Author Archives: Todd Solomon

SDCC Requests Planning Commission to DENY proposed development by Westminster Canterbury

Posted on by

The following request has been sent to the Planning Commission requesting they DENY the current proposed expansion of Westminster Canterbury.

 

Dear Ms. Oliver and Planning Commission Members,

On behalf of the Shore Drive Community Coalition (SDCC), we formally request that the Planning Commission “DENY” the subject request from Westminster Canterbury on Chesapeake Bay (WCCB) for a modification of conditions to build a 4 story parking garage with 22 story tower senior living facility and a 7 story memory unit facility connected by enclosed elevated pedestrian bridges over public roadways.

The SDCC is a 20 year old umbrella civic organization representing many neighborhood civic leagues, condo and homeowner associations along the Shore Drive corridor. At our February general meeting, we unanimously voted on the following motion regarding the current proposed WCCB development,

“The Shore Drive Community Coalition opposes the Westminster Canterbury expansion proposal as it is in violation of the Shore Drive Overlay density restrictions and the Business 901 height restrictions”

We understand that it’s the Planning Commission responsibility to review projects and determine if they are in accordance with existing City codes and to allow variances based on hardships. As our motion states, the proposed project is considered multi-family senior living housing that violates the following City codes and has no hardships.

• Shore Drive Corridor Overlay Section 1704- Density requirements of maximum 24 units per acre.
• Business District Section 901 – Senior housing building height restriction of 165 feet.

The SDCC feels that this project would also set a harmful precedent for future development requests of high density tower structures in Business B2 and B4 zoning that would be incompatible with the surrounding residential and lower density multi-family dwellings that make the Shore Drive Corridor unique.

Thank you for your consideration in denying the subject application,
Todd Solomon – SDCC President

SDCC General Meeting – Monday Feb. 24th at 7:30pm

Posted on by

Click here for a printable version of the agenda 2.24.20 SDCC Agenda

SDCC General Meeting Agenda
Monday February 24, 2020 from 7:30 to 9:00pm
Ocean Park Volunteer Rescue Squad Hall – 3769 East Stratford Rd
(parking in back, on side streets and across Shore Drive)

Special Presentation – None

Officer’s Reports
Secretary – Kathleen Damon
Treasurer’s Report –Tim Solanic
Vice President – Empsy Munden
President – Todd Solomon

Old Business-
Westminster-Canterbury (WC) High Rise and Memory Center Expansion – Update on WC expansion project that included a 22 story high rise to be built at the Casa del Playa/Old Pier site and a memory center to be located on a current parking lot. All facilities are planned to be connected with pedestrian bridges crossing public streets at Ocean Shore Ave and Starfish Rd. Developer presented to 100 attendees at Lynnhaven Colony Civic meeting. Project will be heard by Planning Commission on Wed. March 11th at Noon. SDCC Survey on proposed development can be taken at

Sea Level Wise (SLW) Public Input – The Department of Public Works concluded their public presentations on the draft SLW plan. Thank you to all who attended. The meeting at Cox HS was largest crowd of all meetings. Next step will be formal adoption of the plan by City Council. Comments will still be accepted through the end of February and can be sent to C.J. Bodnar at CBodnar@vbgov.com

New Business –
Leasing of Lynnhaven Boat Ramp for Commercial Use – City wants to lease part of property for 3 year as commercial use to support off-shore wind turbine construction. An office building, parking spots, 5000 gallon fuel tank and boat mooring are planned. Your comments and questions are needed and will be submitted to Staff for answers prior to a Council vote on Tues March 3rd.

Lesner Bridge Lighting Issues – Repairs will be made over the next 60 days to fix lighting problems with the overhead road pole lights, the under bridge pier lights and the Canoes sculpture accent lights.

“Your Speed” Sign – Public Works Engineer Phillip Koetter informed the Cape Story Civic Association that City Traffic engineers plan to install a “Your Speed” radar sign near the intersection of Shore Drive and Kendall Street for cars coming from the State Park heading west. Installation should be this summer/fall.

Shore Drive Community Coalition Future Structure – Revisions to the SDCC Bylaws were presented and reviewed at Jan meeting. The proposed changes are posted online and will be voted upon at this meeting.

Community Concerns– Please share any issues or concerns your groups/organizations may have at this time.

Civic Engagement Opportunities

Sea Level Wise Draft Input – Comments on the draft can be sent to City Public Works Stormwater Engineer C. J. Bodnar at CBodnar@vbgov.com Deadline is Feb. 29th.

Leasing of Lynnhaven Boat Ramp – City Council Meeting Tues March 3rd at 6:00pm in Building 1

Proposed Expansion of Westminster-Canterbury – Planning Commission Meeting Wed March 11th at Noon in Building 1 City Council Chambers. Briefing is held at 9:30am in City Managers meeting room. Take the SDCC Survey at

. Survey closes March 10th.

City Budget Citizen Discussion – Councilman John Moss will be holding public information sessions in the Bayfront area at the following dates and locations. Both meetings are held from 6:30pm to 8:00pm
• Wed March 4th at the Bayside Rec Center & Wed March 18th at Great Neck Rec Center

 

 

SDCC Proposed Bylaw Changes

Posted on by

Shore Drive Community Coalition has been operating for an amazing 20 years.  Our coalition of engaged communities has and is still doing great things.  However, it is time to make some adjustments to the way the organization operates and meets.  The following links show the proposed changes and current Bylaws. Some of the key changes include: tri-annual (3 times – Jan/May/Sept) meetings instead of monthly meetings; eliminating $25 membership dues; making officer positions flexible from minimum 2 to 4.  Plans are to hold emergency public meetings when a topic requires and to also increase our online activities to continue to keep the community informed.

Proposed Bylaw changes – BYLAWS – 2020 Revision Draft Strikethrough Removed

Existing Bylaws – https://weloveshoredrive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/bylaws-11-24-03_amended.pdf

SDCC General Meeting Monday Jan. 27th at 7:30pm – Storm Water Project Presentation

Posted on by

Click here for a printable version of the agenda 1.27.20 SDCC Agenda

SDCC General Meeting Agenda
Monday January 27, 2020 from 7:30 to 9:00pm
Ocean Park Volunteer Rescue Squad Hall – 3769 East Stratford Rd
(parking in back, on side streets and across Shore Drive)

Special Presentation – Storm Water Projects East of the Lesner Bridge
Public Works Engineers, Mike Mundy and Brad Vanderwarker, will provide an update and answer questions regarding improvement projects planned for the communities between the Lesner Bridge and First Landing State Park. Lynnhaven Colony, Cape Story by the Sea, Areas along Cape Henry Trail and Condos north of Shore Drive will be specifically discussed. Come learn if you area will be included in improvements and if not, what you can do to help influence Councilmembers to allocate a portion of the possible $430mil bond monies to support.

Officer’s Reports

Secretary – Kathleen Damon
Treasurer’s Report –Tim Solanic
Vice President – Empsy Munden
President – Todd Solomon

Old Business-
Bonaventure/Windsong Development – Project update and when it go before the Planning Commission.

Electric Scooters – E-scooter will be coming back to the Bayfront area starting April 1st. Rules for operation will be restricted from last year. Learn more about the new requirements.

New Business –
Westminster-Canterbury High Rise and Memory Center Expansion – At the Nov. BAC meeting, WC presented an expansion project that included a 22 story high rise to be built at the Casa del Playa/Old Pier site and a memory center to be located on a current parking lot. All facilities are planned to be connected with pedestrian bridges crossing public streets at Ocean Shore Ave and Starfish Rd.

Shore Drive Community Coalition Future Structure – SDCC officers met and have put together a revision to our Bylaws. Some of the key changes include: tri-annual (3 times) meetings instead of monthly meetings; eliminating $25 membership dues; making officer positions flexible from minimum 2 to 4. These revisions will need to be voted on at the next upcoming meeting TBD.

Community Concerns– Please share any issues or concerns your groups/organizations may have at this time.

Civic Engagement Opportunities

Cape Henry Trail Kendall St. Retention Pond Meeting- Monday Feb. 10th the City will discuss this retention pond at the Cape Story by the Sea General Civic meeting. The meeting is held at the Lynnhaven Congregational Community Church on West Great Neck Rd at 7:30pm, all are welcome.

Sea Level Wise Public Input – The Department of Public Works will be holding six public meetings regarding the Sea Level Wise Adaptation Strategy. The closest meeting to the Bayfront will be:
February 15, 2020 – Cox High School – 2425 Shorehaven Drive – 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM

City Budget Citizen Discussion – Councilman John Moss will be holding public information sessions in the Bayfront area at the following dates and locations. Both meetings are held from 6:30pm to 8:00pm
• Wed March 4th at the Bayside Rec Center
• Wed March 18th at Great Neck Rec Center

 

Free E-Cycling & Recycling Event – Sat. January 25, 2020 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM at VA Aquarium

Posted on by

This is a great service and you don’t even have to get out of your car so you can still drop off waste if it’s a rainy day.  For more details click here or on the image above

Click here for a map to the Aquarium.  East Parking Lot is away from the main building and towards the ocean.

The Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center, in partnership with Goodwill Industries, the City of Virginia Beach Public Works and TFC Recycling, will offer its semi-annual E-cycling event at the Virginia Aquarium East Parking Lot. There is no fee to drop off items, but donations are always appreciated.

Acceptable personal electronic recyclable items include:

Personal computers and laptops
Telephones, cell phones and PDA’s
Printers
Circuit boards and components
Monitors and flat screens
Fax machines​
Stereo equipment and game systems
Regular recycling materials such as newspapers, bottles and cans will also be accepted.
***Note that cathode ray tube (CRT) televisions and alkaline batteries (AA, AAA, C, D) cannot be accepted***​

Acceptable household hazardous waste items include:

Up to five gallons of liquids or up to 75 pounds of dry materials
Aerosol spray cans
Automotive fluids
Batteries: Boat, Car, Camera, Cell phone, Hearing aid, Lead acid, Lithium, Rechargeable, Trucks
Herbicides
Household cleaners
Gasoline (up to 5 gallons)
Fertilizer
Pool chemicals
Light bulbs – small quantities of CFLs or fluorescent tubes
Oil and water based paint
Pesticides
​Propane tanks (small – up to 20 lb. capacity)

 

eScooters Coming Back Starting April 1st with Stricter Rules

Posted on by

This Spring along with the flowers, eScooters will once again be sprouting up along Shore Drive communities as they did last year.  Although this time there will be a couple of new rules they must follow that should help with some of the safety concerns that worried many last year.  The most impactful changes for operation in our area will be:

  1. eScooters will be prohibited from operating on roadways posted with speed limits greater than 25 MPH.  So that means no scooters allowed on Shore Drive or North/West Great Neck Roads.  Neighborhood side streets, Cape Henry Trail and area sidewalks will be allowed.
  2. All eScooters operating along shared paths like the Cape Henry Trail will be limited to maximum speeds of 10 MPH.  This will hopefully make it safer when sharing the paths with bikes, walkers, strollers and joggers.

You can read more about the new changes at the following Virginia-Pilot article by Stacy Parker.  Click the quote below to read the entire article.

Speed limits will be capped at 15 mph throughout the city, except on shared paths, including Atlantic Avenue and the Cape Henry Trail off Shore Drive, where the speed limit will be 10 mph.

Scooters won’t be allowed on roads with speed limits greater than 25 mph.

 

 

The Bayfont Community Needs Your Input – Four Opportunities for Your Voice to be Heard

Posted on by

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your families. As you’re lounging around the next few days with full bellies and stretch pants, here are a few opportunities for civic engagement that can have a direct impact on our Bayfront area. The first 2 items are quick surveys you can take while traveling or laying around the house. The second 2 items are upcoming public meetings scheduled for the week after Thanksgiving. Please share this email with all those that may be interested. And again, have a safe and wonderful holiday.

Route 35 Bayfront to Oceanfront Shuttle Survey
Survey Closes – Monday Dec. 2nd

In a continuing effort to improve the 3 year old seasonal Hampton Roads Transit shuttle, SDCC needs your help. Please take a couple of minutes to take our survey at the following link. We will post the survey results and share them with the City and HRT to continue to make this service better. You’ll find the survey at
https://weloveshoredrive.com/2019/11/06/please-take-our-new-survey-about-route-35-so-we-can-help-improve-it/

Storm Water Survey for Neighborhoods Surrounding Lake Bradford/Chubb Lake
Survey Closes – Thursday Dec. 12th

Your input will greatly assist us in developing a storm water drainage improvement program that will address flooding in areas that include, but are not limited to: Bradford Acres, Chesapeake Beach, Church Point, Hermitage Elementary, Lake Shores, Northampton Boulevard, North Beach, Pleasure House Road, Shore Drive, and Thoroughgood. Click here to take the survey – https://www.publicinput.com/6003

 

Public Meeting on Planned Redevelopment of Windsong Apartments

Monday December 2nd– Bonaventure’s presentation of their proposed redevelopment of Windsong Apartments along Pleasure House Road. The public meeting will be held at Morning Star Baptist Church at 6pm. https://weloveshoredrive.com/2019/11/26/invites-went-out-to-see-what-bonaventure-is-proposing-at-windsong-in-chesapeake-beach-join-us-dec-2nd/

 

Town Hall Meetings Scheduled For City Manager Recruitment Process

Dec 2nd through Dec 5th – Town Hall meetings to ask the public for input regarding attributes for the new City Manager. Unfortunately none of the meetings are north of Virginia Beach Blvd. Click here for times and locations – https://weloveshoredrive.com/2019/11/26/town-hall-meetings-scheduled-for-city-manager-recruitment-process-dec-2nd-through-dec-5th/

Town Hall Meetings Scheduled For City Manager Recruitment Process – Dec 2nd through Dec 5th

Posted on by

Please Note – Unfortunately none of the planned meetings are being held north of Virginia Beach Blvd.  SDCC has asked City Council and the Search Firm to try and add a meeting in the northern part of the City where the majority of the population lives.  Stay tuned, but plan on attending one of the listed meetings just in case our request is too late.

 

Town Hall Meetings Scheduled For City Manager Recruitment Process

What qualities, background and experiences would you like to see in candidates for the Virginia Beach city manager position? The Virginia Beach City Council, along with the City’s recruitment consultant, GovHR USA, invite you to participate in a Town Hall meeting to share your thoughts as well as identify challenges and opportunities facing the City of Virginia Beach. Your opinions will be considered in the recruitment and selection process. In addition to the town hall meetings, residents will have the opportunity to participate in an online survey. It will be posted on VBGov.com during the week of December 2.

 

Town Hall Meeting Dates and Locations:

Monday, December 2, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. – Building 19, Virginia Beach Municipal Center, 2416 Courthouse Dr.
Tuesday, December 3, 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 noon – Bow Creek Recreation Center, 3426 Club House Rd.
Wednesday, December 4, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. – Kempsville Recreation Center, 800 Monmouth Ln.
Thursday, December 5, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. – Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center, 717 General Booth Blvd.

The actual article can be found on the City’s website at the following link – https://www.vbgov.com/news/pages/selected.aspx?release=4582&title=town+hall+meetings+scheduled+for+city+manager+recruitment+process

 

SDCC General Meeting Agenda – Monday Nov. 25th at 7:30pm

Posted on by

Click here for a printable version of the agenda 11.25.19 SDCC Agenda

SDCC General Meeting Agenda
Monday November 25, 2019 from 7:30 to 9:00pm
Ocean Park Volunteer Rescue Squad Hall – 3769 East Stratford Rd
(parking in back, on side streets and across Shore Drive)

Special Presentation – None

Officer’s Reports

Secretary – Kathleen Damon
Treasurer’s Report –Tim Solanic
Vice President – Empsy Munden
President – Todd Solomon

Old Business-
Route 35 Bayfront to Oceanfront Shuttle – SDCC has created a survey to collect feedback on the good and bad of the route. The survey results will be consolidated, posted on our website and shared with City Staff and HRT reps. The survey will be open until Nov. 30th. https://sdcc.survey.fm/sdcc-route-35-nov-19-survey

Electric Scooters – The City Code was amended by City Council to require e-scooter companies to have a franchise license with the City to rent e-scooters in Virginia Beach. The effective date of the ordinance is 12/16/19, which means e-scooters will not be available from that date until City Council awards a franchise license to companies to rent them. That timeframe is anticipated to be by April 2020.

Lake Bradford/Chubb Lake Stormwater Improvement Meeting – The City’s Public Works held a public information session and presented background and initial improvement plans. Tidal gates, pump stations and channel improvements were shown. Residents asked for lake dredging. The presentation can be found here https://weloveshoredrive.com/2019/11/18/lake-bradford-chubb-lake-drainage-study-november-2019-cip-7-053-presentation-from-open-house-and-survey-due-dec-12/

New Business –
Shore Drive Improvements Phase 3 and Phase 4 – With the construction start date for Phase 3 moved to summer 2021, it may be possible to pursue an accelerated start date for Phase 4 which isn’t scheduled to begin until 2024. A cost of scope savings may be possible if construction projects are combined.

Bonaventure/Windsong Development – The developer pulled the application from the Planning Commission’s December 11th meeting. It is unclear if and when the developer will reapply.

Oceanfront TGIF Funding – Taxes collected from hotel rooms, meals and cigarettes goes into a fund for oceanfront projects. Should the portions paid by Shore Drive be used for projects in the Bayfront and what are some good ideas for projects that could use these funds.

Shore Drive Community Coalition Future Structure – A new URL [website] http://www.WeLoveShoreDrive.com has been created to be a possible transition for the future. A list of ideas will be shared and discussed on how best to progress with a community organization next year. After 20 years, are monthly meetings necessary? Would once a year with the ability to set up emergency forums work? Will an online presence be acceptable to keep residents informed and what tools would be helpful?

Community Concerns– Please share any issues or concerns your groups/organizations may have at this time.

*** Next SDCC Meeting – Should we have a meeting in December or break for holidays?***

All eScooters to be Removed from City After Dec. 16, 2019

Posted on by

With the City’s amended ordinance, eScooter companies will have to remove scooter after 12/16/19 until Spring 2020.  See information from City’s website below.  Also check out the survey results and the over 2400 comments received from residents regarding eScooters and their use in Virginia Beach.

Important: Effective 12/16/19
The City Code was amended by City Council to require e-scooter companies to have a franchise license with the City to rent e-scooters in Virginia Beach.
The effective date of the ordinance is 12/16/19, which means e-scooters will not be available from that date until City Council awards a ​franchise license to companies to rent them. That timeframe is anticipated to be by April 2020.
The goal with the new requirements is to create a safer environment for all, while allowing businesses to provide additional mobility options to get around.  

eScooter information page – https://www.vbgov.com/government/departments/communications-office/hot-topics/Pages/E-Scooter-Guidelines.aspx

eScooter Survey Results link – https://publicinput.com/E-Scooters

 

 

SDCC General Meeting Agenda – Monday Oct 28th at 7:30pm

Posted on by

Click here for a printable version of the agenda – 10.28.19 SDCC Agenda

SDCC General Meeting Agenda
Monday October 28, 2019 from 7:30 to 9:00pm
Ocean Park Volunteer Rescue Squad Hall – 3769 East Stratford Rd
(parking in back, on side streets and across Shore Drive)

Special Presentation – None

Officer’s Reports

Secretary – Kathleen Damon
Treasurer’s Report –Tim Solanic
Vice President – Empsy Munden
President – Todd Solomon

Old Business-
Route 35 Bayfront to Oceanfront Shuttle – Final ridership numbers showed an average increase of 15% for 2019 over last year. The numbers for 2019 should be leveling off and what can be expected as normal from now on without promotion. This route seems to be a good one and City council would be smart to continue it’s funding for future operation.

Tidal Sluice Gates Automatic Operation Broken – The tidal sluice gates near Citrus and Food Lion have had their automatic operation fixed. Parts are on order for the gate near First Landing Lane. It will be operated manually until fixed. Call Public Work Operations at 385-1470 during a storm event if these gates aren’t working or appear damaged.

Electric Scooters – City Council received position statements from BAC and SDCC requesting eScooter usage be prohibited in the Shore Drive Overlay District. City Council held an informal briefing on Oct 15th to discuss eScooters and how they should be regulated within the entire city. No decision has been made at this time, but staff wants regulations in place by the end of 2019. The Council meeting can be viewed at our website.

Ocean Park Beach Sand Replenishment –The Army Corps of Engineers permit change is now closed. The City will be soliciting bids for the project with a planned construction start set for early 2020.

New Business –
Bonaventure/Windsong Development – The proposed development is scheduled to go before the Planning Commission on Wednesday December 11th at noon. Chesapeake Beach is still in opposition to the 50% increase in density and the adverse impact it will have on traffic along Pleasure House Road.

Shore Drive Improvements Phase 3 – Great Neck to Lesner Bridge – We learned from Public Works Director, Mark Johnson, that this project has been delayed for another year and a half and is now scheduled to start Summer 2021. The delay is due to site acquisition and Dominion Power issues.

Lake Bradford/Chubb Lake Stormwater Improvement Meeting – The City’s Public Works will hold a public information meeting on Thursday November 14th from 6pm to 7:30pm at the Bayside Rec Center (4500 First Court Rd). If your neighborhood drains into Lake Bradford, Chubb Lake and even Lake Joyce, this is a must attend meeting to see how changes may impact your area.

Community Concerns– Please share any issues or concerns your groups/organizations may have at this time.

Civic Engagement Opportunities –
• Comprehensive Plan Survey now live – https://www.publicinput.com/VBCompPlan
• ELECTION DAY – TUESDAY NOVEMBER 5th – REMEMBER TO GET OUT AND VOTE

***Next SDCC Meeting – Monday November 25, 2019***

 

FEMA/HUD Community Rating System (CRS) City Mailer

Posted on by

As part of the CRS requirement, the City of Virginia Beach must provide the community with information and updates for the FEMA/HUD program.  If you live in a designated flood zone, you should have received the following notice.  It provides good information and links to other sites that are very helpful.  One of the biggest changes you should already be seeing is the 15% discount in your flood insurance premiums.  As the City continues to do more regarding flooding and storm water improvements, this discount should also increase to 20% and maybe even 25% over the next several years.

City Council Briefed on Proposed eScooter Regulations

Posted on by

City Council was briefed by Brian Solis at their Tuesday Oct 15th informal session on proposed regulations regarding operation of eScooters throughout the City.  The SDCC and the BAC both sent position statements to the City Council recommending eScooters be prohibited from use in the Shore Drive Overlay District.

Below is a link to an article in the Virginian-Pilot and a link to the video of the briefing at the Council’s informal session.

  • “Brian Solis, assistant to the city manager, will present a proposal to council members on Tuesday that would cap the number of scooters at 1,000. Technology that automatically slows them down in prohibited areas is being considered for new spots, including along Shore Drive.” – click here to read the entire article by Stacy Parker

 

 

Neighborhood Watch Program Presentation at Cape Story General Meeting Monday Oct 14th at 7:30pm

Posted on by

A 2nd Precinct Officer will be present to talk about the new rules and regulations for the Neighborhood Watch Program.  This is an open meeting and any neighborhood with an existing Watch or thinking about starting one should definitely attend.

Cape Story by the Sea Civic Association Meeting is on Monday, October 14, starting at 7:30 pm at the Lynnhaven Colony Congregational Church at 2217 W. Great Neck Road.

This month, a representative of the Virginia Beach Police department will explain the concept and process behind the Neighborhood Watch Program. This provides a mechanism to get important crime-related information out to the residents quickly, and in an organized manner.

SDCC eScooter Position Memo to City Supporting BAC Position to Prohibit Use

Posted on by

Click here to read the Bayfront Advisory Commission Position Statement Memo 04.BayfrontAdvCommScooterPosition

Date: Thursday October 10, 2019
To: Mayor Dyer, City Council Members and City Manager Leahy
From: Shore Drive Community Coalition (SDCC)
Topic: Position Statement Regarding Prohibited Use of eScooters in Shore Drive Area

 

Dear Mayor Dyer, City Council Members and City Manager Leahy,

The Shore Drive Community Coalition (SDCC), at their September General Meeting, voted unanimously “To support the Bayfront Advisory Commission (BAC) recommendation to prohibit eScooters in the Shore Drive Overlay District at this time.”

The SDCC representative communities reviewed the BAC position statement submitted to the City Manager on September 24, 2019 and agreed with the reasons presented in the correspondence for prohibiting the use of eScooters in our area.
In addition to those items presented in the BAC memo, the SDCC has also heard the following reasons why the scooters should be prohibited in this specific section of the City.

• The connectivity of sidewalks, multi-use pathways and bike lanes is too disjointed and haphazard and until all of the Shore Drive safety improvements are completed between Pleasure House Road and First Landing State Park, this area is just too unsafe for scooters.
• This is the most densely populated area in the City. As the safety improvements are completed, more pedestrian traffic will become the norm. Adding eScooters, which travel at a higher rates of speed than some bikes, into the mix is a recipe for disaster.
• Escooters have already been seen riding in the car lanes on Shore Drive both day and night. The safety improvements to date have reduced an area that used to average 3 fatalities per year down to 1 fatality every 3 years. Residents are fearful that allowing eScooters will do nothing but increase the potential for injury and worst case death, similar to what has been seen in Atlanta.

Thank you for listening to the residents of the Shore Drive area and for your oversight on this matter. If you have any questions regarding the SDCC position, please email me or call me at 757-667-8533.

Todd Solomon
Shore Drive Community Coalition – President

SDCC General Meeting – Mon Sept 30th at 7:30pm – Special Presentation on City’s Comprehensive Plan

Posted on by

Click here for a printable version of the agenda  – 9.30.19 SDCC Agenda

SDCC General Meeting Agenda
Monday September 30, 2019 from 7:30 to 9:00pm
Ocean Park Volunteer Rescue Squad Hall – 3769 East Stratford Rd
(parking in back, on side streets and across Shore Drive)

Special Presentation –

City to Begin Comprehensive Plan Update 

The City has to update its Comprehensive Plan every 5 years and will be seeking public input. Mr. Mark Shea, City of VB Comprehensive Planning Coordinator, will provide background on the Comp Plan, the update process and how the residents can have input into its modifications. He will have a Q&A after the presentation. SDCC meetings are open to the all, so bring a friend, we have cookies.

Officer’s Reports:
Secretary – Kathleen Damon
Treasurer’s Report –Tim Solanic
Vice President – Empsy Munden
President – Todd Solomon

Old Business-
Route 35 Bayfront to Oceanfront Shuttle – Service for this year stops Sunday Sept 29th at Midnight. We will try to share ridership numbers for the months of May through August to compare with past years.

Hurricane Dorian Impacts – What type of impact did your residents see? How did the Cape Henry Beach sand replenishment hold up? Did Ocean Park Beach lose all of its protection? Was tidal flooding a concern?

Cape Henry Shore Entrance Safety Issue – The entrance/exit to CHS at intersection of Kendall and Shore Drive is being discussed in social media. There has been an increase in accidents and near misses and the residents are asking the City Traffic Engineers to once again look at fixes for this area.

New Business –
Ocean Park Beach Sand Replenishment – The City plans to replenish OP beach in 2020 and has submitted a proposed permit modification to the Army Corps of Engineers to allow the sand to be taken from the Chesapeake Beach Shoals Burrow Area. https://www.nao.usace.army.mil/Media/Public-Notices/Article/1954541/nao-2017-01269/

Tidal Sluice Gates Automatic Operation Broken – The tidal sluice gates installed east of the Lesner Bridge have had their automatic operation temporarily disabled. The components haven’t been working correctly so they have been removed/disabled until a fix is found. Unfortunately this means the gates will have to be operated manually by Public Works during storm events. Call 385-1470 during a storm event.

New Online Weather App – A new online weather app has been found very helpful during storm events. The app can be found at www.Windy.com and has also been linked on the www.SDCC.info/safety page. It provides rainfall predictions, wind speeds and directions, tidal information and other interesting details.

Electric Scooters – At their Sept meeting, the Bayfront Advisory Commission (BAC) took an official position to prohibit the operation of eScooters in the Bayfront area at this time. SDCC should discuss this and take a similar position in support of the BAC decision. Be prepared to discuss and vote.

Community Concerns– Please share any issues or concerns your groups/organizations may have at this time.

***Next SDCC Meeting – Monday October 28, 2019***

E-Cycling and Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event Saturday Sept. 28th from 9am to Noon at Virginia Aquarium

Posted on by

Click here to read the entire notice

Fall E-Cycling Event Saturday, Sept. 28 from 9 a.m. to Noon
Fall cleaning is a great time toget rid of those old electroinics. The Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center, in partnership with Goodwill Industries, Virginia Beach Public Works and TFC Recycling, will offer its semi-annual E-cycling event Saturday, Sept. 28, from 9 a.m. – noon at the Virginia Aquarium East Parking Lot. There is no fee to drop off items, but donations are always appreciated

Acceptable personal electronic recyclable items include:

Personal computers and laptops
Telephones, cell phones and PDA’s
Printers
Circuit boards and components
Monitors and flat screens
Fax machines​
Stereo equipment and game systems
Regular recycling materials such as newspapers, bottles and cans will also be accepted.
***Note that cathode ray tube (CRT) televisions and alkaline batteries (AA, AAA, C, D) cannot be accepted***​

Acceptable household hazardous waste items include:

Up to five gallons of liquids or up to 75 pounds of dry materials
Aerosol spray cans
Automotive fluids
Batteries: Boat, Car, Camera, Cell phone, Hearing aid, Lead acid, Lithium, Rechargeable, Trucks
Herbicides
Household cleaners
Gasoline (up to 5 gallons)
Fertilizer
Pool chemicals
Light bulbs – small quantities of CFLs or fluorescent tubes
Oil and water based paint
Pesticides
Propane tanks (small – up to 20 lb. capacity)

 

 

Virginia Beach’s Old Emergency Alert Notification Program Will Stop on Sept 30th. Sign Up for New System Now

Posted on by

Click here to read the article below on the City’s website 

Virginia Beach is Transitioning to a New and Improved Emergency Notification Platform
Current VBAlert Subscribers Will Continue to Receive Alerts Through Sept. 30

​From severe weather to public safety situations, emergencies can happen at any time. VBAlert, the City’s FREE subscription-based emergency notification service, sends critical emergency messages via text, email, and phone, depending on a subscriber’s preferences.

“This is such an important community service, we hope everyone will register,” said Stephen Williams, director of Emergency Communications and Citizens Services. “We have approximately 15,000 subscribers on the current system and we want them to move to the new system, which they can do the same way new subscribers can sign up. Simply text VBAlert to 67283 or go online at www.vbgov.com/vbalert to register.”

The new platform, powered by Rave Mobile Safety, allows for better functionality that includes Smart911, which will be deployed in the near future. Citizens are encouraged to sign up for Smart911 when they register with VBAlert. Smart911 allows subscribers to provide additional unique information to their profile that could help 911 call takers save their life or that of a family member.

The new provider is necessary because the current contract was expiring. Personal information and passwords are not transferable between the two services, which is why current subscribers to VBAlert must reenroll. The change to the new system will take place Oct. 1, 2019.

To ensure citizens receive emergency notifications during the transition, they will receive messages from both systems through Sept. 30, unless they unsubscribe from the old platform at: https://member.everbridge.net/index/892807736725673#/login.

 

American Geophysical Union (AGU) Releases “Surging Waters” Study With Focus on Virginia Beach

Posted on by

 

According to a recent article in the Virginian-Pilot,

“Yet again Hampton Roads is being singled out by a national group as an example of the perils of rising seas. This time, it’s in a report from the American Geophysical Union that urges investment in science to find solutions to flooding caused by climate change.”

The entire article can be found here https://www.pilotonline.com/news/environment/vp-nw-agu-flooding-report-20190924-xp2wqsahtzgwrej5drc2d5pls4-story.html

 

You can also read the AGU’s report by clicking this link.  The section that discusses Virginia Beach starts on page 36.  Click here to go straight to the report https://scienceisessential.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2019/09/Surging_Waters_credits_pages_web.pdf

Driftwood Arch at Brock Center Burns Down Friday Sept 20th

Posted on by

The popular and often photographed driftwood arch burnt down on Friday Sept. 20th.  You can read about the incident in the Virginian-Pilot article at this link https://www.pilotonline.com/news/vp-nw-drifwood-arch-20190920-ejge63ggfjg6nn4gnzdls3gpn4-story.html

You can also see the story covered by Wavy TV 10 here https://www.wavy.com/news/driftwood-arch-at-brock-environmental-center-goes-up-in-flames/