Photo Credit: The New Tidewater Flashback Group in Facebook
Photo Credit from The New Tidewater Flashback in Facebook.
Thanks to Traycee for allowing us to share these!
Let us know in comments below if you’d like to see more flashback photos of the Shore Drive community.
Email from Lynnhaven River NOW sez:
Hey, everyone,
We started putting up the goose fencing for the planting sites along the trail at PHP, and came upon an unfortunate scene. Meredith had put in some fairly large stakes last week to mark the area, and they were all broken off today when we went out (stakes were thrown into the marsh area). We think maybe people think we are trying to block off the trails completely, and don’t understand that the path is simply shifting, though maybe they are just vandalizing for the sake of vandalizing. This was along the area where there is clearly still some type of ATV action.
Photo of stakes & goose fencing built by volunteers that was destroyed
Parks & Natural Areas Office: 757-385-2080
Police Non-Emergency Number: 757-385-5000
Animal Control: 757-385-4444
Still working on finding that sweet spot of eliminating 100% of vandalism & foolish behavior vs loving PHP to death.
Since our inception, we’ve worked on a lot of issues that have made our beloved community a little better.
Our work has helped us create a powerful, respected reputation.
Now we’ve expanded our reach & sphere of influence.
We’re happy to announce a new joint venture with Google – Shore Drive Pac Man for Google Maps!
You’re welcome.
Photo Credit: The New Tidewater Flashback Group in Facebook
YUM!
Photo Credit from The New Tidewater Flashback in Facebook.
Thanks to Traycee for allowing us to share these!
Let us know in comments below if you’d like to see more flashback photos of the Shore Drive community.
Rename the Lesner Bridge? Nope. At Pilotonline.com:
Vice Mayor Louis Jones, whose district includes the western side of Shore Drive, said he agrees with that suggestion. The decision is ultimately up to the City Council.
Bayfront Advisory Commission Chairman Kal Kassir said the results didn’t surprise him. The commission advises the City Council on issues relating to the communities along the Chesapeake Bay.
Screen grab of zoomed construction cam shot taken on Feb 26th 2015 10am.
The new poles driven at the beloved Lynnhaven Boat Ramp & Beach Facility are for the #LESNERBRIDGE construction. 
Click here for a printable version of the agenda 3.30.15 SDCC Agenda
SDCC General Meeting Agenda
Monday March 30, 2015 from 7:30 to 9:00pm Ocean Park Volunteer Rescue Squad Hall
(parking in back, on side streets and across Shore Drive)
Program/Presentation – Mr. Clay Bernick – Administrator City of Virginia Beach Environment and Sustainability Office, will inform us of the City’s efforts to join the National Flood Insurance Program’s (NFIP) Community Rating System (CRS) and what residents can do to help make it happen. Depending on the level of participation, home owners that live in flood zones could see insurance premiums reduced by 5%-15%.
Officer’s Reports
Secretary – David Williams
Treasurer’s Report -Kathy Pawlak
Vice President – Wally Damon
President – Todd Solomon
Old Business–
Bishard Development Update – Old Baylake Pines School properties. Both change of zoning requests were “Indefinitely Deferred” at the March 11th Planning Council meeting.
Lesner Bridge Renaming Survey – Update of results and next steps presented at the Bayfront Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting.
City Comprehensive Plan – Update on plan review and how we can continue to stay involved.
New Business –
Proposed Trolley Service from Shore Drive to Oceanfront – The BAC has asked City Council to explore the possibility of extending the trolley service during the Spring and Summer months. Should and how can SDCC support?
Community Concerns – Does your neighborhood/condo have any issues that have come up that need help or may be a warning to others?
Citywide Civic Engagement Opportunities
Next SDCC Meeting – Monday April 27th, Presentation on Flood Mitigation and Flood Insurance by Mike Vernon of Flood Mitigation Hampton Roads and Scott Hunter of Comparity.
On Monday March 30th at 7:30pm, Mr. Clay Bernick – Administrator City of Virginia Beach Environment and Sustainability Office, will be attending the SDCC general meeting to discuss the City’s efforts to join the National Flood Insurance Program(NFIP) Community Rating System(CRS) program and what residents can do to help make this happen.
Background documents on NFIP’s CRS program:
Thanks to everyone who helped make the #LESNERBRIDGE updates and transparency about the project possible!
From the News Release yesterday at VBGov.com:
“Open VB marks a major step forward in increasing public transparency in our budget and capital improvement projects,” said city Budget Director Catheryn Whitesell. “We implemented Open VB because citizens have a right to know how fund are being raised and allocated.”
Here’s the link to the #LESNERBRIDGE at the new Open VB website.
Here’s the Shore Drive Corridor Improvements Phase IV hot link.
Click screen shot to visit hot link at Open VB website.
The Search function in upper right hand corner of page seems to need exact name of the Project to find it.
It is a lot easier to scroll on the interactive map, and drill down/zoom in to find road projects you are interested in.
There is also a great way to find projects using the CATEGORY function.
As an example, it was easy to find the vital Sewer Pump Station Flow Monitoring & Date Storage page by drilling down in the CATEGORY function. Here’s that page.
Here’s an example of drilling down into the SERVICE function.
It was easy to find the Eastern Shore Drive Drainage Phase I page.
Thanks again to everyone who works so diligently on making government and it’s processes transparent.
Thanks to everyone at the COVB who makes it easy for the public to find it.
March 23rd 2015 update:
Aficionados of the Lesner Bridge Project:
This might be the first e-mail we’ve sent out in weeks that does not use the words “salt-and-sand solution” and “potholes,” and I consider that GOOD news. Chris rejoices below that “spring is in the air,” but I’m greedier . . . I want to see temps in the 90’s, AC’s running full blast and the sound of mosquitoes flying head first into my back yard zapper! That’s one of the best cures I know for these winter blahs.
The latest collection of facts and figures, updated for your reading pleasure, and other details are below, as explained by Chris Wojtowicz, our project manager and landlord of “Wojo’s World.” Please give this a look when you have the time, and feel free to let Chris or me know if you have any questions or need more information.
As a reminder, we are regularly updating information on our WEB page at: http://www.vbgov.com/lesner-bridge
You can also follow us on Twitter at: @lesnerbridge.
If you know of someone who would like to be added to our update list, please have them get in touch with me at this e-mail address and I will be glad to add them.
Please feel free to pass this along to others. Thanks again for all of your patience throughout this project.
Enjoy the week, and enjoy the approaching spring weather, AND our city. Stay safe.
Drew Lankford
Media and Communications
Department of Public Works
City of Virginia Beachdlankfor@vbgov.com
(O) 757.385.8062
(C) 757.409.4353Aaaahhhh . . . . spring is in the air! And with spring comes warmer temperatures that have the Lesner Bridge Replacement Project buzzing with activity!
Since our last update, the dredging of Crab Creek and the area in front of the wharf at the Lynnhaven Dredge Material Storage Site (LDMSS) has been completed. Much of the dredged beach-quality sand has to be stockpiled near this recently completed wharf, but some of this material was used to replenish Ocean Park Beach in preparation for the summer season.
As you have all noticed – the landscape at Lesner Bridge is beginning to change dramatically. Over the past several weeks, crews have been erecting the tall steel falsework on the west side of the bridge in preparation for assembly of the 300-foot long gantry crane that will be used to set the pre-cast concrete bridge segments into place. Assembly of this gantry will begin within the next few days, and will continue for several weeks.
Completion of the gantry assembly will be in time for arrival of the first bridge segments to the project site. The 14 segments for the first bridge span have been cast and are currently being stored in the Atlantic Metrocast yard in Portsmouth.
The expansion joint segment and the pier segments are the only pieces remaining to be built before we can begin the assembly of these units in the new westbound bridge.
Crews have made quite a bit of progress on other portions of the bridge work since the last update:
Ø Pier column #2 for the new WB bridge has been completed;
Ø 5 of the 10 drilled shafts for Pier #4 have been installed;
Ø Temporary trestle has been partially installed around the area of Pier #5;
Over the next two weeks, work will increase on the east side of the bridge as we continue to build the retaining wall, temporary wire wall, and install storm drain/other utilities at this bridge approach. The remaining drilled shafts for the foundations at pier #4 will be placed thru 3/30/2015.
Along with all of these other activities, the contractor will also begin to assemble the temporary cofferdam around the previously installed drilled shafts at Pier #3 in preparation for the construction of the foundation cap.
That’s about it for this update.
Drive safely!
-Chris
Christopher J. Wojtowicz, P.E.
Project Manager
City of Virginia Beach
Department of Public Works
Municipal Center-Bldg 2
2405 Court House Drive
Virginia Beach, VA 23456-9031
Phone: (757) 385-5785
Fax: (757) 385-5668
email: cwojtowi@vbgov.com
Screen grab of construction cam shot taken on Feb 18th 2015 8am. Note: It was not spring.
Photo Credit: The New Tidewater Flashback Group in Facebook
Photo Credit: The New Tidewater Flashback Group in Facebook
Photo Credit: The New Tidewater Flashback Group in Facebook
Photo Credit from The New Tidewater Flashback in Facebook.
Thanks to Traycee for allowing us to share these!
Let us know in comments below if you’d like to see more flashback photos of the Shore Drive community.
View magazine online at VBGov.com.
Budget Workshop and Public Meeting Schedule Now Available
Learn more about the city’s proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year and take advantage of two opportunities to share your input in person.Get Your Tickets for the Annual East Coast She Crab Soup Classic
Popular among local seafood enthusiasts, this event highlighting a Coastal Virginia favorite returns to the 24th Street Park on April 11.. . . and more.
Click to go to VBGov.com
Read & view story at WTKR.com.
The attack happened in Nov. of 2013. Jessica Biersack had been out drinking with friends at Bayside Bar & Grill. Eventually, she decided to leave for the night.
“I have a friend that lives up the road, so I walked through the parking lot alone, and apparently he had followed me,” Biersack told NewsChannel 3, “The next thing I remember, I woke up naked behind a shed. My jaw was broken and I was missing a tooth.”
View entire article at VBGov.com.
Last month, a task force made recommendations on the best way to develop biomedical industries in Virginia Beach. One of its action items is enhancing regional broadband connectivity, “allowing researchers to perform more in-depth analysis in fields including bioinformatics and data analytics.”
Editors note: If this would increase competition in broadband speeds & rates HOORAY!!!
Read entire statement at VBGov.com.
Many property owners along Chesapeake Beach agree that the public has long-standing rights to use the beach across their properties. Some, however, dispute the public’s right to use and the city’s right to maintain the beach. They contend the beach is private.
Sorry for missing this when it was originally posted!
The last update on the Official Twitter feed for the #LESNERBRIDGE was in January though.
Photo Credit: Wally Damon from a Comment in The New Tidewater Flashback Group in Facebook
Photo Credit from The New Tidewater Flashback in Facebook. This was a pic Wally posted in a comment.
How’d you do that day Wally?
Let us know in comments below if you’d like to see more flashback photos of the Shore Drive community.
Read Mayor Sessoms entire statement at VBGov.com.
The reason she touched hearts was because she cared passionately about this city and each and every one of its people. There was no such thing as a “stranger” to Meyera, and she was most passionate and engaged when she was out in the neighborhoods and businesses, talking and listening to the citizens. She knew every neighborhood, every civic league, every issue and every concern because she listened and she cared. If you were having a meeting, a celebration or honoring someone, there was always a chair for Meyera – you knew she wouldn’t think of missing it.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the:
or phone (757)450-2405.
Online at donatehospice.com.
Or:
ALZ.org
It was an honor to know you & to work with you.
Thank you for making a profound & everlasting difference in our lives Madam Mayor.
For all those home owners who have to pay for flood insurance for their property, FEMA, in conjunction with the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) has a program to help offset the costs of premiums up to 45% annually. Started by FEMA in 1990, the Community Rating System (CRS) program is initiated by the city and managed by the assigned coordinator.The Coordinator’s position is designated by the city’s mayor.
The CRS program has three major goals; (1) reduce flood damage to insurable property; (2) strengthen and support the insurance aspects of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP); and encourage a comprehensive approach to floodplain management. The CRS program is designed to help residents decrease the damage done to their property by storm flooding.
The CRS program consists of 18 public information and floodplain management activities as described in the National Flood Insurance Program Community Rating System Coordinator’s Manual (publication FIA-15/2013). Many of these activities are already being implemented and are ongoing in this city. Some of these activities include; maintaining Elevation Certificates for new construction in the floodplain (required when building or financing a mortgage for a home); providing Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) information service; sending information to residents to those in flood hazard areas concerning hazards and mitigations; providing a community website for residents to find technical information on how to protect buildings from flooding; developing new flood elevation information beyond original FIRM data; and protecting existing floodplain structures by flood proofing, elevation and minor structural improvements.
There is more that this city can reasonably do to improve our ability to obtain Flood Insurance premium rate reductions. To begin with, this city must apply to participate in the CRS program. As of this date, that has not occurred for various reasons according to my discussions and emails with several city officials. Currently, this city is the only city in the Hampton Roads area to not participate. Because some city officials have chosen to not take part in the NFIP Community Rating System program, all residents currently paying Flood Insurance premiums are not eligible for those reduced premiums. It should be noted that the cost of flood insurance premiums are expected to increase significantly in 2016 unless Congress changes the current laws governing FEMA and the NFIP. As this city is currently conducting some of the required activities of the CRS, I would expect that our future insurance premiums could be decreased by at least 15-20% if the city were to participate in the CRS program, like all the other cities in Hampton Roads.
The Main Lunch Venue on Garden Tour day will be the Princess Anne Country Club.Box Lunches can be pre-ordered from Taste Unlimited to be picked up at the Brock Center.
Buffet at Princess Anne Country Club for $15 pp. from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. (757) 428-4141 for reservations or questions.
Boxed lunches available at the Brock Center from noon to 2 p.m. Taste Unlimited (757) 464-1566 to place order (reference Brock Center and Garden Tour). For menu, go to http://www.tasteunlimited.com
Learn more about Historic Garden Week here.
Here’s the complete Tour Description in PDF.
Photo Credit: Tim, March 10 2014
#WeLoveShoreDrive 