Latest Public Works updated presented to BAC(Bayfront Advisory Commission) Thursday July 17 said “Construction % Complete: 99%.”
Apparently the meetings are next week for this walkway & all future maintenance costs to be on the taxpayers $$$ once City accepts this “ADA-compliant ramp” if and when they do.
Previously at this website:
https://weloveshoredrive.com/category/wccb/
Vacation of Easement approved 9-1 including WCCB paying City $100,000 for future beach walkway replacement.
Wycliffe referred back to Planning Commission on 9-1 vote.
My name is Lisa Leidig and I am the president of the Lynnshore Condominium HOA. I am travelling on business and will unfortunately not able to attend the vote on Tuesday. I am speaking on behalf of my community that we oppose the closing of the public beach access at the end of Starfish Road for many reasons:
First: a public right-of-way should only be closed when there is no other alternative. Westminster has admitted that they do have a plan that would not involve closing the access. Since this is the case, this should be an easy decision to make – deny the request. You should not have to decide who is more important – the public or residents of Westminster and who is going to be inconvenienced. The only reason that Westminster wants to close the public beach access is that a handful of people expressed concern about walking through a parking garage. I am sure that Westminster has a contingency plan to protect the residents and prevent public access to their buildings. So is it better to inconvenience the thousands of people that use the Starfish beach access to accommodate a few people by making them walk through a garage? Why is it constantly ok to impact the public and residents but not Westminster?
Second: With the pier remaining, there is a problem when we have persistent northeast winds or a storm off our coast – the winds push the waves up to the point that during the periods around high tide (2 hours before and after) the beach west of the pier is inaccessible due to the water rising and being pushed up past the fencing under the pier. This has happened 5 times this year since September (once this past week) and even resulted in significant dune loss in front of Casa de Playa.
Third: Perception. Closing this access provides the perception that the beach in front of Westminster’s property is now private. I have had conversations with residents of Westminster and they stated that they “couldn’t wait until the beach is private and THOSE people (pointing to fisherman/crabbers) won’t be able to come down here anymore”. WC is also leaving the stairs from the bulkhead to the beach, further cementing the perception that the beach is now private. Surf Rider foundation advocates that public beach access remain public – https://www.surfrider.org/pages/policy-on-beach-access – excerpts such as “Development must not be allowed to interfere with public access”, “The public should be afforded full and fair access to beaches which are public trust resources by minimizing the possibility of impediment including development”, “Should not be burdensome for the potential beachgoer to utilize”.
Fourth: Ben Unkle has said that this new beach access is more convenient to “everyone”. That is simply not true. Anyone that lives on Starfish road – the access is more inconvenient. For anyone riding HRT route 35 which drops off in front of Westminster, this is not more convenient. For anyone wanting to access the beach and are crossing Shore Drive at a crosswalk (there are two – one at Starfish, the other at Great Neck) – this is not convenient. For anyone wanting to sit west of the fishing pier, this is not convenient. Ben Unkle has also said that the beach access bisects Westminster property – while that is now a correct statement, the access was in existance long before they bought the properties. Westminster took a chance by buying these properties with full knowledge of the public access. Do not punish the public for a risky venture made by Westminster.
Fifth: The sidewalk on the south side of Ocean Shore and Starfish Road is almost impassible. It has not been maintained for years and the sidewalk is blocked by shrubs and growth. The City had also just spent public dollars to repair the beach access at Starfish road so those improvements are wasted money if you allow the access to close and be torn up.
In closing – this should be an easy decision to make as Westminster has a plan to work around the public beach access. Deny the request and keep our beach access public and open.
Sincerely,
Lisa Leidig
President, Lynnshore Condominiums
xxxx Starfish Road
757-xxx-xxxx
PRESENTATIONS/PROJECT BRIEFINGS
1) Skip the Stuff Presentation by Molly Jones and Lexi Bradshaw
2) Update from JLL re: beach access at Westminster Canterbury by Amanda Logsdon
3) Cape Henry Trail update from David Plum
OPVRS = Ocean Park Volunteer Rescue Squad. Please enter at door opposite Shore Drive.
Additional public hearing plus vote on vacating easement currently scheduled for November 21st ‘23 City Council session.
Also it seems WCCB is closer to guarantee their controversial approved beach walkway maintenance & probable rebuild since “we have reviewed the plans and are in support of the design as proposed”. Previously on this website.
Visit SurfRider.org/CAMPAIGNS.
CITY COUNCIL INFORMAL AND FORMAL SESSIONS
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2023. JOIN US!
2 items:
Previously Fitch Downgrades Westminster-Canterbury on Chesapeake Bay (VA) Rev Bonds to BB+.
And:
I 1.VACATION OF EASEMENT
20’ public access easement at 2454 Starfish Road
Vote Tuesday on VACATING easement is one step in process before beach walkway can be built.
Note: Wetlands Board unanimously approved this design recently. That approval was Appealed to VMRC. Appeal failed. After WCCB builds this walkway it’s believed their plan is to give it to VB tax payers. Who will pay for it to be maintained and rebuilt?
City Council Agenda November 14 ‘23 (488 page pdf)
OPVRS = Ocean Park Volunteer Rescue Squad located at 3769 E Stratford Rd, Virginia Beach, VA 23455.
Please enter door opposite Shore Drive.
This is a bittersweet announcement for me to write. In 2001 the Shore Drive communities banded together to create an umbrella organization to share information and better represent our common issues. This organization was called the Shore Drive Community Coalition. For the past 22 years, as a collective group, we have helped guide great change to the Bayfront. However, similar to many other organizations, the past couple of years have resulted in a decline in meeting attendance and volunteer support, so the current officers have decided that it is time for SDCC fade away. The officer’s plan is to disband SDCC as a 501c4 organization and transition to an online information presence only. This plan will be discussed as part of our last general meeting. We will also be presenting donations, from our remaining SDCC funds, to our wonderful Bayfront Rescue Squads for all their hard work and support of our communities.
So please join us for this sad but important time in the history of SDCC. Take note of the 7:00pm start time. We will have a pre-meeting social starting at 7:00pm with finger foods and drinks which will give us all a chance to catch up and share stories of our amazing 22 years.
Below you will find the agenda for the final SDCC meeting. You can also click on “…” more options tab to print a copy.
View article at Pilotonline.com.
The Virginia Beach City Council reviewed the nine complete applications submitted for the Bayside District City Council vacancy and shortlisted three individuals for interviews. They are:
Delceno Miles
Ronald Ripley
Charlotte Zito
Review their resumes, statement of econmic interests and more at VBGov.com.
As you know, Virginia Beach and the Bayside District lost our long time serving Mr. Louis Jones recently. The citizen appointed by City Council will hold office until Dec. 31, 2022 and must reside in the Bayside District.
Start here to learn more about applying to City Clerk Amanda Barnes.
3 items the potential candidate might be interested in advocating for for the Bayside District and Bayfront:
On a forward-looking basis and assuming WCCB is able to proceed with the full scope of its capital plans, debt is expected to increase from $76 million to $496 million (or $508 million inclusive of it $12 million debt guarantee for the Senior Options Community’s acquisition of The Overture).
VIRGINIA BEACH VA DEV AUTH RESIDENTIAL CARE FAC REV Bond Detail.
CUSIP: 92774NAH3
The Appeal & opposition to appeal documents.
“A group of neighboring condo owners is continuing a fight to stop the construction permanently. After a circuit court judge dismissed claims that City Council unlawfully approved the $250-million expansion project in 2020, they recently appealed their case to the Supreme Court of Virginia.”
View public comment & discussion at City Council Formal Session that starts at about 1 hour 3 minutes.
View discussion at Virginia Beach Development Authority August 17th.
The judge did leave open the possibility for the condo owners’ legal team to amend one of their counts and come before the court again.
“It’s not over, not yet,” Jeanne Lauer, the attorney for the condo owners, said Tuesday.
Check the details at OPVRS website!
You made this happen. Your continued support helped purchase the best and safest equipment for your community.
WCCB Category at SDCC.info here.
#WeLoveShoreDrive 