aloneuses serving a convenience or agricultural need.From this perspective, Pungo Crossing can beseen as the last outpost of significant commercialuse until one reaches the North Carolina border.However, Pungo Crossing desperately needs new

and revitalized commercial uses—and these newand revitalized uses must fit with the character ofPungo Crossing. The panel believes that PungoCrossing can be revitalized and improved withoutcompromising the integrity of the rural line thatthe city has established.

Guiding Principles and MajorRecommendationsThe panel used the following guiding principles asthe basis for its recommendations:

• Preserve the rural character of Pungo Crossing.

• Create a gateway to an “environmental won-derland.”

• Create an appropriate character for the PungoCrossing area that respects its history andenvironment.

• Ensure that the agricultural area south of In-dian River Road is preserved.

• Celebrate life in Pungo Crossing by expandingactivities over time.

• Share the experience and excitement of PungoCrossing and the rural area with others.

Preserve the Rural Character The panel was impressed by the seemingly unani-mous view that the rural character of PungoCrossing is highly valued. That character is ex-tremely fragile. There are enormous pressuresfrom real estate interests to increase the densityof development in the area, to construct what isexpedient, and to seek approval for exemptionsfrom the regulations that have been enacted tocontrol development. As a consequence, thepanel’s strongest recommendation is to developeven more stringent regulations and to ensurethat these regulations are enforced for the vastmajority of the rural area. The panel’s collective

Introduction and Summary ofRecommendations


experience is that most communities and citiesacross the nation are, in fact, successful in devel-oping and enforcing regulations.

As a unique and historic part of the city, PungoCrossing and the portions of the city south of In-dian River Road all the way to the North Carolinaborder should have primarily agricultural, open-space, and rural residential uses. The land uses inthe built-up portion of Pungo Crossing should becarefully prescribed to guarantee a pattern thatdoes not, by its architectural and spatial nature,erode the rural and agricultural uses or providejustification for allowing increased densities out-side the boundaries of Pungo Crossing. The landuse plan and utility extension policies outlined bythe panel conform with this approach.

Create a Gateway Pungo Crossing sits in a critical position geo-graphically. Princess Anne Road is the primarynorth-south roadway that traverses what somehave called an environmental wonderland. Thiswonderland consists of the watershed areas on ei-ther side: the Back Bay to the east and the NorthLanding River (part of the Intracoastal Water-way) to the west. Each watershed has its own

character, and each is extraordinarily beautiful—and fragile. Although each is protected by exten-sive regulation, each faces various threats. PungoCrossing’s location requires it to function as thegateway to and the guardian of the land to thesouth, both opening up to an exquisite farmlandenvironment and the wetlands that lie beyond andholding back the forces that threaten to engulfand destroy that land.

The rural area offers unique and valuable outdoorrecreation and open-space opportunities not avail-able in most metropolitan areas. Pungo Crossingcan both physically and symbolically distinguishthe rural area from the urban area. Additionalcommercial uses such as outfitters, tour guide or-ganizations, inns, bed and breakfast operations,and outdoor recreational suppliers should be en-couraged, where the structures conform with thearchitectural character of the crossroads.

Create an Appropriate CharacterParts of Pungo Crossing are little changed fromnearly 100 years ago, and that contributes to thecharacter that everyone the panel spoke with ad-mires. Those parts are yet another portion of thefragile environment that is threatened by both the

Pungo is primarily anagricultural area.


should be permitted only where they bolster thismarketplace character or strengthen the area’sgateway role.

Preserve the Agricultural Area The panel is distressed by the suburbanization ofthe agricultural area south of Pungo Crossing. If it is allowed to continue, in only a few years thearea’s character will be forever lost—and thatwould be a tragedy. The panel congratulates thecity on the strategic guidelines that it has estab-lished—namely, encouraging development in thenorthern portion of the city along the VirginiaBeach Boulevard corridor (of which the TownCenter is an excellent example); creating the ruralarea to the south of Indian River Road; and estab-lishing the transitional zone in between. However,now is the time to reevaluate the regulations forthe rural area. The panel has concluded that amoratorium, if not an outright prohibition, on de-velopment ought to be established for this area;otherwise, its character will be overwhelmed bynew construction.

Agricultural and horse farms should define thecharacter of the area, not McMansions. The panelbelieves that the clustering concept used in the

passage of time and the pressures for expedientdevelopment. If the panel had a magic wand, itwould immediately erase several of the more re-cent developments. The protective instrumentsthat the city has—stringent regulation and en-forcement—can prevent further erosion of thatcharacter and ensure that future developmentsuits the history, character, scale, and aestheticof the older parts of the community.

The city can also require that any new developmentbe environmentally sensitive and sustainable.Rather than a visual vocabulary of neo-Georgianbrick, as in the Municipal Center, the panel advo-cates a wood construction vocabulary compatiblewith the appealing turn-of-the-century buildingsthat provide the charm to which everyone re-sponds with a smile. Key components of this char-acter include scale, memorable architecture, astreetscape, heritage values, sustainability, envi-ronmental management, walkability, and safety.The city should establish and encourage designguidelines that help retain the historic and ruralnature of the area, while celebrating the ruralmarketplace character of this crossroads settle-ment. Additional commercial and residential uses

Fruit stand on thenorthwest corner ofPrincess Anne and Indian River roads.


rural area is not visually acceptable, particularlyimmediately adjacent to Princess Anne Road. In-stead, the panel recommends a maximum accept-able density of one dwelling unit per 15 acres. Inaddition to reaffirming rural uses, the city shouldensure that incompatible uses are not introducedor expanded in a manner that threatens farm ac-tivities. For example, improper clustering of resi-dential uses, however helpful it may be to the en-vironment by preserving open space, still bringswith it the feeling a suburban community. Resi-dents of such clusters will expect that servicesshould likewise be suburban.

Expand Activities Over TimeFor 23 years the Strawberry Festival has pro-vided a reason for ever-increasing numbers oflocal visits to Pungo, with estimates of as manyas 190,000 visitors over the 2006 Memorial Dayweekend. The panel believes that additional cele-brations would add to the sense of destination andpride in Pungo Crossing—perhaps as many as tensimilar events developed over time. Events suchas wine festivals, hayrides, harvest celebrations,midwinter fairs, Christmas tree lighting, andMardi Gras festivities should be explored. Asnoted later, vacant parcels in Pungo Crossingmay be able to be used for event parking.

To accommodate these events, facilities need to bedeveloped that are economically justified, such asan arena that could host festivals, equestrianevents, perhaps a rodeo, carnivals, and auto andtruck events. Numerous examples of similar facili-ties in other jurisdictions can act as models forVirginia Beach. The panel was informed thatthere are reasons to consider relocating the farm-ers market and that a location closer to the ruralfarmlands might be preferable, because it wouldreinforce the relationship between the environ-ment and the products sold. Pungo Crossingwould be an entirely appropriate location for suchan activity and has space available that can accom-modate both the market’s existing size and its fu-ture expansion to include more extensive offer-ings. In the market, a wide variety of vegetables,fruits, meats, prepared foods, and similar itemsshould be available, as well as local crafts, arts,flowers, and other goods. A shopper there should

be able to purchase everything required for eithera casual meal or a fancy dinner party.

Another aspect of the disappearing heritage ofthis region is the rather rapid loss of farm build-ings and machinery that is underway. UnlikeWilliamsburg or Smithfield or Suffolk, VirginiaBeach has no central historic area; individualbuildings are widely separated and isolated. Thepanel believes that through the establishment of atrust, property owners might be willing to donatebuildings that are no longer useful, such as barns,old houses, smokehouses, springhouses, one-roomschoolhouses, small churches, and post offices. Thepanel’s notion is to create an outdoor museum ofsuch structures and artifacts, some of which mighthouse displays and exhibits of blacksmithing, spin-ning, weaving, and similar crafts that were oncepart of the lifestyle that is rapidly being lost. Ifadvertising signs and gas pumps from service sta-tions have been retained, they would add to theappeal. The same is true for the legacy of the trainthat once connected Munden Point with Norfolk.Pungo Crossing could provide a unique resourceboth for the retention of such structures and forhistorical education.

Recognizing the gateway role that Pungo Cross-ing plays, outfitters for ecotourism and related ac-tivities might be housed in a new commercial area,one that is small in scale and compatible in style.To enjoy the environmental wonderland to thesouth, bicycles, canoes, kayaks, guides, horses,safety devices, shoes, waders, and all sorts of out-door gear will be required, and Pungo Crossing isideally situated for providers of such gear.

Another suggestion is to allow and even encour-age small homes to be infilled between the some-what isolated homes that lie within the area, par-ticularly along Princess Anne Road. Again, theyshould be compatible in scale and size—so-calledstarter mansions should be prohibited throughdeed restrictions. There is a purpose in this: Newsources of energy from residents will be requiredto establish and operate the activities that thepanel is proposing, and these can best be providedby young people new to the area. They will needstarter homes, a modern equivalent to the Aladdinkit homes that sprang up in the Pungo area manyyears ago.


The entries into the settlement provide opportuni-ties to calm traffic through signage, landscaping,and lowering the speed limit to 25 miles per hour.In addition, pedestrian and equestrian road cross-ings and signage could identify Pungo Crossing asa small settlement.

There is perhaps no more important element inthe new dedication to environmental quality thanthe Green Sea Byway proposed along IndianRiver Road, which the panel strongly supports.The byway would provide multiuse pathwaysalongside but separate from the roadway. Screen-ing adjacent uses is another important part of thisconcept. The panel also supports the idea of desig-nating Princess Anne Road in the Pungo Crossingarea as a scenic byway. All these concepts must beimplemented in an environmentally sustainablemanner.

Share the Experience and Excitement It is the panel’s conviction that if these ideas areimplemented, not only will Pungo Crossing havemuch more to celebrate, but the people of Pungoand the farms to the south will also be able toshare this experience and excitement with othersfrom Virginia Beach and beyond. The city of Vir-

ginia Beach is spending hundreds of millions ofdollars on a state-of-the-art convention center. Itwill attract an entirely different kind of visitorthan the usual beachgoers and—perhaps more im-portant—will operate year-round, not only duringthe beach season. Conventioneers tend to bringtheir families, who need activities beyond thoseavailable at the beach. Pungo Crossing is ideallysuited to offer those events. The city should stopthinking of Pungo Crossing and the rural area asinconsistent with the urban and suburban natureof Virginia Beach. It should work toward the fivegoals recommended here to distinguish PungoCrossing from other areas of the city. The effortshould include establishing an advertising cam-paign that identifies Pungo Crossing and the ruralwonderland as both an alternative and a comple-ment to the beaching, boating, and shopping thathave defined Virginia Beach in the past century.

BackgroundThe city of Virginia Beach was incorporated in1963 with the merger of Princess Anne Countyand the resort town of Virginia Beach. Since then,the city has enjoyed a steady rate of growth inresidents as well as visitors. The 2000 census indi-

The “monster truck”Undertaker is a fixture inPungo.


cated a population of 425,257. Virginia Beach hasbeen a popular resort destination since the 1880s.Railroad service to the beach began in 1883, trans-porting visitors from Norfolk to the oceanfront.Today vacationers and tourists are a vital part oflife in Virginia Beach.

Although the beach and its boardwalk have pro-vided the focal point for tourists and visitors, thecity has a diversified economy. Four military in-stallations—Naval Air Station (NAS) Oceana,Dam Neck, Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek,and Fort Story—make the city a vital presence onnational and international maps. The city also hasa thriving convention and conference industry, aswell as numerous local museums and sports andentertainment arenas. Boating, fishing, and othermarine activities are also based in Virginia Beach.The agricultural and rural uses are distinct andclearly separate from the modern uses, which arefocused in the northern third of the city near I-64,I-264, and US-13. The rural part of the city, pri-marily lying south of Indian River Road, is stillsometimes referred to as the “county,” reminis-cent of the old boundaries of Princess AnneCounty.

Pungo Crossing consists of a relatively compactand varied arrangement of rural commercial usesthat have, in large part, remained unchanged formany decades. These uses are located along the

approaches to and centered at the intersection ofPrincess Anne and Indian River roads, both ofwhich are two-lane rural arterials. Pungo Cross-ing is a commercial and social gathering place forthe rural community in the southern part of thecity and a destination for visitors from HamptonRoads and around the state. The Pungo Straw-berry Festival draws crowds of thousands eachMemorial Day weekend. North of Indian RiverRoad is the urban and suburban service area,where public water and sewer may be built to sup-port low-density development. Immediately southof this road is the agricultural and rural servicearea, where extension of such facilities is prohib-ited under the policies of the city’s ComprehensivePlan. An expansive floodplain associated withWest Neck Creek is located about a quarter mileto the west of Pungo Crossing.

The panel formulated a series of goals or guide-lines for the preservation and development ofPungo Crossing. Panelists developed these goalsthrough a process of intense discussion, research,exploration of alternatives, posing of “what if” sce-narios, and sketching out of ideas.


Virginia Beach has experienced substantialchange since the merger with PrincessAnne County in 1963. At that time, much ofthe county was largely agricultural. From

an original east-west axis across the upper quar-ter of the expanded city, low-density developmentspread during the 1970s and early 1980s to fill inthe northern, coastal, and western areas. Roadsand other infrastructure were built to accommo-date that growth.

Well planned and well paced from a developmentstandpoint, this conversion to a suburban, residen-tial makeup dramatically altered what had been aprimarily agricultural area, including a portionthat had long been farmed by Mennonites, manyof whom ultimately left the area. Recognizing thethreat to the rural character of the old countyareas of Virginia Beach, in 1979 the city conceptu-alized a line marking a development boundary andin 1986 drew that line roughly across the southernthird of the city. Development south of that line—the Green Line—was at first discouraged andthen held to lower densities.

Creation of the Transition AreaBy 1993, the demand-driven expansion north ofthe Green Line had strained resources and alteredthe quality of life for many residents. It was con-tinuing to add to the municipal burden to con-struct, operate, deliver, and maintain facilities andservices. Although still cognizant of its agricul-tural and rural past, the city decided to begin toallow controlled development south of the GreenLine by creating a transition area.

Located between the Green Line to the north andIndian River Road to the south, the transitionarea was to be the buffer between the still ruralsouthern area and the more developed northernareas. The type of development would be strictlycontrolled, primarily by density, with a goal of

lessening the burden on municipal services andavoiding the infrastructure costs incurred in thedeveloped northern areas.

Current Development TrendsDevelopment in Virginia Beach has been and con-tinues to be heavily oriented toward residentialactivity, which averages slightly over 70 percentof the cost of all new construction (excluding land)annually for the past ten years, even during peri-ods of increased commercial development. In 2005,the cost of new residential construction was $452million, almost double that in 1998. Single-familyconstruction accounted for almost $200 million ofthe 2005 volume, with condominiums, townhouses,and apartments making up the bulk of the balance.

With the change in transition area policies in 2003,the character of residential development has be-come primarily upscale, planned communities withlarge lots in a suburban pattern and abundantamenities such as recreational space and openspace. One requirement in the transition area isthat new development be tax-neutral, in that thefees and tax revenue generated are to cover theincremental municipal capital costs, includingwater, sewer, and health and safety costs. Anotherrequirement is to maintain more open space dur-ing development to buffer the more intensive(dense) uses in the west, the north, and to a lesserdegree the east, from the less intensive uses in thepredominately rural south. To achieve this, lowerdensities (one unit per acre) were sought in thetransition area. Higher land prices in the transi-tion area in turn pushed residential redevelop-ment activity back toward the already moredensely developed areas of the city.

Given the robust economy of Virginia Beach andthe in-migration caused by job creation and re-tirees, especially retired military personnel, hous-ing production in both the transition area and other

Market Potential


areas has been absorbed. The mean assessment ona new home in Virginia Beach in 2005 was $438,000,up from $335,000 a year earlier and $289,000 in2003. Because the new single-family homes in thetransition area and the southeast are of increas-ingly higher cost (value) than homes in other areasof the city, the growth in assessed real estate valuein the Princess Anne area, which includes the tran-sition area, has been quite dramatic.

At the south edge of the transition area, the linealong Indian River Road was designated as theterminal point for city water and sewer for anydevelopment. South of Indian River Road, all de-velopment requires septic systems. In 1994, a zon-ing change was made to the residential permittingrequirements in this area, from 150-foot frontageto a density allocation dependent on soil type andconditional use permit approval (with a minimumof five acres per dwelling unit as the highest den-sity). Since that time, about 460 residential per-mits have been issued for land south of IndianRiver Road.

Another result of the creation of the transitionarea and its development requirements should benoted: a shift in the composition of homeowner-ship and resident economics. Of those 460 permits,a fraction of the homes have been completed in thetransition area. As measured by census and otherdata, the area within a one-, three-, and five-mileradius of Pungo Crossing—which includes much of

the eastern end of the transition area—has seen amarked change in resident composition, homevalue, and other metrics.

Growing populations with strong buying powerare development drivers. Following that impetus,a 540,000-square-foot commercial center calledRed Mill Commons opened just to the north of theeastern portion of the transition area and north ofPungo Crossing. Retail rents in this area are onthe high end for Virginia Beach overall and va-cancy is low.

As of June 2006, approximately 1,300 additionalresidential units, primarily single-family detachedhomes, had been approved in the transition area.This figure indicates that local developers believethe demand for these higher-cost units (highercost relative to the balance of Virginia Beach resi-dential units) will continue.

Within the transition area, much of the westernportion falls under Air Installations CompatibleUse Zones (AICUZ) for NAS Oceana and FentressAuxiliary Landing Field noise contours. Theseareas are subject to residential development re-strictions. In the rest of Virginia Beach, outsidethe transition area and north of the Green Line,very little raw land is available for development.

The panel is aware that the recent BRAC (BaseRealignment and Closure) Commission order indi-cated that operations might be altered at NAS

Figure 1Housing Demographics: Pungo Crossing, Virginia Beach

Distance from Center of Pungo CrossingHouseholds One Mile Three Miles Five Miles Fifteen Miles

Housing Units 123 6,517 21,002 226,948

Owner Occupied 88% 94% 85% 68%

Median Year Built 1991 1994 1990 1982

Built 1999–2006 17.78% 24.86% 20.30% 9.86%

Built 1995–1998 18.70% 23.08% 14.83% 6.30%

Estimated Home Value $293,056 $274,481 $236,791 $195,634

Average Household Income $96,295 $97,745 $81,943 $70,923


Oceana, a base that employs 12,000. Curtailed jetflight operations could reduce the AICUZ noisezones and free additional underused land for devel-opment. The city has already identified specificareas for residential restrictions for AICUZ-appropriate uses—areas that are closer to the exist-ing transportation network and population centers.

For a variety of good reasons, Virginia Beach con-tinues to attract new residents. With the limitedamounts of land available for residential develop-ment, the panel notes that higher-density uses,including high-rise development, are occurring—the logical progression of urban development. Ifoperations at NAS Oceana are curtailed, addi-tional residential uses could be considered for theareas currently under the noise restrictions.

Market Opportunities for Pungo CrossingOf the approximately 1,300 new residential unitsapproved in the transition area, most are withinthree miles of Pungo Crossing. At this time, mostof the retail and service support for the needs ofthese residents will be met by businesses withinthe transition area and immediately adjacent, tothe north and east. Indeed, Pungo Crossing resi-dents and residents south of Indian River Roadhave already benefited from access to the largerarray of retail and services now located nearby.Because there is an existing and increasing popu-lation concentration close to Pungo Crossing withstrong buying power, it can be expected that de-velopers and operators will be looking to add tothe support stock on Princess Anne Road north ofPungo Crossing. Indeed, given the increased traf-fic already evident throughout the settlement

area, Pungo Crossing is becoming a more attrac-tive location for specialty retail, restaurants, andother support real estate.

Aside from the straight population drivers, otherconsiderations make Pungo’s location attractivefor additional services. The Back Bay NationalWildlife Refuge, False Cape State Park, Sand-bridge, and other locations for ecotourism, kayak-ing, cycling, fishing, and other sports are but ashort distance away. Retail and service opportuni-ties based on these activities could easily offerlow-impact ways to help reestablish Pungo as ameaningful crossroads.

There is currently an opportunity to take advan-tage of this confluence of events and influence, ifnot direct, this type of development. Large tractsof land in private hands lie both in and near PungoCrossing. Property to the north of Indian RiverRoad is already in the public utilities service area.Private land owners in this area can be expectedto make decisions regarding their land on thebasis of their understanding of current options, fu-ture coordinated development plans, and their fi-nancial circumstances. These opportunities arelikely to vanish if private owners cannot see aneconomic reason for participating in the renewalof Pungo Crossing. Once individual owners beginto develop under current city standards, the op-portunity to reposition and integrate property useand structural aesthetics will be lost.


Growth and preservation are not mutuallyexclusive. The vision and plan for PungoCrossing will help set the character and di-rection for the settlement. It is important

that the plan accord with the following principles:

• Be economically viable and self sufficient;

• Have a broad appeal to a wide range of people;

• Have adequate public facilities;

• Be aesthetically attractive; and

• Create strong neighborhoods.

The vision and concepts presented by the panelrepresent the initial step in the planning and de-sign process. Much more needs to be done. Theimportant next step is to refine and elaborate adetailed master plan for the creation of PungoCrossing, either using in-house capabilities in thecity or appointing appropriate master-planningconsultants. The master plan needs to incorporatethe following components:

• Physical development plan, with unifying publicspace network;

• Specific project definition (in particular city-ledinitiatives, such as relocation of the farmersmarket and establishment of a heritage park,development of civic facilities, and infrastruc-ture improvements);

• Access, circulation, and parking plan;

• Regional trails and connection plan;

• Infrastructure improvement plan;

• Environmental management plan;

• Zoning and land use plan;

• Heritage controls;

• Financing and implementation plan; and

• Development guidelines.

It is important that the master plan reinforce and re-spond to or influence regional planning aspects, par-ticularly in regard to regional transportation, the en-vironment, land use, and open-space initiatives.

Realistic phasing and identification of capital fund-ing mechanisms is an important requirement ofthe plan. Not everything can or will be funded ordeveloped at one time. A phasing strategy willidentify important catalytic projects that can ini-tiate secondary development and infrastructureimprovements.

Plan ActionsThe following actions are needed to realize therecommendations of the panel:

• Prepare a detailed master plan for PungoCrossing.

• Prepare design guidelines.

• Plan and implement access improvements, in-cluding parking.

• Prepare an implementation strategy for regionalpedestrian, bicycle, and equestrian trails.

• Prepare a development strategy for relocationof the farmers market.

• Prepare an implementation strategy for reloca-tion of historic farm buildings.

• Prepare an implementation strategy for the re-gional greenways plan.

• Prepare a development strategy for a civic parkand a fire station.

• Implement the building improvement program.

Development Strategies

Governance Leadership and advocacy are necessary for thesuccessful realization of the vision for Pungo Cross-ing. Providing certainty to the community througha transparent process and timely decision makingis necessary to ensure that the planning and im-plementation process moves forward in a positivemanner, riding the momentum created by the de-velopment and investment community. The mostimportant role of the city, besides providing thenecessary leadership and advocacy, is to providethe necessary investment to initiate the plan. Afeasibility study of the sale of the existing farmersmarket site and the generation of funds for the de-velopment of the public market and heritage parkis an important first step. Other public investmentneeds to be identified and prioritized. The citymust provide the catalyst for development andmust do so in the early planning phase becausedelaying will increase costs.

Although city sponsorship is necessary to initiatethe plan, the private sector will be responsible fordelivering much of the built outcome. Public/privatepartnering may be desirable for delivering or man-aging aspects of the vision for Pungo Crossing.These opportunities and responsibilities need tobe identified early in the planning phase. Thepanel also recommends that the city establish anappropriate development and approval processand a city-administered steering committee tohelp bring the plan to fruition.

Sustainable financing mechanisms and a tool kitof incentives are necessary if the developmentcommunity is to deliver on the vision. In addition,the creation of a service district, a mini-TIF (taxincrement financing), and other financing mecha-nisms should be explored in regard to implement-ing infrastructure, civic, landscape, and street-scape improvements within the settlement.

The city has used establishment of strategic growthareas as a tool to concentrate growth; however,greater attention now needs to be given to rede-velopment initiatives, to be able to cater to futuregrowth demand, take advantage of existing physi-cal and community infrastructure, and help movedevelopment pressure away from more fragileagricultural and environmentally sensitive land.


Now is the time to pause and reconsider the de-velopment policy in the transition area. What hasbeen executed to date, in the panel’s view, doesnot reflect the intent of the existing ordinance.During this period of policy reevaluation, thepanel recommends a halt to further suburban-style development south of Pungo Crossing, re-gardless of whether it meets rural cluster stan-dards. It also recommends that a limited numberof houses be established in Pungo Crossing, on theeastern side of Princess Anne Road, south of In-dian River Road. However, these housing sitesshould be developed only after the incorporationinto the Agricultural Reserve Program (ARP) ofthe two remaining rural land parcels located im-mediately southeast of the settlement, thus form-ing a contiguous agricultural buffer along thesouthern boundary.

SustainabilitySustainability is a cornerstone of the plan. PungoCrossing offers the opportunity to create a devel-opment model for Virginia Beach and other fringecommunities. The environmental wonderland ofthe rural area requires stewardship to ensure thatthis regional amenity is maintained. This area is acommunity asset, like the oceanfront, and has thepotential to enhance the regional experience forvisitors and residents alike. The ARP has endeav-ored to contain residential development of agricul-tural lands. As with all such programs, it requiresstrong advocacy and realistic targets. To maintainmomentum and ensure the effectiveness of theARP, the panel recommends that the programbe fully funded and aggressive take-up targetsestablished, supported by a community market-ing strategy.

Significant inroads have been made in the preser-vation of environmentally sensitive lands in PungoCrossing and the rural area with the acquisition ofBack Bay properties under public ownership. Thecity has established several open-space initiatives,including the Green Sea connection betweenStumpy Lake and the Back Bay environmentaland recreation areas; however, the physical con-struction of the trail network and landscape en-hancements has yet to be implemented. An imple-mentation and management strategy is requiredto deliver the benefits of the integrated trail andopen-space network.


Governance ActionsThe following actions are needed to ensure that anappropriate course of action is taken to implementthe panel’s recommendations:

• Define the decision-making and administrativeframework for Pungo Crossing.

• Facilitate public/private partnerships.

• Quickly initiate actions to begin planning anddevelopment of the plan.

• Review the Comprehensive Plan to incorporateplan recommendations.

• Develop an infrastructure funding plan, withemphasis on regional road implementationstrategy and prioritization.

• Redefine and clarify the role and implementa-tion of the ARP.

• Reinstate ARP funding and aggressively pur-sue the purchase of high-priority properties intothe program.

• Do not pursue ARP purchases north of IndianRiver Road.

• Develop special district and funding mecha-nisms for Pungo Crossing improvements, withan incentives tool kit.

• Initiate scenic byway designation for PrincessAnne Road.

• Initiate an environmental preservation strategy.

• Identify and adopt sustainable developmentprinciples and practices for Pungo Crossing.

• Review the planning ordinances and restrictfurther residential development south of PungoCrossing.

Marketing The Pungo region is a regional amenity, and it isdesirable to promote Pungo Crossing as an attrac-tive Virginia Beach destination. Although the areais currently recognized for the Strawberry Festi-val, a broader program of events and activitiesbased around the farmers market—including sea-

sonal events, local produce festivals, wine and foodevents, and heritage and environmental activi-ties—will help reinforce the important role thearea has to play within the city. The addition ofspecialty shops and services will help enhance thevisitor experience and provide amenities for localresidents. It is also important that the marketingstrategy address strategic development and rede-velopment opportunities in Virginia Beach as awhole, based on the best and most valuable useof available land and existing infrastructure.

Marketing ActionsAppropriate marketing of Pungo Crossing de-pends on an orderly and detailed set of actions,with distinct responsibility for each action as-signed to specific individuals or groups. The panelsuggests the following measures to achieve thismarketing concept:

• Prepare a marketing strategy to promotePungo Crossing.

• Prepare an events calendar for regional andseasonal festivals and gatherings.

• Prepare a rural and environmental educationprogram.

• Attract a mix of unique retailers and specialtyservice uses.

• Market the value and benefits of redevelopmentopportunities in greater Virginia Beach.

Agricultural Preservation Virginia Beach has made great strides towardidentifying a desire and need to preserve theelements of an agricultural economy and rurallifestyle. This message was delivered to the ULI

“Good marketing isn’t about sellingthe story...it is about telling the story.” —Seth Goodin

The Purple Cow—Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable


panel in numerous conversations with communitymembers, municipal staff members, and electedand appointed officials. Critical to successful preser-vation is the ability to manage land use in a waythat sustains agricultural operations such as rowcropping, livestock operations, and truck farming.The tool for doing this in Virginia Beach is theARP, which was started in 1995. The programallows landowners to sell development rights tothe city through a perpetual easement that extin-guishes development rights for a period of 25years, at which time the property owner maypetition to buy back the rights at a market rate.The voluntary program is targeted to lands inthe rural area and transition area. The programis funded through a dedicated portion of thecitywide real estate tax that has been as high as1.5 percent and recently was lowered to 0.9 per-cent. Since its inception, roughly 7,000 acres ofagricultural lands have been preserved throughthe program.

Although these lands have been successfully pro-tected, the program relies entirely on the individ-ual will of property owners electing to participate.This program also is perceived as a growth man-agement and resource management tool. The ob-servation of the panel is that this approach is notas successful as it could be in managing growth inthe rural area or preserving valuable natural re-sources. Trends in the rural area show the emer-gence of equestrian uses and vegetable or truckfarming. These uses are partly a result of thechanging marketplace (that is, grain elevators andmachinery businesses moving out of the area).

Zoning in the rural area caters more to fosteringrural residential subdivisions of expensive, large,suburban-type homes that often create conflictswith the agricultural character of the area (whichis characterized by slow-moving vehicles on roads,odors, dust, noise, and chemical uses). This ruralsubdivision pattern is not in keeping with theagricultural characteristics that seem to be the de-sire of the Virginia Beach community. Yet there isclearly a market for the so-called farmette, andthere is a desire to retain a certain land value inthe rural area that is not supported purely byagricultural uses.

This type of zoning relates to the study area in anumber of ways. Pungo is at the critical juncturewhere country and city meet. The ability to retainsome of its quaint charm and rural character hingeson the ability to control the amount of rural resi-dential growth that occurs south of the crossing.Continuance of the pattern that is developing todaywill contribute to the erosion of that agriculturallifestyle. The panel’s plan for Pungo Crossing em-phasizes the agricultural heritage of the area andrelies on the larger policy implications of achiev-ing the true intentions of the ARP.

Agricultural Reserve Program ModificationsThe panel recommends that the city considermodifying the ARP to accomplish the followingobjectives:

• Strengthen the ability to protect the agrarianeconomy.

• Secure priority sites in key locations (particu-larly in Pungo Crossing).

• Allow the evolution of the agricultural econ-omy to adjust to changing markets andeconomies of scale.

• Limit the amount of rural residential subdivi-sions (and McMansions) that infringe on agricul-tural operations and lifestyles.

• Strengthen the design requirements for ruralresidential developments, emphasizing ruralcharacter, greater setbacks from main roadsand agricultural uses, a wood construction vo-cabulary, and site designs reflective of more tra-ditional farmsteads.

Agricultural ActionsThe panel suggests the following actions tostrengthen and protect the agriculture elementsin the city:

• Limit development densities to one unit per 15 acres in the agricultural area.

• Support redevelopment in the core city.

• Prioritize and actively pursue key lands to pre-serve, as articulated in the plan for PungoCrossing.


• Encourage more sustainable developmentpractices—ecobuilding, energy efficiency, self-sufficiency (for example, community gardensand community-supportive agriculture).

• Increase the buffer between neighborhoods andagricultural uses.

• Encourage a more sensitive design pattern em-phasizing farmyards, lanes, rural architecturalcharacter, no curbs or gutters, and minimalmanicured lawn area.


Planning and design considerations must takeinto account the character and integrity ofthe rural crossroads that is Pungo Crossing.They must also reflect the transitional na-

ture of this particular location as it relates to themore pastoral area to the south and the urbaniz-ing area to the north. The following section out-lines an appropriate approach to this design.

Creating a Sustainable CommunityThe panel considered a number of fundamentalquestions regarding the future of Pungo Crossing:its role, its scale, and the character of current andfuture development. The area has evolved from animportant regional service center for the adjacentrural community and is now at an important cross-roads. It is evident to the panel that, without in-tervention to shape and focus development, thearea will fall into decline, threatening the remain-ing heritage, the charming buildings, and the land-scape character.

The panel envisions Pungo Crossing as a revital-ized service community (restoring the rural ser-vice role of the past), supplemented with region-ally relevant uses that help restore the area’s ruraland environmental identity and consolidate its re-gional role. The central concept of the plan is tobuild on the existing rural vernacular to create aliving village, with a mixture of civic, commercial,and residential uses and a clearly defined edge.Strongly defined edges will help create a gatewayto Virginia Beach from the southern approach, anda gateway to the rural and environmental wonder-land from the northern approach. This will be re-inforced by limiting vehicular speed to 25 milesper hour within the settlement.

The panel’s recommended land use plan could re-sult in an additional 40,000 to 50,000 square feet of commercial space, created by uses such as thefarmers market and other retail draws that sup-

port the identity and theme of the Pungo Cross-ing (restaurants, outfitters, specialty retailers,and so on). The plan will result in 30 to 40 newsingle-family detached homes, most of which willbe located north of Indian River Road. It will alsoresult in a significant public attraction in the farm-ers market and the idea of using Pungo Crossingto connect the city of Virginia Beach with itsrural heritage.

Panel members believe that it is important toimplement the greenway improvements associ-ated with the Green Sea Byway project, provid-ing a strong landscape character and approach tothe crossroads from the east and west. They alsobelieve the establishment of a similar landscapecharacter along Princess Anne Road will reinforcethe rural experience that helps distinguish PungoCrossing in the regional setting. This greenwayprovides a strong framework around which theplan is arranged.

Elements of the PlanThe panel has divided the study area into fourquadrants. It has made suggestions regarding thedesign character of structures and recommenda-tions regarding the entrances or gateways to andfrom the study area. The land use suggestions ofthis plan are intended to stimulate positive privatemarket reaction, while creating a “gatekeepingfunction” for the rural area.

GatewaysIn the context of this report, gateways act as bothentryways to and boundaries between specificland use types. These gateways can be physicalstructures or merely perceived boundaries butthey play a vital role in delineating the urban fromthe rural.

Southern Gateway. The southern edge of PungoCrossing will be defined with a rural preservationbuffer. The panel recommends the purchase of the

Planning and Design

Virginia Beach, Virginia, June 11–16, 200623

development rights for four additional farm parcels,with a combined area of 30 acres, into the ARP topreserve the agricultural open space in perpetuity.This edge will demark the regional-rural bound-ary, with the Pungo Crossing settlement as thetransition point between the city and the country.An entrance feature will announce to visitors thatthey are entering or leaving Pungo Crossing.

Northern Gateway. A similar experience is pro-posed for entering the settlement from the north.The panel envisages the existing historical farm-house and significant stands of trees southeast ofFlanagans Lane as marking the northern gatewayto Pungo Crossing. In addition, the panel suggeststhat small-scale, historically themed housing shouldfront the western side of Princess Anne Road andthe northern side of Seaboard Road.

Quadrant DevelopmentThe quadrants are those sections defined by theintersection of Princess Anne Road and IndianRiver Road.

Southeast Quadrant. A 2.5-acre civic park that is afocus for the local community is the centerpoint ofthe southeastern quadrant. The park will cater tocommunity gatherings, ensuring sustainabilityand vitality. To provide emergency response fa-cilities for the settlement, the park will also housea fire station.

The plan accommodates a mix of civic, commer-cial, residential, and open-space uses, providing adiversity of opportunity. Revitalization of the ex-isting housing and shops, in accordance with strictarchitectural, streetscape, and landscape guide-lines, will help achieve consistency in the charac-ter and quality of the settlement. The panel en-visions a renovated Munden’s store being animportant historic cornerstone. Appropriate side-walk, trail, and pedestrian facilities will allowmovement between Munden’s, the adjacent vacantparcels, and the commercial core on either side ofPrincess Anne Road to the south.

The city will need to determine the appropriateadditional rights-of-way or easements necessaryto accommodate these pedestrian facilities. Thecity should initiate and undertake these activitieswith cooperation from property owners. Participa-

tion in the sidewalk and trail network should be arequirement of property owners who take advan-tage of new facilities and utilities.

The panel believes that the addition of housing tothe area will increase the vibrancy of the commu-nity, providing the “living community” necessaryto sustain a village feeling. A modest number ofadditional houses are proposed on the westernside of Princess Anne Road, pending the preser-vation of the southern parcels of land through theARP. The potential exists for additional houses tobe developed along the southern side of IndianRiver Road, east of the existing wetlands.

Vignette of pedestrian-equestrian interface withPrincess Anne Road.

Vignette of suggestedwoodland preserve.


N

Indian River Road

Seaboard Road

Boundary for Pungo Crossing

Farmers Market

Open Space

Commercial

Residential

Agricultural

Agricultural Reserve

Areas to Add to the Agricultural Reserve

Water

Public Use Site

Outdoor Arena

Viewsheds

Gateways

Access Points

Trail System

Key

Prin

cess

Ann

e Ro

ad

Suggested land use plan.


The plan promotes the preservation of the exist-ing 15 acres of wooded wetlands and the incorpo-ration of an extensive network of recreation trails.A 5-acre land parcel adjacent to the wooded wet-lands will be designated an environmental servicescenter. This area will accommodate either (1) astandard septic system or drainfield, (2) an alter-native system such as filter or drip irrigation, or(3) if necessary, a pump station that will provideservice specifically for the Pungo Crossing area.The panel recommends making a priority of ac-quiring development rights for the ARP of an ad-ditional 22.4-acre parcel of land east of the wetlands.

The trail network should be refined through a de-sign charrette process, and the city should con-sider funding the trail network to ensure its im-plementation. The trail network will do much toprovide a balance between the strictly rural usesto the south of the settlement and the market-place use of the settlement itself. Developmentwithin the crossing should not be allowed to ig-nore or avoid accommodating the trail system.The integration of the trail into the commercialarea will go a long way toward confirming theunique quality of Pungo Crossing. This uniquequality will help defend against the argument thatPungo Crossing is just another rural crossroadsalong Indian River Road and that over time itshould be suburbanized.

Southwest Quadrant. The existing commercial areashould be renovated to reflect the common ver-nacular of American folk architecture (see the De-sign Character section of this report). To the ex-tent possible, uses (whether new development orspecial use permits) should be encouraged to movetoward the road to provide the feeling of an inti-mate community that is both walkable and safe,while avoiding conflicts between pedestrians andvehicular traffic. On a rural highway such asPrincess Anne Road, the retail focus should be onthe intersection, with mixed-use service and com-munity retail located along either side of the roadwithin the settlement.

As in the southeast quadrant, the agricultural-equestrian interface should be maintained both atthe periphery and in the settlement proper. Fi-nally, the wetlands and sensitive lands to thesouthwest should be protected and emphasized in

a way that strengthens the identification of PungoCrossing as the gateway to an environmentalwonderland.

Northwest Quadrant. The area planned for sanitarysewer service is located in this quadrant. Theproperty immediately next to the intersectionshould accommodate primarily retail and servicesuses, and the buildings and structures should at-tempt to re-create a village street facade similarto that of older villages. Parking should be locatedbehind the buildings, out of view of passing vehi-cles on Princess Anne and Indian River roads.Residential uses should provide a threshold lead-ing into the village, with single-family homesfronting on both Princess Anne and Seaboardroads. The quadrant is an appropriate locationfor an inn, which could act as a distinct center-piece, differentiating this quadrant from the oth-ers by projecting a certain vernacular panachewhile maintaining its architectural connectionwith the village. An inn would offer food, lodging,and resort-style services such as spa facilities,horseback riding, and “elder hostel” activities. Itcould act as an appropriate interface with theequestrian and agricultural uses in the northernand western extremities of the quadrant.

Northeast Quadrant. The panel suggests the pres-ervation of small-scale retail and commercial usesat the intersection and the creation of a heritagepark of about 15 acres incorporating a public mar-ket. The park would be an outdoor repository ofhistorical structures as well as a site for facilitiesfor the expansion of seasonal activities. In addi-tion, this quadrant is ideal for an outdoor arenaand livestock or horse exhibition area of about45 acres. The panel also suggests the creation of awoodland preserve that creates a visual statementat the entrance to the outdoor arena area.

Design CharacterThe scale and character of uses in all four quad-rants should evoke the rural crossroads nature ofPungo Crossing. Suburban-style development, in-cluding auto-oriented shopping centers andcookie-cutter houses (especially “phony colonial”ones), is not appropriate in the core area of PungoCrossing. American folk architecture that blendswith its rural surroundings should be the domi-nant theme. The dominant residential look should


be Craftsman-style bungalows, using the AladdinReadi-Cut kit homes as an example. New com-mercial uses should also use bungalow-style archi-tectural elements:

• Low-pitched, gabled roofs;

• Wide, overhanging eaves;

• Exposed rafters under the eaves;

• Decorative (false) brackets under the gables;

• Incised porches beneath the main roof;

• Tapered, square columns supporting the roof;

• Four-over-one or six-over-one sash windows,often with Frank Lloyd Wright design motifs;and

• Handcrafted stone or woodwork, often withmixed materials throughout the structure.

Bungalows can be either front-gabled or side-gabled. Larger commercial uses, particularly thosethat will go through the renovation process, shoulduse the same architectural elements, modified forcommercial uses.

To the extent possible, new parking should beoriented away from Princess Anne Road. Parkingon the side of buildings should be screened; accesspoints should be minimized and, where possible,combined to enhance the historic nature of PungoCrossing. The area should be made safe for pedes-trians. Sidewalks and pathways should provide theability to walk from one end of the settlement tothe other with a minimum of conflicts with vehicles.

Infrastructure SystemsRoad and sewer infrastructure were identifiedearly in the panel process as two important andcontroversial subjects. The presence or lack of in-frastructure should not be a hindrance to carryingout the city’s policies.

Circulation Systems and MobilityTransportation systems and traffic patterns areintegral to defining Pungo Crossing’s identity. Asuccessful transportation system is both a criticalcomponent in maintaining a community’s economic

vitality and a building block of the Virginia BeachComprehensive Plan. Levels of traffic congestionand unsafe roadways are used as principal criteriawhen evaluating the effects of recent and pastgrowth in Virginia Beach. As traffic congestionbuilds and roadway systems break down, theimage and perception of a place also begins tobreak down. The rural character of Princess Anneand Indian River roads contributes to the ruralidentity of Pungo Crossing. It also contributesheavily to the ability of Pungo Crossing to sustainitself as a special place in Virginia Beach, the placewhere the city becomes country.

Simply folding under demands to reduce trafficcongestion by expanding roadways and engi-neering intersection improvements will only ex-acerbate traffic congestion problems in the longterm. An approach to transportation planningthat balances good land use planning, commu-nity design, and transportation system engineer-ing is the solution the panel advocates to ensurethat Pungo Crossing is sustained as a strong andhealthy neighborhood.

Traffic affecting Pungo Crossing comes from twoprimary sources: local traffic generated by localland use patterns (homes and businesses) and re-gional traffic generated by major retail centers,job centers, entertainment centers, or other re-gional destinations. Traffic is heaviest travelingnorthbound along Princess Anne Road and west-bound along Indian River Road in the peak morn-ing periods and in the opposite directions in thepeak afternoon periods. On weekdays, these tripspresumably are work trips coming from the ruralareas of Virginia Beach and from North Carolina.

Significant truck traffic has been observed in theproject area, which is also a concern for the com-munity. Truck traffic is essential to the agricul-tural industry that is so prominent in the ruralarea of Virginia Beach, moving products fromfarm to market. In addition, agricultural equip-ment uses these roads to move between farmfields. This equipment moves slowly and oftentakes up both sides of the roadway. Truck trafficis also generated from a number of borrow pitsused for extracting sand. The bulk of the agricul-ture-related truck traffic flows south from Pungo


Crossing to markets in North Carolina, while thesand extraction uses have a primary destinationwithin the region.

Pungo Crossing is bisected by two regionallysignificant transportation routes that fill localand regional transportation needs. Indian RiverRoad carries an average daily traffic volume of ap-proximately 2,800 vehicles per day east of PrincessAnne Road and 6,000 vehicles per day west ofPrincess Anne Road through Pungo Crossing. It

serves as a major east-west roadway connectingportions of western Virginia Beach with the BackBay and Sandbridge Beach areas. Within the proj-ect area, Indian River Road is a narrow two-laneroadway with varying right-of-way widths, from34 feet at its narrowest point to 120 feet in loca-tions near its intersection with Princess AnneRoad. A 60-foot right-of-way width is a commoncross-section for Indian River Road. Within theright-of-way are the two-lane roadway, a ditchsection, and utilities. Indian River Road has beenidentified as a Virginia scenic byway, as part ofthe Green Sea Byway.

Far left: Bungalow-stylecommercial adaptive use.Left: Truck traffic inPungo Crossing.

Road with pavementwidth of 20 feet.


Princess Anne Road through Pungo Crossing car-ries upward of 9,000 trips per day south of IndianRiver Road and more than 11,000 trips per daynorthward toward the urbanized areas of VirginiaBeach. As on Indian River Road, right-of-waywidths along Princess Anne Road vary throughthe project area, ranging from 50 feet at its nar-rowest points to more than 100 feet in some loca-tions near intersections.

The current traffic volumes on Princess AnneRoad through Pungo Crossing might suggest thatthe existing roadway is insufficient to handle thetraffic. This will continue to be a problem, princi-pally because of growing regional markets thatuse Princess Anne Road. Future development inPungo Crossing will affect Princess Anne Road,but it will pale in comparison with the impact cre-ated by regional growth pressures. Indian RiverRoad currently operates at an acceptable levelthrough the project area; however, the panel’sobservations at the intersection of Princess Anneand Indian River roads indicate that traffic mostlikely exceeds acceptable levels of operation, es-pecially during peak periods.

Traffic impacts that will result from future devel-opment in Pungo Crossing cannot be fully under-stood within the scope of this analysis. As notedearlier, the panel recommends a slight increase indensities of 50,000 square feet of retail and up to40 homes. The incremental growth in traffic gen-erated by the introduction of these new uses couldbe about 2,600 average daily trips, but in thepanel’s opinion that is insignificant compared withthe changes in traffic patterns and growth thatwill occur at the regional level.

Management of Traffic Flow and Road CapacityThe principal objectives of an efficient and suc-cessful transportation system are to provide ac-cess to local properties while ensuring safe mobil-ity between origin and destination. As trafficgrows (more from regional growth than from localgrowth), the ability to achieve these transporta-tion objectives decreases. Two significant regionalroadway system improvements will contribute toreducing the traffic pressure on Princess Anneand Indian River roads: the completion of NimmoParkway between Indian River Road and GeneralBooth Boulevard and the completion of Southeast-

ern Parkway, connecting I-264 near the ocean-front and Great Neck to the city of Chesapeake.Nimmo Parkway will alleviate some of the east-west movement along Indian River Road, whileSoutheastern Parkway has the potential to pullsome of the more regional north-south traffic offPrincess Anne Road. Nimmo Parkway and South-eastern Parkway are Virginia Department ofTransportation projects. These improvements bythemselves will not resolve the longer-term needto improve the transportation system throughoutthe Pungo Crossing area.

The following potential roadway improvementswill increase the level of capacity on Princess Anneand Indian River roads and at their intersection:

• Expansion of Princess Anne Road by six toeight feet of pavement on each side to accommo-date bicycle traffic and passing by larger farmequipment vehicles, which often take up the en-tire 20 feet of existing pavement;

• Improvements to the intersection’s traffic sig-nal, including dedicated turn lights for the pre-dominant turning movements during peak traf-fic periods; and

• Improvements to road geometry at the inter-section, to clearly identify travel lanes while en-hancing the pedestrian environment.

Land Use StrategiesThe panel suggests that the following strategiesbe implemented when a property goes throughthe land use and zoning review process. Where ap-propriate, local conditional zoning or special usepermit processes should be used to ensure thatthe specific components are implemented.

Circulation and Access Management. Circulationand access management is a means to control con-flicts between the desire to have access to localproperty and the desire to minimize potential traf-fic conflicts. A local circulation system shouldserve each quadrant and provide focused points ofaccess to Princess Anne and Indian River roads.The local circulation system should emphasize arural design and should give priority to pedes-trian-friendly systems and walkability. Individualaccess to properties should be directed to the in-ternal circulation systems and side streets ratherthan Princess Anne Road or Indian River Road.


Alternative Modes of Vehicle Travel. Alternativemodes of vehicle travel are an important means of reducing traffic congestion. The evolution ofPungo Crossing will result in a regional destina-tion with an attraction at each of the four quad-rants of the intersection. Good roadway designand traffic planning, coupled with a pedestrianpath connecting the quadrants, will make it possi-ble to park once and walk between destinationsrather than driving from point to point. Every tripavoided reduces the amount of traffic. Currently,the retail uses on the four quadrants could encour-age this pattern; however, crossing the road is notyet an appealing endeavor. Future road improve-ments and development patterns should place apriority on designing an internal pedestrian circu-lation system.

Complementary Land Use Planning. Complemen-tary planning is an important aspect of trafficmanagement. Good planning establishes landuses that complement one another and reducethe need or desire to travel by vehicles betweenquadrants. For example, mixing various uses inproximity enables people to park once and visitmultiple places.

Attention to Rural CharacterThe desire of the community to preserve ruralheritage and rural character can be expressed inroadway design elements: narrow roads, gravelshoulders, drainage ditches, country lanes, and soon. The ability to retain the character and identityof Princess Anne and Indian River roads dependsas much or more on future land use and trans-portation management practices outside thePungo Crossing area as it does on future develop-ment within Pungo Crossing. Limiting rural resi-dential growth to the south and prioritizingplanned regional transportation improvementswill make it possible to retain the rural characterof Princess Anne and Indian River roads.

Local circulation roads serving the four quadrantsshould look like country lanes, with such charac-teristics as a narrow cross-section, gravel shoul-ders, no curbs, and a grade that allows drainage toinfiltrate through drainage swales and bioswalesrather than being collected by a stormwater col-lection system. Internal circulation systems andfuture improvements to Princess Anne and Indian

River roads should emphasize and prioritizepedestrians, as well as equestrians and bicyclists,as primary users of the circulation and mobilitysystems. The use of shared paths instead of tradi-tional sidewalks should be encouraged as a meansto emphasize and embrace the rural character ofPungo Crossing.

The panel recommends the following transporta-tion actions:

• Prioritize improvements to the regional system(Nimmo Parkway, Southeastern Parkway).

• Prepare, adopt, and follow design standards forroadways in or through Pungo Crossing(through creation of a rural roadway section).

• Prepare and follow an access managementstrategy for major roadways (arterials and col-lectors). The strategy must include provisionsfor a more pedestrian-friendly environment inPungo Crossing while maintaining the road’scurrent vehicular capacity.

• Plan and provide for alternative modes of mobil-ity (walking, biking, riding).

• Establish a land use pattern and roadway de-sign that encourages and prioritizes walkingwithin districts.

UtilitiesControl and coordination of water and sanitarysewer extensions are key to a successful ruralpreservation program. The ability to ensurePungo Crossing as a viable commercial area

Suggested village lane forPungo Crossing.

also depends on certain limited extension ofthese utilities.

Water The panel recommends permitting extension ofpublic water into those portions of Pungo Cross-ing defined by the land use plan earlier in this re-port. This recommendation comes with the caveatthat those wishing to gain access to public waterdo so at their own expense and that all other ap-plicable portions of the plan are complied with, in-cluding density and design requirements.

Sewer The panel quickly recognized that public sewer isperhaps the most controversial issue facing thecity in the Pungo Crossing area. For more than 20years, the policy of prohibiting sewer south of In-dian River Road has created an urban growthboundary and has steered growth to the urbanservice area and transition area. However, thepanel observed that this prohibition has notstopped development in the rural area. Some sub-divisions in the rural area cannot be distinguished,either architecturally or functionally, from subdi-visions in the transition area or urban servicearea.

The prohibition against sewer in the immediatearea of Pungo Crossing has contributed to the de-cline and stagnation of the rural commercial andservice uses. Agricultural service uses havemoved south into North Carolina and commercialretail has moved north. These trends have leftPungo Crossing without a mission. To support theconcept of a viable crossroads, a center of rural ac-tivity, and a vehicle to help advertise, enhance,and preserve the rural and environmental areas ofVirginia Beach, the panel recommends that sani-tary sewer service be permitted in a very specificarea surrounding the crossroads. The panel doesnot make this recommendation lightly, and it rec-ognizes and appreciates how this recommendationwill be received by various factions within thecommunity. The panel does not believe that themanner in which sanitary sewer is recommendedhere violates the basic policy regarding sewer inthe rural area. Instead it allows the community tocontrol the destiny of the rural area and establisha firm and specific boundary for sewer service.

Expanding the Pungo Crossing service areawould be difficult to justify, given the specificboundaries and conditions along the edges (as ex-plained in the Planning and Design section). Forother crossroads along Indian River Road, such asWest Neck and North Landing roads, the same ar-gument cannot be made. Those two locations haveneither the existing zoning, nor the existing non-conforming uses, nor the cohesiveness of PungoCrossing.

The panel recommends three options for address-ing sanitary sewer service in Pungo Crossing.Each is framed by the overarching concept thata specific and precise boundary exists for serviceto property south of Indian River Road. The sys-tem is intended to serve either existing propertiesor new properties within the study area, in accor-dance with the study recommendations.

Utility Actions The panel suggests three options to address utili-ties in Pungo Crossing:

• Construct a city-owned community septic sys-tem to serve the Pungo Crossing area. Hook-ups to a community-based system can be con-trolled by the city. Doing this will requireacquisition of an appropriate property to housethe community tank and drainfield system.Such a system would be located in the southeastquadrant, where most of the soils are acceptablefor waste disposal.

• Construct an alternative centralized sewer sys-tem to serve the specific Pungo Crossing area(for example, the Puraflo peat filter system).Hook-ups to the community-based system canbe controlled by the city. Again, the locationwould be in the southeast quadrant.

• Extend standards for sanitary sewer south ofIndian River Road. Provide service to all prop-erties within the Pungo study area. This exten-sion is approximately 3,000 feet from the south-ern portion of the transition area. A standardsystem will require a pump station. An alterna-tive is a low-pressure grinder pump system.Such a system can be installed using relativelysmall-diameter piping (as small as 11/4- to two-inch laterals and mains), which can be laid in



shallow trenches. Because the wastewater ispumped under low pressure, the piping can fol-low the terrain and be installed at minimal depths(just under the frost line in colder climates),according to local codes.

Extending lines that connect with the centralizedcity system brings the perception of accommodat-ing sprawl. The Pungo Crossing plan proposes de-velopment that is consistent with the Comprehen-sive Plan and the prevailing policies of the cityregarding rural centers. The southern edge of thesettlement, as defined by the panel, provides a

hard line past which extension of sewer shouldgenerally be prohibited. The only exception wouldbe for existing structures within 1,000 feet of theboundary whose current waste disposal systemhas failed and for which no other on-site system ispossible or practical.


A complex public/private partnership sponsoredand managed by the city and including repre-sentation from the larger community should beformed to implement the plan. This partnershipwill act as an advocate and champion for PungoCrossing. There is a role for everyone, for all thepeople the panel interviewed and for the public at large.

An organizational structure or “implementationweb” is needed to carry Pungo Crossing from avision to a reality. The implementation web is anetwork of strategic public/private partnerships,each focusing on a single element. A steering com-mittee, under the direction of the city manager,marries the individual elements and coordinatesthe implementation. Each subgroup is staffed bycity staff members and includes stakeholders aswell as interested members of the public.

The implementation web will ensure that theprocess of analyzing and implementing the plan iscarried out transparently, with ample opportunityfor participation by the larger community throughpublic meetings, workshops, and other communi-cation strategies. This partnership will help main-tain movement on multiple fronts, ensure thatprogress is orderly and not redundant, and mini-mize conflicts among projects, as well as lever-age funds.

Very often, multiple objectives can be achieved at lower expense when such partnerships exist.For example, the multiuse path that was recom-mended will move pedestrians out of the roadway.The land needed to accommodate the pathwaycan also be used to improve drainage, curtail non–point source pollution, and even contain waterpipes. Each of these objectives could be accom-plished as an independent project, but at substan-tially higher cost.

The parking proposed in the northeast quadrantshould be shared by multiple users such as the re-

The panel has recommended an array of sug-gestions affecting every aspect of PungoCrossing. These recommendations relate tothe farmers market, roads, infrastructure,

retail and residential uses, the environment, andagriculture.

The panel interviewed a great number of peoplerepresenting these sectors who expressed manyvaried opinions. All these people—from the publicsector and the private sector, landowners and en-trepreneurs, politicians and civil servants—haveimportant roles to play in ensuring a future forPungo Crossing.

Development of Pungo Crossing will require sub-stantial public support and political will, becauseit requires significant financial investment andchanges to existing policies. However, the panelbelieves that, absent this commitment, PungoCrossing will not continue to survive in its currentform. Instead, left to market economics, bothPungo Crossing and the surrounding agriculturalarea will be consumed by large houses carved outof farmland. The rural landscape will ultimatelydisappear, and the greater Pungo rural region andthe agrarian history of Virginia Beach will benothing more than a memory—a story told to fu-ture generations.

Pungo Crossing is much more than a crossroads.It is the emblem of an agricultural area that hassurvived despite significant development pres-sures. The good news is that the principal reasonsfor its survival are the policies and actions takenby the city in 1979. The city of Virginia Beach hasdemonstrated the ability and will to face difficultchallenges and recognizes that a policy craftedmore than 20 years ago may not solve the prob-lems of today. However, the plan for PungoCrossing is not a plan that the city can imple-ment on its own.

Implementation


tail, inn, and equestrian uses. Shared parking willpermit the distribution of initial costs while re-ducing impervious cover, thereby minimizingstormwater impacts.

The opportunity also exists to leverage city fundswith funds from the state and federal govern-ments, nonprofit agencies, and private individuals,to create projects that are bigger than the sum oftheir parts. Sometimes it is just a matter of look-ing at things a little differently. This leveraging isalready happening. The lands being preserved forthe Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge are ideallysuited for bird-watching and other passive recre-ational opportunities. This investment on the partof the federal government should be seen as an in-vestment in Pungo Crossing.

These recommendations will take years to imple-ment, under the best of circumstances. There willbe recommendations that the city will reject. Andthere will be new ideas that the city will generate.The panel believes that the energy and interestthat exist today should be capitalized upon now.

Marketing

RoadsAgriculture

EnvironmentRetail

Development

OtherInfrastructure

SteeringCommittee

Figure 2Implementation Web


The panel believes that the foregoing recom-mendations are sustainable, supportable,and practical. They respond to the concernsexpressed by landowners, environmental-

ists, builders, developers, and residents. A seriesof compromises and collaborative efforts will beneeded. The slight intensification of land use den-sities suggested by the panel’s plan will allow ex-isting businesses to be more sustainable and willallow the settlement to fulfill its role as the gath-ering place and focal point of the rural communityin Virginia Beach. The safeguards put in place byprescribing the southern boundary of PungoCrossing, together with the strict limitation onsewer hook-ups, will maintain the rural boundarydesired by the city. This package balances the

challenges, opportunities, and constraints toachieve a sustainable, attractive, and desirablecommunity in Pungo Crossing.

Urban planner Alex Garvin, a professor at YaleUniversity, once said that “successful urban plan-ning can be described as public action that gener-ates a desirable, widespread and sustained privatemarket reaction.” The recommendations in this re-port provide a foundation for fulfilling this adage.The preservation of the city’s rural area and therebirth of Pungo Crossing as a vibrant gatheringplace for residents and visitors will be a self-sustaining exercise that balances preservationwith progress.

Conclusion


Franklin A. MartinPanel Chair Boise, Idaho

Martin is president of Martin Community Devel-opment, LLC. Since August 1997 he has beenresponsible for the development of HiddenSprings, a 1,844-acre planned community in the Boise Front foothills.

Between 1971 and 1997, Martin was responsiblefor the development of more than 3,000 homes,primarily in metropolitan Chicago. From 1990 to1997, he was president of Shaw Homes, Inc., andoversaw the development of several communities,including Homan Square, Garibaldi Square, LutherVillage, Prairie Crossing, and The Reserve at theMerit Club.

Martin is chair of the Urban Land Institute’s Sus-tainable Development Council, a member of theNational Association of Home Builders, and amember of the Ada County, Idaho, Planning andZoning Commission. He has served on six ULIAdvisory Services panels, four of which he chaired.

Martin holds a bachelor’s degree from HanoverCollege and an MBA from the University ofChicago; he is a licensed real estate broker inIdaho and Illinois.

W. Easley HamnerCambridge, Massachusetts

Hamner is a senior principal in The StubbinsAssociates, an architectural and planning firmthat he joined in 1967. His career has been de-voted to the creation of large-scale, memorable,urban mixed-use environments that enhance thecity, create value, and engage the imagination. Hisexperience began with the Citicorp Center in NewYork and continued with assignments in Boston,Nashville, Charlotte, San Francisco, Singapore,

Taipei, Kuwait, China, Korea, and Greece. He wasprincipal-in-charge for the largest hotel complexin the world, the Venetian in Las Vegas. Mixed-use facilities are his primary design interest, andthe effects of emerging technologies on communi-cation, entertainment, education, and shoppingparticularly intrigue him.

Hamner holds a master’s degree in architecturefrom Harvard University’s Graduate School ofDesign, a bachelor’s degree in architecture fromNorth Carolina State University, and a certificatefrom the Ecole des Beaux Arts Americaine inFountainbleau, France.

A ULI member for more than 20 years, Hamnerhas served two terms on the Institute’s UrbanDevelopment/Mixed-Use Council and is currentlyon the International Council. He served as a mem-ber of the Governor’s Endowment Campaign ofthe ULI Foundation, and he is a member of theNAIOP Mixed-Use Development Forum.

Andrew IrvineDenver, Colorado

Irvine, a senior landscape architect at EDAW, Inc.,has a broad range of project experience through-out the United States and Australia. He has morethan 15 years of experience in landscape architec-ture and urban design, with specialized skills insite planning, master planning, and urban designguidelines. His projects include major infrastruc-ture, urban renewal, public domain, and traditionalpark design. He has worked on numerous planningprojects that included significant experience withtransportation and waterfront development. Irvinealso has completed projects that have incorpo-rated comprehensive open-space networks andecological restoration areas into planned commu-nities. He has degrees in landscape architectureand environmental design.

About the Panel


William G. Lashbrook IIIEast Brunswick, New York

Lashbrook began his career with the Bank of NewYork in 1973 and progressed through various man-agement positions in the Bank’s commercial lend-ing and real estate divisions before becoming vicepresident and head of the National Real EstateLending Division.

In 1993, Lashbrook moved to Midlantic Bank assenior vice president and credit officer for thereal estate business, and then moved to Pitts-burgh as real estate credit officer following PNC’sacquisition of Midlantic in 1996. In 1997, he startedthe residential segment of PNC Real Estate Fi-nance, a unit that focused on national home-builders and multifamily development financing.He assumed his present position in 1998, whenacquisitions and other new business initiativescalled for developing new tools to manage realestate finance as a business rather than the tradi-tional loan orientation.

Lashbrook is a member of the board of directorsof the National Multi-Housing Council, where hechairs one of the Urban Development/Mixed-UseCouncils, and the Real Estate Roundtable, wherehe chairs the Basel II working group. He receivedhis BA in economics and political science fromDuke University and earned his MBA from SetonHall University.

Donna LewisTrenton, New Jersey

Lewis is the planning director for Mercer County,New Jersey’s capital county. She has served thecounty for 16 years. The Planning Division is re-sponsible for growth management and redevel-opment, open-space and farmland preservation,and transportation planning. Mercer County is aleader in applying cutting-edge transportationconcepts, most notably through the creation oftransportation development districts and devel-opment of access management plans. There is astrong redevelopment effort focused on both the

city of Trenton and the first-generation suburbs.Lewis serves on the Transportation ResearchBoard Access Management Committee, the Cen-tral Jersey Transportation Forum Steering Com-mittee, and the Delaware Valley Regional Plan-ning Commission.

Lewis holds bachelor’s degrees in political scienceand English from the College of New Jersey and amaster’s degree in city and regional planning fromRutgers University. She is a New Jersey–licensedprofessional planner and a member of the Ameri-can Institute of Certified Planners. She is an ad-junct professor at the College of New Jersey.

Ralph L. NúñezSouthfield, Michigan

Núñez is design principal of DesignTeam Limited(Landscape Architects & Planners). His effortsfocus on the development and implementation offorward-thinking, realistic, and practical actionplans. He has well-developed skills in project man-agement and administration, knowledge of mar-kets and trends, and a keen sensitivity to bottom-line results.

Núñez established DesignTeam Limited in 1984in Houston, Texas. He has successfully designed,planned, and managed multimillion-dollar rede-velopment projects. Specializing in land planning,landscape architecture, and land development,Núñez has been responsible for the master plan-ning of residential communities; park and recre-ation amenities, and commercial, industrial, officecampus, and resort developments ranging fromten to several thousand acres. He was appointedby the governor of Michigan as chairman of theState Board of Landscape Architects.

Núñez has directed multidisciplinary teams inbroad-based problem-solving assignments. He hashad significant involvement in the managementand administration of large master plans through-out the United States and overseas. Núñez re-ceived his bachelor of science degree in landscapearchitecture and environmental planning fromPennsylvania State University in 1976.


Bradley ScheibMinneapolis, Minnesota

Scheib, a vice president and community plannerwith Hoisington Koegler Group (HKGi), has pro-vided planning expertise to a number of large-scale projects covering a wide range of planningissues. Most significantly, this project experienceincludes redevelopment projects, especially thoseinvolving transportation and transit corridors,and comprehensive planning projects throughoutMinnesota. Scheib also possesses project manage-ment experience with the comprehensive plansin Moorhead and Ramsey; the Chanhassen 2005Alternative Urban Areawide Review; the rede-velopment plans in Newport and the Corcoranneighborhood of Minneapolis; and the SouthwestTransitway Analysis for Hennepin County.

Scheib specializes in land use analysis and plan-ning. He has become HKGi’s resident transit-oriented development (TOD) expert through hiswork on several projects. He possesses a broad

base of redevelopment planning knowledge. Hehas also toured several U.S. regions to learn howother areas have addressed redevelopment andTOD issues.

Scheib’s communication and public facilitationskills have been essential to his professional suc-cess. These communication skills are especiallyimportant for building public support for planninginitiatives developed during the planning process.He has been able to establish trust with membersof the public, an ability that has helped ensurethat projects progress smoothly once the planningprocess is finished and communities begin to im-plement their plans.

Scheib has a BS in community and regional plan-ning from Iowa State University and is alicensed realtor in Minnesota.

AN ADVISORY SERVICES PANEL REPORT Pungo Crossing Virginia...

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