35!

From Pilotonline.com:

“The slight inconvenience is certainly worth the enhanced safety,” Wood said.

Thanks to every one involved in getting the Lynnhaven Boat Ramp & Beach Facility walkway completed in time for this weekend.

Op-Ed in in Pilot today entitled Slow down on Shore Drive, read & comment at Pilotonline.com:

As long as vehicles use Shore Drive as a highway while throngs of people cross it to get to the beach, restaurants or bars; as long as cars fly past runners and cyclists on the way to the state park; as long as the scenic connection between Chic’s Beach and the Oceanfront continues to be a fully developed community bisected by a speedway, we will continue to see casualties.

City engineers argue that more speed reductions aren’t necessary, that expanding the 35-mph zone to west of the Lesner Bridge wouldn’t keep people safe. But it would give drivers – and pedestrians – more time to adjust to the fact that they’re on a four-lane road in the middle of a commercial and residential district, not on a highway in the country.

Envision Transportation in Hampton Roads:

The Hampton Roads Center for Civic Engagement, in partnership with the City of Virginia Beach has started a new public conversation about transportation possibilities and their far-reaching impacts.

This project combines the power of visual imagery, new means of information distribution, and the extraordinary value of involving the community in imagining its transportation future.
During the process, citizens will have opportunities to outline future choices and express their preferences.

At Pilotonline.com:

Obviously, Shore Drive is not the safest road in Virginia Beach. No road is perfectly safe. Among the city’s major roads, Shore Drive is about average in terms of safety. While the accident rate overall does not show anything unusual, the long history of pedestrian accidents indicates that a closer look needs to be taken.

You can read and comment at each link.
25 mph at night, 45 dayNo more Shore Drive barsNo harm in cutting speed

There are many online resources available which can help you to become better prepared for the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1-November 30.

Check out some of the following sites below for information and recources on hurricane preparedness:

  *  http://www.ready.gov 
  * http://www.ready.virginia.gov
  * http://www.vdem.state.va.us
  * http://www.nhc.noaa.gov

Also,  see the forwarded e-mail below from the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM).  May 25-May 31 is Virginia’s Hurricane Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday Week .  For a complete list of emergency preparedness items that fall under the hurricane preparedness sales tax holiday week, go to http://www.ready.virginia.gov/

Thanks everyone,

Jolynn Turner
Emergency Planner
Virginia Beach Dept. of Public Health
4452 Corporation Lane
Virginia Beach, VA 23462
Office:  757-518-2784
Mobile: 757-438-0381
Fax:    757-518-1393

From Mike/Rick:

Ocean Park Friends and Neighbors,

          A lot of you have been wondering what’s going on with the fireworks show for this year.  Our long pole in the tent was getting a barge and a pier to load fireworks.  We got a barge just before the deadline, but we were not able to get a loading dock to load the fireworks on the barge in time to get our Coast Guard Permit.  The Coast Guard requires a minimum of 60 days to file the permit, and we have passed that point.  So for 2010, there will not be a barge fireworks show out in the bay.  We only started this effort in late March of this year, and I’m confident that we will have time to get a barge and loading pier in plenty of time to make this happen for 2011. 

          However, I got confirmation today that here in Ocean Park we could have a beach based Fireworks show.  The permit applications are due to the city by the 3rd of June, so we only have a couple weeks to get the funding together.  We need $10,000.00 to pay for the fireworks and all the required permits, as well as delivery and cleanup.  I have seen an example of what kind of show Applied Pyrotechnics can do for that amount and I think it would make everyone happy.  The widest point of the Ocean Park Beach is by the access at Rockbridge road, so this is where we’ve targeted the show. 

          So here it is.  We have 10 days to come up with $10,000.00.  I have about $500.00 in the bank now, and pledges for $500.00 more.  By June 3rd I have to have the $10,000.00 in hand.  If you want fireworks on our Ocean Park beach this July 4th you need to either go to OPCL.org and donate money using the fireworks link, or drop off a check made out to OPCL fireworks committee at my house at 3920 Shady Oaks drive.  I think we can reach our goal for a beach show this year, but it we don’t, we’ll bank the money and use it towards next year’s barge show.  If we don’t hit our goal and you’d rather have a refund, let me know and I’ll make that happen.  All of you who have told me you want fireworks to happen, it’s time to step up and make this a reality.

            If you have any questions you can contact me using the below info.

Rick Mercadante
President
Ocean Park Civic League
mercadante@cox.net

At Pilotonline.com.

Update from Grace:

In a follow-up phone call with Councilman Jim Wood, we have some clarification on the http://www.sdcc.info billboard posting of this morning.  In point of fact, the company did not submit the request for the ordinance.  Councilman Harry Diezel introduced the request for the ordinance, and the company (Adams Outdoor) was merely the strongest, if not the only, supporter.

There has been a request from Adams to defer the vote indefinitely, but they cannot withdraw it, they can only request the deferral.  As of this moment, the item is still on City Council’s agenda for tomorrow, but it might not come to a vote. 

From an email:

Here is the weekly update on the Beach Access Projects. Overall, the contractor has performed as expected. Delays have been due to material delivery delays and inclement weather. I anticipate, without any further delays, at least 6 of the 9 accesses will be open by 05/28/10.  The projected substantial completion and all opened to the public by 06/04/10.

Kendall Street – Complete and open to the public on 05/18/10

Sandalwood Rd. – 98% complete and open to the public on 05/19/10 – ADA hand railing will be delivered by Monday 05/24/10 and installed immediately. This installation will take about 4 hours

Lynnhaven Marina – 75% complete as progress is going forward – Remaining work to be completed are the decking, handrails and stairway landing & steps. Projected to open to the public 05/26/10.

Ketch Ct. – 25% complete – sidewalk demolition and vinyl sheeting installed

Ocean Shore Ave. – 15% complete – demolition completed and vinyl sheeting to be installed today

Whaler Ct & Spinaker Ct. – Demolition and sheeting to be completed by 05/21/10 and all flowable fill pours are scheduled for 05/24 & 05/25, weather permitting. High early concrete walkways will be poured 05/25 & 05/26.

N. Great Neck Rd. – 85% complete with handrail system remaining. Handrail system to be delivered 05/21 or 05/24. Projected opening date to public 05/24/10

Velzey Ave. – Upon completion of Lynnhaven Marina Access – Velzey will be the last to be constructed – Projected opening date to the public 05/28/10.

Be advised, due to inclement weather on 05/17 & 05/18, we lost 2 days towards construction.

Should you have any questions regarding the above, please contact me.

Very truly yours,

Karl L. Smithson, APM
PW/Operations Mgmt.
385-1540

Drew Lankford
Media and Communications
Department of Public Works
City of Virginia Beach
dlankfor@vbgov.com
(O)  757.385.8062
(C)  757.409.4353

From the Pilotonline.com article including being able to comment and a Poll entitled Should Virginia Beach lower the speed limit to 35 mph along the stretch of Shore Drive where a teacher was hit and killed?

Ten pedestrians have died in the past eight years on the 11-mile road that stretches along the Bay before ending at the Atlantic Ocean.

It’s actually at most a 6 mile section where 10 pedestrians have died.

A safety task force created in 2005 after five pedestrians were killed on Shore Drive will probably be reconstituted.

The Shore Drive Safety Task Force was never dissolved. It’s recommendations where adopted by City Council in 2006, and have not yet been completed.

[L]owering the speed limit would not have a significant impact, because the stopping distance for cars would not change much. (The per-second stopping difference between 45 and 35 mph is about 15 feet.)

According to the Virginia Driver’s Manual, cars on dry level pavement stopping distances are from 35mph – 135 ft, from 45mph – 195 ft and from 55mph – 265 ft.

Update: From Commonwealth of Virginia Legislation:

46.2-880. Tables of speed and stopping distances.

All courts shall take notice of the following tables of speed and stopping distances of motor vehicles, which shall not raise a presumption, in actions in which inquiry thereon is pertinent to the issues: Click to view table.

Back to select quotes from Va Pilot article & feedback:

The challenge from a traffic engineering perspective is to move motorists through the area while making it’s safe for cars and people within the corridor.

“It’s a huge conflict,” Gey said.

In case you haven’t read the entire Shore Drive Safety Task Force Recommendations, located at VBGov.com here, this is a small excerpt:

Central to this evaluation will be the understanding that Shore Drive serves as the sole east-west transportation corridor in the City north of the I-264 / Virginia Beach Boulevard corridor. As such, from a land use perspective, it needs to be considered as a multimodal corridor and not solely as a vehicular corridor. Increased densities of development in the corridor demand that pedestrian amenities are more fully addressed in all aspects of the development process, from the rezoning and conditional use permit stage through to the development plan approval and inspection stage. The goal of improving the level of transportation services for a wide variety of users – pedestrians of all types, cyclists, in-line skaters, varied recreational users, transit users, as well as vehicle operators – and the interrelationships between these various users and land uses in an area characterized as being first and foremost as a resort community and not as a resort destination is suggested. Accordingly, both public and private proposed development criteria need to be evaluated from a multimodal perspective to ensure that the needs of these varied users are addressed. Since increasing roadway capacity in the area has strict limits, given the City Council directive that Shore Drive remain a four lane facility for the foreseeable future, greater emphasis needs to be placed on reducing intra-corridor trip demand, particularly where non- vehicular transit among various uses in the corridor can be promoted and encouraged.

Emphasis mine.

Vice Mayor Louis Jones and Councilman Jim Wood, who represent different sections of Shore Drive, said they would support lowering the speed limit if that’s what residents wanted.

Public Works page includes links to:

Construction drawings are being prepared for storm drainage piping along Poinciana Drive from Maple Street to Sandalwood Road. When the drawings are 60% complete, they will be presented to the public for review and comments. Construction and maintenance are planned for Poinciana Drive and along the Cape Henry Trail in Fall 2011.

Cape Henry – Cape Story Map

Overall Map

Draft: Shore Dr. Area Flooding

Lynnhaven Colony Map

Draft Report Cover

Shore Dr. Flooding West of Lesner Bridge page at VBGov.com should be public soon – the draft report from study how to fix tidal flooding is not quite ready yet according to P/W.

Fixed the link to the City’s Pedestrian Survey Form that we posted back in December 2007 at this post.

Here’s the 4 page PDF to refresh your memory.

Hopefully the results will be available to the public soon.

Shore Drive Community Coalition (SDCC) General Meeting Agenda

Monday, May 24, 2010

SDCC General Meeting – Monday, May 24, 7:30pm to 9:00pm

Ocean Park Volunteer Rescue Squad Station (Intersection of Shore Drive and E. Stratford Rd.)

Call to Order

Present and adopt agenda

Presentations:

    Final Report:  Sand Replenishment:  Phill Roehrs, City of Virginia Beach

    Status Report:  Stormwater Management:  Phill Roehrs, City of Virginia Beach

    Clean Water:  an Intro:  Karen Forget, Lynnhaven River Now

Brief Q & A

Officers’ Reports

    President’s Report – Grace Moran

        Meeting Dates:

        June 17:  Bayfront Advisory Committee Retreat and Workshop 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.

              Virginia Beach Resort and Conference Center

              Pubic welcome to observe, but no opportunity to speak

              Bayfront Advisory Committee general meeting, 3:30 – 5:30 p.m.

              Location TBD

        June 28:  Shore Drive Community Coalition, 7:30 p.m., Ocean Park Volunteer Rescue

              Station.  Program TBA.

    Vice President’s Report – Dave Williams

    Secretary’s Report – Todd Solomon – Minutes of March and April meeting

    Treasurer’s Report – Steve Kohler

Update on issues: (Any or All)

        Shore Drive Safety Initiatives

        LED Sign Update

        Neighborhood Signs

        Green Parrot Grille

Old Business

New Business: 

Adjourn

Next Meeting:  7:30 p.m. June 28, 2010.

Ocean Park Volunteer Rescue Station

Please check http://www.sdcc.info for details as they become available.

From VBGov:

Lane to be Closed This Weekend on First Colonial Road

Release Date:  Thursday, May 20, 2010 3:15 p.m.

Beginning Saturday, May 22, the Department of Public Utilities will be replacing a water valve box along First Colonial Road. During this time, the outside northbound lane of First Colonial Road will be closed between Old Donation Parkway and Bancroft Hall Drive.

The lane closure will remain in effect from 10 p.m. Saturday to 5 a.m. Sunday, weather permitting. For additional information, please contact DeWayne Craddock with Virginia Beach Public Utilities at (757) 385-4140.

Thanks to Councilman Desteph for the tip.

What do a banker, a doctor, an electrical engineer, a hospital administrator, and a college professor have in common?

They like Chick’s Oyster Bar and Shore Drive.

From HRCyclist.info.

From Cape Story Neighborhood Watch:

A Razor Scooter was found at the entrance to Calvert Street from the bike path. If anyone is missing this please call Alison on 496-1031 or 818-0021.

BAYFRONT ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Thursday, May 20, 2010

3:30 – 5:30 p.m.

BAYSIDE Community Recreation Center

AGENDA

CALL TO ORDER

Welcome Guests and Introductions – Kal Kassir – Chair

CHAIRMAN’S REPORT

Comments from Kal Kassir – Chair

Review and Approval of Minutes of April 15, 2010

STAFF REPORTS & UPDATES

          Faith Christie – Current Planning

          Randy Wallace – Current Planning (Zoning)

          Robert Gey – Public Works / Traffic Engineering

          Captain Tony Zucaro – Police / Special Operations        

SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS & UPDATES

Design – Joe Bovee

Communications – Scott Ayers

          Transit, Parking & Pedestrian Access – Charles Malbon

COMMUNITY REPORTS & UPDATES
          Shore Drive Community Coalition – Grace Moran, President

NEW BUSINESS

OLD BUSINESS

PROJECT BRIEFINGS, OPEN DISCUSSION & COMMENTS FROM PUBLIC

Public Comment Period

NEXT MEETING – June 17, 2010, Bayside Recreation Center
                           
ADJOURN

From an email to Grace sharing the scoop:

Grace,

As a follow up regarding the Fentress Ave. Access & Outfall Repairs I offer the following information:

Since we cannot determine when Alexander’s on the Bay will be reconstructed and the magnitude of damage on either side of the Fentress Ave. Access would be impacted by their proposal, we will, within the next 2 weeks provide an interim access solution at the asphalt ramp by building sand up this ramp area creating a safe pedestrian passage to the beach.

Once we can get a definitive schedule on Alexander’s By The Bay construction, a viable permanent solution will be provided.

Very truly yours,

Karl L. Smithson, APM
PW/Operations – Technical Support
385-1540 (Office)
403-3821 (Cell)

Sertoma by the Bay, a local women’s group affiliated with the internationally recognized service group founded in 1912 (www.Sertoma.org), invites you to support local charities the fun way at
The Sertoma by the Bay Summer Sizzler
Saturday, June 12, 2010 – 12:30 to 6:00 p.m.
First Landing State Park Amphitheater & Gazebo

Live music by Strictly Business (http://www.thebizz1.com/)
& CHS teen Louis Smith (www.RiffCurrent.com)

A donation of $45 includes unlimited access to a catered buffet by Moe’s SW Grill and beverages from the bar tended by club volunteers.  You must be 21 to attend.
For tickets and info, contact Linda Hennessy at 343-3117 or lkhennessy@cox.net.  Tickets are also available at Moe’s. 
View Event Flyer [PDF]