You are highly encouraged to attend this event.  The speaker is the Exec Director for the Coalition for Smarter Growth.  If any area in the City could benefit from his discussion, it’s Shore Drive.  Please pass this email on and post a flyer if you can.  The event is free.

Civic Fair 2007 Flyer. [1 pg PDF]

About the Coalition for Smarter Growth:
“Our mission is to ensure that transportation and development decisions accommodate growth while revitalizing communities, providing more housing and travel choices, and conserving our natural and historic areas.”

http://www.SmarterGrowth.net.

Shore Drive Community Coalition (SDCC)- General Meeting

Monday September 24, 2007

7:30pm to 9:00pm

Ocean Park Fire & Rescue Hall

Been following the idea of putting a permanent dredge spoil facility at the Lynnhaven Boat Ramp?

Here’s a few more questions that have been answered, although they raise some more like:

+ I thought larger vessels had the right of way when navigating boat channels?
It’s suggested the barges will yield the right of way to smaller vessels when navigating the channel.

+ How many dump trucks & other work vehicles will be staged at the boat ramp?
Most likely any dredge spoil company, to make it a profitable job, will stage an unknown number of dump trucks & support vehicles at the facility.

+ Are there any examples of recreational boat ramps being shared with industrial dredge spoils facilites?
Apparently the recreational vehicles will have the right of way when competing with the dump trucks for space.

+ The amount of material to be dredged from ancillary channels is unknown ? there are several neighborhoods that have expressed interest in privately dredging their canals…
Do you think the proposed dredge spoil facility should be permanently open to take dredge spoils from private property?

Read more to see some of the most recent questions that were answered…

According to the news release yesterday, BAC’s meeting at 6:30pm today includes:
…receive updates from City staff on several ongoing projects and issues, including community signs, dredging operations site improvements at the Lynnhaven Boat and Beach Facility, and Shore Drive Safety Task Force recommended preliminary concept plans for encroachments.

There is also a Workshop at 2pm today.

The Hampton Roads Planning District Commission is asking Hampton Roads residents to conserve water because of the recent dry weather.
Article at Pilotonline.com.

Update:
If the drought continues and voluntary efforts don?t save enough water, city leaders said mandatory conservation measures could follow.
More at Pilotonline.com.

Check your mail box for the BAC’s newsletter that was recently mailed.

Update:
Article has risen to 3rd Most Comments at Pilotonline.com.

…?it?s a shame the market tanked after they tore the Duck-In down.
Read article, view more pictures & comment at Pilotonline.com.

An excerpt:
The shoreline and grasses were teaming with life ? turtles, fish, and amazing water birds were everywhere! Many of the birds were nesting and you could see their young in the nests. The air was filled with the song of so many different birds. At one point we were not more than 100 yards from Shore Drive but the “wilderness” of the space was so amazing we could have been miles away.

…being asked to shoulder the burden of hosting an industrial-type operation in a residential/recreational environment to provide an amenity to many far-removed households now and in perpetuity.
Read Letter to Mayor Re: Dredging-Western Branch of the Lynnhaven River.

Respondent: Phillip Roehrs, City of Virginia Beach,
Public Works Department….
Q. There is a need for a permanent dredge spoil transfer station? for this city project, private projects and possibly future city projects. Is this need considered with this proposal?

A. Yes. A permanent sheet pile structure would be installed to allow other neighborhoods to use this site for dredge spoils transfer.
Read entire Q&A at OPCL.org.

Approximate location of permanent/temporary dredge spoil facility.

Operating too close to swimmers. Virginia Beach code holds that personal watercraft can’t be operated within 100 feet of swimmers.
Read & comment on article at Pilotonline.com.

Imagine the benefits of having something like this in the region:

The Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) is the world’s leading research center for environmental studies of the coastal zone. Our accomplishments range from running some of the longest continuous ecological studies in the world, to creating new technology that expands the horizons of science.
Smithsonian Environmental Research Center online.

A lot has happened since Indigo Dunes was intially presented in May 06.

If you’re reading this, you undoubtedly know of the enormous opposition that has been growing since those early presentations.

Virginia Beach Parks and Recreation estimates that an average of 70 boats pass through the channel each day, with heavier traffic on weekends, in the summer and during Striper fishing season from October until February.
Read entire article at Portfolio Weekly.
More about proposed facility.

Check out http://www.I64Info.com from VDot for more info about detours, the construction, etc.

New detours over the next couple weeks are starting today.

Thanks to Laura for the tip!

Check out the first video at WVEC. Scroll down & click on the other ones to view.

The Virginia Beach Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney, Consumer Affairs Program has received several calls from victims who have given out bank account numbers, credit card numbers, and other personal information to callers and door to door solicitors claiming their subscriptions to magazines or other services are due to expire.  When the consumers contacted the magazine or service provider directly, they discovered they had been scammed. 

Featuring: Billy Almond and Jarrod Katzer,  WPL and Kay Wilson, Associate City Attorney.

Mark Your Calendar:
Wednesday, September 19th, 7:00-8:30 PM
Virginia Aquarium Marsh Pavilion Auditorium, 717 General Booth Boulevard, Virginia Beach, VA

For More Information or To Register:
Contact Karen Forget, Lynnhaven River NOW, 757-962-5398 or kforget@lynnhaven2007.com

This is a ?must see? for every waterfront property owner.

Volunteers are making a difference in the quality of life for residents and visitors to Virginia Beach. Volunteers are working in almost every department of the City of Virginia Beach including…

A new Volunteer Resources site at VBGov.com is now available.

It’s official that the City of Virginia Beach has begun the appeal process of the recent VMRC decision re: Indigo Dunes.

Next step in the process is the City filing their petition to the Circuit Court explaining why they are appealing. That will happen prior to September 21st.