Category Archives: Photos

National & local coverage of Floatopia trashing Ocean Park over the weekend

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Please note: Floatopia did not take place in “Chicks Beach”. It was in Ocean Park.

Large amounts of trash left on beach after ‘Floatopia’ upsets Virginia Beach residents Wtkr.com

“Lots of floats, lots of wood, lots of things to party with. Beer cans and different types of food. Sock were everywhere,” Marino said.

Appalled and disgusted by the trash, long time Virginia Beach resident Melissa Noel posted a video to Facebook to help spread the word of keeping the beaches clean.

10 tons of trash collected after Floatopia event at Chic’s Beach WAVY.com

“All kinds of garbage, trash, bottles, towels, pieces of clothing, mats, cans,” said Drew Lankford, with the City of Virginia Beach Public Works Department.

Video of the trash quickly went viral on social media causing a lot of anger among the community.

“You know, it’s not a whole lot of effort to clean up after yourself,” Lankford said.

‘Floatopia’ beach-goers leave 10 tons of trash at Ocean Park beach 13NewsNow.com

“It was really bad, it was a disaster,” he said. “I think the city management needs to really take a look at Floatopia and what it does to the community, around here.”

10 tons of trash collected from Virginia Beach after Memorial Day event MSN.com

City council member Michael Berlucchi criticized the mess left behind.

“We can do better than this! Let’s work together to keep our City beautiful,” he wrote.

10 tons of trash collected from Virginia Beach after Memorial Day event TheHill.com

459 SHARES & 259 Comments so far

Just one of the many videos on social media.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx97LYnByZ-/?igshid=1w514xgfatsi2

“This spring’s Outreach meeting will be held on Thursday, June 20, 2019 during the regular BAC meeting.”

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View invitation to attend Outreach meeting.(2 pg PDF)

This spring’s Outreach meeting will be held on Thursday, June 20, 2019 during the regular BAC meeting. The community input will begin shortly after the 3:30pm meeting start time. The meeting will be held at the Virginia Beach Tennis and Country Club, located at 1950 Thomas Bishop Lane (2nd floor meeting room), Virginia Beach, VA, 23454.

Download Bayfront Advisory Commission (BAC) Strategic Plan.(2 pg PDF)

Bayfront Advisory Commission (BAC) Strategic Plan
2018-2019

Mission

    The mission of the BAC is to review and make recommendations to the City Council regarding public and private projects and issues associated with the Bayfront area, and projects or issues associated with the Bayfront area that the City Council may refer to the Commission.

Committees

    Executive – Kal Kassir Chairman
    Design – Joe Bovee Chairman
    Communications – Scott Ayers Chairman
    Transportation – Charles Malbon Chairman

High Priority Project Items

    Funding Phase IV roadway improvements ( Shady Oaks to west base of Lesner bridge )
    Water issues
    Drainage/Stormwater
    Dewberry/Sea Level Rise Study
    City Marina Development
    City Wharf/Osprey Park
    Pedestrian walkway under bridge (from Vista Circle to Page Avenue)
    Sand replenishment
    Cape Henry
    Ocean Park Beach
    Crab Creek
    Infill development
    Address what the nature of the “Bayfront” should be
    Determine future look (preserve commercial, address vacation rentals)
    Work with Planning on Comprehensive Plan
    Landscape design of Route 13 and Shore Drive interchange

High Priority Communication Items

    1. Schedule department heads for briefings
    2. Reach out to City’s Communication office and Drew Langford, Public Works
    3. Make regular City Council connections
    4. Renew existing partnerships and seek out new
    5. Look for new Commission talent, especially multi age group
    6. Focus on marketing “Who is BAC”
    7. Review capital projects in Bayfront Area

Ongoing Concerns To Be Monitored

    Shore Drive roadway improvements phases II,III,IV
    Update Shore Drive design guidelines
    Beach replenishment
    Development review coordination with city staff
    Live Oak protection
    Beach interpretive signs / bike parking and beach access
    Recognition awards
    CIP projects – identify and get annual updates
    “No Parking” signs clearly defined within neighborhoods
    Community signs as developed by BAC
    Code revisions

Liaisons, Partnerships and City Staff Support

    City Council (liaisons Jim Wood & Louis Jones)
    City Attorney
    Conventions and Visitors Bureau
    Public Works
    Parks and Recreation
    Planning
    First Landing State Park
    JEB Little Creek – Fort Story
    Planning Commission
    Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel Commission
    Chesapeake Bay Foundation
    Friends of Live Oaks
    Hampton Roads Sanitation District Commission
    Lynnhaven River NOW
    Public Art Foundation
    Resort Advisory Commission
    Shore Drive Community Coalition
    HRT
    Virginia Beach Public Schools

Phase IV will dramatically upgrade Shore Drive in Ocean Park.

“The Lynnhaven Inlet could see dramatic, and costly, changes in order to protect Virginia Beach from sea level rise in the coming decades.”

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View article including some of the proposed plans at Pilotonline.com:

“This is probably the biggest threat that faces our city. We really need to take this seriously,” City Councilwoman Rosemary Wilson said at a meeting Tuesday night. “These are huge, huge numbers. It’s very frightening.”

The city is still months away from deciding how to move forward.

No doubt you are aware the probability of your taxes going up to pay to mitigate for sea level rise is roughly 100%.

More about Dewberry study

Dewberry sea level rise study update to City Council Informal Session video from May 7 2019 at SDCC.info.

“Dewberry” Search results at SDCC.info.

Comprehensive Sea Level Rise and Recurrent Flooding Response Plan​ at VBGov.com.

Current Public Hearing Schedule

June 5, 2019 – Princess Anne High School (Lynnhaven)

We are working with the City to have a Public Hearing located in the Bayfront area.

Dewberry sea level rise study update to City Council Informal Session video from May 7 2019

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This is a very detailed presentation

Current Public Hearing Schedule

The same information will be available at each of the 5 public meetings. The presentation at the beginning (approx. 10 minutes) will be focused on the watershed (Atlantic, Lynnhaven, Elizabeth and Southern) will be tailored to the location. The revised dates and locations for the meetings are as follows:

May 29, 2019 – Virginia Aquarium (Atlantic Ocean)
May 30, 2019 – Kempsville High School (Elizabeth River)
June 3, 2019 – Kellam High School (Southern)
June 5, 2019 – Princess Anne High School (Lynnhaven)
June 6, 2019 – Creeds Elementary School (Southern)

ROUTE 35 STARTS MAY 20th !

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From Baylines May 2019 Newsletter:

The Bayfront Shuttle, Hampton Roads Transit’s Route 35, resumes service May 20, running every 30 minutes between Shore Drive and Pleasure House Road and Rudee Inlet. This will be the third year for the bus route that connects the Bayfront with the Oceanfront. Passengers will be able to buy tickets on their mobile device this year by downloading the GOHRT application.

One new tweak to Route 35 will have the shuttles jog north to the Fort Story gate for those passengers who want to visit the Cape Henry Lighthouse and other public attractions on the base, eliminating the need to hike from Shore Drive to the 89th Street gate.

The base runs shuttles from that gate to the lighthouse, which reopened last weekend after a renovation and dune restoration project.

Our ROUTE 35 page at SDCC.info.

Balloon sculpture at Virginia Aquarium encourages people to STOP RELEASING FLYING GARBAGE that eventually lands, litters and tortures critters both on land & water.

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The FLYING GARBAGE they/we are speaking of are deadly helium balloons that are plastic garbage when they land.

At Pilotonline.com:

Two new balloon sculptures at the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center are not just works of art. The oversized sea turtle and butterfly are also displaying an ugly picture of balloon debris and its damaging effects on wildlife.

Visit & learn more about the amazing Virginia Aquarium here.

You can learn more about the FLYING GARBAGE at BallonsBlow.org here.

All released balloons, including those falsely marketed as “biodegradable latex,” return to Earth as ugly litter. They kill countless animals and cause dangerous power outages.

Balloons are also a waste of Helium, a finite resource. Balloons can travel thousands of miles and pollute the most remote and pristine places.

Starting May 1 2019 all new & renewal flood policies should reflect a 15% discount thanks to VB joining CRS! Wooo hooo!

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CRS ?

Community Rating System is:

The National Flood Insurance Program’s (NFIP) Community Rating System (CRS) is a voluntary incentive program that recognizes and encourages community floodplain management activities that exceed the minimum NFIP requirements.

You may recall we’ve been lobbying for it since 2014. An article on our website here.

You may also have attended one of our meetings with reps from CoVB doing a presentation followed by a Q&A. Check out more posts about CRS on this website here.

The news about CRS at VBGov.com.

The CRS uses a 10-level (or point) scale to evaluate efforts. Each level below 10 receives a 5% discount on flood insurance premiums. The City will join the program as a Class 7 community, which reflects the significant investment being made to mitigate flooding issues throughout the city.

View the PDF of the presentation slides made to City Council.

The PDF includes contact info for the amazing Whitney McNamara if you have questions.

btw – with more work there’s a chance VB might be able to earn a 20% discount.

SDCC General Meeting and Special Presentation on City’s Sea Level Rise/Flooding Study – Mon March 25th at 7:30pm

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Click here for a printable version of the agenda 3.25.19 SDCC Agenda

SDCC General Meeting Agenda
Monday March 25, 2019 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 –

Virginia Beach Comprehensive Sea Level Rise and Recurrent Flooding Planning Study

Charles J. Bodnar and Sue E. Kriebel of the city’s Stormwater Engineering Center will discuss the results of the $3 million City funded study being worked by Dewberry consultants. The study shows seven major areas of the City that could have heavy financial impact from future SLR and flooding. Suggested solutions include storm surge walls along the beach from Fort Story to Little Creek with gates at the Lesner Bridge. This along with others projects could cost the upwards of $2 billion. Mr. Bodnar and Ms. Kriebel will also discuss next steps for this study which will include public input and conversations regarding funding and project ranking.

Officer’s Reports
Secretary – Kathleen Damon
Treasurer’s Report –Tim Solanic
Vice President – Wally Damon
President – Todd Solomon

Old Business-
Bayfront Beach Replenishment Update – The bid has been awarded to dredge the Lynnhaven Inlet and to use the sand to replenish the Cape Henry Beach. Updates on the project start and finish dates will be provided as they are shared.
Community Rating System (CRS) – Official release of Virginia Beach status and initial ranking will be provided in April. Estimates show we should be in the 10% to 20% cost savings to a property’s annual flood insurance premium.
4th of July Fireworks for Cape Henry Beach – Cape Story by the Sea Civic Association officers and the Bayfront Advisory Commission Chairman met with Councilman Jones, Deputy City Manager Cover and City Entertainment contractor IMG to request that the 35 year old annual event become a City managed and operated show. State Fire Marshal regulations, lack of pyrotechnic company support and insufficient funding have become too restrictive for the event to continue to be held at the State Park and coordinated by residents.

New Business –
Windsong Apartments Redevelopment – The 14+ acre site located between Pleasure House Road and North Hampton Blvd. currently contains 272 units and are approximately 40 year old. The developer, Bonaventure, is requesting a rezoning to allow the number of units to increase by 160 to a total of 432. Along with the new units, the developer plans to renovate the old units that it will keep. A presentation of this project by the developer has been scheduled for our April 29th SDCC meeting.
Dog Leash Law for Beaches – The City’s Animal Control Department is asking for a change to the City’s Dog Leash Law that will require all dogs to be on a leash when on any City’s public beach. On Bayfront beaches, dogs would need to be leashed at all times during the off-season (Labor Day to Memorial Day) and between 6pm and 10am during the season (Memorial Day to Labor Day). Dogs are prohibited to be on the beach at all from 10am to 6pm during the season. A public hearing will be held on Wed April 10th at 630pm at the City’s Law Enforcement Training Facility.
Meeting of Three Commanders – A Virginia Historical Highway Marker commemorating the Sept. 18, 1781 meeting of Washington, Rochambeau and De Gasse was placed in the Lynnhaven Colony Park along Shore Drive and dedicated this past Wed. March 6th.
Community Concerns– Please share any issues or concerns your groups/organizations may have at this time.

***Next SDCC Meeting – Monday April 25, 2019.***
Special Presentation – Windsong Development Plans by Bonaventure

Historic Highway Marker Dedicated to 1781 Meeting of Three Commanders

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A Virginia Historical Highway Marker commemorating the Sept. 18, 1781 meeting of Washington, Rochambeau and De Gasse was placed in the Lynnhaven Colony Park along Shore Drive and dedicated this past Wed. March 6th.

Read more about this dedication in the Virginian-Pilot article by clicking here

 

 

Baylines March Newsletter from BAC

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View Baylines March ’19 Edition.

A proposal to redevelop the Windsong Apartment complex off Pleasure House Road would increase the number of units by nearly 60 percent, but update the 40+-year-old complex with new amenities, developers told the Bayfront Advisory Commission.

The proposal, on a 14.85-acre site between Pleasure House and Northampton Boulevard north of Shore Drive, is scheduled to go before the Planning Commission in April for a series of proposed rezonings that would increase the complex from 272 units to 432*. Of those, 216 would involve renovated apartments and 216 new units.

Emphasis ours.
*Note: Zoning request increase could create potential for more than 432 units total.

Downloadable PDF’s of Phase 3 from VB Public Works

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Thanks to Bill Purcell, Project Manager of Phase 3, for the files for Phase 3.

View CIP Status Page of Phase 3.

View the downloadable PDFs of Phase 3 from VB Public Works at Google Drive here.

A screen shot pulled from each PDF file below.

Utilities PDF of Phase 3

Signals PDF of Phase 3

Roadway & Lighting PDF of Phase 3

Frontend PDF of Phase 3

MOTxs PDF of Phase 3

MOTPlans PDF of Phase 3

Planting Plan PDF Phase 3

One of the biggest challenges you might have heard is the requirement to maintain 4 lanes of traffic during construction of P3*.

*P3 = Phase 3

Public Works Presentation from Feb 2019 Meeting

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Thank to Bill Purcell & Dave Jarman from Public Works for coming out Monday night to present what’s happening on Shore Drive soon!

View SDDC 2019-02-25 Presentation.

We thought you might be interested in a simple step to help move a bill that will help increase residential and commercial tree canopy throughout VA, in the name of water quality improvement and flood mitigation.

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From Tanner:

Delegate Keam’s proposed tree canopy Bill HB 2333 is something we have been looking forward to for some time.

View Bill HB 2333 here.

Why is the legislation needed?
Virginia state code currently limits the amount of canopy a locality may require a developer to plant/replace/preserve.

For example, under current law, for a residential parcel zoned for 10 or fewer units per acre, the locality may not require a tree canopy greater than 20% in 20 years’ time. For a commercial parcel, the maximum tree canopy a locality can require is 10%. That’s right, there is a maximum amount of trees a locality can require to be replaced.

What does HB 2333 do?
It exempts a locality from those caps if they’re using trees to achieve a water quality (i.e. Bay TMDL) or quantity (i.e. flood mitigation) goal.

See this attachment to see how it changes to existing law. (2pg PDF)

What can you do to support this common-sense legislation?
Simple. We are building a consortium of groups to add their names to our sign-on letter of support (see below how to join).

We will share this list with members of the House Counties, Cities and Towns subcommittee to ensure it makes its way to full committee vote.

From there we think it has a good chance of making it to the floor.

To join the sign-on letter all we need is:
Organization, Lead Signatory, and Title. You can see who else is already on board and add your organization to our running list here.

Or just email Tanner at CBF & let me know you are in!

View letter that will be sent that will include list of supporting organizations.

Have capacity to help?
Share this email with others who might be interested — HOAs, civic leagues, local government, tree stewards, healthcare companies, nurseries, tree care companies, botanical gardens, small and large businesses – anyone that has a stake in increasing tree canopy in the Bay watershed.

What is the deadline for signing?
We’ll leave the letter open until the bill is on the House Counties, Cities and Towns subcommittee #2 docket, which could be as early as next Thursday.

Thanks for your consideration. We hope you will join us. Please don’t hesitate to call if I can answer any questions about the bill.

Cheers,

Tanner Council
Hampton Roads Grassroots Manager
Chesapeake Bay Foundation
Brock Environmental Center | 757.644.4113

Marina Shores Marina demolition update

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Learn more at Marina Shores Marina blog post here.

We have learned of a few more updates regarding the demolition of the two main buildings on our property. Demolition will officially begin next week, January 7th. Heavy equipment has already begun to be moved on to the lot in preparation. Starting on Monday, the small kiosk buildings and the Yacht Club building (former admin office) will be the first to be demolished.

Bubba’s being elevated 5′ over the next few weeks. Some photos.

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View the article & photos at Pilotonline.com.

The Blackwater-based company moved the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse for the National Park Service 20 years ago and is elevating several homes in Virginia Beach through a federal flooding assistance program.

Bubba’s will be one of the most challenging, he said, because most of the work will have to be done during low tide.

More photos below.

Mayor Dyer to Hold Meet and Greet Events This Month

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Listed at VBGov.com.

Wednesday, Dec. 19
5 – 6 p.m.
Bayside Recreation Center
4500 First Court Road

JOIN US!

About Mayor Bobby Dyer.

He currently serves as the City Council liaison to the Human Rights Commission and the Process Improvement Steering Committee, which he initiated. He has also been appointed to serve on the Hampton Roads Planning Commission and the Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization.

#LESNERBRIDGE Ribbon Cutting yesterday at beloved Lynnhaven Boat Ramp & Beach Facility

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3 Mayors, 2 City Managers, 2 Delegates, 2 VB City Councilman and a lot of senior VB Staff who helped make it happen attended plus neighbors who love the new Lesner.

There was even a surprise light show by Randy Burkett Lighting Design who also attended.

Yay!

“Gov. Ralph Northam made the announcement Wednesday in the sustainable Brock Environmental Center”

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View article at Pilotonline.com:

He proposed dedicating $90 million each year starting in fiscal 2020 to a cost-sharing program to help farmers make their properties more environmentally friendly and a one-time $50 million deposit into the Stormwater Local Assistance Fund. The plans require General Assembly approval.

[Emphasis ours.]

More about Stormwater Local Assistance Fund here.