Check out the 4 page PDF Baylines here:
Bayfront Advisory Commission meets Thursday, May 19, 2016
3:30 – 5:30
Virginia Beach Resort and Conference Center
City Council Appointed Advisory Board
2800 Shore Drive (Subcommittees, when they meet, convene 2-3:30pm)
Click here for a printable version of the agenda – 4.25.16 SDCC Agenda
SDCC General Meeting Agenda
Monday April 25, 2016 from 7:30 to 9:00pm
Ocean Park Volunteer Rescue Squad Hall
(parking in back, on side streets and across Shore Drive)
Special Presentations – City Comprehensive Plan Update – City staff members Jeryl Phillips, Comprehensive Planning Coordinator, and Steven White, City Planning Evaluation Coordinator, will provide an update of the 2016 Comprehensive Plan with a focus on the Bayfront area. The Comp Plan is the City visioning document that guides progress in 5 year increments. In 2015, Bayfront residents provided a large number of comments to the plan at an open house held in John B. Dey ES. Come out to hear how your comments made a difference to this important planning document.
Officer’s Reports
Secretary – David Williams; Treasurer’s Report -Kathy Pawlak; Vice President – Wally Damon; President – Todd Solomon
Old Business-
Shore Drive to Oceanfront Bus Loop – First Landing State Park and City are working on a plan to create a stop on the beachfront parking area. This plan looks possible and if executed will allow the test route to take place in 2017.
Marina Shores Proposed Development – Update on proposal to rezone the site and construct 261 apartments. City is evaluating parking requirements. Eastern access road doesn’t look possible due to environmental/Army Corps impact.
New Business –
Bayfront Advisory Commission News – Mr. Wally Damon will update us on the actions of the Bayfront Advisory Commission.
Beach Event Houses – The City is evaluating an ordinance to control the use of rental property that is being used for short term events. Single family homes are being rented for durations less than a week and being used for large events without following current event permit requirements. Sandbridge is the biggest impact area, but what impact would this have on the Bayfront area?
Community Concerns – Does your neighborhood/condo have any issues that have come up that need help or may be a warning to others?
Civic Engagement Opportunities-
Comprehensive Plan Comments –
City Budget Comments –
Common Ground for Action – National Issues Forum – Climate Choices online dialogue opportunity. There will be 2 opportunities to participate in an online conversation regarding Climate Choices. Wednesday April 27th from 10am to Noon and Friday April 29th from 6:30pm to 8:30pm. Go to www.sdcc.info to sign up. The event is free.
Next SDCC Meeting – Monday May 23, 2016
PLEASE NOTE MEETING DATE MOVED ONE WEEK DUE TO MEMORIAL DAY
Read the 4page PDF newsletter:
Beach replenishment planned
City Public Works crews are planning to replenish eroded sand on the Cape Henry beach between the Lynnhaven Fishing Pier and Lynnhaven Inlet this spring.
Plans call for 30,000 cubic yards of beach-quality sand to be trucked from the Crab Creek storage area at a cost of about $400,000. Funds would be sought within the current budget. Plans and permits from previous beach-replenishment projects are in place and may need only minor modifications, said Public Works Director Phillip A. Davenport in a March 18 memorandum to the city manager.
Works could begin in April or May and should take about 30 days to complete.
Councilmember Rosemary Wilson forwarded me a copy of your numerous questions related to the Neighborhood SSD Dredging Program. Attached you will find responses to each. Let me assure you that the City of Virginia Beach adheres to all regulatory and safety provisions when performing construction work either in-house with our City workforce or by contractors.
Previously at SDCC.info: Search “Dredging” results
Click on the link for a printable version of the agenda 3.28.16 SDCC Agenda
SDCC General Meeting Agenda
Monday March 28, 2016 from 7:30 to 9:00pm Ocean Park Volunteer Rescue Squad Hall
(parking in back, on side streets and across Shore Drive)
Special Presentations – None
Officer’s Reports Secretary – David Williams; Treasurer’s Report – Kathy Pawlak; Vice President – Wally Damon; President – Todd Solomon
Old Business-
Shore Drive to Oceanfront Bus Loop – Update on proposed seasonal bus route between Shore Drive and the Oceanfront. City staff, Councilman Wood, Bayfront Advisory Committee, Hampton Roads Transit (HRT), First Landing State Park reps and SDCC met at State Park to discuss proposed service.
Marina Shores Proposed Development – Update on proposal to rezone the site and construct 261 apartments.
Possible Dredge Transfer Station at Crab Creek – Update on the possibility of using the Lynnhaven Boat Ramp at Crab Creek for a transfer site, the neighborhood dredge program in general and actions of the Beaches and Waterways Commission.
New Business –
Bayfront Advisory Commission News – Mr. Wally Damon will update us on the actions of the Bayfront Advisory Commission.
City of VB Comprehensive Plan 2016 – The final draft is out for review prior to City Council vote on May 17th. Would a presentation from City staff at the SDCC April 25th meeting be beneficial?
Community Concerns – Does your neighborhood/condo have any issues that have come up that need help or may be a warning to others?
Civic Engagement Opportunities-
Comprehensive Plan Comments –
City Budget Comments –
Next SDCC Meeting – Monday April 25, 2016
Special Formal Sessions and Public Hearings for FY ’16/’17 Resource Management Plan [Budget]:
Thursday, April 21— 6 p.m.
Tuesday, April 26 — 6 p.m.
Frank W. Cox High School
2425 Shorehaven Drive
Virginia Beach, VA 23454
More info about Budget Hearings at VBGov.com
At VBGov.com: No Tax Increases in City’s Proposed $1.9 Billion Budget
Under this budget, Virginia Beach would still have the lowest tax rates among the seven cities of Hampton Roads on:
· Real estate
· Cars
· Meals tax rate
· Machinery and toolsThe proposed budget funds dozens of capital projects in the coming year. The six-year, $3-billion capital plan calls for 209 construction projects, among them:
· Replacing the Lesner Bridge . . .
VBGov.com FY 2016-17 Budget Information
Welcome to the city budget website. Shown below are four new interactive ways to access budget data that used to only be available in a static document.
click to visit VBGov.com
From an email update:
Folks,
The construction of the new westbound Lesner Bridge has reached a point where we are about to cross the federal channel.
At this point in construction we will be temporarily closing the channel at various times during the day to allow construction vessels to load/unload material and equipment up to the center span of the bridge (span #5). Boaters should expect and plan for these periodic channel closures beginning this week and extend at least until the week of March 14th 2016.Over the next several weeks the bridge contractor will cantilever out 8 segments in span 5 from Pier #4 (west side of the channel) and then launch the gantry over to Piers #5 and #6 (east side of the channel) and build out span 6. The U.S. Coast Guard, Virginia and Maryland Pilots Association have also been made aware of these intermittent closures.
We apologize for this inconvenience and appreciate your patience as we work in and around the federal channel during the month of March 2016.
Sincerely,
-Chris
Zoomed screen shot of construction camera from this morning
View Baylines Newsletter (4pg PDF)
Event houses: A sweet getaway?
Or a neighborhood nightmare? Fixing the 2.
City staff is wrestling with the complicated issue of “event houses.” They are dwellings that are rented out for short-term destination events like weddings and reunions.
Karen Lasley, city zoning administrator, and William Macali, assistant city attorney, have been making presentations and gathering comments and suggestions about if and how to regulate these properties in a way that preserves the residential nature of waterfront communities as well as the rights of property owners to entertain on their lands.
Their latest presentation was at the Bayfront Advisory Commission. . .
Click here for a printable version of the 2.29.16 SDCC Agenda
You won’t want to miss this meeting, lots of great presentations line up. Come out and meet your neighbors and learn about the many projects being planned in our neighborhoods.
SDCC General Meeting Agenda
Monday February 29, 2016 from 7:30 to 9:00pm
Ocean Park Volunteer Rescue Squad Hall
(parking in back, on side streets and across Shore Drive)
Special Presentations –
Officer’s Reports
Secretary – David Williams; Treasurer’s Report -Kathy Pawlak; Vice President – Wally Damon; President – Todd Solomon
Old Business-
Shore Drive to Oceanfront Bus Loop – Update on proposed seasonal bus route between Shore Drive and the Oceanfront. The trial has been delayed to May 2017 and will not happen this year.
New Business –
Bayfront Advisory Commission News – Mr. Wally Damon will update us on the actions of the Bayfront Advisory Commission.
Shore Drive and Stratford Intersection Improvement – CIP 2.300.119 to be worked 1/2017 to 7/2017 will include a new traffic signal (black mast arms and poles), pedestrian crossing signals, stamped asphalt crosswalks, additional sidewalk, new curb & gutter, and a new asphalt overlay in the intersection with thermoplastic pavement markings.
Community Concerns – Does your neighborhood/condo have any issues that have come up that need help or may be a warning to others?
Remember to VOTE tomorrow in either the Democrat or the Republican Primaries.
The polls are open between 6am and 7pm.
Next SDCC Meeting – Monday March 28, 2016
An inter-office memorandum prepared Friday by Public Works Director Phil Davenport at City Manager Dave Hansen’s request produced a rough estimate of $48.6 million to design and construct a 140,000-square-foot City Hall at Town Center. Alternatively, the city could have a private firm design, construct and own the building, and lease it back to the city at a cost of about $3.99 million annually, according to the memo.
View Baylines Newsletter (4pg PDF):
Marina Shores development proposed
Developers of a proposed 261-unit , four-story apartment complex on the site of the Marina Shores marina along Long Creek made a presentation to the Bayfront Advisory Commission at its last meeting. . . .Bayfront projects starting soon
Two new Public Works projects are coming to the Bayfront area, beginning this spring. The Greenwell Road Sidewalk Project . . .Shore Drive Bike Facility . . .Election deadline looms
The deadline to register, change address or name for the March 1 Presidential Primary elections in Virginia Beach is the close of business, Monday, Feb. 8 . . .Upcoming events
The Parks and Recreation Department has identified 19 possible sites for installing bicycle racks at beach access entrances. . . .The Joint Expeditionary Base – Fort Story will hold a public festival on the base to mark its 100th Anniversary Saturday, May 21, from 10 a.m, to 4 p.m. . . .
Be sure to check out all the scoop in Baylines.
From Tour de Virginia Beach July 2009 advocating for more bike lanes.
The Virginia Beach City Council voted during a special formal city council session this afternoon to approve Hansen to lead the city.
Mr Dave Hansen COVB City Manager
. . . Dave’s career in financial, technology, infrastructure, and capital improvement management has spanned over three decades. He joined the Virginia Beach government team in April 2006 following his assignment as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Resource Management for the U.S. Army’s Training and Doctrine Command headquartered at Fort Monroe. An officer in the U.S. Army, he also held positions as commanding officer and district engineer of the Army Corps of Engineers Norfolk district; director of public works for Fort Eustis and Fort Story; senior combat engineer trainer at the Army’s National Training Center in Fort Irwin, Calif.; engineer battalion commander in the 1st Cavalry Division; and executive officer to the Director of the Army budget at the Pentagon. . . .
From an email, posted unedited:
Subject: Winter Storm JONAS Update #3
My travels around the City this morning at high tide indicated the tidal flooding in the Lynnhaven watershed has been slightly higher than we estimated. Nothing I would consider greater than moderate/expected for this type weather.
Lynnhaven Colony , Bay Island and Cape Story having nuisance ponding across their usual low lying roads.PW is reacting to Jim Woods call for assistance on issue at Cape Story Ditch and evaluating decision to close the tide gates before the next high tide. Atlantic Ocean is truly angry – haven’t seen the waves that big since Irene.
Bay Beaches holding up. Grommet Island Park berm did its job. Pics attached. Central Beach District at Baltic and 21st is dry. Rode the southern roads and ditches full but little to no encroachment onto roads.
About 200 power outages in the City – down from 800 at daybreak. Mostly due to downed tree limbs arcing out transformers. This evening after 7pm the temps will slowly fall.
Winter storm JONAS is wrapping around from the northwest and will continue to pushing frozen rain, sleet and some snow our way. Expect this up to Sunday day break. Precipitation ends Sunday morn and a cold day barely getting above freezing.
PW will have teams treating our bridges. Our City has fared well. Please pass this on to your constituents. Be safe and stay dry and warm. VR Dave
Dave Hansen
Deputy City Manager
City of Virginia Beach
(757)385-4242
We rewrote the city’s Comprehensive Plan to reflect your concerns about traffic, the environment and more.
Now we’re asking: Did we get it right? Does the revised Comprehensive Plan address the things you love and the things you want changed?
We’ve made it easy to respond. In fact, there’s an app for that — and community meetings.
Engage!
Thursday, Jan. 28 — Virginia Beach Convention Center, 1000 19th St.
To read the complete Comprehensive Plan, visit http://www.VBgov.com/2016compplan.
View the City of Virginia Beach Legislative Package at VBGov.com.
One example request of Virginia Legislature:
19. USE OF OYSTER LEASES FOR NAVIGATION PROJECTS
SPONSORED BY CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, JAMES L. WOOD & JOHN E. UHRIN
| 26
Background Information:
The City has numerous rivers and tributaries that require maintenance dredging. This includes both the main channels of the Eastern and Western branches of the Lynnhaven River and multiple navigation channels serving the multitude of neighborhoods of the fully developed watershed. Not only do these waterways provide access for homeowners to utilize their waterfront property, but these navigation channels support recreational boating for residents and visitors to the City in addition to serving water-dependent local businesses and watermen. Virtually all of the coves of the Lynnhaven were developed with navigation channels.With the support of General Assembly legislation, Special Service Districts (SSDs) are being created to formulate neighborhood navigation dredging projects to reclaim those navigation channels that have filled with silt, mud and sediment foreign to the Lynnhaven’s past. Restoring navigable channels for these waterfront neighborhoods is a critical goal for the City, and the Navigation SSD program provides a venue to accomplish this. The silt, mud and sediment that have inundated this body of water contribute to degradation of the water quality of the Lynnhaven, which is condemned or restricted to oyster production in many areas. As a result of contamination, most oyster leases are unproductive or have costly restrictions and compliance measures before a harvest can be brought to market.
Restoring navigation channels is a part of the City’s effort to cleaning up the Lynnhaven River, but the widely popular SSD neighborhood navigation dredging program has been placed at risk due to 2014 legislation barring localities from exercising eminent domain to acquire portions of oyster leases of state-owned bottomlands, even if the purpose is navigational dredging. Due to guarantees made by the Commonwealth to the holders of oyster leases, consent from the oyster lease holder is required for any dredging permit issued by the Virginia Marine Resources Commission. The legal result of this requirement is that a single oyster lease holder with a nonproductive, vacant oyster bed in a condemned creek retains veto power over a navigation dredging project affecting hundreds of waterfront property owners and recreational boaters. The oyster leases cost $1.50 per acre/per year for a 10-year lease, and although there is a requirement that leases be worked for oyster production, there are generous exceptions for rivers like the Lynnhaven, where such production would not likely yield oysters. The proposed legislation is to promote a balance that allows the municipality and its property owners to maintain the navigation channels while providing fair treatment to active producing oyster lease holders.
Request:
The General Assembly is requested to amend the code of Virginia §28.2-618
§ 28.2-618. Commonwealth guarantees rights of renter subject to right of fishing.
| 27The Commonwealth shall guarantee to any person who has complied with ground assignment requirements the absolute right to continue to use and occupy the ground for the term of the lease, subject to:
1. Section 28.2-613;
2. Riparian rights;
3. The right of fishing in waters above the bottoms, provided (i) that no person exercising the right of fishing shall use any device which is fixed to the bottom, or which, in any way, interferes with the renter’s rights or damages the bottoms, or the oysters planted thereon, and (ii) that crab pots and gill nets which are not staked to the bottom shall not be considered devices which are fixed to the bottom unless the crab pots and gill nets are used over planted oyster beds in waters of less than four feet at mean low water on the seaside of Northampton and Accomack Counties;
4. Established fishing stands, but only if the fishing stand license fee is timely received from the existing licensee of the fishing stand and no new applicant shall have priority over the oyster lease. However, a fishing stand location assigned prior to the lease of the oyster ground is a vested interest, a chattel real, and an inheritable right which may be transferred or assigned whenever the current licensee complies with all existing laws; and
5. In navigable waters that are located in the Lynnhaven River and its creeks and tributaries, the right of navigation, including dredging projects to improve, deepen or restore existing navigation channels in areas approved by the Virginia Marine Resources Commission, so long as the person dredging designs the project to minimize affecting active, producing beds and, to the extent any such beds cannot be avoided, the dredger pays the cost of relocating the oyster material that would be disturbed or pays the holder for any losses of oysters in production in an amount to be determined by the Commission.
This change would allow the City to compensate for loss of use while allowing much needed projects to go forward.
Click here for a printable version of the agenda 1.25.16 SDCC Agenda
SDCC General Meeting Agenda
Monday January 25, 2016 from 7:30 to 9:00pm
Ocean Park Volunteer Rescue Squad Hall
(parking in back, on side streets and across Shore Drive)
Special Presentation – Shore Drive Phase III (CIP 2.117) – Mr. Jason Wilson, City Project Manager, will give provide an update and answer questions on this project that will take place along Shore Drive between the Lesner Bridge and North Great Neck Road. The project is currently scheduled to begin construction May 2018 and is designed to improve vehicular and pedestrian traffic flow and safety in the roadway and intersections; improve storm drainage; include a multi-use trail, 5-ft sidewalk and on-street bike lanes; and enhance the corridor with aesthetic elements such as landscaping and lighting.
Officer’s Reports Secretary – David Williams; Treasurer’s Report -Kathy Pawlak; Vice President – Wally Damon; President – Todd Solomon
Old Business-
Shore Drive to Oceanfront Bus Loop – City traffic Engineers and Hampton Roads Transit have updated the information presented to SDCC in October. Service will not enter Fort Story and the evening route will stay on Shore Drive and not return using Great Neck. Trial service is still planned to start Memorial Day 2016.
City Comprehensive Plan Update – Public comment on the plan can be made by attending a Thursday Jan. 28th meeting @ 6:30pm in the Convention Center or by using the new “SpeakUp! VB” app, which can be found on Google Play and Apple Stores.
Marina Shores Residential Development Plan – The property owner has plans to change the current commercial businesses to multi-family residential dwellings. A stop light at the intersection of N. Great Neck Rd. and Lynnhaven Drive is also being researched. The property owner presented to the Bayfront Advisory Committee Thursday Jan. 21st.
New Business –
Bayfront Advisory Commission News – Mr. Wally Damon will update us on the actions of the Bayfront Advisory Commission.
Admission Tax Exemption for 501c4 Civic Organizations – City Council approved an ordinance change to exempt IRS designated 501c4 Civic Organizations from the City’s 10% Admission Tax.
State Legislature Proposed Oyster Bills – Del. Stolle’s HB285 re: Dredging navigable waters and impact/compensation to productive oyster beds. Sen. DeStepth’s SB298 re: 1000 ft buffer from residential shore line for oyster farm leases. Increase of lease cost in this buffer from $1.5/acre to $5000/acre.
Community Concerns – Does your neighborhood/condo have any issues that have come up that need help or may be a warning to others?
Next SDCC Meeting – Monday February 29, 2016
Thank you !
This is getting voted on at City Council Meeting tomorrow night, Tuesday.
Part of the inspiration for it was to help civic leagues, like Cape Story by The Sea, have charitable events to raise funds for their non-profit organization without having to pay Event Taxes.
You can email all City Council & Mayor from this link.
Please tell them to:
Please Approve Ordinance to AMEND Section 35-182 of the City Code re Admission Taxes to exempt events benefiting charitable organizations.
Start here to view all City Council & Mayor contact info.
Live in Shore Drive area? West of the Lesner Bridge, like Ocean Park, Vice Mayor Jones is our rep. East of Lesner Bridge, like Lynnhaven Colony, Councilman Wood is yours.
View City Council Agenda for January 5th 2016 (5 Page PDF)
By approving this Amendment, Oyster Roasts by non-profits will not have to pay Event Taxes
View PDF of Baylines Newsletter here.
A review process is under way to select a piece of public art that will be erected on an overlook to the new Lesner Bridge. Details about the art, for which the Virginia Beach Arts Foundation has received more than 60 inquiries and opportunities to donate toward the project will be made later. The idea of having a piece of public art on display is part of the city’s commitment to enhance this vital gateway to the city. More information should be available in January.
#WeLoveShoreDrive 