Bayfront Public Works Projects Status Spreadsheet – August ‘26 update

The following update was provided by the City’s Public Works Department. The spreadsheet identifies all of the current projects in the Bayfront Area. Updates are identified in RED.

Thanks!

Alotta great info here.

Hooray for live oak protection!
WCCB “ADA” walkway at new public access still being worked out. “To date, the developer has not submitted the revised deed of easement and deed of dedication. The City Attorney’s Office will inform staff when the revised subdivision plat is resubmitted. No Change (Updated 08/14/2026).

Bayfront Advisory Commission Meeting and Projects Update – Thursday August 20th 330pm at OPVRS

Fascinating this area continues to look like this.

STAFF REPORTS

1) Public Works

• Shore Drive Phase III CIP Project Update

2) Planning

• Shore Drive Corridor Plan and Design Guidelines Scope of Work…

NEW BUSINESS

PRESENTATIONS/PROJECT BRIEFINGS

1) Pleasure House Point Kayak Launch Presentation

It’s also fascinating this new SWM work area is hidden from view.

Get involved!

Note: This area is for contractor parking only.

“August 2026 through early spring 2027, Cape Henry Drive and the adjacent trail will be closed between Kleen Street and Urchin Road for water, sewer and stormwater upgrades, plus canal widening and deepening.”

Gonna be challenging for pedestrians & cyclists to travel in Shore Drive area for sure.

Check out the City’s Eastern Shore Drive Bundle page.

SHORE DRIVE AREA PROPERTIES, LLC for a Conditional Change of Zoning from PD-H1 Planned Unit Development District to Conditional B-4. Marlin Bay & Shore Drive.

CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING JULY 14, 2026

INFORMAL PRE-MEETING 3PM.

City Council Chamber
2401 Courthouse Drive, Building 1, Virginia Beach, Virginia 23456 

FORMAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING 6PM.

City Council Conference Room
2401 Courthouse Drive, Building 1, Virginia Beach, Virginia 23456

SHORE DRIVE AREA PROPERTIES, LLC for a Conditional Change of Zoning from PD-H1 Planned Unit Development District to Conditional B-4 (SD) Mixed Use District and a Conditional Use Permit re develop a fifty-two (52) condominium project with a small commercial component at 3853

Shore Drive parcels directly Southeast of 3853 Shore Drive DISTRICT 9

Visionaries who’ve accepted the realities & challenges of SLR(Sea Level Rise), climate change and the DewBerry Report understand this is not the highest & best land use of this particular location.

Virginia Beach in a very quick 20 years will be dramatically different in low lying neighborhoods like Ocean Park excluding any direct hits by large hurricanes, nor’easters or tornadoes.

One example opportunity to help build resiliency for future generations.

“However, he said the city has worked closely with community members throughout the planning process and remains willing to discuss project logistics and questions surrounding land credits.”

View story including video at 13NewsNow.com.

The City’s public PR disaster over this project continues.

Full version of District 9 public meeting.

The shortened version missing 35 minutes recently shared.

The lack of attention to detail and continued PR disaster about this project starting in October ‘25 is truly astonishing.

Questions still remain unanswered such as why were only $30,520 worth of saplings planted – less than mulch for said saplings – vs staff recommended $1,562,665 for tree canopy replacement?

Note: City Council can choose to accept, fine tune or ignore staff recommendations when seeking guidance about Ordinances they Adopt.

A RESOLUTION ADOPTING A REFORESTATION POLICY passed unanimously by City Council and was Adopted May 19 2020.

Marlin Bay proposed condos Planning Commission Agenda Items 13 & 14 June 10 Public Hearing

Applicant & Property Owner: Shore Drive Area Properties, LLC

Planning Commission Public Hearing: June 10, 2026

City Council District: District 9 (Schulman)

Select screenshots from application.

Still fascinating how City gives only 6 days instead of 30 to review submitted Planning Commission applications.

Public Comments 

A sign-up sheet for those interested in speaking in person on proposed applications is available in the Council Chamber prior to each Planning Commission meeting. 

To comment virtually, register for WebEx online and contact the Planning Department at (757) 385-8673 or bnharriso@vbgov.com before 5 p.m. the day before the public hearing. 

Those in need of reasonable accommodation due to a disability should also call the Planning Department prior to the meeting. People who are hearing impaired can contact Virginia Relay at 711 for TDD service.

Send an email to all Planning Commissioners.

Entire submitted application below:

Related:

An opportunity to transplant live oak trees, The City Tree, which may be destroyed for Westminister Canterbury new parking garage to these proposed condos. Homes with mature tree canopy typically sell for 3% to 15% more than similar properties without tree cover.

Hooray! One step closer to preserving 100% of what people have believed was Pleasure House Point Natural Area.

Coverage at WHRO.org:

Virginia Beach will spend $2.66 million to buy five undeveloped lots and add 0.57 acres at Crab Creek to the Pleasure House Point Natural Area.

Coverage at WAVY.com:

“Can you imagine if there were six duplexes, with six foot privacy fences, on pilings, how much that would change the nature of the park,” she said in a Wednesday afternoon interview.

Coverage at 13NewsNow.com:

“We are so excited for what the future holds,” said Rachael Childs, who volunteers with the program. “We hope to continue partnering with the city.”

Coverage at WTKR.com:

City leaders plan to use a combination of grant funding and open space money to help cover the cost of the acquisition, including $300,000 in approved grants.

Coverage at Pilotonline.com is paywalled.

The 5 parcels adjacent to “3608”.

AS SPECTACULAR AS THIS IS THERE’S STILL WORK TO BE DONE!

Encourage City Council & sign & share the PETITION to preserve the parcels that are along the walkway from Marlin Bay to Brock Environmental Center.

The tree canopy.

Our vital tree canopy. 5,214 trees were destroyed last year for the planned Wetlands Mitigation Bank. Currently $30,520 has been invested in 703 saplings to replace the 5,214 trees. Many find this completely unacceptable and it violates the spirit and a City Ordinance adopted years ago.

City Council UNANIMOUSLY ADOPTED a RESOLUTION ADOPTING A REFORESTATION POLICY which according to staff recommendations the City should invest $1,562,655 in our vital tree canopy.

Bayfront Public Works Projects Status Spreadsheet – January ‘26 update

The following update was provided by the City’s Public Works Department. The spreadsheet identifies all of the current projects in the Bayfront Area. Updates are identified in RED.

In Tree City USA, the PHP WMB plantings are complete including the 703 saplings listed in contract as $30,520. Less than the tree mulch cost of $34,240.

About WCCB “[m]entioned in [Thursday’s BAC] meeting that the City will not be accepting the beach access ramp from the private developer until it is made ADA compliant.  Once the ramp is ADA compliant, the City will accept the ramp and take over maintenance.”

District 9(D9) Community Meeting Hosted by Councilmember Joash Schulman December 1 ‘25 6pm – 8pm. Join us!

Info including ADA love here.

Public meeting at Louis R. Jones Bayside Recreation Center 4500 First Court Road, Virginia Beach, Virginia 23455

Church Point/Thoroughgood BMP & Conveyance Improvements Project Number 100596 Council District 9 CIP Budget 2024-2030 Total Programmed Project Cost  $45,660,000.

Event Details: 

Councilmember Schulman will host a District 9 community meeting to update residents on current city projects and issues. Topics of discussion include the citywide benefits of tourism and what it brings to our overall economy, new cultural arts funding and related grant programs and pedestrian/bike connectivity improvements currently underway in the district.

“Virginia Beach citizens sue Army Corps over wetlands project that cleared forest at Pleasure House Point”

Learn more at WHRO.org:

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.

Thursday October 16th ‘25 330pm BAC meeting at OPVRS. Join us!

Ocean Park Fire and Rescue Squad(OPVRS) Building
3769 E. Stratford Road. Enter door opposite Shore Drive.

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.

Prepping for storm blocking heavily used sidewalk.

District 8 Community Meeting Hosted by Councilmember Stacy Cummings

DATE & TIME

Monday, Oct. 20, 2025
5:30p.m. – 7:30p.m. (2h 0m)

LOCATION

Central Library
4100 Virginia Beach Boulevard, Virginia Beach, Virginia 23452

Join us!

Event info about community meeting here.

Dominion Power replacing high power tension lines that almost came down during September 16 storm. Hooray!

Curious about another idea to “preserve” Ocean Park Baptist Church?

Note, there’s a Public Notice posted for a potential Board of Zoning Appeals(BZA) Hearing July 2 2025.

The applicant did not engage with any of the adjacent property owners before submitting this new BZA application since previous attempt to “preserve” church by turning it into a bar “By Right” was pulled by the applicant due to overwhelming opposition and an enormous shortage of parking requirements.

Note:  there will be other land use requirements that will kick in once a plan is submitted that would kick in, as example, minimum requirements for storm water management(SWM).

Depending on direction this application goes – it will be precedent setting for various aspects.

PW Spreadsheet update & presentation entitled “How Can We Protect Tree Canopy Through Stormwater Management” at BAC meeting Thursday. Join us!

Click on file below to view all the slides for How Can We Protect Tree Canopy Through Stormwater Management

Previously on this website about Thursday’s BAC Meeting.

Shore Drive Phase 3 to start in May 2025 – Learn about this 3 year Improvement project

The Shore Drive Phase 3 Improvement Project(SDP3), first identified as a City Capital Improvement Project (CIP) in 2007, is finally getting ready to happen. This 3 year long construction project will improve the section of Shore Drive between the Lesner Bridge and North Great Neck Road, making the road safer for pedestrians and vehicles. Construction will take place over the next 3 years and will definitely have an impact on our Bayfront area in the process.

In an effort to help provide as much information to the residents as possible, we have been working with the City and Councilman Cummings to gather as many details as possible to help answer questions regarding this project. Thanks to the City’s Public Works and Councilman Cummings, we are able to provide the following detailed drawings for construction, traffic management and storm water plans. Please see below for a link to our project page for the SDP3 project.

https://weloveshoredrive.com/phase3/

The detailed project drawing documents should be able to help answer some of the following questions we have heard from the residents.

  • What is planned for the Storm Water control at the Page Harbor Landing area?
  • What is planned for the entrances at the boat ramp parking area near Mason’s Famous Lobster Rolls?
  • What is planned for the BoBo’s Fine Chicken and Lynnhaven Colony Park parking areas?
  • What is planned for the Lynnhaven Beach Condominium entrance/ Westminster Canterbury acceleration lane area?
  • What impact to Live Oak trees is planned along the entrance area to Westminster Canterbury?
  • What are the impacts to entrances for Shorebreak, Bay Local, Cape Henry Exxon and CP Shuckers?
  • What are the Shore Drive median impacts to areas in Cape Story by the Sea near Beech Street?

Additional information regarding this CIP can be found at the City’s website link https://vbgov.maps.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/11ca2d264a6c45aeaf6e6b4723297341

The City’s CIP data sheet can be seen below

We understand that this data is a lot to digest and we plan to help by posting drawing analysis reviews and City provided updates as best possible. Similar to the Lesner Bridge 3 year project, we can make it through the pain to get to the well deserved benefits and information will be a critical factor.

On Thursday May 1st, there will also be an opportunity to learn more about the upcoming construction project at the District 8 Councilman Cummings Community Meeting. More information on this meeting can be found below.

Stormwater Management Implementation Advisory Group first meeting Friday. Join us!

Start here at City’s website to learn more about the group, who’s on it & its mission.

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 …

PHP Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment(ESA) and Phase 2 Environmental Site Assessment

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.

City Council public hearing on proposed Pleasure House Point Wetlands Mitigation Bank CIP transfer of funds including vote.

“[T]he City Manager is to bring forward publicly a plan to mitigate tree loss for those trees that are at least four inches in diameter.”

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”

City Council January 7 ‘25 meeting info.

One example of “the coolest thing I’ve ever seen”.