Complete agenda, once we receive it, will be shared in another post.
BAC meets at OPVRS Thursday, September 21st.
Bayfront Advisory Commission Agenda next week includes the Virginia Natural Gas property in Ocean Park. Join us!
Category Archives: Current Concerns
Preliminary info about live oaks & pine trees cut down right now on Shore Drive by Virginia Natural Gas
Thanks to Mickey Toll, owner of Chesapeake Tree Service, for explaining that the larger live oak pieces being cut down will be hauled away by North Landing Firewood & Hauling Inc and milled for USE AS LUMBER for furniture & other potential uses well beyond mulch & firewood. Hooray!
Virginia Natural Gas recently acquired the property in December 2022.
Property detail at official VB website.
Another view of sole live oak that will remain standing.
Want to protect live oak tree?
JOIN FRIENDS of LIVE OAKS TODAY!
Interim sidewalk improvements in OP plus P3 & P4 updates.
Update from Hank about Phase 4 & 3:
Phil Pullen from Public Works informed me that his team will be presenting on the Shore Drive Projects at next month’s BAC meeting. …He also informed me that they are still scoping out the interim sidewalk improvements and will have a cost/schedule for the improvements soon. The attached status report will be placed on the BAC webpage by the end of the week.
2 SHOT at LYNNHAVEN BOAT RAMP coverage
Edit: Note, WTKR pulled working link down. Twice.
Edit: This link currently works https://www.wtkr.com/adult-juvenile-expected-to-recover-after-shooting-in-vb-by-lesner-bridge
Two victims, one juvenile and one adult, were struck by gunshots, but were driven to the hospital before officers arrived on scene.
Sand move from LBR to Cape Henry Beach complete!
From Jim:
There is some cleanup to do at the beach and the contractor is completing the construction of the perimeter dike at the DMMA site. The cleanup and equipment removal at the beach should wrap up this week. The perimeter dike at the DMMA site will be completed by mid-August.
Facts about the project:
+Sand hauling to Cape Henry Beach began on May 2, 2023
+Sand hauling to Cape Henry Beach was completed on July 26, 2023
+Cape Henry beach was nourished between the Point Chesapeake +Condominium gazebo and just west of the Jade St beach access (approximately 1,800ft in length)
+Volume of sand placed within the Cape Henry Beach project limits = 70,200cys (or 38cys/ft)
+Number of trucks that hauled the sand = 5,220
+Average trucks per day = 93
+Average volume of sand transported in a single truck load = 13.5cys
+The base elevation at the DMMA site is +10ft above sea level
+The highest elevation at the DMMA site prior to the start of construction was +35ft above sea level
+The new sand perimeter dike at the DMMA site will have a crest elevation of between +15ft and +18ft above sea level
A successful project!
Throw forward Thursday and the reality of sea level rise & climate change on the Bayfront
2022 Sea Level Rise Technical Report
Norfolk-Va Beach Joint Land Use Study
This Just In – data dump about $52M 1/2 mile Phase 4 at OPCL.org
10X MORE “MODERATE” (TYPICALLY DAMAGING) FLOODING.
Comprehensive Plan focus group meeting Thursday 6pm HIVE Town Center
Care what VB becomes? Join us!
6pm at The Hive in Town Center 4636 Columbus Street
“There are no time of year restrictions imposed for this project. Salmons anticipates completing all sand hauling efforts by late July 2023.”
Thanks for update about moving sand from Lynnhaven Boat Ramp to Cape Henry Beach!
Regarding work hours and days per week, the contractor is allowed to work between 7:30am and 4:30pm Monday through Friday as per the City contract. Salmons will be working these hours and will be allowed, as necessary, to extend the work hours to 7:00am to 5:00pm. Should Salmons request to work on a Saturday, our office will take serious consideration as to how this request will affect the use of the Lynnhaven Municipal Boat Ramp, expected traffic along the Lesner Bridge corridor and on Cape Henry Beach. If the weather forecast for a given Saturday is for a non-boating/non-beach day (i.e., due to rainy weather or rough seas), then we will consider allowing Salmons to work. Salmons will not be working on Memorial Day weekend (i.e., Saturday through Monday) or on the July 4th holiday. Salmons may work up to a half day on Friday, May 26th.
Salmons has been notified to take all necessary precautions to protect the public from the project site during sand placement operations. Salmons is using orange construction fence to cordon off the work areas and the truck haul corridor along the beach. There will be openings in the construction fence to allow residence to access the beach in the areas where the contractor is not working. Signs will be posted at the openings cautioning the public that the beach is a construction zone. The contractor has been notified to have flaggers and other safety personnel at the Jade St beach access and on the beach to protect the public.
Public Works Engineering is excited as I know the Cape Henry Beach community are to begin the truck haul in a safe and expedient fashion.
ROUTE 35 is BACK SUNDAY MAY 14!
Hooray!
There was fear the bayfront community wouldn’t receive the funding for this too but we got it!
Route 35 Bayfront – The frequency will be modified to operate every 60-minutes. Route 35 will not provide service to Parks Avenue/19th Street. Service will be streamlined along Pacific Avenue. Route 35 will service the Edgar Cayce A.R.E on 67th St.
Hopefully HRT will market Route 35 as it seems most people have no idea this terrific service exists.
“City Council approves all Shore Drive Safety Task Force recommendations!” #ThrowbackThursday 17 years
Equitable safety improvements for cyclists & pedestrians like contiguous sidewalks & bike lanes are coming to Shore Drive!
DELAYS since June 7th 2006!*
Read the news here where Vice Mayor Jones was quoted:
“I think the council is committed to getting the improvements done[.]”
* Remember when the powers that be tried making Shore Drive 6 LANES in the 90s?!
Remarkably, the then named Shore Drive Advisory Committee(SDAC) heard the presentation from the Shore Drive Safety Task Force at their April 20th 2006 meeting.
Highlights:
Here is the entire report from the Shore Drive Safety Task Force from April 20 2006. [LOL CITY OF VB BROKE THAT LINK. AGAIN. CUZ NEW WEBSITE. 🤡]
SHORE DRIVE SAFETY TASK FORCE RECOMMENDATIONS ADOPTED BY CITY COUNCIL 2006. (PDF open in new tab)
SDAC, now named the Bayfront Advisory Commission(BAC) has their public meeting today at 330pm at the Ocean Park Volunteer Rescue Squad where they will be grappling with the news of yet another PROPOSED delay in upgrading circa 1950s infrastructure in the “Gateway to the OceanFront & Virginia Beach” while the OceanFront continuously receives virtually infinite money for almost every idea proposed there.
Why do City priorities continue to ignore the infrastructure needs of this area let alone the aesthetics that it’s embarrassing & looks like shit?
Schulman added, “To see the project was delay deferred was extremely disappointing to me, because I knew it would be also extremely disappointing to our residents.”
Coverage of Shore Drive by WTKR’s Angela Bohon.
“Decades long controversy”
PUBLIC COMMENT on PROPOSED BUDGET TOMORROW
“Residents wishing to make comments during the hearings must register with the City Clerk’s Office by calling 757-385-4303 prior to 5 p.m. on the day of the hearing. If participating virtually, please also register via WebEx.”
Start here for PROPOSED Budget.
“I have a saying, let’s get to yes on alotta things.”
First 27 minutes 30 seconds is discussion about why no presentation.
~ 27 minutes 35 seconds starts “Budget Reduction Options”.
~ 2 hours 53 minutes starts Presentation for Proposed CIP for Transportation Section including Phase 4 Deferred/Delay. Lower your expectations accordingly.
All you people who came out against 6 lane Shore Drive have delayed 2 miles of contiguous sidewalks in the 2nd most densely populated area in VB for 30 years.
Shore Drive, the 2nd most densely populated area in the largest city in Virginia, is getting contiguous sidewalks & bike lanes soon!
The Gateway to Virginia Beach, which is located on the Chesapeake Bay, has now become a high priority on par with the Oceanfront.
Woo hoo!
“This project first appeared in the FY 2007-08 CIP. On January 9, 2007, City Council established this project with the appropriation of FY 2005-06 fund balance from the General Fund.”
Not to bury the lede:
Shore Drive is a major east-west arterial in the northern portion of the City. The existing roadway carries 38,800 vehicles per day with a current capacity of 36,900 vehicles per day. Without this project, the roadway will continue to experience vehicular, bicyclist, and pedestrian safety incidents, and restrict traffic volume due to inadequate stormwater drainage.
🟢 The City Manager’s Proposed City Budget at VBGOV.com.
A few highlights of Proposed City Budget include:
Economic & Tourism Development
EV-22-0001 $200,000
Shore Drive Study Update
This project provides an update to the Shore Drive Corridor Plan (2000) and the Shore Drive Corridor Design Guidelines (2002). Flood mitigation strategies from the Joint Land Use Study (JLUS) for JEB Little Creek and JEB Fort Story (2019) as well as the bond referendum projects will be integrated into the update creating a broader, more comprehensive Shore Drive Plan. The Bayfront Advisory Commission will be utilized as a steering committee for the development of the update, public input, coordination, and engagement with the local community. The updated plan/guidelines will include: determination of existing conditions; development of a community wide public input survey; identification of issues and opportunities; development of specific land use recommendations by corridor segment; and development of architectural/landscaping/signage/public infrastructure guidelines.
To bury the other lede:
By the way, with this current proposal YOUR real estate taxes will probably jump over 10% based on recent new assessments.
“It really comes down to telling the story.”
Moving sand around latest update
Thanks to Hank for getting the info from Dan Adams!
Staff is hammering out final scheduling details on some pending Bay Beach projects, here is the skinny:
Cape Henry Beach – A truck haul is planned to haul the sand stockpile form the Lynnhaven Dredge Material Management area to west end of Cape Henry Beach by truck. Approximately 70,000 yards of sand will be placed along the beach starting at the Point Chesapeake Gazebo. Dune reconstruction will occur in front of the high-rise condos where dune erosion has been most severe. Bids have been received and contract execution is underway. Public Notices will be sent out in the coming days with specific project start and schedule information. Work should start around mid-March and run through late May. The Jade St. beach access will be closed and/or restricted during this work.
A larger placement of approximately 150,000-200,000 cubic yards of sand along Cape Henry Beach is planned to occur Winter 23/24 as part of the USACE dredging of the Lynnhaven Federal Channel. This will be hydraulic (pipeline)dredging and placement. This project is schedule to advertise for bids fall of this and be awarded and executed in early 2024.
Chesapeake Beach Restoration – This project is for the renourishment of Chesapeake Beach from Little Creek Amphibious Base to Baylake Beach. The first nourishment was completed in May 2018 placing approximately 350,000 cubic yards of sand from a nearshore shoal to reconstruct a severely eroded beach and dune system. A renourishment is anticipated every 4-5 years to re-establish the design template and add advance maintenance sand for anticipated erosion. This first re-nourishment cycle will utilize the same sand source as the initial respiration project in 2018 and will be placed hydraulically(pipeline). The renourishment project will be advertised for bids this spring. To incentivize the number of interested bidders, a period of performance of 300 days is provided to allow contractors sufficient time to schedule and plan the work. The actual duration of the project should be closer to 4-8 weeks. The exact construction schedule will be determined after bids are received. A public information meeting and communication to the neighborhood and civic leagues will occur. Current status: Plans are 100% complete, final staff review and Q/C is underway. Bid dates will be established in the next week or two.
Ocean Park Beach –A contract is being prepared for dune grass and sand fence installation as follow on to compliment the beach restoration work completed last spring. This work will occur in March. The next placement and source of sand for Ocean Park will most likely be the next cycle of dredging of the Lynnhaven Federal channel in 3-4 years. Method of sand transport is hydraulic(pipeline).
Please let us know if BAC has any other questions at this time. We will include them on any public notices issued for the pending Cape Henry truck haul and Chesapeake Beach project.
Join us! BAYFRONT ADVISORY COMMISSION Ocean Park Volunteer Rescue Squad 3769 E. Stratford Drive (Enter on side opposite Shore Drive)February 16, 2023 Thursday 330pm.
Thanks to Hank for the agenda.
PRESENTATIONS/DISCUSSIONS
1) Encroachments discussion with Mr. LJ Hansen, Director of Public Works
First VB City Council Retreat that is streamed live & archived. #VB60Years
Historic and powerful! Strongly encourage you to watch in its entirety.
Hip hip hooray for more public engagement & transparency!
Condemnation clarity for Phase 3 & encroachment last night at City Council
Virginia Vessel Turn-In Program (VTIP) petition. Worth your consideration!
Bottom Line: Virginia does not have an easy or affordable pathway to dispose of unwanted vessels. This reality has led many vessel owners to abandon and/or sink their vessels in public waters creating a hazard to navigation, damaging marine ecosystems, and littering Virginia’s scenic landscape. Virginia has an opportunity to follow the examples set forth by Florida, Oregon, and California through establishment of a proactive Vessel Turn-In Program (VTIP), which would provide a subsidized removal pathway and increase responsible disposals…
From our friends at Vessel Disposal & Reuse Foundation.
VDRF Mission:
Help waterways achieve sustainable health through removal of Abandoned and Derelict Vessels, public outreach, and education.
#WeLoveShoreDrive 