Williamsburg — Residents of the Evershire subdivision told the Williamsburg City Council on Nov. 10 that a design shortfall is creating safety hazards and leaving homeowners trapped in their driveways.

Darren Carrington, who lives at 304 Evershire Street, said daily conditions make leaving his property unsafe: “Every day, I have to navigate speeding traffic, lack of visibility, and poor street design,” and he said emergency vehicles and deliveries have at times been unable to reach his home. He asked the city for practical steps such as clearer signage, stricter parking enforcement, or traffic-flow adjustments to protect residents and drivers.

Carmen Cullen, a townhome resident in Evershire, described the dimensions: “The street in front of my home measures 29 feet curb to curb, and my driveway is 9 feet wide,” she said, noting that a typical midsize sedan “needs more than 20 feet for a safe turn” and that the current layout leaves her short by about nine feet. Cullen said she has been trapped for hours, including once when she needed urgent care.

Cullen also alleged that a city employee, Todd Wood, suggested she sell her home to someone with a smaller car; she said that remark was captured on a home security recording and that she found the suggestion unacceptable. She asked the council to withhold acceptance of the subdivision’s road until the developer corrects the condition, asserting that once the road is accepted the city's leverage to require fixes will be lost.

Why it matters: residents described immediate safety risks for drivers and first responders and said the cost of the city's proposed fix would fall on homeowners. Cullen said the problem originated in development review and asked the council to use the city’s remaining leverage with the developer.

What the council heard: residents requested the council direct staff to explore solutions and to delay road acceptance until the developer addresses the design shortcomings. The transcript records these requests and the residents’ specific measurements and examples; no formal vote or staff response with a timeline is recorded in the Nov. 10 transcript.