URGENT NOW: “PLEASE WITHDRAW SENATE BILL SB926” PLEASE CONTACT SENATOR MCWATERS NOW

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Please call and/or email Senator McWaters:

Respectfully ask Senator McWaters to withdraw Senate Bill SB 926.

EMAIL Senator McWaters & His Aid
PHONE Richmond Office: (804) 698-7508

Senator McWaters Contact Info
20130129-195815.jpg
WHY?

Dear Gentleman,

I respectfully request that Senate Bill (SB926) be withdrawn.

Removing local Wetlands Board review of local City projects is unacceptable.

Citizen engagement at the local level must be maintained in order to keep trust in government.

The current review process for “28.2-1302 of the Code of Virginia, relating to the jurisdiction of local wetlands boards” results in State owned wetlands projects being reviewed by State commissions (VMRC) and locally owned wetlands projects being reviewed by local Wetlands Boards.

This is the correct method and must be protected.

Moving review boards out of the local area places an unfair burden on citizens and their rights for public comment.

Additionally, local Wetlands Boards are more familiar with the particulars of local projects and are best suited to review these applications.

Sincerely,

Todd Solomon

Shore Drive Community Coalition-Secretary

Maintaining the Status Quo for Shore Drive, check out http://www.sdcc.info

ALSO:

It could undermine Virginia’s no net loss goals for preservation of wetlands acreage and function.

It could undermine government openness and transparency by imposing additional barriers to public participation in the local public hearing of projects that would impact state-protected wetlands.

PLEASE CONTACT SENATOR MCWATERS NOW
Senator Jeffrey L. McWaters
Republican-District 8

Capitol Office
Senate of Virginia
P.O. Box 396
Richmond, VA 23218
Email: district08@senate.virginia.gov
Phone: (804) 698-7508
Fax: (804) 698-7651
Room No: 310
Legislative Assistant: Cheryl Simmons, Christen T. Smith

District Office
1207 Laskin Road
Virginia Beach, VA 23451

Phone: (757) 965-3700

Legislative Assistant: Cheryl Simmons, Christen T. Smith

1207 Laskin Road
Virginia Beach, VA 23451
Phone: (757) 965-3700

As of the time of this post, this Senate Bill SB926 could be heard Thursday.

UPDATE: read the bill. Start here.

Contractor to Perform Surveys to Support Storm Water Study – Feb 4th to May 31st

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To support a Storm Water study of areas east of the Lesner Bridge, the City has hired Kimley-Horn and NTX to perform field surveys in Cape Story, Cape Henry Shores and Lynnhaven Colony.

Contractors may ask residents to allow a survey markers to be held at an home or garage entrance while the elevation survey is taken.

Please see the attached City of Viriginia Beach letter for more details.  Click here Storm_Water_Survey_Letter

Tree Removal on North Hampton Blvd may delay westbound traffic.

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Possible delays on westbound North Hampton Blvd. between Independence and Jack Frost

from Monday Feb. 4th to Friday Feb. 15th. 

 

Dominion Power will be cutting down the row of trees and vegetation immediately north of Shore Drive to reduce possible damage to power lines. 

Traffic delays may be possible.

Click here to read the public notice Northampton Letter(2)

Jan28 Agenda for SDCC meeting. All welcome to come and participate.

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Click here for a printable version of the agenda – SDCC Jan 2013 Agenda

Shore Drive Community Coalition

Monday 28 JAN 2013

SDCC General Meeting

SDCC General Meeting – Monday, 28 JAN – 7:30-8:30 pm

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

Call to order

Meeting topic:

(1) Introduction of SDCC Officers for 2013

(2) Virginia Beach Phase III- Storm Water Mitigation Program Lesner Bridge East to Great Neck Rd By Todd Solomon

Officers’ Reports:
President’s Report David Williams
Vice President’s report Rick Mercadante

Secretary’s Report Todd Solomon –DEC Minutes

Treasurer’s Report Ryan King

Update on issues:

Proposed State Legislation being supported by City of Virginia Beach

  • Bill to allow hydraulic pumping of sand from Chesapeake Bay onto Bayfront beaches.  Beaches and Waterways Commission has been tasked to discuss possible funding streams (i.e. Special Tax Districts similar to Sandbridge)
  • Bill (SB 926) to allow by passing of Wetlands Board review of Neighborhood Dredging Projects.  Who from the City requested this and why?  Why would the citizens remove a valuable part of the review process? 

Old Business

New Business

Adjourn

Next SDCC- Monday FEB 25, 2013

Ocean Park Volunteer Rescue Squad Center

Speaker- TBA

Please check http://www.sdcc.info for more information on area news and events

“Adoption of wetlands zoning; governmental activity in wetlands. Removes from Virginia’s standard wetlands zoning ordinance the condition that wetlands be owned or leased by the Commonwealth if a governmental activity occurring there is to be authorized.”

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Follow link to learn more about SB926.

City Page 2012 accomplishments

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One was preserving PHP!

Pleasure House Point: Bought the last large undeveloped tract on the Elizabeth River – 118 pristine acres.
/blockquote>

Oops.

Irregardless of a typo, we’re ecstatic preserving PHP was a highlight too!

Link at VBGov.com.

Milling and paving and delays on Shore Drive westbound from Atlantic Ave to Kendall St Jan24 to Feb17

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Virginia Beach Public Works has scheduled milling, paving and pavement marking work for westbound Shore Drive, from Atlantic Avenue to Kendall Street beginning Thursday, January 24 through Sunday, February 17, 2013. Crews will be working from 7a.m. to 4 p.m.

The milling and paving operation is likely to produce traffic delays, congestion and some construction noise. Advanced warning signs will be clearly posted advising motorists of lane closures. Citizens are urged to use alternate traffic routes when possible.

All work is weather-permitting.

For additional information, please contact Dan Kiley or Bob Bidlack at 385-1470.

Noticed more files available at replacement for Lesner Bridge CIP Project Page

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Added a list of what’s available at our SDCC.info/Hot page. Scroll down to find info about bridge.

Direct link to CIP Project Page for Lesner Bridge.

Landscaping Concept Under Bridge

Landscaping Concept Under Bridge

Construction Impacts – Lesner Bridge Replacement Project

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Sneak peak of power point presentation pulled from the Official City Project Page.

Construction – Begin July 2013; Complete July 2016

One image from presentation

One image from presentation

Download presentation from VBGov.com. [24 page PDF]

Note: If you are viewing presentation on a Mac in Preview – you can watch in full screen slideshow mode.
You can also view each slide & read notes for each by clicking on small cartoon bubble icon in upper left corner of each slide.

More info about sand replenishment including study by VIMS

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Forwarded from previous OPCL President:

Hope at receiving this you had a festive holiday season and are ready to do great things for our City in 2013. Attached you will find a draft of the legislation Chris Stolle is carrying for the City to set the ground work for a collaborative process of creating a sand replenishment program for the Chesapeake Bay Beaches. Following completion of the Council funded study by VIMS (can be found at http://www.vbgov.com/government/departments/public-works/coastal/Documents/cxb-shoal-report-12-11.pdf )[246 Page PDF]. The study focused on Chesapeake Beach but we are confident the sizeable deposits of suitable material exist offshore of all our Chesapeake Bay Beaches. Please share with your Commission/Board and if you would like Phil and I are more than happy to attend your next meeting to discuss our program initiative. As this has the unanimous support of the City Council we would like to receive both the Beaches and Waterways Advisory Commission and the Bayfront Advisory Committee endorsements. The Norfolk City Manager’s office is endorsing the legislation as well. Also request that once your organizations are behind the initiative that you take the opportunity to let our General Assembly Delegation know of your support. Please call if you have questions. VR Dave

Dave Hansen
Deputy City Manager
City of Virginia Beach
(757)385-4242

Download the VIMS study entitled A Geotechnical Evaluation of Chesapeake Beach for Beach Quality Sand. [246 Page PDF]

VIMS is the Virginia Institute of Marine Science.

One image from VIMS study

One image from VIMS study

How to report a street light outage

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From Cape Story Neighborhood Watch:

To report a street light outage or cycling off and on, go to www.VBGov.com and click on “Services” at the top of the screen. Select “Report a problem” and then select “Street Light Outage” which will bring you to a form to complete.

You will need the location of the pole (on Main St between 2222 and 2224) and the pole number.

The pole number will be on a metal plate approximately 4″ x 4″ and will be a combination of numbers and letters such as:

N1019
MM88

You can also call 385-1470.

Virginia Beach Citizens’ Police Academy info

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From Cape Story neighborhood watch:

Virginia Beach Citizens’ Police Academy

Monday, January 07, 2013 · 10:00 am

​ The Virginia Beach Citizens’ Police Academy provides an excellent opportunity for citizens, ages 21 and up, or 18 and in college, who work and/or live in the City of Virginia Beach, to become familiar with the day-to-day operations of the police department. This will enable participants to gain a better understanding of the procedures, guidelines, responsibilities, demands, personnel, equipment, policies, and laws that guide the department’s decisions. Citizens will hear the accounts and experiences of a wide variety of police personnel and will also engage in hands-on activities. This class is not intended to make citizens into police officers but to allow citizens to learn more about police operations. Citizens will become informed as to the actual role of the police and, in return, the police will benefit from the wealth of knowledge the citizens can give about their community. A police ride-along opportunity will be offered during the session for observation of the officer’s daily duties.

Sponsored by the Citizens Police Academy Alumni Association, the 35th session will run from February 5, 2013 through May 14, 2013, with classes held every Tuesday night from 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. The classes will be held at the Law Enforcement Training Academy located at 411 Integrity Way in Virginia Beach. Applications are now being accepted and are available at any Virginia Beach Police Precinct, the Crime Prevention Unit Building #15 at the Municipal Center, or you can print a copy from this address: http://www.vbgov.com/government/departments/police/opsdiv/Documents/PD045.pdf.

Completed applications for this session must be received by the Crime Prevention Office by Friday, January 18, 2013. Please do not drop off completed applications at a police precinct. Seating is limited.

Topics covered in the academy include:

Recruitment, Selection, & Training

A Day in the Life of a Patrol Officer

Firearms Safety & Range Operations

Deadly Force Encounters

Forensics

Basic Criminal Law

Animal Control

History of Law Enforcement

Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney

Crime Prevention Programs

Crisis Intervention Team

School Resource Officer Program

Criminal Investigations

PhotoSafe Red Light Enforcement Program

Volunteer Opportunities

Jail Tour

K9, SWAT, Bomb Squad, & Helicopter Unit

Media Relations

Law Enforcement Technology

Special Investigations (narcotics, vice, & gangs)

For further information, contact MPO Jeff Eaton at 385-1066, bjeaton@vbgov.com

“The bill would require the Marine Resources Commission, the Department of Environmental Quality and other involved agencies to establish a procedure for approving within 90 days applications for permits to dredge sand from the bay and dump it on adjacent beaches.”

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From Pilotonline.com:

He said Virginia Beach has agreed to pay for sand replenishment along its part of the Chesapeake Bay, which includes Chic’s Beach and the Shore Drive corridor, areas that suffer some of the worst damage from nor’easters and storms like Sandy.

Apparently Ocean Park was hit harder by Sandy than the east side of the Lesner Bridge.

Taken couple days after Sandy. Dinwiddie walkway in Ocean Park. Photo Credit ~ Jen C.

Taken couple days after Sandy. Dinwiddie walkway in Ocean Park. Photo Credit ~ Jen C.

View SB946 at LIS:

SB 946 Public beaches; authorizes MRC and DEQ to establish procedure for sand replenishment.

Introduced by: Frank W. Wagner | all patrons … notes | add to my profiles
SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:

Sand replenishment for public beaches. Authorizes the Marine Resources Commission and the Department of Environmental Quality to establish an expedited procedure for sand mining and beach replenishment on the public beaches abutting the waters of the Chesapeake Bay. The bill requires the agencies to establish a working group, consisting of representatives from affected localities, to assist in the development of the expedited procedure. The working group is to consider a requirement that the application for the sand replenishment project permit include the submission of a mining plan by the locality for areas within the Chesapeake Bay from which the dredged material will be taken and the location of the beach replenishment project. The bill provides several types of information that such a plan would include, such as the analysis of benthic, marine, and fishery resources; impact on any historical artifacts; and impact on other uses of the state waters and bottomlands at the dredge site.

Flu and YOU!

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Everyone should be paying some attention to the recent increase in reported Influenza Like Infections (ILI) as the Center for Disease Control (CDC) reported numbers are rising rapidly.  A cold is manageable with symptoms which we are familiar, but the flu is like you have been run over by a dump truck.  Severe body aches all over which could last for a week or more, etc.  I am not a doc, so I will leave the medicine to those who are qualified, but I am an emergency planner.  The numbers reporting flu symptoms will soon reach pandemic proportions here in the U.S.  Already, Europe is reporting the flu as a pandemic.  Watch this flu virus.  Get yourself a home flu kit (aspirin, Tylenol, Aleve, mineral fluid replacements, Imodium-D, etc.) or what ever your mother would use to help you through.

If you are vulnerable to the flu with a weakened condition, it would not be a time to be visiting the mall for a morning walk.  There are precautions that you can take that will lessen your chances for the virus, mainly washing your hands a lot, avoiding crowds, and especially avoiding neighbors and family with flu symptoms.  Care giving is one thing that we all sign on for as a parent or a spouse, but you should not expose yourself needlessly.  Please watch the news and read the newspaper for information. Take care of yourself and family.

Virginia Aquarium asks for you to report stranded turtles by calling 757-385-7575.

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Learn more about Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center Stranding Response Program:

Our marine animal Stranding Response Program is part of the Aquarium’s Research & Conservation Division. The program is led by a group of trained staff and volunteers, our Stranding Team, who responds to stranded marine mammals and sea turtles along the Virginia coastline and beyond.

January 17th BAC meeting currently indicates a Presentation on the Storm Water Plans for east of Lesner Bridge

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Plan on attending January 17th THURSDAY meeting at the Va Beach Resort Hotel 2800 Shore Drive at 3:30 PM.

Learn more about Bayfront Advisory Committee(BAC).

First Landing and Bike Path looking North

View more about storm water issues at SDCC.info/HOT.

A Large Shaggy Christmas Present Miracle

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As our neighbor was about to leave for his short Christmas holiday with his family, a visitor came to stay for a bit.  About 50 pounds of wet black hair planted himself on our neighbor’s front porch. My neighbor called me to ask if I knew the owner of the friendly mature black lab. Not knowing the owner, I called Marty Schuman, president of Cape Henry Shores Civic Association to ask for help.  He gave me the name and telephone of the Neighborhood Watch coordinator, Ms. Regina Wallace.  She quickly put the word out over the internet and text alert system.  Within 45 minutes, we had some nice people picking up a very happy dog who would have otherwise gone to animal control.  Amazing!  One HAPPY family and one very lucky dog who had apparently chased a duck and ventured across Long Creek from Bay Island.  With the timely return of their dog, and his reunion with their sweet young daughter, Christmas was once again made special.  I am sorry, but I didn’t get her name.  I wonder if it is “Virginia”?

Seasons Greetings From SDCC

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As we finish the year of 2012, we wish a warm (no global warming reference intended) season’s greetings to all our families and volunteers who have so freely given of their time, efforts, and treasures to maintain and improve the beauty and community of the Shore Drive area. Many, many people have so generously given to others in our area through food, furniture and clothing drives. You have welcomed our troops home, or said “good bye”, and offered a hand to neighbors while watching over our communities to keep them safe for all. Virginia Beach is truly a generous and caring community. Many of you have given without even expecting  a “thank you”. You are beautiful, friendly and caring. You are the heart and very soul of this community that makes you so special. Enjoy your Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or winter solstice. May you personally feel the sense of community with all your neighbors, friends, and family about you.

We wish to give a special “thank you” to our Mayor, City Council members, and city staff for bringing Pleasure House Point to a reality and preserving this incredible public treasure for our future generations. Lynnhaven River Now and Chesapeake Bay Foundation deserve our very special thanks and continued future support.

On behalf of Grace, Todd, Carol, and Tim, may all of you have a MOST SPECIAL HOLIDAY!

CHEERS!!!!!