Dominion Power will be cutting down the row of trees and vegetation immediately north of Shore Drive to reduce possible damage to power lines.
Traffic delays may be possible.
Click here to read the public notice Northampton Letter(2)
Added a list of what’s available at our SDCC.info/Hot page. Scroll down to find info about bridge.
Direct link to CIP Project Page for Lesner Bridge.
Landscaping Concept Under Bridge
Sneak peak of power point presentation pulled from the Official City Project Page.
Construction – Begin July 2013; Complete July 2016
One image from presentation
Download presentation from VBGov.com. [24 page PDF]
Note: If you are viewing presentation on a Mac in Preview – you can watch in full screen slideshow mode.
You can also view each slide & read notes for each by clicking on small cartoon bubble icon in upper left corner of each slide.
Forwarded from previous OPCL President:
Hope at receiving this you had a festive holiday season and are ready to do great things for our City in 2013. Attached you will find a draft of the legislation Chris Stolle is carrying for the City to set the ground work for a collaborative process of creating a sand replenishment program for the Chesapeake Bay Beaches. Following completion of the Council funded study by VIMS (can be found at http://www.vbgov.com/government/departments/public-works/coastal/Documents/cxb-shoal-report-12-11.pdf )[246 Page PDF]. The study focused on Chesapeake Beach but we are confident the sizeable deposits of suitable material exist offshore of all our Chesapeake Bay Beaches. Please share with your Commission/Board and if you would like Phil and I are more than happy to attend your next meeting to discuss our program initiative. As this has the unanimous support of the City Council we would like to receive both the Beaches and Waterways Advisory Commission and the Bayfront Advisory Committee endorsements. The Norfolk City Manager’s office is endorsing the legislation as well. Also request that once your organizations are behind the initiative that you take the opportunity to let our General Assembly Delegation know of your support. Please call if you have questions. VR Dave
Dave Hansen
Deputy City Manager
City of Virginia Beach
(757)385-4242
Download the VIMS study entitled A Geotechnical Evaluation of Chesapeake Beach for Beach Quality Sand. [246 Page PDF]
VIMS is the Virginia Institute of Marine Science.
One image from VIMS study
From Cape Story neighborhood watch:
Virginia Beach Citizens’ Police Academy
Monday, January 07, 2013 · 10:00 am
The Virginia Beach Citizens’ Police Academy provides an excellent opportunity for citizens, ages 21 and up, or 18 and in college, who work and/or live in the City of Virginia Beach, to become familiar with the day-to-day operations of the police department. This will enable participants to gain a better understanding of the procedures, guidelines, responsibilities, demands, personnel, equipment, policies, and laws that guide the department’s decisions. Citizens will hear the accounts and experiences of a wide variety of police personnel and will also engage in hands-on activities. This class is not intended to make citizens into police officers but to allow citizens to learn more about police operations. Citizens will become informed as to the actual role of the police and, in return, the police will benefit from the wealth of knowledge the citizens can give about their community. A police ride-along opportunity will be offered during the session for observation of the officer’s daily duties.
Sponsored by the Citizens Police Academy Alumni Association, the 35th session will run from February 5, 2013 through May 14, 2013, with classes held every Tuesday night from 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. The classes will be held at the Law Enforcement Training Academy located at 411 Integrity Way in Virginia Beach. Applications are now being accepted and are available at any Virginia Beach Police Precinct, the Crime Prevention Unit Building #15 at the Municipal Center, or you can print a copy from this address: http://www.vbgov.com/government/departments/police/opsdiv/Documents/PD045.pdf.
Completed applications for this session must be received by the Crime Prevention Office by Friday, January 18, 2013. Please do not drop off completed applications at a police precinct. Seating is limited.
Topics covered in the academy include:
Recruitment, Selection, & Training
A Day in the Life of a Patrol Officer
Firearms Safety & Range Operations
Deadly Force Encounters
Forensics
Basic Criminal Law
Animal Control
History of Law Enforcement
Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney
Crime Prevention Programs
Crisis Intervention Team
School Resource Officer Program
Criminal Investigations
PhotoSafe Red Light Enforcement Program
Volunteer Opportunities
Jail Tour
K9, SWAT, Bomb Squad, & Helicopter Unit
Media Relations
Law Enforcement Technology
Special Investigations (narcotics, vice, & gangs)
For further information, contact MPO Jeff Eaton at 385-1066, bjeaton@vbgov.com
He said Virginia Beach has agreed to pay for sand replenishment along its part of the Chesapeake Bay, which includes Chic’s Beach and the Shore Drive corridor, areas that suffer some of the worst damage from nor’easters and storms like Sandy.
Apparently Ocean Park was hit harder by Sandy than the east side of the Lesner Bridge.
Taken couple days after Sandy. Dinwiddie walkway in Ocean Park. Photo Credit ~ Jen C.
SB 946 Public beaches; authorizes MRC and DEQ to establish procedure for sand replenishment.
Introduced by: Frank W. Wagner | all patrons … notes | add to my profiles
SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:Sand replenishment for public beaches. Authorizes the Marine Resources Commission and the Department of Environmental Quality to establish an expedited procedure for sand mining and beach replenishment on the public beaches abutting the waters of the Chesapeake Bay. The bill requires the agencies to establish a working group, consisting of representatives from affected localities, to assist in the development of the expedited procedure. The working group is to consider a requirement that the application for the sand replenishment project permit include the submission of a mining plan by the locality for areas within the Chesapeake Bay from which the dredged material will be taken and the location of the beach replenishment project. The bill provides several types of information that such a plan would include, such as the analysis of benthic, marine, and fishery resources; impact on any historical artifacts; and impact on other uses of the state waters and bottomlands at the dredge site.
Learn more about Bayfront Advisory Committee(BAC).
As we finish the year of 2012, we wish a warm (no global warming reference intended) season’s greetings to all our families and volunteers who have so freely given of their time, efforts, and treasures to maintain and improve the beauty and community of the Shore Drive area. Many, many people have so generously given to others in our area through food, furniture and clothing drives. You have welcomed our troops home, or said “good bye”, and offered a hand to neighbors while watching over our communities to keep them safe for all. Virginia Beach is truly a generous and caring community. Many of you have given without even expecting a “thank you”. You are beautiful, friendly and caring. You are the heart and very soul of this community that makes you so special. Enjoy your Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or winter solstice. May you personally feel the sense of community with all your neighbors, friends, and family about you.
We wish to give a special “thank you” to our Mayor, City Council members, and city staff for bringing Pleasure House Point to a reality and preserving this incredible public treasure for our future generations. Lynnhaven River Now and Chesapeake Bay Foundation deserve our very special thanks and continued future support.
On behalf of Grace, Todd, Carol, and Tim, may all of you have a MOST SPECIAL HOLIDAY!
CHEERS!!!!!
Thanks to Public Works Project Manager Jason B. Wilson for sharing the proposed changes for the intersection of Page Avenue and Shore Drive.
View the CHT Presentation Final (12 page PDF).
This is part of 2.117.000: Shore Drive Corridor Improvements – Phase III.
Learn more about Shore Drive infrastructure work at SDCC.info/HOT.
Alternative 1 for proposed realignment of intersection.
View from Page Avenue looking east down Shore Drive.
An excerpt of a comment from previous post at SDCC.info about this proposal:
I don’t understand the reason for ANY if these three proposals. Even when Duck In was hosting their famous Friday night parties, everyone (even drunk drivers) managed to exit onto Shore Dr without problems.
The following is an email from the Deputy City Manager, Dave Hansen, to the Bayfront Advisory Committee (BAC) explaining the LED Traffic signs on Shore Drive and the Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) project. You can also see the 2009 Power Point presentation given by City Staff to City Council regarding this project. Click here to view the 3Mb file. ITS Brief 021810
Members of the BAC,
In November of 2009, DPW Jason Cosby briefed the City Council on the $22M Intelligent Transportation System project in which all but $1.5M was being funded by the Federal Highway Administration. In this comprehensive briefing he covered the major phases of construction and their specific outcomes. I have attached that brief and note that on chart #24 we identified the location of 6 sites where the Dynamic Message Boards were to be installed. Two of those locations were clearly shown on Shore Drive. Following that briefing Mr. Cosby briefed the BAC on 18 February 2010. I have attached that briefing and ask that you relook charts 21-26. Additionally I have attached the minutes of that BAC so that you can see who was in attendance when we advised you what the plan was, why it was and what it was to be like. As Mr. Arnhold made comment regarding City staff in his email below, I note that he was in attendance at the BAC brief on 2-18-10 and that no questions were posed to the staff following the DPW brief. The lag time between the briefings and the start of construction was the product of contracting, funding, technology, public briefings and increasing the requirement from six to eight locations. Hopefully the board recalls this information briefing in February 2010 and we can proceed to respond to the myriad of questions which are being asked. To assist you I provide the following description of the ITS project and specific information on the DMS.
The signs located on Shore Drive are part of The Virginia Beach Dynamic Message Signs and System Detector Project which consists of the installation of 11 motorists advisory Dynamic Message Signs (DMS) at eight locations, overhead sign support structures, equipment cabinets, and communication equipment. The DMS’s have three line displays. This important project was funded by Federal Funds associated with Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality and is intended to provide real time information to the motoring public to keep traffic flowing. The locations have been strategically selected and approved by City Council in order to maximize the dissemination of essential information to motorists. The DMS’s will be installed at eight locations within the City.
The DMS’s will be installed at the following locations:
1. Princess Anne Rd and Elson Green Ave, southbound
2. General Booth Blvd at the KOA Campground, northbound
3. Shore Dr and First Landing State Park, westbound
4. Shore Dr and Bayville Rd, back to back DMS’s
5. Northampton Blvd and Bayside Rd, eastbound
6. Northampton Blvd and Shell Rd, westbound
7. Independence Blvd and Wakefield Dr, back to back DMS’s
8. Shore Dr near 83rd St, back to back DMS’s
What follows is a brief summary of the why, what, how, and where:
1. Purpose:
-The primary purpose of the signs is to convey traffic condition information to the roadway motorists
– Signs are especially useful during hurricane evacuation
– Signs can be used to display public safety campaign information (i.e. Amber Alerts, Click-it-or Ticket)
2. Lighted:
– signs will not be lighted (no illumination lamps to shine on them); they are LED driven-internally illuminated
– the sign will be dark unless there is a message to display
3. Size: 6 feet high by 12 feet long; mounted 17 feet above the ground. (by comparison our portable signs are 6’ by 10’)
4. Location: The location on Shore Drive was specifically selected because of the following properties: -38,000 motorists pass this site every day
-West bound traffic can be alerted to conditions at Northampton Blvd, Chesapeake bay-Bridge Tunnel, and I-264
-East bound traffic can be alerted to downstream conditions on Shore Drive, Fort Story, Great Neck Road
The signs are a part of our ITS (intelligent Transportation System) project with the goal being able to disseminate real-time traffic information expeditiously to the motoring public. They can also be used to broadcast Amber Alerts in support of Public Safety.
Should you require additional information I am happy to respond to your RFIs. Regards, Dave
Dave Hansen
Deputy City Manager
City of Virginia Beach
(757)385-4242
IN JUNE 2010, Virginia Beach’s City Council banned electronic signs in the city, calling them garish, distracting to drivers and dangerous. Rather than impose stringent restrictions on signs in front of churches and businesses, the council said the bright signs, if not already in place, would not be allowed at all.
That vote was in character with the city, which banned new billboards a quarter-century ago and encouraged landscaping and beautification projects in medians and other public spaces.
City government itself is exempt from the electronic sign ordinance, however. Light-emitting, attention-grabbing signs beckon passersby to Virginia Beach’s convention center and its performing arts center. Outside public schools, libraries and community centers, the signs are colorful reminders of upcoming events.
Now, according to reporting by The Pilot’s Kathy Adams, the city is erecting eight LED signs to warn drivers about traffic problems on Shore Drive, Princess Anne Road, and Independence, General Booth and Northampton boulevards. Not only are city officials defying the spirit of the ordinance, but they failed to talk to neighborhood groups about the signs’ locations, size and hours of use.
Traffic engineers determined the locations. The federal government paid for the $60,500 signs with “congestion-mitigation” money.
So now, instead of the city partnering with private companies that own the 30 billboards in Virginia Beach to allow limited electronic messages and city use for public safety issues — as some on the City Council had proposed in 2010 — the city has eight more signs towering over roadways.
Monday-morning quarterbacking does no good unless it serves as a lesson for the future. In the case of LED signs, the city failed a basic tenet of good government: It didn’t involve affected communities in the planning.
Virginia Beach should have solicited suggestions for designs that don’t run afoul of the aesthetics of the surroundings. It should have asked the public for ideas for traffic alert locations that would actually help drivers with alternative routes.
And because the city violated rules that bind the rest of us, it should have made the case publicly for why its signs are a safety feature, not a hazard.
By Selene D. Guerrero, Correspondent Virginia Pilot
Residents of Lynnhaven Colony filed into Dockside Restaurant on Nov. 17, but instead of appetites they brought questions for the public works officials in attendance. The city panel and more than 50 residents gathered to discuss solutions to the neighborhood’s common flooding during high tide and inclement weather.
“The most important and expensive thing you purchase is your home,” Donna Rennick, civic league vice-president, told Phillip Davenport, public works director, before he took the floor.
“We need to know how we can work with you,” Rennick said. “We need answers.”
Phillip Roehrs, water resources engineer, presented a project that officials believe would alleviate most of the flooding, but further study is needed to make certain it will do the job. Lynnhaven Colony is south of Shore Drive, on land that is between the Chesapeake Bay and Long Creek, which is a tributary of the Lynnhaven River. According to a 2005 study, solving the core problems – feeder ditch improvements, flooding on Shore Drive, relieving flooding in low-lying areas – is estimated to cost $50 million, Roehrs said. Roehrs added that he was not prepared to provide the residents a timeline of when the project would begin or be completed.
“We’re at a point where we are thinking of moving,” said Joyce Dunn, a 30-year resident. “After the 2009 nor’easter, the city proposed the same and nothing has been resolved.”
Dunn’s family has made costly adjustments in their home, such as resurfacing their garage and moving their furnace to the attic. In about a year, when sidewalk construction on Shore Drive begins, the city plans to start Phase I of the project by putting in the components needed for development of a flood-control system.
The final plan would provide the community with two tide gates, five water pump stations (adding to the two already in place) and an underground conveyance system. The current outfalls to the Chesapeake Bay and river would be improved with extra collection systems that would provide a better flow.
“There are minor tweaks in the works,” Roehrs said. “But it will take a number of years to build and a number of years to finance.”
Currently less than $3 million a year is set aside for the project. City officials are working to come up with a way to fully finance the project and move forward.
“Even if we are able to come up with a financing plan where we can have all the money today,” Davenport said, “we can’t do all of the work at one time, it has to be phased.”
Construction around the roads and ditches would make it difficult for residents to get in and out of Lynnhaven Colony, he said.
The city plans to put in place a funding and work schedule, and provide residents with a timeline by December 2013. In the meantime, city representatives suggested that homeowners have their homes elevated and seek federal funding with the Federal Emergency Management Agency through the Severe Repetitive Loss program.
“Set an expectation,” resident Vin Melwani told the panel after the presentation. “I’m a homeowner,” Melwani said. “I just would really appreciate it if you could set a realistic expectation.”
program, contact Erin Sutton, city emergency planner, at 385-1076.
Eastern Shore Drive Leaders,
Let me begin by attesting the Eastern Shore Drive Storm Water Drainage Area Improvement Initiative is one of our top focus areas as we roll into the new year. The staff and City leadership are very sensitive to the hardships created when we have intense and long-lasting weather events such as Sandy, Irene, and the Nor’easter of Nov 09. Following Public Works attendance and briefing last Saturday with the Lynnhaven Colony Civic League and concerns we have received from Cape Henry Shores, Cape Story By the Sea and other concerned citizens in the eastern Shore Drive drainage area, our engineering and operations staff will be undertaking an accelerated analysis of several interim solutions which have been suggested and on the face seem to have merit in providing various degrees of protection from tidal inundation. Below is a summary of the two phases I have asked our engineering staff to pursue. Phase I is a data map with summary descriptions so we identify all infrastructure, elevations and drainage areas east of the Lesner. Completing this on 7 Dec allows us to define the study aspects of Phase II. I have asked Public Works to complete their assessments and recommendations by the first week in April and to publish a written report NLT 12 April. Intent will be to post this report on-line for the civic leagues and citizens to review. Here are summaries of the first two phases:
1. Using City topographic mapping as the base, delineate the drainage sub basins, the drainage systems (open and closed), and the outfalls for the Lynnhaven Colony/Cape Henry/Cape Story by the Sea areas. This will provide a clear graphic that depicts the ground elevations, drainage areas, and drainage system elements – including outfalls. This will be used as a tool for the additional analyses identified in Phase 2 and will be suitable for discussions with the BAC and civic leagues when describing how the systems function and why engineering analyses are necessary to support any proposed interim measures such as backflow preventers. I.e., it’s not as simple as just keeping the tide out, the rainfall runoff has to be able to either be safely stored within the particular drainage area or be able to be discharged with the backflow preventers in place (or a combination thereof). These products will be ready by December 7.
2. Each sub basin will have an analysis done to determine the suitability of backflow preventers on the outfall for the particular subbasin; if a backflow preventer is suitable, the type of backflow preventer; the amount of rainfall runoff the subbasin can handle without structural flooding; the stand-by pumping requirements (if any); and the probable costs. While simply jumping to a “solution” as has been suggested by some, it is absolutely necessary that the City allow the responsible level of engineering to be done to assure that we do not inadvertently worsen the drainage situation for any particular subbasin. We are estimating four months for this effort. Expect to deliver a written analysis with recommendations and preliminary costs and timeline by mid-April.
Phase III will be the review and approval process leading to design and construction. Once we firm up the costs and the competitive process we’ll use to get the work done we can provide a reasonable timeline. I wish to close this email by ensuring our citizens fully understand these interim solutions as with the permanent solutions have definitive limitations. At some level of tidal surge and some accumulation and intensity of precipitation all infrastructure improvements will be overcome and mother nature will prevail. Hopefully implementing interim measures will reduce the risk of moderate storm damage and buy the time for us to consider even grander infrastructure solutions to tackle the bigger more threatening hurricanes and nor’easters we seem to be weathering of late. Happy Thanksgiving and fingers crossed for a quiet winter storm season. Regards, Dave
Dave Hansen
Deputy City Manager
City of Virginia Beach
(757)385-4242
From an email from Dave Hansen posted unedited with permission:
Kal & Grace,
FYI – The “Temporary Bulkhead” as shown in the permit application and on the current design plans, is designed with steel sheeting with a tie-back system and a concrete cap. The length is approx 400 LF.
Timber is great for residential bulkheads, but it is not adequate for a commercial/industrial application like this.
Timber would not hold up for the construction duration. The cap would require cleats to tie-off and a timber cap would not provide an adequate anchor for loaded barges, boats, etc., to tie off.
The concrete cap provides more structural stability for the bulkhead design.
This concrete cap bulkhead design is more of a standard section that contractors are used to building.
As an alternate, a more expensive steel cap could be used, but in either scenario (steel or concrete) the cap needs to be more durable than timber.
As promised in my many briefings to your respective organizations we will visit this discussion just past the 50% construction stage to see how we are co-existing with our boating public. Regards, Dave
Dave Hansen
Deputy City Manager
City of Virginia Beach
(757)385-4242
Permit at US ACOE website.
More about dredging, and the replacement for the Lesner Bridge at SDCC HOT page.
About Jetty study at Pilotonline:
Once the study is complete, the corps will present its findings to the city. Then both parties will decide whether to move forward with building the structures, said Phil Roehrs, the Virginia Beach coastal engineer.
Roehrs said the city would consider the jetties “only if the study shows they can be built in an environmentally sound way.”
Previously at SDCC.info. We scooped the Pilot. Thanks Andy.
About wind turbines at CBF’s facility on PHP at SavePHP.org:
Hopefully CBF and SmithGroup JJR will far exceed the standard in the wind turbine they use so as to minimize bird conflicts since PHP is a vital stop in the Atlantic Flyway.
Learn more at US Army Corps of Engineers Norfolk District article.
The federal study will determine if jetties or a combination of coastal structures is cost-effective in reducing critical shoaling and annual costs of maintaining the navigation channel, as well as reducing damages incurred on structures in the channel due to continuous wave action.
Neighborhood Watch from CSTBS will be attending the Citizen’s Advisory Committee meeting on Wednesday night at the Second Precinct at 820 Virginia Beach Blvd and intend to bring all this up. Everyone is invited to attend this meeting to air complaints, and to meet with police and other City officials. They really appreciate public comments. The meeting starts at 7:00 p.m.
Pulled from Ocean Park Civic League Facebook page …. from Baylake Pines:
Please be aware of a dangerous “quick sand” environment on the beach. A resident of Baylake Pines sank to his waist on Tues evening while walking his dog and struggled to get out. He notified the city. Until it is rectified, please pass the word. Tell the kids to beware! It was suggested that you don’t walk alone and do walk during daylight hours. Pass the word please–its a pretty day for beach-goers.
Email sent to the city (Emergency Mgmt), Tues., Nov. 6:
This is to alert you of a dangerous situation on the beach at the foot of Seaview Avenue in Chicks Beach. I sank to my waist in the sand while walking my dog this evening on the beach in front of the bulkhead immediately to the west of Seaview Avenue. I was able to pull myself out of the sand after a ten to fifteen
minute struggle. I alerted the City backhoe driver who was at work placing fill material on the beach at the end of Seaview Avenue, and suggested that he contact his supervi…sor to report the situation.Although I am not an expert on these conditions, I believe that at certain tide levels, the beach in front of the bulkhead can become “quick” due to its low elevation and other features of the geography behind the bulkhead. I believe that this poses a serious hazard to the public.
Please take appropriate measures to warn the public of this dangerous condition.
#WeLoveShoreDrive 