Pastor Nate Atwood of Kempsville Presbyterian Church said he and his 1,800 church members can’t understand why the city would want to limit what he said would be high-quality developments that would create jobs and tax revenue. The project is still conceptual and would likely take 20 or more years to develop, he said.

A few years back, a growing congregation was looking for a chunk of property to build a new church. The depressed economy, a struggling developer and a Navy edict presented an opportunity – a 519-acre one.

Kempsville Presbyterian Church pulled together $7.4 million, bought an old farm and unveiled an ambitious plan. Now, their plan has bumped up against proposed city development restrictions.

The church wants to transform 70 acres of farm fields into a campus of ministries and a large new church, together called “The City of Hope.” The rest of the land would be sold off for development of medical, office, institutional and retail projects.

It’s the second part of that plan that worries city planners, some residents and Councilwoman Barbara Henley, who represents the city’s rural southern area that includes the church property.

The debate, a familiar one in the Beach, centers on how much development is appropriate in rural areas and how much government regulation should influence what happens on private property.

…Some residents living nearby said they’re worried about the development gobbling up open space and clogging country roads.

Read More: http://hamptonroads.com/2011/01/beach-council-split-churchs-land-plans