Direct link (3:18:00) to Councilwoman Henley mentioning Ocean Park Civic League letter to them re: Ørsted.
Direct link (9:58) to City Council Formal Session Public Hearing Testimony.
Category Archives: Current Concerns
“It appears that the power supply coming to the lighting system is not “clean power”. It works fine for normal lights, the necklace lighting, etc., but for purposes of the aesthetic lighting on the piers, it’s causing some problems.”
Update about LED aesthetic lighting for Lesner includes:
They’ve noticed that pier lights will go off randomly which means the Building Maintenance staff have to come out and reset the specific breakers. The problem has been that it’s not the same pier going out each time. I would equate this to how the power in your house might flicker during a wind storm and one clock gets interrupted while others aren’t impacted.
The proposed solution is to install some line conditioners to clean up the power supply. It’s not a big deal, it’s just a procurement process that we need to go through to get a contractor to add the components to the system. We expect to have something installed in the next 60 days.
You may remember the plan to change the aesthetic lighting we shared here.
I’m going to talk to them about the programming, since I think it can still run regardless of the pier light issues. If they have to reset breakers anyway (short term), it doesn’t matter what the light color is.
Yes – the street lightening acting randomly is a separate issue from the aesthetic lighting goofs.
All the lighting on Lesner should be resolved within 60 days as Public Works has been working on this for awhile now and are very close to completing the solutions to fix the issues.
Hope it’s fixed soon! People come from miles around – even out of state – to view the pretty lighting.
Drainage Improvements Work to Begin on Starfish Road/North Great Neck Road
Crews will begin work at the intersection of Starfish Road and North Great Neck Road for the first phase. The project will include installing stormwater piping, drainage structures, trenching, along with sidewalk and pavement work.
Questions?
Final Sea Level Wise happening today!
We want YOUR input When it comes to Sea Level Wise public meeting dates.
February 15th 10am – 12pm Cox High School
Address: 2425 Shorehaven Drive
Did you know WCCB is seeking variances to redevelop ~17 acres in the bayfront? PLEASE TAKE OUR SURVEY.
WCCB – Westminster Canterbury by Chesapeake Bay- has been “working with the City for about a year” on redeveloping 16.88 acres in the bayfront.
Planning Commission is scheduled to have a public hearing and vote as soon as MARCH 11 ’20.
CLICK HERE to start 8 question SURVEY.
SURVEY ENDS March 10. PLEASE TAKE IT NOW and share it.
We will be making the Survey results public.
Thank you!
Rendering of proposed redevelopment that needs regulatory approvals.
February Baylines from Bayfront Advisory Committee
View February 2020 Baylines Newsletter.
Bayfront Advisory Commission
Commission meets Thursday, Feb. 20, 2020 4500 First Court Road
Bayside Recreation Center
3:30 p.m.
Tentative Agenda:CALL TO ORDER
ELECTION OF OFFICERS 2020
MINUTES OF 1/16/20
CHAIRMAN’S REPORT – Charles Malbon, Vice Chairman
STAFF REPORTS & UPDATES
COMMITTEE REPORTS
Design
Communications
Public Safety, Transit, Parking & Pedestrian Access
BRIEFINGS
Comprehensive Plan update – Mark. E. Shea
OLD BUSINESS
NEW BUSINESS
COMMUNITY REPORTS & UPDATES
ADJOURN
Including more updates like:
Briefly…
The City Council has appointed William Hearst to the Bayfront Advisory Commission, replacing Scott Ayers, who retired …
Proposed Orsted use of Lynnhaven Boat Ramp & Beach Facility including CC presentation.
View Powerpoint presented to City Council Informal Session FEB 4 ’20.
Just 3 of the questions to consider:
Was Parks & Recreation consulted re: the recreational boaters use of LBR&BF boat parking expansion being delayed again?
Was Public Safety & Traffic Engineering consulted re: recreational boaters backing up into the surrounding residential streets and onto Shore Drive in both west & east directions?
Was anyone tasked with studying the loss of revenue from the delay, again, of expanding recreational boat parking especially considering the recent loss of Boatel use?
Note: Questions are simply related to the location at LBR&BF of this proposed plan.
There’s potential expanding LBR&BF recreational boat parking could be delayed even longer as well:
Six (6) months – up to three (3) additional six (6) month terms for a
total of two (2) years
Learn more about Orsted at their website.
Ørsted ranked the most sustainable company in the world
“Officials have said the project could be accelerated if more funding became available through a possible $430 million bond referendum this November.”
View article at Pilotonline.com:
It also faces the costliest damage from today’s conditions, according to the city’s new sea level rise study. That’s true under short-term and long-term sea level rise projections, too.
Sanitary gravity mains under Cape Henry Ditch update
From a project manager’s email about Phase 1C.2 stormwater work:
The 15-inch and 27-inch gravity sanitary sewer mains that will be relocated from under the Cape Henry Ditch to underneath Cape Henry Drive will remain gravity systems (not force mains). These mains drain down west all the way down to the Public Utilities Pump Station at Lynnhaven Colony Park.
We will be replacing the Sanitary Gravity Mains from Ebb Tide Road to Starfish Road, quite a long stretch, about 1,488 Linear Feet. The plan is to upgrade the 15-inch to 18-inch currently, but maintain the 27-inch size.
Note: Phase 1C.2 is in red.
Lynnhaven Colony Civic League Meeting – Westminster Canterbury Presentation. “All welcome, need not be a member to attend.”
Lynnhaven Colony Civic League Meeting will have a presentation by Westminster Canterbury of their proposed expansion. They propose building a 22 story building at the former Lynnhaven fishing pier with additional construction.
All welcome, need not be a member to attend.Sat, Feb 8, 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
Dockside Seafood & Fishing Center
SDCC General Meeting Monday Jan. 27th at 7:30pm – Storm Water Project Presentation
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
Westminster-Canterbury rendering of proposed 22 story building and more plus Modification of Conditions Application to CoVB files.
View renderings supplied to City. ( 26 page PDF)
View Westminster Canterbury Modification of Conditions Application. ( 15 page PDF )
“Virginia Beach’s new flooding models are as advanced as any in the United States”
If Virginia Beach doesn’t take action to guard the city from more extreme flooding, its bond rating could be affected, officials have said.
After the flood models are completed at the city’s Public Works Stormwater Engineering Center, work begins on designing things like tidal backflow prevention devices. As seen Thursday, Jan. 16, 2020. (Stephen M. Katz)
Article has a terrific amount of info.
Our Comments(Discuss) are always open. You may remember Pilotonline.com Commenting has been turned off.
Finally, if you’re familiar with our work preserving Pleasure House Point, you may find a connection in this article.
Sea Level Wise Adaption Strategy Draft Report
Download the entire 306 page 106.6MB PDF report here.
A few highlights.
Executive Summary
In the last five years, the City of Virginia Beach has completed a comprehensive effort to develop strategies to respond to sea level rise and related increases in flooding. The study, known as Sea Level Wise, has produced a wealth of information to understand what challenges the City will face and develop diverse strategies to pro-actively reduce the impacts. This document presents the findings of the Sea Level Wise effort. . . .
Report includes:
A Call To Action
Maintaining Good Credit
The City’s flood risks are also recognized by organizations that rate the financial strength and borrowing ability of municipalities.In 2014, the credit rating agency Moody’s Investors Service Inc. sent a questionnaire to the City. It asked about the City’s sea level rise vulnerabilities, expenses, and plans to address future impacts. Thanks to the newly created Sea Level Wise program, the City was able to speak to proactive flood mitigation efforts underway, stating:
“The City firmly believes that the cost of damage done by ignoring sea level rise will far exceed the cost of mitigation.”
Satisfactory responses to these questions has allowed Virginia Beach to maintain a AAA credit rating. This high credit rating is essential for the affordable financing of City improvement projects through municipal bonds.
Page 8 Introduction.
Page 18 Community Engagement.
Page 46 Aging Infrastructure.
Page 58 Where are the losses occurring. Note Shore Drive area.
Page 72 City-Wide Objectives.
Page 78 Preserve Environmental Assets.
Page 104 Regulate Building and Development.
Page 110 Support Risk Mitigating Interventions. Note: “Priority areas for supporting risk-mitigating interventions at the parcel-level.”
Page 166 Lynnhaven. Note: “Over the last 40 years, this historically
agrarian community has undergone extensive development in both commercial and residential areas. However, the loss of naturalized landscapes has only served to make flooding worse, as development has formed on manufactured land and has surrounded the numerous water ways, rivers, tributaries, and bays that make up this region.”
Page 188 West of Lesner Bridge Neighborhood Alignment.
Page 190 East of Lesner Bridge Neighborhood Alignment.
Page 200 Residential Community Education.
Page 284 Planning and Coordination.
There is a massive amount of information in this report.
“To prepare for the threat of sea level rise in the coming decades, Virginia Beach will have to consider multi-billion-dollar infrastructure projects, restricting new development in some parts of the city and purchasing properties in danger of flooding, according to a new report.”
Guess one of the top areas of VB at risk.
View article at Pilotonline.com:
Flooding in Virginia Beach is influenced by a host of factors. More intense rainfall, increased development on vulnerable lands and aging infrastructure have all contributed to more severe floods in recent years.
Baylines January Newsletter from BAC
View Baylines Jan 2020 edition.
Massive expansion planned off Shore Drive.
Technically, the 22 story building that could be coming to Shore Drive is not a skyscraper.
Westminster-Canterbury, a retirement community on the Chesapeake Bay that has been gobbling up adjacent properties to expand its campus, is moving forward with an ambitious proposal to the dismay of some of its neighbors.
eScooters Coming Back Starting April 1st with Stricter Rules
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:
- 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.
- 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.
Scooters won’t be allowed on roads with speed limits greater than 25 mph.
“To protect more homes from future flooding and to lower flood insurance rates, Virginia Beach is considering funding a local program to buy out or elevate at-risk properties throughout the city.”
There are hundreds of properties in the city that repeatedly flood. Local money could help fund a variety of strategies, including elevating homes, adding flood vents to properties, raising utilities and a quick-buy program after storms.
Sea Level Wise Adaptation Strategy Public Meeting schedule includes one near Shore Drive!
February 15, 2020 – Cox High School – 2425 Shorehaven Drive – 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
View Comprehensive Sea Level Rise page at VBGov.com.
It is well documented that sea levels have been rising over the last century. This impacts coastal communities as virtually all human infrastructure will experience some risk. The story of Sea Level Rise and how it effects the City of Virginia Beach is detailed below:
The threat of sea level rise is a very real one, and it’s one that coastal regions like Hampton Roads must face and prepare for. . . .
Graphic from just one idea that was discussed.
What Would You Like to See in a New City Manager?
The closest public input meeting you could attend was no where near Shore Drive community. Again.
You can take a Survey created by the recruiting company searching for our next City Manager online however and we encourage you to do so.
Start at this link for their SurveyMonkey.com survey.
Questions include:
Which three of the following leadership traits do you believe are most important for the next Manager to possess?
Which five of the following abilities and skills do you believe are most essential to perform the work of the City Manager?
What are the top three challenges you think will face the new City Manager?
