Mark your calendars:

Watch for invitations to go out in the next few weeks.
The Oyster Roast will be from 12 p.m. – 3 p.m.

The “More Perfect Jones” bluegrass band, which played for us at last year’s Oyster Roast with rave reviews, will be playing for us once again this year.  Additionally, our menu this year will feature Lynnhaven River Aquacultured Oysters and more.

For legal reasons, the proposed Indigo Dunes had to appear in the public notice in the paper this past weekend.

As stated previously at SDCC.info the CBAPB will vote to defer the project until after the Wetlands Board hears it.

They will be voting to recommend hearing it at their June 2007 meeting as it currently appears the Wetlands Board has chosen to not defer their hearing on the project again.

First one is at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 15 at the Ocean Park Fire and Rescue Hall on Shore Drive.

By a unanimous vote, the State Water Control Board authorized the Lynnhaven to become the second water body in Virginia with no-dumping status. . . The vote Friday ended nearly two years of petitioning and debate about the concept, which effectively bans all discharges of human wastes from boats, even from vessels equipped with expensive, onboard treatment systems.

Congratulations to all who worked hard to help make this happen!

Read entire article at Pilotonline.com.

The street, between Shore Drive and the Bay Island Bridge, is virtually unnavigable from the cyclists’ perspective. For much of the stretch, there’s no sidewalk. “I can’t get anywhere without risking bodily harm,” Jim Roberson complained.
Read the entire Pilot Warrier article.

There was a rabid racoon found Monday, Mar 5 on E. Admiral Dr in Cape Henry Shores.  Questions should be addressed to the Health Department.

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. 

Thanks to Regina for the info.

March 1, 2007 – April 30, 2007 Restore the Legend Photography Contest
Open to both amateur and professional photographers. Winning photos will be posted on our website and be published in our 2008 Lynnhaven River Now Calendar. Photographers may submit 5 photos for consideration.

One page flyer.

Bayfront Town Hall Meeting Program [1pg PDF]

BAYFRONT TOWN HALL MEETING
If you?
    ? CARE about what happens to the Chesapeake Bayfront,
    ? LIVE, work or own a business along the Shore Drive Corridor,
    ? ARE CONCERNED about making Shore Drive safer,
    ? ARE ALARMED by proposed development plans,
                  ?then attend this meeting!

  Your ideas about what happens to the Bayfront do matter and can make a significant difference.

                  Monday, March 26, 7:30-9:30 p.m.
                  Bay Lake United Methodist Church
                4300 Shore Drive, corner of Treasure Island Drive
                    [Google Map]

        We encourage you to send your questions to Vice Mayor Jones, Councilman Wood and City Staff before the meeting.  This way they will have time to research an adequate response.  Answers to all questions will be obtained and posted on the site.  Even if you don’t hear the answer to your question at the Town Hall meeting, you will be able to see the answer at SDCC.info later: Please bring your questions to the Town Hall Meeting.

          Speakers: Vice Mayor Louis Jones, Councilman Jim Wood, City Staff

      Program: Indigo Dunes Project, Shore Drive safety improvements, Q & A

Gift Certificates for raffle provided by: Dockside Inn, & Green Parrot each have donated $25 gift certificates.

Finger food provided by: C.P. Shuckers, HK on the Bay, Leaping Lizard, Krogers, Coffee donated by Shore Drive Starbucks…
              (Sponsored by Shore Drive Community Coalition) http://www.sdcc.info

Following are the various meeting dates concerning the proposed Indigo Dunes.

Here’s the first info we’ve posted about large changes proposed to the existing Marina Shores.

Please come out to our first quarterly Public Meeting for 2007.

The meeting will be held this Thursday, March 1, 2007, 8:00 a.m. ? 9:00 a.m. at Dockside Inn, 3311 Shore Drive. We will be discussing Lynnhaven River Now?s recent project, ?Landscaping for the Lynnhaven.? Coffee, juice and morning snacks will be served.  We hope to see you there!  Bring a friend!

Laura Baity,  Administrative Assistant
Lynnhaven River Now
1608 Pleasure House Road, Suite 108

Shore Drive Community Coalition (SDCC)- General Meeting
Monday February 26, 2007
7:30pm to 9:00pm
Ocean Park Fire & Rescue Hall

This month?s guest speaker will be Ms. Heather Ham for the City?s Public Works Department.  Heather will discuss the following Shore Drive projects, Phase I (Baylake Pines), Safety Task Force improvement items, Lesner Bridge design, Phases II, III and IV.  She will also address questions after her briefing.

The changes are unlikely to satisfy all the environmental concerns, said David O’Brien, a biologist and program manager at the marine sciences institute.

“In all likelihood, we won’t come to 100 percent agreement between what I think needs to happen and what the applicant proposes,” he said.
Read the entire article at Pilotonline.com.

This is for Roger & Maryanne of Cape Story inspired by an email from Bernie:

You may know, it’s Roger & Maryanne who organize the welcome home events on Shore Drive such as the one planned for the 119th who are scheduled to return – tentatively Feb. 24th.

Thank you.

Wetlands Board Hearing officially deferred to May 21st 2007. More detail will be posted when available.

Dear Bayfront Residents,

At 3:47pm on Friday, a letter was sent from the developer’s attorney requesting a deferral of the Monday February 19th hearing.  The letter states the developer needs additional time to answer questions proposed by many review organizations.  Is this the true reason the project is being deferred for a second time and at the last minute?

Are the review clarifications the only reason for the last minute deferral request?  Doubtful, the SDCC sent it’s list of clarifying questions to the developer on Feb 2, 2007.  A full two weeks earlier.  Plenty of time to ask for a deferral.

Maybe it was the realization that the proposed project violates every code that the Wetlands Board has jurisdiction over?  Highly doubtful that the developer will come back with a modified plan that doesn’t impact any wetlands.

Maybe it was an attempt to slow down the increasing momentum of community opposition?  Quite possible.  You did an excellent job of answering the call to arms.  Over 100 emails have been sent.  Over 5000 petitions have been signed.  Over 50 people were scheduled to attend the hearing on Monday.  And over 150 copies of the new “Choice” movie by Chris Groffman have been handed out.

Whatever the real reason for deferral, one thing is certain.  You, the community, are making a difference.

Please note:  Based on the developer’s request for deferral, the bus to Monday’s hearing has been cancelled.  There is no reason for the general public to attend this Monday’s meeting.  The bus will be rescheduled to support the next attempted hearing date.  So stay tuned and visit http://www.sdcc.info for frequent updates.

In the meantime, don’t let up.  This project can be defeated.  Maintaining the area as open space as recommended in the Outdoors Plan or as a research facility is a viable alternative.  So keep those emails going.  Continue to pass the petitions around.  Make phone calls to your friends and ask them to attend the next planned hearing (most likely April 16th).

I also wanted to take this opportunity to pass on a special thank you to Liz Dyer for patiently putting up with the hassle of having to cancel the bus at the last minute.  Remember to email edyer1@cox.net or call 425.2123 if you want to get on the list for the next trip.

Sincerely,

Todd Solomon
Shore Drive Community Coalition – President

Visit http://www.sdcc.info for additional information regarding the Bayfront area.

Read Mr. Nutter’s letter asking for deferral.
Request. [2pg PDF]

As noted, we’ve been requesting a deferral for various reasons for at least a couple weeks.
This letter was forwarded to us at 3:46pm Friday, February 16th, 2007.

Dear Bayfront Residents,

Well this is it.  The last few days before the beginning of the big show.  The team and community has done a great job preparing for this day, but there is still a few key actions that need to be accomplished.

These actions can be taken by everyone on this email list and everyone that cares about their community.

Here are 3 things each of you need to do to help defeat this project:
1.Send an email to the Wetlands Board stating your opposition to the Indigo Dunes project.  Currently the Wetlands Board has only been sent 24 over 100 opposition emails. 

Here are a few topics and the codes they violate:

  * Private and public benefits from the proposed development are overshadowed by the anticipated public detriment.  The development will cause more harm (safety, traffic, pollution, etc.) to the community than good.  City code 1408(b)(1), City code 1408(a)(2), 4VAC 20-390-40(c).
  * The subject site is a priority acquisition site for open space in accordance with City’s 2000 Outdoors Plan.  City code 1408(b)(1), City code 1408(a)(2)
  * The applicant has not minimized impacts to wetlands prior to filling in the site.  The only reason wetlands are being filled is to maximize density and increase profit.  City code 1408.1(a)(1), Code of Virginia 28.2-1308, 4VAC20-390-40(a).

By law, if the project doesn’t meet any one of these items it must be denied.  So please send a quick email of opposition to the following addresses. 

Technical/legal additional info recently submitted by the applicant that can be addressed:
    * The applicant says Shore Drive needs more housing. [Are they kidding?!]
    * The applicant says the project is not feasible to build less than 1,063 units so they do not have to do an economic analysis. [The law & a Regulator are asking for an economic analysis…let them know they need to do it.]
    * The applicant says they are unaware of Pleasure House Point being used as a site by wading birds and shorebirds for foraging, nesting and breeding. [Certainly they have not looked, & the burden of proof is on them to prove PHP is not used by birds.]
View link with related info they are using as their technical/legal argument to fill in existing wetlands.

clwarren@vbgov.com  City Planner for Wetlands
rscarper@vbgov.com    City Planner for Ches Bay
wcouch@vbgov.com      City Planner for Wetlands
CMOffice@vbgov.com    City Council Members
tsolanic@gmail.com      SDCC Secretary
todd@sdcc.info            SDCC President
[encode=clwarren@vbgov.com, rscarper@vbgov.com, wcouch@vbgov.com, CMOffice@vbgov.com, NoIndigoDunes@gmail.com, todd@sdcc.info]EMAIL ALL HERE[/encode]

2.Attend the Wetlands Board hearing on Monday May 21st at 9:30am.
Click on this link to find out more information.

3.Sign a petition.  Here is a link to the electronic version. 

Please take a minute or two and send an email.  If you can afford to take a little more time, attend the hearing (President’s day is a holiday that some of us have off.  Bring the kids since they’re off school that day).  And finally, sign a petition.  This project has the potential to adversely impact your future as well as your children’s future in Virginia Beach.

Send this email to anyone else that cares about this community and the Lynnhaven watershed.

Sincerely,

Todd Solomon
Shore Drive Community Coalition – President

Visit http://www.sdcc.info for additional information regarding the Bayfront area.

Finally!

Watch “Choice” in Google Video, Quicktime or download highest resolution version.

Early release DVD version is now available. View it on any DVD player.
DVD’s available at Dockside Inn, The Box Office, Coastal Waterworks, Crab Creek Outfitters & CP Shuckers all located on Shore Drive.

Watched the DVD? Please pass it on!

Questions about Choice? [encode=NoIndigoDunes@gmail.com?Subject=Choice-Questions]Email us.[/encode]

We apologize for issues you probably had trying to download the early release version posted on February 15th.

We thank Chris for releasing Choice before the post-production process was complete. Typically, the post-production phase of creating a film takes longer than the actual shooting of the film.

As some of you know who volunteered to participate, Chris shot almost the entire film in only about a week, and spent less than 48 hours in post-production. The DVD version currently available include a few errors that are being corrected.

Key points:

A number of omissions, contradictions and errors were identified in the joint permit application and support documents during the review of this project. Significant discrepancies have been indicated below along with any assumptions that were made in order for VIMS to complete this review the project.

If purpose and need for the project can be demonstrated, then efforts to sequentially avoid and minimize impacts to wetlands must be exercised and demonstrated during the earliest design phases of a project. Though the applicant has stated in the joint permit application (JPA) that 1,063 residential units are necessary to make the project financially viable, no economic analysis has been provided to justify this level of build-out. The scale of the development directly affects the degree to which avoidance and minimization measures are successful in limiting impacts to tidal and nontidal wetlands.

None of the plan view project drawings depict the location mean high water (MHW) or mean low water (MLW), making it difficult to validate the proposed tidal wetland impact figures presented in the JPA.

If permitted, construction activities will occur over many months to years as the project development occurs in phases, resulting in the disturbance of wading birds and shorebirds currently utilizing the project area as foraging, breeding, and nesting habitat. The driving of piles associated with the construction of the two 11 story towers will likely displace the local population of water birds from the vicinity of the project site for an undetermined period of time.

As proposed, the canoe/kayak floating pier depicted on sheet 13 will sit on nonvegetated wetlands at low tide.

Because there is no shoreline erosion, it appears that the sole purpose of the bulkhead is to raise the site elevations in order to facilitate the development of the buffer immediately adjacent the proposed constructed tidal marsh. Significant encroachment into the buffer is undesirable from an environmental perspective as bulkheads sever the connection between riparian, intertidal and subtidal habitats, alter the natural contour of the shoreline, change nearshore wave dynamics, and may result in the loss of wetland and upland vegetation during or following construction.