The following are the agenda items from the Commission’s regular meeting held January 26, 2010 at Commission headquarters.  The Commission’s actions are in bold.

THE FOLLOWING SO-CALLED PAGE TWO ITEMS (PROJECTS OVER $50,000 WITH NO OBJECTIONS AND WITH STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS FOR APPROVAL) WERE APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY, INCLUDING AGENDA ITEM 5 THAT WAS MOVED TO THIS SECTION OF THE AGENDA:

2K. U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS & CITY OF VIRGINIA BEACH, #09-0427, requests authorization to modify the existing Cape Henry Beach nourishment permit to allow the truck-hauling of beach quality sand from the City-owned Maple Street dredged material management area to the easternmost end of Cape Henry Beach.  A maximum of 50,000 cubic yards of beach quality sand will be delivered and spread along the beach within the overall boundaries of the Lynnhaven Fishing Pier and First Landing State Park situated along the Chesapeake Bay.

Click on this link to read the draft meeting minutes http://www.mrc.virginia.gov/Commission_Summaries/cs0110.shtm

To view a copy of the proposed ordinance, click on this link 13_ElecDisplaySigns_AMD.pdf

This ordinance is scheduled to go before City Council on February 9, 2010.  As you can see, the Planning Commission tightened up the restrictions over what they had received from City Staff.  We have received a solicitation for public comment as follows:

“Attached is the Staff report regarding electronic signs in the city. The first version is the ordinance Councilman VILLANUEVA. The Planning Commission recommended favorably for the “Alternate Version”. The Zoning Administrator feels it is critical that citizens provide comments regarding the ordinance amendments. She is willing to meet with you for breakfast or lunch or an afternoon meeting somewhere in the corridor to discuss the ordinance amendments with you. “

If you have any interest in registering your opinion, I will make it easy for you.  Contact me at grace@sdcc.info and let me know if you would like to meet with the administrator or if you would like for me to pass along your remarks. 

We do not have sufficient time to arrange for a presentation before the City Council meets.  Our meeting is Monday, January 25 and our next one will not be until February 22.

This ordinance could perhaps use some tweaking, but it is a vast improvement over what was originally offered.  Thanks for your interest.

Regards,
Grace Moran
President, SDCC

From an email encouraging your attendance:
I urge everyone with an interest in whether or not to bring high speed rail to Hampton Roads (either for or against) to join me in attending Thursday’s public meeting at the Half Moon Cruise Ship Terminal adjacent to Nauticus in Norfolk from 5:30 – 8:00 pm. While there, I hope you will make written comments in favor of the proposal submitted by the Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization (HRTPO) to the state this past October. This proposal is backed by all of the cities in Hampton Roads and differs in a number of important ways from the direction being taken by the state and federal governments:

1)    Calls for High speed rail (110 mph+) service from Richmond to Southside Hampton Roads along the US460 corridor to a terminal somewhere near Bowers Hill (I-64/I-664 interchange) in Suffolk.

2)    Upgrade the existing 79 mph Amtrak line on the Peninsula to address track conditions which impact quality of service.

3)    Address flaws in the methods used and data considered in determining a level of service between Richmond and Hampton Roads.

4)    Prioritizes building a high speed rail line from N. Virginia to Richmond to Hampton Roads before providing out of state connections. Hampton Roads has a population of 1.7 million people making us the largest metropolitan area between New York and Miami. It just makes sense to provide service to our area ahead of smaller and less strategically important regions.

To make this a reality our city and civic leaders estimate that it will take a very sizable turnout. Please consider attending, but if you can’t, you can still submit a comment prior to Feb. 11th and find out more on the project website: http://www.rich2hrrail.info/pages/pi_publicmeetings.html

Please give some thought to this issue and plan to attend.  Whether you are opposed to light rail for Hampton Roads or support it, if you don’t voice your opinion, you have no room to complain about decisions made.

Emphasis mine.

Click here for a printable version of the agends SDCC_Agenda_January_2010.pdf
 

SDCC General Meeting – Monday, January 25, 7:30pm to 9:00pm
Baylake United Methodist Church, 4300 Shore Drive, Friendship Room

Call to Order

Presentation of Kroger Plan to install fuel station at Shore Drive Location

Officers’ Reports
President’s Report – Grace Moran
Vice President’s Report – Dave Williams
Secretary’s Report – Todd Solomon – Minutes of November meetings
Treasurer’s Report – Steve Kohler

Update on issues:

City Budget Hearings (DeSteph Town Hall meeting)
Shore Drive Safety Initiatives
Beach Sand Replenishment and Beach Access Repairs
LED Sign Update
Neighborhood Signs

Old Business:  Discussion of 2010 SDCC Agenda

Executive Board Recommendations:

1.  Improving communication among the civic associations. 
2.  Improve military-civilian interface between SDCC and JEBLCFS.
3.  Implement upgrades to the Website in conjunction with the upcoming joint effort with
    BAC and the acceptance of advertising on the Website. 
4.  Refine the eNewsletter opportunities that the BAC/SDCC email sign-up offers.
5.  Improve disaster planning for SDCC areas.
6.  Open floor discussion  

New Business:  Emergency Preparedness:  Dave Williams

1. Transportation limitations
2. Realistic Course of Action

Issues of Interest:  Do we want to take a position?

1. Zoning Changes at the Oceanfront
2. Eminent Domain stance of the City

Adjourn

Next Meeting:  February 22, 2010.  Location: Back at Ocean Park Volunteer Rescue Squad building.

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

January 29th, join us.

Print the 1 page color poster and hang it up!

From Cape Story’s Neighborhood Watch:

There have been two reports of someone knocking on doors early this morning, Wed. Jan. 20, between 4:00 and 5:00 a.m. in the 2200 block of Oak St. between the bike path and Poincianna.  Neither answered the door but one said it sounded like the door knob was being turned.  Please be aware and call the police if you hear anything suspicious.

Please remember to call 911 if you see a crime in action and call 385-5000, option 1, to report crimes after they have occurred or to report any suspicious activity. 

And they repaired their mistake.

The map they are working from I was shown was inaccurate including showing a driveway where a 150 year old live oak sits in our yard. They were given approval yesterday about where the Right of Way [ROW] is – but if you know our property, with the circa 1950 brick wall, they were clearly in our yard. No need to go into further details as they repaired it and used “the missile” to drive 2 conduits & their FIOS line in the ROW instead of in our yard. Fortunately I was home, and fortunately the Foreman corrected their error after spending some time with the crew.

Point is – you might not want to assume you know where they are going to trench to install the new cables even after the lines are spray painted on the ground.

The info on the orange door tag is 1.800.757.6842 for S & N Communications, http://www.Verizon.com/Virginia.
On the larger white door tag entitled “Coming Soon to Your Neighborhood” it offers 1.888.250.9710 and http://www.Verizon.com/countdown1.

I did not call either number, but I did take plenty of photos and documented everything with date/time/etc. For our section, Verizon’s permit number is #VZ09092.

On January 2, 2010, Kyle Need was part of a Navy team that made a daring sea resuce of a stranded boater of the North Carolina coast. 

Read entire article here NeedNewsArticle.pdf

From Cape Story Neighborhood Watch:

From a Police Press Release:
Detectives were able to determine the identity of the suspect in this case. On January 11, warrants were obtained and it was believed the suspect was on the campus of Tidewater Community College, Virginia Beach.  The suspect was spotted by detectives and after a foot pursuit was taken into custody around 5:30 pm.  The suspect is identified as Wayne Alexander Pfeister, 24, of the 700 block of Willow Lake Circle, Virginia Beach.  Pfeister is being held without bond in the Virginia Beach Correctional Center on charges of Armed Robbery, Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Felony, and Wearing a Mask in Public.

Due to the almost completely fixed damage at Ocean Park Volunteer Rescue Squad, we’re meeting at Baylake Methodist Church for our January 25th General Meeting. We’re meeting in the Friendship Room. [Look to this post for updates.]

View Larger Map

Entrance to the Friendship Room is the double doors at the rear parking lot off Blackbeard Rd.

View Larger Map

Hopefully you know which road is included!

From Pilotonline.com article.
When the effort concludes in October 2011, 250 intersections will be addressed.

From EPA.gov:

Oyster lovers and residents near Virginia Beach, Virginia remember a time that oysters from the Lynnhaven Bay watershed were once a celebrated delicacy served to dignitaries. Excessive bacteria levels in the Lynnhaven Bay watershed, however, forced the Virginia Health Department to shut down almost all of the shellfish areas for decades-until recently. Implementing the Lynnhaven Bay, Broad Bay, and Linkhorn Bay fecal coliform TMDL for shellfish areas has helped to reduce bacteria levels. Management actions targeting sources such as boating activities, on-site sewer systems, agricultural areas, and pet waste have successfully reduced bacteria levels. As a result of these efforts, Lynnhaven Bay watershed shellfish areas are reopening and Lynnhaven oysters are returning as an edible, marketable natural resource on local restaurant menus.

Hat tip to LRNow.org’s e-News.

I didn’t either. I found out from an email from VCAN.

From the Lynnhaven Fishing Pier Blog:
The re-building plans were submitted to the Army Corps of Engineers, the Marine resources Commission and the City of Virginia Beach and approval is anticipated around the middle of January, 2010 with work commencing around the end of March.

The plans include adding a “T” at the end of the Pier and several diamond-shaped stubs on the East side of the Pier, all adding strength to the part of the Pier that has now been twice destroyed. Because they present a high load under strong winds, the sheds will be removed.

Thanks to all for the response so far to the “Buy-A-Board” program!
Hot link to their Buy-A-Board for $100.00.

“Lizzie the retriever is safely back at home with her family!”

From Cape Henry Shores Neighborhood Watch:

Please keep an eye out for a lost dog from Calvert Street.  Lizzie is a reddish golden retriever about 55 lbs.  She has a blue polka dotted collar with no tags.  She is a very sweet, loving dog who will come to her name.  Her family misses her greatly.  Please call 481-3023 if you have found or have seen Lizzie.

Chris Wood
Neighborhood Watch Coordinator

Please remember to call 911 if you see a crime in action and call 385-5000 to report crimes after they have occurred or to report any suspicious activity.

Photo swiped from Pilotonline.com update.
A lot more photos at WAVY.com article.

From Cape Story’s Neighborhood Watch – the Police request:

POLICE SEEK PUBLIC’S ASSISTANCE IN LOCATING ARMED BANK ROBBER

On Friday, January 8, 2010 at approximately 9:22 a.m., a man walked into the Wachovia Bank located in the 2800 block of Shore Drive, Virginia Beach, and approached the teller line while displaying a black framed gun.  He demanded money. The teller complied and handed an undisclosed amount of money to the suspect.  The suspect fled from the business and it is unknown if the suspect got into a vehicle or had a vehicle nearby.

The suspect is described as a white male, 25-30 years old, 5’9” to 5’11” tall, with a medium to stocky build. He was last seen wearing a “Carolina blue” long sleeve collared polo shirt, light colored blue jeans, black ski mask, white gloves, and white sneakers.  He wore a black bag, similar to a computer laptop bag, over his shoulder.

Surveillance photos of the suspect are available.

Anyone with information about this crime is encouraged to call the Virginia Beach Crime Solvers Office at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP.  Callers remain anonymous and are eligible to receive a cash reward of up to $1,000 if their information leads to an arrest.

This case remains under investigation by the Department’s Robbery Squad with Detective Elizabeth Vanderheiden as the lead investigator.

MPO Margie Hobbs
Public Information Officer
mehobbs@vbgov.com
757-385-4097
757-385-5622 (fax)
[Bold emphasis mine.]

The Wachovia at Shore Drive & Great Neck Road.
[No additional info was available from 385.5000 call as of the time date of this post.]
According to Pilotonline.com as of ~12pm the armed robber is not apprehended.

Anyone with information was being asked to call Virginia Beach Crime Solvers at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP (562-5887).

From Cape Story Neighborhood Watch:

“I just wanted to share that there was an apparent bank robbery in our area and that the police are out on the bike path, in the neighborhood and in the air looking for a white male with a black back pack.  The police came to our door asking to lock all doors and report any activity.  Thought I would share.”

My husband went to the shopping center and confirmed there was a robbery at the Great Neck and Shore Drive Wachovia Bank this morning (Fri, Jan 8).  An officer stated that the robber was about 5″4” but he was unable to provide a better description because the robber was wearing a mask.  The police are not sure if the robber escaped via foot or in a vehicle.  In the interest of safety I would urge everyone be on special lookout for suspicious persons and lock your doors, windows and garages.

If anyone saw anything suspicious, please call the police.

These are the only details I have at this time but will provide any additional info if and when received.

Please remember to call 911 if you see a crime in action and call 385-5000, option 1, to report crimes after they have occurred or to report any suspicious activity. 

Please note that there has been a lot of communication with the City, particularly Public Works about Nor’Ida, from people including myself re: southside of Ocean Park, Todd of Cape Story, several people in Lynnhaven Colony and others. To be sure – ensuring damage from tidal storm water will be a hot topic for SDCC in 2010.

Q & A posted below unedited from an email.

There have been some questions posed by Ms. Empsy Munden, President of the Cape Story by the Sea Civic League and other residents concerning storm information, sand replenishment and other concerns.  The most recent questions are below, with the information provided by Mark Gemender, Operations Engineer for Operations Management.

Should you have any questions or need additional information, please contact me.  If you know of others who would like to receive this information, please forward to them.  Thank you.

Q:  Why did so much flooding occur during the storm and why did it take so long to subside (in comparison with the resident’s experience with Hurricane Isabel and the delta in the stormwater system’s performance between the two episodes)?

A:  Three stacking tide cycles caused by sustained 45-50 knot winds, which did not occur during Hurricane Isabel.

Q:  Is the beach access at Sandlewood is going to be replaced?

A:  Yes, we are scheduling replacement for February.

Q:  Was the stormwater pump station in the vicinity of Poinciana working during the nor’easter in November?

A:  Yes, the pump station was working during the storm.

Q:  What is the status/scope of the storm drainage project?

A:  We are working with engineering to update that information.  We will provide overview maps of the neighborhood to describe the drainage situation in the area at the civic league meeting on Monday, January 11th. 

Q:  There is only one drain inlet north of Shore Drive on Calvert Street and it’s clogged, what are short term and long term fixes?

A:  The drainage system on Calvert Street north of Shore Drive consist of a French Drain infiltration system which percolates stormwater into the ground. The development does not have a piped stormwater system which would transport the stormwater for discharge, the infiltration depends upon the underlying soil to absorb water and it is impeded by a shallow water table.  Short term fix includes maintenance of this French Drain inlet, a work order has been established in the work management system to do this and will be prioritized with other related work and scheduled around weather.  The long term fix for this area will be included in the scope of a Capital Improvement Project (CIP) to collect and transfer stormwater from the area.

Q:  There is backflow from Long Creek through the stormwater pipes, is there a possibility of installing a backflow device?

A:  These devises help to inhibit tidal water from backflowing but also require a buildup of water at higher elevations to open them in order to drain the area after a storm.  These can be evaluated for suitability.

Q:  There are problems with standing water on Beech Street, what are the short and long term solutions?

A:  This is the same condition as noted on Calvert street above, with the infiltration system.

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

According to Brian from OPVRS:

Work on the east wing, where the crews had been housed, has been scheduled to start immediately and should not take long to complete. The roofers (Thanks to OPCL) will begin on or around the 11th. Thereafter interior work on other areas like the meeting room, truck bays, and supply storage areas can begin.

Once the contractors finish the east wing, we will be able to start moving in the furnishings donated by Haynes Furniture.

Thanks for you support.

Brian L.

Watch your January or February water bill. [The month depends on which side of the bridge you live on.]

We’re having an insert in there with a contest. Winner of contest wins a free lunch with a famous local celeb.

Own a biz that has customers/clients in the Bayfront area?
Head over to our Contact page and email Grace or Tim to see how you can help your biz and SDCC.

In case you hadn’t heard, there was a hit & run on Kendall Street back on December 27th according to Cape Henry Shores Neighborhood Watch:

The following was received by Janet Barnes, who runs the Net Neighbors website for CHS:

VBPD’s Officer Dove is investigating.

He may be reached at 385-2700 or adove@vbgov.com

The Camry is a recent model 2005 or later, is dark, royal blue and will have noticeable front end damage. The driver is a young woman with dark hair that was pulled back.

The driver was caught and arrested.