Today, the dune looks not much like a dune at all. Where there was a thin ravine created by foot traffic, there is now an 8-foot-wide swath cut through the middle, with steep walls on either side. And bulldozer tracks everywhere.

Read entire article at Pilotonline.com.
Link to Pilot Warrior’s blog entries including photos about Kendall Street sand dune destruction.
Link to SDCC.info post of photos of Kendall Street ‘work’.

From Regina…

Last night (Tues. May 16) at approximately 10:15 p.m., a resident returned home in the 2400 or 2500 block of Shore Dr. to find a man in his kitchen.  I don’t have many details but the resident apparently was beaten.

Click on the image to view ‘full size’.

Here’s a few photos sent in by Bobbi showing the construction of the beach walkway at Kendall Street. 

June Barret-McDaniels, P.E. who recently presented the SDSTF Draft Report to SDAC, has forwarded us the SDAC recommendations for the Shore Drive Safety Task Force.

“For an area with this much density, with condo after condo after condo coming in here, we’re just not seeing the infrastructure to support us and the traffic just keeps adding,” she said.

Read article at WTKR.com.

The budget includes $1 million over two years for selected safety improvements on Shore Drive. By the fall, residents should know whether the money is appropriated for the task force?s recommendations, Meyer said.

Read entire article at Pilotonline.com.

At the recent SDAC Meeting one of the comments indicated that a multipurpose trail could be developed in the old “Trolley Lane” along Shore Drive; and, that the Parks and Recreation Project to build a trail in the “Trolley Lane” area has been delayed.

An article in the Virginian-Pilot looks at the condo boom in Hampton Roads, and mentions the trend toward ?new urbanism.”

The Planning Commission, this past Wednesday, approved Ocean Properties request to build 77 units on property currently zoned to have, lets just say, much less.

Bush will attend a $5,000-per-person lunch reception May 19 at the home of Eleanor and Bob Stanton on First Court Road , according to an invitation obtained by The Virginian-Pilot.

More at Pilotonline.com.

During its May 9 meeting, the Virginia Beach City Council approved a higher net worth eligibility limit for the city?s real estate tax relief programs for senior citizens and persons with disabilities. The city council raised the limit from $200,000 to $350,000…
More at VBGov.com.

The roughly $1 million CIP placeholder that was already approved in this year’s recent Budget approved Tuesday evening will hopefully be added to this year. [ Corrected, July 19th. The City has not funded any portion of improvements to the infrastructure of Shore Drive in reference to the recommendations of the SDSTF. ]

This is where we need your help… to save lives on Shore Drive.
[SDSTF = Shore Drive Safety Task Force]

Vice Mayor Jones and Councilman Wood have added a budget item to the City Budget that recommends safety improvements for Shore Drive.

In the last few days, work on a new beach walkway on Kendall Street was started.
Thanks to Bobbi for the info!

Virginia Beach Emergency Communications Center new non-emergency public telephone:  385.5000. 

Item #15 on May 10th. The Planning Commission will ‘hear’ Ocean Properties ideas for increasing the zoning from allowing about 7 single family home to 77 units.

Dear Shore Drive Residents,

The Bayfront area, at 9.5 persons per acre, is the most densely populated in the City.  A planned 77 unit condo next to WaWa and a proposed 1100 unit development at Pleasure House Point have the potential to add almost 3000 people and 9000 vehicle trips per day.  Last year was the worst on record for fatalities (5) and injuries (3) caused by vehicles hitting pedestrians.

There were over 35 members of the public, for want of a better description, plus the members of the SDAC, members of the Task Force, City Staff and the press.

The total cost for the station is about $6 million. Construction will start in May or June. It is expected to be completed in summer 2007.
Read entire article at Pilotonline.com.

First, thanks to all the candidates and their spokespersons who participated in the Candidate Forum last evening.

Secondly, thanks to the candidates who took the time to respond to SDCC’s Questionnaire, particularly to those candidates who took the time to study the issues and expand on their responses.