During the November 2025 City Council meeting, after the Manning Road Rezoning Public Hearing, Mayor Duman stated:
“It’s quite evident that the developers are listening. We are listening.” Then he goes on to talk about how “we have done exactly what we need to do” and how the developer is doing what he can do “to the extent that he is capable of doing what he can do and still be able to move his project forward.”
Is Mayor Duman seriously saying that this is the best we can expect from developers in Suffolk? Let’s review the Manning Road issues to see what we can expect from the city and the developer:
In 2022 the developer, Bob Arnette, provided a traffic study for Manning Bridge Rd instead of Manning Rd. The analysis stated:
And this:
If you are familiar with the site location on Manning Road, you know how ludicrous this statement is. This would mean all cars head south from the site on Manning Road and go the long way (about 4 miles!) to catch Holland Road 3 miles WEST of the Manning Rd/Holland Rd intersection.
This was approved by city staff!!
By 2024, he provided a new traffic study, but this one is also NOT for Manning Road. Instead, the developer used existing city data for the Grove Ave/Holland Rd intersection.
The developer has NEVER done a traffic study on Manning Road. Yet this traffic study was also accepted by the city.
He did have an engineer go out there and measure the road and it shows the same thing we have been saying for 3 years – the road is narrow! The lanes are well below the state standard and the developer’s plan is to slap some asphalt on the narrow shoulder, adding inches and in some cases a couple feet of asphalt. The road will still below the state standard. This will not expand the road space itself. It will just pave from ditch to ditch and guardrail to guardrail. There is no engineering report that actually states if that will make the road safer or if it is even feasible. Why is City Council even considering allowing a developer to make substandard improvements in exchange for a large development.
I guess this is the ‘listening’ that the mayor is talking about?
The school proffers have decreased by $1.2 million. In 2022, the developer was offering $1.9 million for Kilby Shores Elementary and $1.2 million for Forest Glen Middle Schools.
Now he is only offering $1.9 million for Kilby Shores and nothing for Forest Glen.
The City has recently come up with a ‘new method’ of determining school proffers – developers no longer need to count ‘uncommitted’ developments, which is any development that doesn’t have a submitted site plan.
Uncommitted houses have gone through the rezoning process, so they can be built by-right at any time just by submitting a site plan. These houses will be built at some point AND will impact our schools and roads, but by NOT counting them, the developer gets to save a lot of money. He is off the hook for the extra proffers, but that money will have to come from somewhere. It will be passed on to taxpayers.
Maybe THAT is the listening the Mayor is referring to?
This developer does NOT have a right to rezone this property. He took a risk and engaged in speculative development, which has the potential to make him a lot of money. If this doesn’t get passed, he can just sell his land like everyone else does when they no longer want the property they own. Sometimes when you speculate, you lose.
If this passes, everyone that lives on or off of Manning Road will be subjected to the tripling of traffic which will greatly increase the chance of a serious accident. It is already a dangerous road that has seen fatalities. Adding more traffic means there will be more accidents and more risk to the safety and lives for our family, friends, and neighbors, not to mention the 300 new families that will be added.
City Council can say NO to this project. It is perfectly reasonable for them to say that they value the rights of the current property owners to safely enjoy and live in their homes, and that the desire, not right, of the developer to make a profit is not a good trade-off for the city and its citizens. They represent us, not him.
If the developer, the city and City Council are actually listening then they will know that what we are opposing is a development that will predictably DECREASE the SAFETY of the current residents. If City Council truly represent the people, they will put our safety above the profits of the developer.
I feel it is time to use their vote to represent the citizens and the planning department should also to start doing their job. We can not let them sell out the entire city of Suffolk . We should impeach the whole bunch. Then let them know that WE KNOW also how to VOTE. Vote NO!
I agree! Sounds as if property owner and city council are not listening to the residents of our area of Manning/Holland Roads. Say “NO” to this property owner and move onto other more-important business!
It just looks to me like our City Council, Planning & Community Development, and Mayor are always thinking up ways to make it easier and cheaper for developers – such as accepting flimsy proffers – to build in Suffolk while ignoring the current residents’ needs for safer roads, better schools, and services. When there’s local opposition, the can gets kicked down the road until citizens give up. I think it’s a conflict of interest for our mayor to be a real estate broker and it’s time he gives his attention to what his constituents want and need. It surely isn’t more overpriced homes on busy roads.