He said he knows the lawsuit against federal officials may be an uphill battle, but he also wants to send a message.
“If we cannot get them to stop what they’re doing, at least we are going to put up some resistance to any future thoughts about taking out the rest of this park,” he said.
Katherine Hafner / WHRO News The site of the controversial wetlands project at Pleasure House Point in Virginia Beach, where the city cleared thousands of trees earlier this year. As seen Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.
The mission of the Bayfront Advisory Commission(BAC) is to review and make recommendations to the City Council regarding public and private projects and issues associated with the Bayfront area.
The duties of the Stormwater Management Implementation Advisory Group shall be to:
Further review the topic of stormwater management and its impact and consequences on land use and redevelopment issues.
Identify whether there are any opportunities, advantages, or disadvantages to strengthening regulation alignment and specificity based on the City’s varied drainage basins, and a property’s land use and zoning characteristics.
Formalize a cost-sharing program relative to stormwater infrastructure and policy to include developing criteria for cost-sharing eligibility.
Determine whether there are any opportunities to …
Please add this email, the following data & reports to the record for the proposed Pleasure House Point Wetlands Mitigation Bank in Virginia Beach.
“The release of the 2025 U.S. State of the Birds report was announced today at the 90th annual North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference in Louisville, Kentucky.”
“The downward trends in the 2025 State of the Birds report are screaming for all sectors to act with resolve to invest in recovering this important American resource.”
PLEASE – ensure this proposed project is based on the most current & accurate data, uses at minimum industry best practices preferably above industry minimums – (does 3 partial samples of the material outside of proposed work area meet the industry standard “95% confidence level”?) and the most accurate science for this novel experiment proposed in a vital bird habitat.
SUBJECT: City of Virginia Beach Public Works VMRC #2024-2851 The application for permit, referenced above, will be heard by the Marine Resources Commission at their public hearing scheduled for Tuesday, February 25, 2025, beginning at 9:30 a.m., at 380 Fenwick Road, Building 96, Fort Monroe, Virginia.
CITY OF VIRGINIA BEACH, #24-2851 requests authorization to mechanically dredge a 20-foot wide by 63-foot long subtidal area to a maximum depth of minus two (-2) feet mean low water within Pleasure House Creek to create a shallow water channel necessary to provide the hydrological connection to the proposed municipal Pleasure House Point Mitigation Bank in Virginia Beach. This project is protested by nearby property owners.
We apologize for the delay sharing these. We were offered them weeks ago and finally received them, from a FOIA request we chose to make, this afternoon.
They are also available on paper in Brock Environmental Center 3663 Marlin Bay Drive.
We believe the “purpose & need” of this fast moving project could be violating the spirit of “avoid, minimize, mitigate” in general. Therefore, we humbly request a Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment and a Phase 2 Environmental Site Assessment are completed before approving the Nationwide 27 Permit.
“Please provide the list of projects that have required the city to buy wetland mitigation credits since the bond referendum passed November 2, 2021 and how many wetland mitigation credits are required now for future projects.” From 11/21/2021 to To 12/23/2024. Your request was forwarded to Public Works. I have been advised that they do not have a list in response to your request. Source: FOIA Request response January 13 2025
Three(3) samples of material was presented at City Council public hearing which was acknowledged by the Public Works Director – a piece of pavement, concrete with gravel & an unknown petrochemical material all presumably dumped on the spoils site – Pleasure House Point in the area Wetlands Mitigation Bank is proposed – in the 1970s. Was material being tested before dumped? After it was dumped? Video of City Council public hearing January 7th 2025 is provided here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5D_T1v0rI3A
As you know, the Brock Environmental Center and Macon & Joan Brock Classroom campus is literally feet away from this project. Pre-schoolers thru senior citizens routinely spend time there. Meetings with visitors from national & international governments & NGOs also are held routinely. However, this project rolls out. It’ll certainly garner national news. Over 140,000 people have visited the campus since it opened.
In property acquisitions, it is customary for due diligence investigation(s) to be completed before a fee simple property transfer is finalized. It seems reasonable that such an investigation would have reported the obvious; materials of generally unknown origin were dumped on the PHP property as far back as the 1970’s.
These findings would have been followed up with Phase II soil and/or groundwater sampling and testing to screen for regulated substances (hazardous and petroleum constituents). If the investigations were completed, they should be made available to evaluate the potential effects on the proposed PHPWMB project.
Of principal concern is the transport of these dredge materials to the City’s Oceana disposal site, especially if they remain untested. Once removed from PHP, the material becomes a waste, and is subject to VDEQ regulations for transport and disposal. Secondly, possible exposures to regulated substances may result when construction workers are exposed to any contaminated soil, dust, and groundwater. Especially with workers involved in the planting process where hand work is proposed, and the incidence of physical contact with regulated materials may result.
Additionally, considerations for the sampling, testing and handling of regulated materials should be included in the project plans and specifications for the PHPWMB project. This information should be made available for public review and comment.
Therefore, we humbly request a Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment and a Phase 2 Environmental Site Assessment are completed before approving the Nationwide 27 Permit.
What will be the “reasonably foreseeable effect” if the environmental site assessments haven’t successfully been completed for a spoils site used in the 1970s?
Thursday, January 16, 2025 3:30 P.M. Ocean Park Fire and Rescue Squad Building 3769 E. Stratford Road. Enter door opposite Shore Drive.
The mission of the Bayfront Advisory Commission is to review and make recommendations to the City Council regarding public and private projects and issues associated with the Bayfront area.
ITEM: CITY OF VIRGINIA BEACH AGENDA ITEM An Ordinance to Transfer Funds Within the Capital Improvement Program for the Pleasure House Point Mitigation Bank, to Provide Limitations upon the Use of Mitigation Credits Created by the Pleasure House Point Mitigation Project, and to Provide for Efforts to Reduce Tree Loss MEETING DATE: January 7, 2025 Background: Capital Project 100304, ” Pleasure House Point Mitigation Bank”
Please note: at the time of this post, currently proposed wetland mitigation bank details of the “90% design”, water budget and other info are still not available on official website.
Things learned last night: tidal wetland bank credits are available to purchase, 60,000 cubic yards (about 6,000 dump trucks) of fill will be removed, over 5,200 trees including live oaks over dozens & dozens of years old will be destroyed (number of dump trucks to move destroyed trees unknown).
Email your questions or concerns to: phpwetlands@vbgov.com
Note: this project does not include the controversial kayak launch which will potentially be located on western border of this project when built. It’s visible in graphics above.
Previously, several related links on this website here, here and here.
Jeremy can not attend so here is his report from an email:
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I have a conflict and can’t make the meeting today. I’m working with the city engineer on a project spreadsheet, I’ll keep you posted. Here are the updates from the PW side.
Chesapeake Beach Renourishment Status
A contract has been awarded to Seaward Marine Corporation.
Work is underway and is to be completed by October 13, 2024.
Lynnhaven Inlet Dredging and Cape Henry Beach Placement Status
USACE opened bids on April 3rd.
The work includes dredging the federal channel system, removing underwater debris, and placing the sand along Cape Henry Beach.
USACE intends to award the contract to Cottrell Dredging located in Norfolk, Va.
The most recent update from USACE indicated a pre-construction meeting and issuance of a Notice to Proceed sometime between late July and early August. From that point, Cottrell is required to submit a schedule within 15 days after NTP is issued.
Eastern Branch Lynnhaven River (EBLR) Dredging Status
The City’s ongoing dredging project of the EBLR is going well with the contractor scheduled to complete Keeling Drain dredging this summer.
Crab Creek/Long Creek Status
The next dredging cycle is being planned for winter 2024/2025.
Pleasure House Point Trail Breach Status
Work has been completed to construct an elevated crossing over a flood-prone area.
These improvements will make the path more accessible after heavy rain events.
Comprehensive Safety Action Plan Status
A draft of the City’s first Comprehensive Local Road Safety Action Plan will be publicly available for review and comment in August. The Plan identifies and prioritizes countermeasures to address roadway safety issues throughout Virginia Beach. Stakeholders, including members of the Bayfront Advisory Commission, were briefed on the Plan on March 22nd and provided feedback to staff on current safety challenges. Public Works Engineering staff will brief City Council on the Draft Plan on August 27th, and the Plan is anticipated to be adopted in September or October.
Lake Bradford / Chubb Lake projects
We typically do not provide updates to the BAC, but since the BAC provided support letters for the BRIC grant, we thought an update was needed.
Lake Pleasure House Outfall – construction complete Lake Bradford Ditch Dredging – construction complete Lake Bradford-Chubb Lake Stormwater Pump Station and Outfall
STATUS
The city is currently in the process of selecting a Design-Build team. The expected selection will take place in the first quarter of 2025.
The city applied for a Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) Grant worth $35 million, but unfortunately, was not successful in receiving it.
Church Point-Thoroughgood BMP and Drainage Improvement – The City awarded the design contract to RK&K. Anticipated construction is in 2028. STATUS
Design NTP – May 21, 2024
SCHEDULE
Advertise for Bids: February 2028
Estimated Construction Start Date: August 2028
Estimated Construction Completion: May 2031
Eastern Shore Drive Drainage Improvement Projects
Cape Henry Canal Phase II – Relocation of Sanitary Sewer Gravity Mains, 1C.2 The project was completed on October 2, 2023. The project was on time and Under Budget by $185,682.
Eastern Shore Drainage Improvements Phase I – Section I – $35.9M Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) Grant Projects:
Eastern Shore Drive – Lynnhaven Colony Park Pump Station, 1B Cape Henry Canal Phase II – Widening and Deeping, 1C.2 Eastern Shore Drive – Lynnhaven Drive Pump Station, 1D Eastern Shore Drive – Elevate Lynnhaven Drive, 1E
STATUS
90% Design Completed January 2024 Project #1-3.
60% Design Completed March 2024 Project #4.
SCHEDULE
100% Design Submittal for all 4 projects – August 2024
Advertise for Bids: January 2025
Estimated Construction Start Date: May 2025
Estimated Construction Completion: May 2028
Eastern Shore Drive – Vista Circle Pump Station, 1A STATUS
PER Completed. Project detailed design has not begun.
SCHEDULE
Advertise for Bids: October 2026
Estimated Construction Start Date: April 2027
Estimated Construction Completion: December 2029
Eastern Shore Drive – Poinciana Pump Station STATUS
60% Design Submittal Received and compiling City and Peer Review Comments
SCHEDULE
Advertise for Bids: April 2025
Estimated Construction Start Date: August 2025
Estimated Construction Completion: May 2028
Eastern Shore Drive – North Shore Drive Street Drainage Improvements, 1F & Eastern Shore Drive – Cape Henry Drive Street Drainage Improvements, 1G STATUS
60% Design Submittal Received March 2024
SCHEDULE
Advertise for Bids: June 2025
Estimated Construction Start Date: September 2025
Estimated Construction Completion: June 2027
Shore Drive Corridor Improvements Phase III STATUS
No change. Real estate acquisition and private utility relocations are underway.
SCHEDULE
Advertise for Bids: September 2024
Estimated Construction Start Date: January 2025
Estimated Construction Completion: July 2028
Shore Drive Pedestrian Improvements STATUS
90% Design Submittal Received July 2, 2024
SCHEDULE
Advertise for Bids: June 2025
Estimated Construction Start Date: October 2025
Estimated Construction Completion: April 2026
Shore Drive Corridor Improvements Phase IV STATUS
No change. Final Preliminary Engineering Report received 11/15/2023. The project is not funded
Jeremy Kline
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS
Deputy Director
757.385.8420 | jekline@vbgov.com
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New bridge on PHP. In my estimation, based on 20 years of experience, potentially 4 to 7 more bridges before 2034 will be needed or choices made to leave sea level rise take over. Educational opportunities!
The Public Workshops will consist of a short recap presentation on themes developed in the Focus Groups and the Vision Mapping process. We will then proceed to break out into small groups to provide more direct, specific feedback on each of the draft themes. The Vision Map will take the draft themes of balanced growth, sustainability, connectivity, diversity, and wellbeing, and apply them to areas of the city to create a framework of how the city should grow and develop over time. There will be an interactive planning exercise in our small groups.
The workshops will be held at these times and locations:
Saturday, November 4th at 2pm: College Park Elementary School Cafeteria – 1110 Bennington Road
Monday, November 6th at 6pm: Kellam High School Cafeteria – 2665 West Neck Road
Wednesday, November 8th at 6pm: Bayside Recreation Center – 4500 First Court Road
Thursday, November 9th at 6pm: Virginia Beach Convention Center, Suite 3 (2nd Floor; Middle of the Building) – 1009 19th Street
There is no need to RSVP to these workshops. We estimate this meeting to run about 1.5 to 2 hours. Please pass along the information to your friends, family, neighborhoods, colleagues, youth groups, civic leagues, faith groups, etc.
The more engagement we have from the community in this process, the better the plan will be! City Staff and the Consultant Team are eager to hear from as many residents as possible, so we hope to see you there!
As always, for more information or if you have any outstanding questions, please reach out to me at RacMiller@vbgov.com or Hank Morrison, the Comprehensive Planning Administrator, at JMorrison@vbgov.com.
You are aware about the reality of sea level rise(SLR) correct?
“By 2050, “moderate” (typically damaging) flooding is expected to occur, on average, more than 10 times as often as it does today, and can be intensified by local factors.”
10X MORE “MODERATE” (TYPICALLY DAMAGING) FLOODING.
#WeLoveShoreDrive 