The following is an article written by Katherine Hafner of WHRO
published August 4, 2025
A team at Old Dominion University has spent years working to understand when and how the sand ridges were formed – and what they can tell us about sea level rise…
To read or listen to the entire article, please click the map above or the link below.
The Bayfront Advisory Commission will be holding a Special Meeting on Thursday July 17th at the Ocean Park Volunteer Rescue Squad Building to discuss items that include subcommittee structure, speaker policy and goals for the upcoming year. The agenda can be found below.
Following the Special Meeting, the BAC will hold its monthly General Meeting. The meeting will start at the normal time of 3:30pm. The agenda can be found below.
Also, the BAC, City Planning and City Public Works has provided an updated Bayfront Projects spreadsheet. Please share this information with your civic groups and anyone else interested in these projects. The project status spreadsheet can be found below.
Please note that due to the City’s observance of the Juneteenth Holiday, this month’s BAC meeting has been moved to Monday June 16th at 3:30pm in the Ocean Park Volunteer Rescue Squad.
The agenda for this meeting is below.
The Shore Drive Phase 3 Improvement Project(SDP3), first identified as a City Capital Improvement Project (CIP) in 2007, is finally getting ready to happen. This 3 year long construction project will improve the section of Shore Drive between the Lesner Bridge and North Great Neck Road, making the road safer for pedestrians and vehicles. Construction will take place over the next 3 years and will definitely have an impact on our Bayfront area in the process.
In an effort to help provide as much information to the residents as possible, we have been working with the City and Councilman Cummings to gather as many details as possible to help answer questions regarding this project. Thanks to the City’s Public Works and Councilman Cummings, we are able to provide the following detailed drawings for construction, traffic management and storm water plans. Please see below for a link to our project page for the SDP3 project.
https://weloveshoredrive.com/phase3/
The detailed project drawing documents should be able to help answer some of the following questions we have heard from the residents.
Additional information regarding this CIP can be found at the City’s website link https://vbgov.maps.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/11ca2d264a6c45aeaf6e6b4723297341
The City’s CIP data sheet can be seen below
We understand that this data is a lot to digest and we plan to help by posting drawing analysis reviews and City provided updates as best possible. Similar to the Lesner Bridge 3 year project, we can make it through the pain to get to the well deserved benefits and information will be a critical factor.
On Thursday May 1st, there will also be an opportunity to learn more about the upcoming construction project at the District 8 Councilman Cummings Community Meeting. More information on this meeting can be found below.
This post will expand on the civic engagement request mentioned in the recent Bayfront Advisory Commission April Baylines Bulletin regarding the City’s request to comment on their Draft Comprehensive Plan. The information below just highlights some of the sections that pertain to the Bayfront/Shore Drive area. You are encouraged to read the entire document and provide comments to the Bayfront Advisory Commission at BayfrontVB@gmail.com and the City’s Planning Department at CompPlan@vbgov.com
The following are brief details from the Draft Comprehensive Plan. The entire draft plan can be view at https://planning.virginiabeach.gov/comp-plan/2040-comprehensive-plan-draft-document
Image #1 above shows the Coastal Planning Area which covers most of Shore Drive. The plans for this area can be found starting on page 112 of the Draft Plan.
Image #2 shows the Local Core Center development details identified for the area around the intersection of North Great Neck Road and Shore Drive (page 170)
Image #3 shows the design guidelines for the Core and Edge zones for the Local Center. Core building heights of 3 to 6 stories and Edge building heights of 3 to 10 stories are recommended.
Thursday, March 20, 2025
3:30 P.M.
Ocean Park Fire and Rescue Squad Building
3769 E. Stratford Road
The mission of the Bayfront Advisory Commission is to review and make
recommendations to the City Council regarding public and private projects and issues
associated with the Bayfront area.
Meeting Agenda
Bayfront Projects Spreadsheet
The following update was received from the VMRC regarding the rescheduling of the Westminster Canterbury (WC) application to remove their existing timber pier and build a new concrete shared use pier in its place. The application was originally scheduled for tomorrow, but was not included as part of the final approved agenda recently posted on the VMRC website.
We are aiming to replace the item on the March agenda. If that occurs, those who have submitted a comment to us through our public comment portal will receive a notification of the meeting date and time. The agenda will also be posted on our website (https://www.mrc.virginia.gov/calendar.shtm) once finalized. No additional news advertisement is necessary to satisfy VMRC’s meeting requirements.
Respectfully,
TiffanyTiffany Birge
Environmental Engineer, Habitat ManagementVirginia Marine Resources Commission
Building 96, 380 Fenwick Road
Ft. Monroe, VA 23651Tiffany.birge@mrc.virginia.gov, 757-247-2254
The VMRC hearings take place on the 4th Tuesday of the month, so the earliest date would be March 25th. VMRC will continue to accept comments on the application and you can find out more information and ways to comment at the previous post here https://weloveshoredrive.com/2025/02/18/westminster-canterbury-proposed-pier-replacement-project-to-be-head-by-vmrc-at-tuesday-feb-25th-hearing/
Maintenance dredging of the Crab Creek Channel, which started February 17th, will help recreational boaters progress from the boat ramp to the Bay. It will also provide improved access to the wharf for vessels used in City waterway and Neighborhood Dredging projects. All spoils material will be deposited on the adjacent stockpile for future emergency beach replenishment of Bay beaches.
More information can be found at the following two City links –
The Virginia Marine Resource Commission (VMRC) will vote next week on the proposed pier replacement by Westminster Canterbury (WC). The following item is on the VMRC Tuesday Feb 25th agenda for their upcoming hearing.
This is not a grandfathered project and will require WC to provide “royalties from
the VMRC for the proposed encroachments over state-owned submerged lands”.
VMRC Tuesday Feb 25th Hearing Agenda Items
8. WESTMINSTER-CANTERBURY ON CHESAPEAKE BAY, #24-2475 requests authorization to remove a failed timber pier and construct a new shared-use concrete pier as part of the proposed Westminster-Canterbury Chesapeake Bay campus expansion situated at property off Ocean Shore Avenue along the Chesapeake Bay in the City of Virginia Beach. This project is protested by nearby property owners.
Comments to the proposed project can be emailed to the VMRC representative agent Tiffany Birge at tiffany.birge@vmrc.virginia.gov
Comments can also be submitted at the following link using the application number identified in backgound #2 below https://webapps.mrc.virginia.gov/public/habitat/comments/
Background information is provided below
District 9 Councilmember Joash Schulman will host listening sessions—Aug. 12 from 3-4:30 p.m. and Aug. 19 from 5:30-7 p.m.—to gain input and concerns from residents prior to the City Council Retreat.
Residents will have two opportunities to participate:
Attendees will have an opportunity to engage in small group discussions and identify citywide/district-specific priorities.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 28, 2023 (6:00PM – 8:00PM)
Councilmember Schulman will host a town hall meeting to update residents on current city projects and issues that impact District 9. City staff representing Public Works, Parks and Recreation, Budget and public safety will be in attendance to discuss various topics. Attendees will have an opportunity to have their questions addressed.
The meeting will be held in Rooms 1 and 2.
Please direct requests for an accommodation, auxiliary aid or modification to policy in order to participate in a City program, service or activity to the Communications Office, 757-385-4679, as soon as possible before the program, service or activity is scheduled to begin, but in all instances no later than 48 hours before the scheduled event.
In partnership with Preservation Virginia, the nation’s oldest statewide historic preservation organization, the Virginia Beach Historic Preservation Commission invites you to celebrate May as Historic Preservation Month through “Pints for Preservation.” Take part in this refreshing experience at local craft breweries in support of the Cape Henry Lighthouse and its ongoing preservation needs.
Throughout the month of May, each participating brewery is donating $1 per pint sold of their special designated Historic Preservation Month beer to support the lighthouse. The special beers are:
Find out how much you know about local history as your trivia team competes for prizes during the two remaining trivia nights. Each event will test your knowledge about Virginia Beach’s history starting at 7 p.m. on these dates and locations:
Commemorative pint glasses will also be available for a donation ($10 each; 2 for $15) during the trivia nights and all proceeds go to the lighthouse’s restoration fund.
Contact Mark Reed, 757-385-8573, mreed@vbgov.com for additional information about the Historic Preservation Month events.
The Virginia Beach Historic Preservation Commission is a City Council-appointed body that advises council on issues related to historic resources. They seek to preserve, protect and maintain the historic integrity of Virginia Beach and the former Princess Anne County through a program of advocacy and increased public awareness and involvement. The commission actively supports projects to survey historic resources, recognize historic buildings, districts and events, and research hidden areas of the city’s history. Visit www.VBgov.com/historicpreservation for additional information about the Historic Preservation Commission.
Shore Drive Phase IV (SD P4 as many like to call it) has been planned for the past 17 years. The project is slated to improve traffic and pedestrian safety as well as stormwater and aesthetics on Shore Drive between Marlin Bay and the Lesner Bridge in Ocean Park.
The City Council recently defunded, for the 3rd time, the SD P4 project indefinitely as part of their 23/24 FY Budget. The community was recently made aware of a new SD P4 study, which can be researched below, that identifies a project cost increase of $20 million from $30 million to $50 million. Based on the huge increase and lack of Council support, it appears that this project may not begin construction until 2040 or beyond.
The newly released SD P4 Engineering Design Study and background information can be found at the Ocean Park Civic League website – https://opcl.org/2023/05/09/this-just-in-2/
The actual study documents are fairly large file sizes and can be downloaded here – https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1aMyj-7ws1xg9tOgIjLc4lxC3kI-1TXhr
So is this project a pipe dream? We certainly hope not. Stay tuned for more developments and make sure to attend upcoming Bayfront Advisory Commission meetings to provide your input. Next BAC meeting is Thursday May 18th at 3:30pm – https://weloveshoredrive.com/2023/05/10/bayfront-advisory-commission-meeting-thursday-may-18-at-330pm-ocean-park-rescue-squad/
Please note the new start time for the District 8 Community Meeting. The meeting will start at 6:00pm on Thursday May 18th.
The Bayfront Advisory Commission will hold its monthly meeting on Thursday May 18th at 3:30pm in the Ocean Park Volunteer Rescue Squad building.
The meeting agenda, past month’s minutes and additional package information can be found below. The file is slightly large, so be patient with the download.
Councilmember Chris Taylor will host a town hall meeting on Thursday May 18th at 6:00pm to update residents on current city projects & issues that impact District 8. City representatives will attend to discuss topics such as recruitment needs, EMS & volunteer squads, election system updates, traffic safety & more.
The meeting will be held in Rooms 1 & 2 of the Great Neck Recreation Center. Click here for a map to the center https://goo.gl/maps/KRmhPfTd8kaoNWGw8
This is an opportunity for residents to have a say in policy development and decision-making. City Council has requested that residents be provided an opportunity to provide their input as to how they want to elect their City representatives.
The online survey hosted by the Cooper Center for Public Service is now available. It is open to Virginia Beach residents through Friday, May 26.
To request a hard copy of the survey, contact Community Engagement Strategist Nancy Bloom, nbloom@vbgov.com, 757-385-6279. Surveys received by May 26 will be provided to CCPS for inclusion in their report.
The community listening session meetings concluded on Monday, April 3. Each meeting was live-streamed and recorded and can be viewed on demand on the “Past Meetings” tab.
#WeLoveShoreDrive 