Update: Dad and yellow lab were reunited.

From an email:

Dave Metzger has lost his beloved yellow lab. If found, please contact:

DAVE METZGER – 757-287-1144

PLEASE click here now to start survey. Thanks to all who took the poll.

The Virginia Beach Council of Civic Organizations, VBCCO, is hosting City Manager Jim Spore at their meeting at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 14 at the Meyera Oberndorf Central Library.  Prior to that, they are seeking your opinion on five questions about the 2010 budget.

Would you please take a moment to click to this survey and register your answers?  It should not take more than 60 seconds.  (Thirty seconds for speed readers.)  We need this input before 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 14.

PLEASE click here now to start survey. Thanks to all who took the poll.

Thanks very much.
Grace Moran
President, Shore Drive Community Coalition

Enjoy a spring sunset at Chick’s Oyster Bar buffet and help fight Multiple Sclerosis.  The event is sponsored by the Cycling Legs Against Multiple Sclerosis (CLAMS) team and Chick’s.  Bring your family, friends, and neighbors on April 22, 6-9 pm.  Proceeds from the $15 per person buffet will be donated to fund cutting edge research, programs, and services to help people with MS and their families.  The CLAMS cycling team will participate in the 150 mile weekend MS charity ride on the Eastern Shore, June 5-6, 2010. Please note that for this particular fundraiser, Chick’s has requested that the cost of the buffet be paid in cash or by check (made payable to National MS Society).  Beverages are not included.  Chick’s is located at 2143 Vista Circle, Virginia Beach, VA.

http://www.cycling-legs-against-ms.org
We ride so that others may walk.

From an Email:

NEW DATE for the 2215 OAK STREET
CAPE STORY by the SEA YARD SALE

FRIDAY 10A TO 4 P APRIL 9TH AND
SATURDAY AND SUNDAY APRIL 10-11 9AM TO 3PM

2215 OAK STREET

I will continue to except donations through this date. The response so far has been amazing.
Janet Hollingsworth

As mentioned at the civic association meeting, we have a couple on Oak Street who are going through a very difficult time and could use our help. Jorge and Stephanie moved into our neighborhood about a year ago. Shortly after their arrival, Stephanie was diagnosed with cancer. Their health insurance from her job had lapsed during the move, and treatment was delayed. She is currently down to 75 lbs, and has a broken hip. She has to deal with a trachea tube and feeding tube, but is still fighting.

Jorge is a master tiling contractor, but has had little opportunity to work because he is Stephanie’s primary care giver.

Our neighbor Janet Hollingsworth at 2215 Oak Street is holding a yard sale fund raiser for them the last weekend in March (Saturday is the 27th)  DATE CHANGED DUE TO WEATHER We would like to spread the word, and ask for any items that might be donated to help these neighbors.

Janet’s contact information is:
Janethollingsworth11@yahoo.com
321-0921

Sounds like fun, if I ran.

Check it out at ShareShoreDriveDay.net

Some of you might not have received our eNewsletter that was just sent. My internet connection blinked and some of our beloved Subscribers did not receive it as my connection was reset and it dropped the eNewsletter to a couple hundred subscribers.

Please visit this link to view it.

On Saturday, April 10th, the Hampton Roads Center for Civic Engagement (HRCCE) will host the 2nd annual civic engagement summit, Searching for Citizenship. Admission is free and open to all, but seating is limited.  Please visit the HRCCE website to register online: http://hrcce.org/site/topics/2010-summit
 
WHRO, the Future of Hampton Roads, the Hampton Roads Partnership, and The Planning Council will once again partner with the HRCCE to engage participants in considering the role of citizens in the hard policy and budget decisions that affect their lives.

Two nationally-known speakers with deep ties to Hampton Roads will set the context for interactive sessions.  Bob O’Neill was widely recognized for his “reinvention” of the government of Hampton as city manager from 1984 to 1997. He is currently executive director of the International City/County Management Association (ICMA), a membership organization dedicated to creating excellence in local government through professional management.

Bill Schneider was born in Portsmouth and attended Wilson High School. He is one of the country’s foremost political analysts, having been CNN’s senior political analyst from 1990 to 2009. Bill is Hirst Professor of Public Policy at George Mason University and Distinguished Senior Fellow and Resident Scholar at Third Way, a Washington think tank. He is also a contributing editor to National Journal and The Atlantic Monthly. Bill has been labeled “the Aristotle of American politics” by The Boston Globe.

        The first summit in April 2009 included small-group dialogues which focused on how to improve the way citizens communicate and engage with their elected officials in Hampton Roads.  The HRCCE Information and Communication Team grew out of those discussions and the team has continued to meet over the past year.  On April 10th, team members will present their recommendations for how to improve public-decision-making for all parties.

        In the words of Thomas Jefferson, “The government is the strongest of which every man feels himself a part.” Please join us as we bring together citizens serving as elected or appointed officials and other members of the public to build relationships, increase mutual understanding and strengthen public decision making for the future of our democracy.

2nd Annual Civic Engagement Summit
Searching for Citizenship
Saturday, April 10, 2010
9:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Hampton Roads Convention Center
1610 Coliseum Drive
Hampton, VA

Did you know?

All you had to do was ask at any of our local eating establishments & the Mayor bought you lunch today only.

Keep up to date with happenings around Shore Drive by subscribing to our eNewsletter. Learn more – it’s never to late to subscribe.

Check out the photos, and feedback from this years event.

From an email to Grace:

From: Bill J. Johnston
Sent: Wednesday, March 31, 2010 9:42 AM
To: Dave Hansen
Cc: Phillip J. Roehrs; John E. Fowler; Jason E. Cosby
Subject: RE: Stormwater/ Chesapeake Bay TMDL

Sorry for the response delay but I was actually at a Municipal Stormwater League meeting yesterday discussing this very topic. The effective date of new State Stormwater Regulations (VSMP) has been delayed pending the Development of the performance criteria needed to meet the Chesapeake Bay TMDL. USEPA is leading the Bay TMDL effort and there have been no hard numbers to date. A draft is expected this summer with a final TMDL to be Issued to the Bay states in December of 2010. I have been closely tracking the development of the Bay TMDL and I was also on the Technical Advisory Committee for the VSMP regulation Changes. I would be happy to present the current status of these regulations to the SDCC when you feel it is beneficial.

William J. Johnston, P.E.
V.P.D.E.S. Permit Administrator
Department Of Public Works, Engineering
Building 2, Room 345
Virginia Beach, VA 23456
Office 757-385-4519
Mobile 757-352-8373

Update:

From EPA’s Chesapeake Bay’ TMDL Section:

Q. What is a TMDL?
A. TMDL stands for Total Maximum Daily Load. The TMDL represents the maximum amount of a pollutant that a body of water may receive and still meet its water quality standards, with a margin of safety. Pollutants are anything that prevents a waterbody from attaining the national goal of being “fishable and swimmable.” The “loadings” are allocated to sources contributing to the problem. A TMDL is comprised of wasteload allocations for “point sources” like sewage treatment plants, urban stormwater systems and large animal feeding operations, load allocations for non-point sources such as polluted rainfall runoff from agricultural lands and impervious surfaces, and a margin of safety.

Thanks to Senior Planner Wayne Wilcox for his presentation & feedback.

View 2 page PDF he sent us.

Thank you for allowing me to review and discuss the Bikeways and Trails Plan update with you last night. As a quick summary, here are the main points that I jotted down from our discussion.
Main issues about bikeways and trails
1. Speeding
2. Poor roadway shoulders – both construction and maintenance
3. Drainage (ponding along the roadway)
4. Connectivity
5. Sidewalk gap at Lake Joyce
6. Getting to Lesner Bridge – narrow path between the guardrail and the roadway
7. The hole in front of McDonald’s at W. Great Neck Road
8. Cape Henry Trail ends at Jade Avenue, but kids want to keep going, so they end
up on Shore Drive. Don’t make them cross Shore Drive.
9. Keep the bikeway (shared-use path) on the south side of Shore Drive, where the
Cape Henry Trail is, as well as the trails that are west of Lesner Bridge.
10. Keep bikeways friendly for walkers.

The owner of Cape Henry Plaza Shopping Center at the corner of Shore Drive and W. Great Neck Road applied for and received approval from the city to install a wind turbine on the roof of the property, an initiative that is by all accounts the first of its kind for a commercial property in the city.

The 19-foot-tall turbine is expected to help supplement the electricity consumed by the shopping center whose tenants include a grocery store, a drugstore and Hot Tuna Bar & Grill.

Click here to read the entire article in this week’s Inside Business, http://www.insidebiz.com/news/mighty-wind-energize-center

The Marina at Marina Shores
Spring Fling 2010 Land & Water Boat Show

April 16th, 17th & 18th 10AM to 4PM

FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC:  Fun for the WHOLE Family: Great Food,
Face Painting,
Demonstrations & Displays by:
                        US Coast Guard
                        HRSD (free boat pump out demo)
                        Interstate Batteries,
                        Tim Pugh/Intercoastal Financial Group
                        Boaters CO-OP,
                        Tow Boat US Virginia Beach
                        The Yacht Club at Marina
Shores/Weddings & Special Events

AND A WHOLE LOT MORE.

DO YOU HAVE A BOAT FOR SALE? Push it, pull it, drag it OR float it in!
For Sale By Owners Welcome. Brokers Welcome! All are with a boat to
sell are welcome! $50 Reserves a space for the three-day event. For
more information and to reserve your space call 757.496.7000 or e-mail
e-mail marinashores@aol.com

The Marina at Marina Shores
2100 Marina Shores Drive
Virginia Beach, VA 23451
http://www.marinashores.com
757.496.7000

I’ve had a request since the storm in November for our storm drains to be cleaned out so they function. We made another request in February.
Please if you’ve been waiting too. Thanks.

Take the survey from the City’s Bikeways & Trails.

Print the 2 page PDF and get it in by April 30th.

SDCC General Meeting – Monday, March 29, 7:30pm to 9:00pm

Ocean Park Volunteer Rescue Squad Station (Intersection of Shore Drive and E. Stratford Rd.)

Call to Order

Present and adopt agenda

Presentations:

Bikes and Trails for the Shore Drive Corridor:  Wayne Wilcox, City of Virginia Beach

                                                          Bruce Drees, Tidewater Bicycle Association

                                                          June McDaniels, Aquarius Engineering

                                                          Bill DeSteph, At Large Representative, City Council

Bay Access Restoration:  Phillip Koetter, City of Virginia Beach

Fourth of July Fireworks (West Side):  Rick Mercadante, President, Ocean Park Civic League

Officers’ Reports

          President’s Report – Grace Moran

                  Meeting Dates:

                  April 10:  2nd Annual Civic Engagement Summit, Searching for Citizenship, Hampton Roads

  Convention Center, 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

                  April 15:  Bayfront Advisory Committee, Bayside Rec Center, 3:30 p.m.

April 24:  Tree Planting in First Landing State Park, (Land Side) 9 a.m.

April 24:  LynnhavenRiverNow Oyster Roast, adjacent to Bayville Golf Course, 12 – 3 p.m.

                  April 26:  Shore Drive Community Coalition, 7:30 p.m., Ocean Park Volunteer Rescue

  Station.  Vice Mayor Jones and Councilman Wood to discuss 2011-1012 budget

  Re: Shore Drive Corridor
                         
          Vice President’s Report – Dave Williams

          Secretary’s Report – Todd Solomon – Minutes of February meeting

          Treasurer’s Report – Steve Kohler
Update on issues: (Any or All)

                  Shore Drive Safety Initiatives

                  LED Sign Update

                  Neighborhood Signs

                  Kroger Proposed Fuel Station

                  Stormwater Management

                  Green Parrot Grille

                  Party Planning

Old Business

New Business:

Adjourn

Next Meeting:  7:30 p.m. April 26, 2010.

Ocean Park Volunteer Rescue Station

Please check http://www.sdcc.info for details as they become available.

SDCC Agenda March 2010 [2 pg PDF] Print it and bring it.

Report at Pilotonline.com:

A Category 5 hurricane could cause $39 billion worth of residential damage and affect more than 250,000 properties in Virginia Beach and surrounding areas, the report says.

National Flood Insurance Program.

So I missed a date in our calendar, now I goofed by mis-writing info we received from LRNow, namely this statement:

Did you know?

Thanks to Lynnhaven River NOW, 38% of the Lynnhaven River is now open for shellfish harvesting, up from only 1% in 2004.  Got an idea for “Did you know?” Send it to grace@sdcc.info.

That appeared in our eNewsletter from today.

LRNow has had successes only thanks to the hard work of a lot of people, including, most likely you.
The data from the statement above came from LRNow and did not mean to imply in any way “they did it alone”.

YOU helped make it happen!

I apologize for the error.

Tim

City Council heard public comments Tuesday, March 23, on the issue of electronic display signs (monument style).  Two speakers asked that the City permit such signs and asked for an ordinance to be adopted which defines the parameters for such signs.  A number of speakers asked that Council concur with the City Manager, Jim Spore, who opposes electronic display signs.  Grace Moran, from the Shore Drive Community Coalition, spoke to the impact that such an ordinance would have on a mixed use area such as the Shore Drive Corridor.  She stated that if the City did not follow the recommendation of the City Manager, that Council should adopt the more stringent limitations of the Alternate version proposed by the Planning Commission and recommendations made by the Council subcommittee tasked with the wording of the ordinance.

City Council plans to vote on the issue March 30.

A copy of all versions of the proposed ordinance can be obtained upon request from grace@sdcc.info or by clicking on this file LED_Sign_Ordinance.pdf

Ever play that game with your kids trying to get them to guess the object that you have in mind?  Today, I’m looking at a house in our area and wondering about disaster planning.  Let’s play. What is the biggest opening in your house that when it opens up in a hurricane, can lead to the destruction of your entire house?  Correct!  The garage door.  The garage door is possibly the weakest point in your house that once breached by strong winds, will let wind and rain into your house and cause the internal structures like your ceilings and walls to fail. If you don’t believe me, consider that when Hurricane Andrew hit southern Florida, 85% of the homes there were destroyed when their garage doors failed.  Granted, Hurricane Andrew was an awesome Cat 5 hurricane, but what does it take to push your garage door in or pull it out to expose your garage to nature’s furry?

    While some of the new steel garage doors do a pretty good job with impact protection from blowing debris, they are only as good as their track supports. If your garage door is an original with your house and is made of wood with plywood panels, I would inspect it carefully. If the framing or panels are rotted, I recommend replacing the door with a new steel door.  If you think that is expensive, consider your deductible. If the track supports allow play in your garage door (you hear a lot of “clunking” when the garage door is opened or closed, or if you can move or twist the vertical tracking supports with your hand, it needs to be improved and strengthened.

    I am serious about the damage that can occur to your house if the garage door fails.  Hurricane force winds can either blow in the doors or suck it out.  Once the garage becomes open to the hurricane elements, your house will become a wind tunnel.  Even if walls don’t get blown out, if the attic insulation, the pink itchy stuff, gets blown throughout your house, it can present a major health hazard and headache.

    Remember, garage doors are designed to go up and down, not prevent the garage door from being blown in or out. Like putting your hand out a car window while doing 65 (?) mph on the interstate, wind pressure against your hand will present a significant force.  If you are a handy person, you can use galvanized brackets (like Simpson Strong-tie) and Southern yellow pine 2”x 4”’s to construct vertical bracing INSIDE and OUTSIDE of the garage door to reinforce it.  This option would cost about $100-$200 depending on the size of the door, and a couple of hours of work to construct, while installing a new garage door would costs upwards of $1500.

    For more information on this, go to any of the do-it-yourself centers like Taylors, Lowes, or Home Depot.  Excellent information is also available at http://www.floridadisaster.org under Hurricane Retrofit Guides.  Beware! There are too many fly-by-night handymen and garage door companies who will glad to sell you a steel door that is “hurricane storm rated”, BUT fail to reinforce your track brackets to prevent roller pullout.  Your panels will be intact, just located in somebody else’s yard after the hurricane.  Overall, reinforcing your garage door is one of the best things that you can do to protect your house.

    Let us hope that we will have a quiet hurricane season, but after the storms of this winter, I don’t think that will be the case.

By

Go to pepsi refresh project everyday and vote for our Ocean Park Volunteer Rescue Squad!

  * Rebuild Volunteer Rescue Squad Building

Overview

The building was recently flooded by a storm that destroyed much of the contents in the building.  The building is several decades old and needs a new roof and interior refurbishment.  We are trying to raise money to help defray the cost of the rehab that is coming out of the operating budget.

VOTE everyday!  From their FAQ’s:

May I submit more than one vote from the same IP address?

Yes. However, you may only vote up to 10 times per account per day, but each vote must be for different projects.

About Voting:

Requirements for Voting:

Each Application Period is followed by a Voting Period. Individuals who are only interested in registering on the Website in order to vote (as defined below) will be required to meet the Eligibility Requirements listed above in Section 1 and will be required to follow the directions on the Website to register as a Voter. An individual can register on the Website as either a Participant or as a Voter but not both.