Category Archives: Safety
Baylines August Newsletter from BAC
Check out the entire Baylines August edition. (6 pg PDF)
Includes info about:
Bayfront Advisory Commission meets
Thursday, August 16, 2018
1:30 -3:30 pm
Newsletter
Virginia Beach Resort Hotel and Conference Center
2800 Shore Drive
City Council Appointed Advisory Board
Strategic Planning Meeting II
This annual meeting is open to the public but is a workshop meeting for the commission to compile priorities to be addressed by the BAC in the coming year. The public is welcome to observe. . . .
And:
The Ocean Park Civic League has officially notified the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers of its opposition to making the Lynnhaven Municipal Wharf permanent and is seeking a public hearing on the matter.
SDCC and OPCL Opposition Letters to US Army Corps of Engineers re: Permanent Wharf Permit
SDCC and Ocean Park Civic League have sent letters of opposition to the US Army Corps of Engineers regarding the City of Virginia Beach’s permit request to make the existing temporary wharf permanent and to use this permanent wharf as a dredge material transfer station to support the City’s neighborhood dredging program.
Click here to read the SDCC letter – SDCC LMW Permit Opposition Letter to Corps
Click here to read the OPCL letter – Letter to ACOE regarding wharf August 2 2018
You are welcomed and encouraged to send letters of your own to the Corps, but unfortunately they need to be sent by the Monday August 6th deadline. If you can make the deadline, send your letters to scharlene.a.floyd@usace.army.mil
“…there are no plans to use the wharf for a dredge materials transfer station.”
Monday July 30th – SDCC General Meeting and Special Presentation on Historic Seaview Beach
Click here for a printable version of the agenda 7.30.18 SDCC Agenda
SDCC General Meeting Agenda
Monday July 30, 2018 from 7:30 to 9:00pm
Ocean Park Volunteer Rescue Squad Hall
(parking in back, on side streets and across Shore Drive)
Special Presentation – What, Where and When was Seaview Beach? Come out to hear a wonderful presentation on the historic Seaview Beach. Don’t know what/where Seaview Beach was? This is a great opportunity to learn some amazing stories and background of this incredible hot spot situated on Shore Drive.
Sherry Dibari, a Norfolk resident who works on independent projects related to the documentation and preservation of regional traditions and cultures, will discuss her research on Seaview Beach that she gathered while creating a research paper funded with a 2017 Research Grant from the Virginia Beach Historic Preservation Commission.
Officer’s Reports:
Secretary – Kathleen Damon
Treasurer’s Report –Tim Solanic
Vice President – Wally Damon
President – Todd Solomon
Old Business-
Lynnhaven Colony Storm Water Improvements – City Council is moving $1 million from 2018/19 budget designated for land purchase in the Lynnhaven Colony project to a neighborhood in the southern part of the City. The budget will be replaced in the 2019/20 cycle and no delays are expected in the Lynnhaven project.
Short Term Rentals (STR) –City Council is still discussing how to proceed with STRs. Current plans are to send this item back to the Planning Commission to have them gather more public input and provide more structure to Council’s changes.
Bus Route 35: Shore Drive to Oceanfront – Two months of service and ridership numbers are almost double compared to 2017. Please continue to provide SDCC your comments on the route and will collect them to forward to the City and HRT.
New Business –
Lynnhaven Municipal Wharf –The US Army Corps of Engineers are soliciting comments regarding this permit and have set August 6th as the deadline to receive written responses. SDCC would like to make a motion at tonight’s meeting to support an official response. Please be ready to discuss and vote.
Lesner Bridge Replacement – What is the scheduled opening date? What will be the traffic patterns and lane closure details to support the opening? Hopefully we will have some of these details to present.
Coyotes in the Bayfront Area – I spoke to the Director of First Landing State Park and they would be happy to send a ranger to our next meeting to talk about coyotes in our area. If there is interest, I will pursue a presentation for our August meeting.
Community Concerns– Please share any issues or concerns your groups/organizations may have at this time.
***Next SDCC Meeting – Monday August 27, 2018***
“FEDERAL PUBLIC NOTICE . . .PROPOSED MODIFICATION: The applicant proposes to modify the original permit to allow for a 360 linear feet wide by 20 feet long concrete wharf / bulkhead structure to remain in place.”
View all documents at US Army Corps of Engineers website here.
FEDERAL EVALUATION OF APPLICATION: The decision whether to modify a permit will be based on an evaluation of the probable impact including cumulative impacts of the proposed activity on the public interest. The decision will reflect the national concern for both protection and utilization of important resources. The benefits which reasonably may be expected from the modification must be balanced against its reasonably foreseeable detriments. All of the modification’s relevant factors will be considered, including conservation, economics, aesthetics, general environmental concerns, wetlands, cultural values, fish and wildlife values, flood hazards, flood plain values, land use classification, navigation, shoreline erosion and accretion, recreation, water supply and conservation, water quality, energy needs, safety, food and fiber production, mineral needs, consideration of property ownership and, in general, the needs and welfare of the people.
The Corps of Engineers is soliciting comments from the public; Federal, state, and local agencies and officials; Indian Tribes; and other interested parties in order to consider and evaluate the direct, indirect, and cumulative impacts of this modification. Any comments received will be considered by the Corps of Engineers to determine whether to modify, condition or deny this proposal. Comments are used to determine the need for a public hearing and to determine the overall public interest of the proposed modification. Anyone may request a public hearing to consider this modification by writing to the District Commander within 30 days of the date of this notice, stating specific reasons for holding the public hearing. The District Commander will then decide if a hearing should be held.
COMMENT PERIOD: Comments on this request for modification should be in writing and can be sent by either email to scharlene.a.floyd@usace.army.mil or by regular mail, addressed to the Norfolk District, Corps of Engineers (ATTN: CENAO-WR-S), 803 Front Street, Norfolk, Virginia 23510-1011, and should be received by the close of business on August 6, 2018.
PUBLIC COMMENT ENDS 6 AUG 18
“Responding officers found Brandon Carneal, 26, of Virginia Beach, at the scene. Carneal was pronounced dead shortly after their arrival.”
“An eyewitness told 10 On Your Side two motorcyclists both accelerated west at a high speed when the red light they were stopped at switched to green.”
According to the witness, the trailing motorcyclist lost control and crossed into eastbound traffic.
Horrific accident closes #LESNERBRIDGE for another several hours
DEQ responds to OPCL request for more info & a public hearing
View DEQ response. (2pg PDF)
Monday June 25th @7:30pm – SDCC General Meeting Agenda
Route 35 Discount Tickets available at meeting!
Click here for a printable version of the agenda 6.25.18 SDCC Agenda
SDCC General Meeting Agenda
Monday June 25, 2018 from 7:30 to 9:00pm
Ocean Park Volunteer Rescue Squad Hall
(parking in back, on side streets and across Shore Drive)
Special Presentation – No presentation scheduled
Seaview Beach presentation rescheduled to Monday July 30th meeting.
Officer’s Reports: Secretary – Kathy Damon;Treasurer’s Report –Tim Solanic; Vice President – Wally Damon;
President – Todd Solomon
Old Business-
Short Term Rentals (STR) –City Council plans to send this item back to the Planning Commission on July 3rd and ask them to work on it more. To date, no comprehensive public conversation has been performed on the STR topic, only committee and commission hearings. Should SDCC request the City to hold a forum and would you attend to discuss concerns and ideas on STRs?
Lynnhaven Municipal Wharf –Updates on the City’s request to Army Corps of Engineers and Dept. of Environmental Quality to leave a permanent wharf in place after the Lesner Bridge construction is complete.
Bus Route 35: Shore Drive to Oceanfront – After a month of operation how is it working? We would like to hear your comments on the route and will collect them to forward to the City and HRT.
New Business –
Bayfront Advisory Commission Outreach Meeting – Updates from BAC’s June 21st meeting to hear community concerns. What issues were identified? Does SDCC have any items that were missed?
Coyotes in the Bayfront Area – Coyotes have been spotted on our beaches, on the Cape Henry bike path, in the State Park, backyards and even walking on Shore Drive and Great Neck Road. Any thoughts, concerns? Possible speaker/presentation topic?
Community Concerns– Please share any issues or concerns your groups/organizations may have at this time.
***Next SDCC Meeting – Monday July 30, 2018***
May 24, 2018 correspondence from Map Environmental to DEQ & ACOE re: proposed Lesner Municipal Wharf and potential uses.
At an unspecified time in the future, the City of Virginia Beach may request to use the dredged material disposal site (landward of the wharf) as a dredged material transfer site for individual SSD dredging projects. The scope and timeline for such projects is unclear . . .
Note: Our understanding is DEQ is still looking for answers from City of Virginia Beach about more detailed info on each of the speific uses the city listed for the new wharf including frequency of trucks for DMTS, safety plan for truck access road, durations for mooring of boats, and more.
We strongly believe a public hearing with DEQ to allow the public to comment is appropriate considering the controversy and impact the industrial use of the wharf could have on the Lynnhaven Boat Ramp & Beach Facility and the surrounding neighborhood including use of Shore Drive.
Film “Tidewater” and discussion at Brock
Third in our Conversations about Climate Change Series
June 14, 6:30 – 8:00 PM, Brock Environmental Center“What’s our plan? And how do we become a part of the solution?
We have the knowledge and the technology. How can we export good ideas to the rest
of the world?”The film Tidewater raises all of these issues and more. A terrific film about the challenges and opportunities that confront our region. How do we choose to move forward? Watch a trailer here: https://vimeo.com/213262018
Join us on June 14th to view the film followed by a facilitated discussion. Free and open to all, but please register at Office@LRNow.org or by calling, 757-962-5398.
STR discussed at City Council Informal session plus Virginian-Pilot coverage
View article at Pilotonline.com:
But leaders are making some progress on where to allow the practice, which has been popular for decades in Sandbridge and has recently become more common all over the city through websites like Airbnb.
This week, staff presented five areas in the city where homes could continue to be rented out for less than 30 days – as long as they follow regulations that leaders are still crafting.
Note: Tourism & short term rentals have been part of Virginia Beach culture for decades not only in Sandbridge but also in pretty much every neighborhood near water.
Virginia Beach Community Emergency Response Team (VBCERT) Course Starts June 4
Virginia Beach Community Emergency Response Team (VBCERT) Course Starts June 4
Six-week course educates citizens on disaster preparedness
Virginia Beach, Va. (May 21, 2018) — The City of Virginia Beach Office of Emergency Management will be hosting a FREE Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) course that starts Monday, June 4 and runs through Saturday, July 14. This six-week course (two days a week) educates citizens about disaster preparedness for hazards that may impact their area and trains them in basic disaster response skills such as fire safety and suppression, light search and rescue, team organization, disaster medical operations and disaster psychology.
Using the training learned in the classroom and during exercises, CERT members can assist others in their neighborhood or workplace following an event when professional responders are not immediately available to help. People who go through CERT training have a better understanding of the potential threats to their home, workplace and community and can take the right steps to lessen the effects of these hazards on themselves, their homes or workplace. If a disaster happens that overwhelms local response capability, CERT members can apply the training learned in the classroom and during exercises to give critical support to their family, loved ones, neighbors or associates in their immediate area until help arrives. When help does arrive, VBCERT members provide useful information to responders and support their efforts, as directed, at the disaster site.
Additional information and registration can be found at VBCERT or by calling Cookie Ketchum at (757) 385-2914 or Douglas Duggan at (757) 416-8782.
Most classes except the Practical will be held at the Fire/EMS Training Center, 927 So. Birdneck Road, from 6 – 10 p.m. The Practical will be held on Saturday morning from 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. also at the Fire/EMS Training Center. The Fingerprinting/EOC night will be held at Precinct One (Building 11) and the Emergency Operations Center (Building 30).
June 2018 Class
• June 4, 2018 – Orientation
• June 6, 2018 – Disaster Preparedness
• June 11, 2018 – Weather & Team Organization
• June 13, 2018 – Disaster Medical Operations I
• June 18, 2018 – Fingerprinting, Eoc & Terrorism Awareness
• June 20, 2018 – Disaster Medical Operations Ii
• June 25, 2018 – CPR Certification
• June 27, 2018 – Fire Suppression & Hazardous Materials
• July 9, 2018 – Light Search And Rescue Operations
• July 11, 2018 – Disaster Psychology /Radio Training
• July 14, 2018 – Practical Evolution/Mock Disaster
All classes will be held at the Fire/EMS Training Center, 927 So. Birdneck Road, from 6 – 10 p.m. except the Practical which will be held on Saturday morning from 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. also at the Fire/EMS Training Center.
LMW documents from VB FOIA request by OPCL
Ocean Park Civic League asked for all the current docs about the Lesner Municipal Wharf & proposed ideas for it’s use.
Lesner Municipal Wharf FOIA Details from May2018. (30 page PDF)
Documents include:
ACTION ITEMS
1. The COE and DEQ will discuss internally and advise on the appropriate permit process for the modification and extension request.
2. The City/Consultant will reconnect w/COE and DEQ the week of April 9th for direction and clarity on the process.
3. The City/Consultant will expand efforts on the permit modification/extension and incorporate COE/DEQ input, as appropriate, for the next submission.UPDATE
Scharlene Floyd of the COE issued a permit extension on March 30, 2018 to extend the permit effective through May 13, 2022.
The bubbles are potential areas that are proposed to illustrate which neighborhoods might use certain transfer sites.
Monday May 21st SDCC Meeting Agenda – Note this is a week early due to Memorial Day
Click here for a printable version of the agenda – 5.21.18 SDCC Agenda
SDCC General Meeting Agenda
Monday May 21, 2018 from 7:30 to 9:00pm
***Note this is a week early due to Memorial Day***
Ocean Park Volunteer Rescue Squad Hall
(parking in back, on side streets and across Shore Drive)
Special Presentation – No presentation scheduled
Seaview Beach presentation rescheduled to Monday July 30th meeting.
Officer’s Reports:
Secretary – Kathy Damon
Treasurer’s Report –Tim Solanic
Vice President – Wally Damon
President – Todd Solomon
Bayfront Advisory Commission (BAC) News – Mr. Wally Damon will update us on the actions of the Bayfront Advisory Commission.
Old Business-
Short Term Rentals (STR) – It is believed that City Council will sending a recommendation back to the Planning Commission for review, comments and recommendations. After which, the Planning Commission will send City Council their final recommendation for a City Council vote. The Council vote may be as early as June but more likely July/Aug timeframe. No new information has been posted since April, but updates on STRs can be found at https://www.vbgov.com/residents/homes-neighborhoods/Pages/online-home-sharing-economy.aspx
Lynnhaven Municipal Wharf – What happens next. Updates on the City’s request to Army Corps of Engineers and Dept. of Environmental Quality to leave a permanent wharf in place after the Lesner Bridge construction is complete.
Bus Route 35: Shore Drive to Oceanfront – The expanded route began Sunday May 20th and will run until the end of September. It will operate daily from 8am to Midnight through Labor Day and then switch to weekend service until the end of September. Helpful updates will be posted on SDCC’s website as we gather them. https://sdcc.info/bayfront-shuttle-route-35/
New Business –
Addition of “Your Speed Is” Traffic Signs on Shore Drive – The draft report shows these signs helped reduce speeds for sections of Shore Drive from 50 MPH to 45 MPH. SDCC would like to make an official motion to request the City purchase some of these portable signs to be used periodically along high speed sections of Shore Drive.
City Council Approves FY19 Budget – Included in this budget is funding for Shore Drive Road Improvements in Ocean Park – Phase 4 – CIP 2.118 Bus Route 35: Shore Drive to Oceanfront. Thanks to all that showed their support in making this happen.
Community Concerns– Please share any issues or concerns your groups/organizations may have at this time.
***Next SDCC Meeting – Monday June 25, 2018***
Bayfront # 35 2017 Archive Page
From our original Bayfront # 35 page:
Archive below
Take Route 35 this summer?
October 1st ’17 was last day for this year.
We’re looking to help Virginia Beach & HRT expand it in ’18.Please Subscribe to The Advocate to stay up to date on news about Route 35 & all things Shore Drive.
Bayfront Shuttle Route 35 – Starting May 22, 2017, ride the VB Wave from the Virginia Beach Oceanfront to First Landing State Park, the North End beaches, and all the wonderful Bayfront restaurants on Shore Drive. From May 22 through Labor Day, VB Wave shuttles will run every 45 minutes from 8:00 a.m. to Midnight every day. Then from September 8 through October 1, VB Wave shuttle service will run from 8:00 a.m. to Midnight, but only on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
This new shuttle route is a test run and will only become permanent if the ridership can support it. The test route was supported by the Shore Drive Community Coalition, First Landing State Park, Bayfront Advisory Committee, Resort Advisory Committee and the City Council. It has the potential to reduce parking problems along Shore Drive as well as at the Oceanfront. Locals can attend summer events and tourists can visit Shore Drive establishments without having to take a car and find parking which we all know is at a premium during the summer season.
It is our understanding that a quota of 10 trips per hour average is what will be needed to make the shuttle a permanent service. With a 16 hour service, that converts to 160 trips per day. So if you like the idea of this route, please use it and tell all your friends to use it also.
In an effort to help make riding this route as easy and stress-free as possible, volunteers have gathered and created the following documents. The information on these documents may not be 100% correct, but what do you want for free labor :)
If you have any comments regarding these documents or the shuttle service, please send an email to Todd Solomon at todd@sdcc.info
Route 35 – List of Stops in Table Format – This document lists all the stops on the route. Helpful details to know – Outbound = Artic/19th to Vista Circle to First Landing. Inbound = First Landing to Artic/19th Route 35 Stops and Times Rev.1
Route 35 – Map of Route – This map shows stops but doesn’t label all of them. Route 35 Bayfront Shuttle 2017 Map with Stops
Timetable for Shore Drive to Oceanfront Travel – This is the best image to use if you are traveling from Shore Drive to the Oceanfront. It will help you determine an estimated time to arrive at a stop to catch the bus to the oceanfront. You can also print the image below by Clicking Here
Fares to ride the new shuttle will cost the same as the current VB Wave route. $2.00 per normal trip. You can also purchase one day unlimited ride passes for $4.00, 3-Day passes for $8.00 and 7-Day passes for $20.00. Multi-ride passes can be purchased at 7-11 on Shore Drive & Red Tide or at Farm Fresh on Great Neck Road (go to the information counter to purchase). The clock on the multi-ride pass starts the day you first use it. So you can purchase them ahead of time or as gifts and they will not expire prior to use.
Additional information regarding HRT and how to ride can be found at www.gohrt.com
SDCC General Meeting Agenda – Monday April 30th at 7:30pm
Click here for a printable version of the agenda 4.30.18 SDCC Agenda
SDCC General Meeting Agenda
Monday April 30, 2018 from 7:30 to 9:00pm
Ocean Park Volunteer Rescue Squad Hall
(parking in back, on side streets and across Shore Drive)
Special Presentation – No presentation scheduled
Officer’s Reports: Secretary – Andrew Broyles; Treasurer’s Report –Tim Solanic; Vice President – Wally Damon; President – Todd Solomon
Bayfront Advisory Commission (BAC) News – Mr. Wally Damon will update us on the actions of the Bayfront Advisory Commission.
Old Business-
Addition of “Your Speed Is” Traffic Signs on Shore Drive – VB City Traffic Engineering has completed a draft report for the results of the study. SDCC has shared the report on our website. We will discuss the report results and next steps/actions. Come join the conversation.
Short Term Rentals (STR) – City Council deferred a final vote on any STR policy until late May timeframe. On April 3rd Councilman Jones proposed a draft ordinance that permits home-sharing by-right and only requires registration with the Commissioner of Revenue Office. Short term rentals are permitted by-right in the Sandbridge SSD, Ocean Front Resort District, and the North End overlay. In all other parts of the City, short term rentals would require a conditional use permit. Where short term rentals are permitted by-right or where they require a conditional use permit, they must adhere to 11 conditions. Updates on STRs can be found at https://www.vbgov.com/residents/homes-neighborhoods/Pages/online-home-sharing-economy.aspx
Lynnhaven Municipal Wharf – Updates on the City’s request to Army Corps of Engineers and Dept. of Environmental Quality to leave a permanent wharf in place after the Lesner Bridge construction is complete.
New Business –
Shore Drive Road Improvements in Ocean Park – Phase 4 – CIP 2.118 is still proposed for full funding in the upcoming FY19 City Budget. In an effort to show support for this item, an official SDCC vote will be taken at our April meeting. Please prepare accordingly.
Bus Route 35: Shore Drive to Oceanfront – The City Manager has allocated transitional funding to allow the expansion of this route for the 2018 season. The route will begin service the weekend before Memorial Day (Fri May 25th) and operate until the end of September. Replacement funding for this service is being requested as part of the proposed FY19 City Budget. In an effort to show support for this item, an official SDCC vote is recommended. Please prepare accordingly.
Community Concerns– Please share any issues or concerns your groups/organizations may have at this time.
Future SDCC meeting presentation suggestions – The History of Seaview Beach by Historian Sherry DiBari. More information about this topic can be found at https://sdcc.info/2018/04/19/familiar-with-seaview-beach-amusement-park/
***Next SDCC Meeting – Monday May 21, 2018***
Please Note – This meeting is a week early due to Memorial Day
REAL-TIME ELECTRONIC SPEED FEEDBACK DISPLAYS EVALUATION: SHORE DRIVE TEST CASE
The Traffic Engineering Division of the City of Virginia Beach (CVB) has conducted a test to evaluate the effectiveness of “Real-Time Electronic Speed Feedback Displays” (RTESFDs) at improving compliance with the posted speed limit. Shore Drive in the Cape Story area was utilized as the test case area and the CVB’s existing trailer mounted RTESFDs were utilized for the evaluation. The purpose of the study was to determine if the devices are effective at improving compliance with the posted speed limit, and if so, to what degree is speed of traffic modified, and is the change sustainable. Locally, the City of Norfolk has utilized these devices, however before and after data were not collected so the performance could not be evaluated.
The draft of this report can be read by clicking this link SHORE DRIVE ELECTRONIC SPEED DISPLAY SIGNS – Draft FINAL REPORT
#WeLoveShoreDrive 