In Virginia Beach, companies controlled by the Sandlers did not pay the second installation of the 2008 taxes on Indigo Dunes off Shore Drive…

Pilotonline.com article.
Imagine a partnership creating this, as an example. Could be a win, win, win. Worth trying?

There are other ideas out there. Let us know what they are.

So they would’ve been forgiven for being on different wavelengths Tuesday, when Newton’s Army unit returned to Fort Story after 15 months in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul.
Pilotonline.com article.

…he called L.M. Sandler officials last week to ask about the rumors. As of Tuesday morning, he hadn’t heard back, he said.
Pilotonline.com article.

Virginia Beach City Treasurer John Atkinson, “Sure there’s smoke. This is a company that has a track record of paying everything on time, as and when required.”
Developer hasn’t paid some property taxes, WAVY10.com.

Read the entire article at Pilotonline.com.

HamptonRoads.com has a comprehensive way to search crime.

We are simply trying to absorb and give full consideration to all comments to ensure we have adequately addressed all issues within our purview.

New date possibly in September.
Comments submitted from various people & orgs include SDCC, Walt, Cheri & Gary, Wetlands Watch, and you!
Thanks again to all who took the time to comment…obviously, they are being taken very seriously.
Stay tuned.

Hi Tim,

I just now got word that the Indigo Dunes project has been removed
from the Board agenda in July.  It will likely be before the Board at
their subsequent meeting in September.  I’ll keep you posted on that.
Basically, the project has been removed from the July agenda so that we
can have sufficient time to thoroughly evaluate and address all public
comments before going before the Board.

I wanted to let you know as soon as I found out, so you can update
your webpages, which I know the majority of the public goes to for
information on this project.  Thanks!

Sheri Kattan

Team Leader/Project Manager
Virginia Water Protection Permit Program
DEQ – Tidewater Regional Office
5636 Southern Blvd.
Virginia Beach, VA 23462
Phone 757-518-2156/Fax 757-518-2009
sakattan@deq.virginia.gov

Soldiers from the 2nd Platoon, 241st Seaport Operations Company, 11th Transportation Battalion will be returning to Fort Story from a 15-month deployment between Monday and Wednesday of next week.
Monica K. Miller
Fort Eustis Command Information Officer/Fort Story Public Affairs
757-878-4920 Fort Eustis Office
757-878-4928 Fort Eustis Fax
757-422-7101 Ext. 225 Fort Story Office
757-422-7706 Fort Story Fax

Has anyone seen Jaxi, the solid white cat that lives on Wake Forest St. near the bike path?  She is an elderly cat and has not been seen since the 4th of July. I am very worried about her. If you have seen her please call Marlene at 496-4105.

A rehabilitated loggerhead sea turtle was recently released by the Virginia Aquarium Stranding Team and wandered into the Eastern Branch of the Lynnhaven River.  He is 3-4 feet in length and has a radio transmitter on his back.  According to radio transmissions, he has been in the Eastern Branch for about four days.  Stranding team members are very interested in checking on him to make sure that he is okay.  If you spot him, please do not intervene, but please do call the stranding team at 757-437-6159 and wait with him until stranding team members arrive.  The most recent radio transmission showed him to be in the Brown Cove area (Holly Point Road and Five Points Road in the Rose Hall Shores area).  We at LRNow would also like to hear if anyone spots him.  You can call our office at 757-962-5398 or email me at . 

Image from Wikipedia.

Loggerhead Sea Turtle at Wikipedia.
Google Images search for Loggerheard Sea Turtle.

…5 weeks after we broke the story.

Even 3 weeks after an update.

In the May 30 incident, Koetter said, “the bridge structure itself sustained no damage. The fender system … protected the bridge pilings from collision.”

Technically, it was an allision, not a collision.

Read the article here.

You know you really want to comment about it taking 5 weeks for the media to cover this….
Go ahead… ‘DISCUSS’ below.

NOAA is joining Restore America’s Estuaries on May 22 to introduce the findings of a new report, “The Economic and Market Value of Coasts and Estuaries: What’s At Stake?” The report was funded through NOAA, and produced by a number of well-known scientists and economists.

“The productivity of our coastlines is up there with the Fortune 500 companies,” said Jeff Benoit, President of Restore America Estuaries. “Yet historically, we have overlooked the critical role our coasts play in contributing to the national economy.”

Findings documented in the report include values gained from healthy coasts, such as:

  * Beach going in the United States may contribute up to $30 billion annually in economic wellbeing to Americans; and
  * Recreational fishing along the coasts could contribute between $10 billion and $26 billion per year in economic wellbeing.

The report also identifies the threats and costs associated with damaged ecosystems that could be restored:

  * 45 percent of America’s petroleum refining capacity is at risk due to wetland loss in the Gulf of Mexico; and
  * Dredging in U.S. waterways, often a result of deteriorating environmental conditions, costs the economy nearly $600 million annually.

The report, available through Restore America’s Estuaries’ website, is the first step in a longer-term effort by the organization to make the economic value of restoration a more integral part of coastal planning and management.

Public Notice Lynnhaven Marina Rezoning Information JULY 3,2008 [6pg PDF]

Dan suggested reading this article:
Our political leaders speak of crossing party lines to achieve greater unity. Maybe we should all cross the invisible lines between our homes and achieve greater unity in the places we live.

Don’t only read it… think about doing it…
Read entire article in the NYTimes.

From Faith Christie, City Planner for City Marina:

…We’ve checked the file, and he is correct an adjacent property owner was not notified. Therefore we have to defer the request for another month. We will place the request on the August 13, 2008 agenda and move forward from there. We will make sure all adjacent property owners are notified….

As you know, Pleasure House Point is the #1 property to purchase for open space in the 2000 Virginia Beach Outdoors Plan.
Follow the info below and email your feedback to ensure it remains #1 for the 2008 Report:
Dear Valued Stakeholders,

On behalf of Parks and Recreation Director, Cindy Curtis, we would value your feedback on the final draft of the 2008 Virginia Beach Outdoors Plan.  The Outdoors Plan is the City’s guidance document for open space acquisition and outdoor recreational planning.  It is a significant component of the Virginia Beach Parks and Recreation Strategic Plan and a reference document to the City’s Comprehensive Plan.

We are providing a stakeholder review period from July 1, 2008 through July 31, 2008. Residents may also provide input on the Plan at the Open Space Subcommittee’s July 28, 2008 monthly public meeting.  We value your input and welcome your comments.  We realize and appreciate that your review perspective depends and will differ greatly on your relationship within or to Virginia Beach. If you have any questions as to what section of the Plan you should focus on, please call me (Brian Solis) at 385-1109.

In order to be “greener” in our planning and correspondence process, we are attempting a “paperless” review of the Plan.  Please follow, or have your staff follow, the following three easy steps to review the Plan:

Step #1 – Visit the website:  http://www.vbgov.com/OutdoorsPlan  to download the entire Plan or by section.

Step #2 – Review the Plan or sections that are of primary interest to your organization.

Step #3 – Email comments back to me by replying to this email address or

Hard copies of the Plan will be available at any Virginia Beach public library.

Your feedback will be considered with the final adoption of the Plan.  Parks and Recreation staff will be briefing the City’s Bikeways and Trails Advisory Committee, Parks and Recreation Commission, Planning Commission and City Council on the Plan this summer. The Plan will be considered by City Council for final adoption in September/October 2008.

Thank you in advance for your time and efforts.

Sincerely,

Brian S. Solis, AICP

City of Virginia Beach
Department of Parks and Recreation
Planning, Design & Development Division
2408 Courthouse Drive – Municipal Center, Building # 21
Virginia Beach, VA 23456
Office:  (757) 385-1109   Fax:  (757) 385-1130   E-mail: 

Our vision is a balanced, sustainable and value-focused system of parks, recreation and public spaces that creates a sense of community.

As entertaining as “personal” fireworks have been:
This year the VB Police Department and VB Fire Marshall will be working together in several areas of the City to combat illegal fireworks.  Each Fire Marshall will be teamed up with a police officer and they will patrol areas where they have had complaints.  They will be specifically targeting the Shore Drive area, especially the beach.  There is a zero tolerance policy.  If you are caught with any illegal fireworks, you will be issued a summons.  It is a Class 1 misdemeanor, with a maximum punishment of up to 1 year and a $2,500/fine. 

The City Code:
Sec. 12-43.2.  Fireworks and pyrotechnic displays unlawful; exceptions.
(a)  Except as otherwise provided in this section it shall be unlawful for any person to transport, manufacture, assemble, store, sell, offer or display for sale, or to buy, use, possess, ignite or explode any firecracker, torpedo, sky rocket, sparkler, or other substance or device that contains any explosive or flammable compound or substance, and is intended or commonly known as fireworks, and which explodes, rises into the air or travels laterally, fires projectiles or discharges sparks into the air.
(b)  The provision of this section shall not be applicable to any organization or group of individuals which has been granted a permit by the fire official for the public or private display of fireworks or pyrotechnics, provided that such fireworks are stored, handled, transported and used in compliance with the terms and conditions of such permit.
(c)  The fire marshal or any law enforcement officer shall be authorized to seize, take, remove or cause to be removed, at the expense of the owner, all fireworks offered or exposed for display or sale, stored or held in violation of this section.
(d)  Violation of any provision of this section shall constitute a Class 1 misdemeanor.

From Pam at First Landing State Park…

CONTACT her to volunteer!

Hello Volunteers,
ON JULY 20TH 2008 FROM 1:00-5:00 P.M. at the picnic shelter the park will have again for the second year
DOG DAYS OF SUMMER!
We need 13 volunteers or more to help with the event..
2 volunteers needed for set up
8 volunteers for assisting guest with activities
2 volunteers for assisting Doggie Day Spa
2 needed for craft tables
1 volunteer at the iinformation table
1 volunteers to assist with Doggie Fshion show.
1 volunteer to take photos
2 volunteers needed for break down/clean up.

If you love Dogs this will be your cup of tea..
Last year it was a success.

Events will include:
Pooch Photos
Doggie Day Spa
Fido Fashion Show
Resue Dog demos
K-9 demos
and lots of exhibits.

If you are interested in volunteering, please let me know by or you can contact me at 536-0088. Thank for for all you to for First Landing!

Pam Kern
Volunteer Coordinator

From Emily McBride, President, Lesner Cove Condominium Association:

June 29, 2008

To Whom It May Concern:

The Lesner Cove Condominium Association located at 2140 Vista Circle, Virginia Beach, VA., is opposed to the rezoning of the City Marina from P-1, Preservation to B-2, and Commercial for the following reasons:

  * The Marina as it exists and is managed at this time is a public service to the taxpayers of Virginia Beach and one of the last facilities controlled by the city that is located in this water based recreation area. In a time when the preservation of all natural space is important and discussed by the city in various meetings, we feel that maintaining the Preservation Area zoning is in keeping with the city plan to preserve as much natural space as possible. We feel that the Marina is a feather in the City’s cap and do not understand why the City would want to give up control. Was this an opportunity to be explored because it would be a solution to the parking problems that exist with the commercial establishments in the area?

  * The Marina is a profitable property for the city returning $54,000 annually to its coffers. If leased, there is no guarantee that the city will make more money than it already does. What is the need to allow a private entity to use it commercially and what are the exposure risks to the city if the management is outsourced? Why would the city want to hold property for a commercial purpose?

  * We are concerned about a private manager asking to put fuel tanks back on the property. The tanks that were there before split and fuel seeped into the ground and river. Oversight of fuel tanks would be the responsibility of the city creating more responsibility for the city. Has anyone asked the management of the City Garage if they want to have oversight for fuel tanks being reinstalled on the property? Again what is the risk to the city, property, river and surrounding neighborhoods and restaurants?

  * Vista Circle, the street address of the Marina is already overcrowded with traffic that at times, blocks the street both ways making it impossible for emergency vehicles and residents to gain access to their homes and businesses there. The area around the Marina includes a large number of residential homes and condominiums. Presently the marina generates little traffic other than a few boat owners and the Virginia Beach Marine Police which operates several police boats from there. The increase in traffic from a commercial establishment would have an all round detrimental effect on the community. The remaining empty piece of property abutting Chick’s Restaurant on the West side and owned by Mr. Francis, and now, for sale again, has already been zoned for a restaurant should he decide to build it, which will create more traffic on Vista Circle. We don’t feel that turning the Marina into a commercial entity and creating even more traffic challenges and more need for parking in the area is a responsible decision on the part of the City.

  * We have heard for several years about the creation of Waterman’s Walk in this area. Creation of Waterman’s Walk was a nice plan but would require business owners along the river to surrender property on the riverfront for a walkway. On the original plan for this nice thought, there was to be a parking lot at the intersection of Shore Drive and Vista Circle. We know of no plans that the city has at this time to purchase property for such a parking lot nor are we aware of any plan that the city has in place to gain access to the property on the riverfront necessary to accomplish “Waterman’s Walk.” Therefore rationalizing that this is a part of the city’s plan for Waterman’s Walk is not valid. There is no specific plan.

  * While we understand that one of the proffers is to maintain the open space at the back of the Marina Property, we believe that the whole Marina is “open space” and needs to be preserved as is.

We will be attending the zoning hearing on July 9th and requesting that the city not rezone the City Marina. Any help or input you can give would be appreciated.

Respectfully,

Emily McBride, President
Lesner Cove Condominium Association