Everyone,

This Wednesday, Sept 7 at 2 PM in Virginia Beach City Council Chambers (Second Floor Bldg 1), the Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) will hear public comment on whether the Maple Street transfer site should become a permanent transfer site for non-beach grade dredged spoils.  As you know, this site has been used in the past when the Corps of Engineers was dredging the channel to keep it open for navigation.  This was a hydraulic dredge process that would occur for a couple of weeks every couple of years.  This dredging produced beach quality sand which was spread on our beaches along Cape Henry.  What the city is proposing now is to dredge residential tidal areas that have filled in with street silt and make them “deep water access”. These tidal areas will be dredged mechanically, have the spoils placed on a 20-40 cubic yard floating hopper, barge and then transported to one of two sites as of now (Maple St. and Thalia/VB Blvd). The city has proposed other sites for mechanical transfer, but as of now, only Maple St and Thalia are being established as transfer sites.  This mechanical operation is beyond the current permit for Maple St, because this is not beach quality sand and the spoils can not be deposited at Maple Street, Crab Creek (Lesner Bridge area) without a lot more permitting and approvals. This is key to this BZA meeting this Wednesday.  The city would like to say it is within CURRENT zoning limitations for the site, while we firmly believe that it exceeds R7.5 zoning (Residential) as it is presently zoned.  This meeting will determine whether residential zoning laws prevail, or the city changes it to a permanent  industrial transfer site.  This is big. If the city has their way, it could forever change Long Creek. Will the city control and enforce safety rules for barge traffic on Long Creek?  Look how well the city enforces current OSHA safety rules concerning harnesses worn by workers doing second story roofing.  Just my point.  We need your support in this meeting.

Email me if you have questions.  It is just our neighborhood way of life and safety that is in hazard.

The SDCC Position Statement Letter can be viewed on at this link http://www.sdcc.info/ee/images/uploads/SDCC_Position_Statement_Letter_for_Dredge_Spoils_Transfer_Sites_2011.pdf

Your neighbor,

David Williams
SDCC President

PLEASE CHECK www.LongCreekWetlands.com for documented discussions on this major issue that will impact us.  We need your support in City Council Chambers 7 Sept at 2 PM.  This is really important.

Street Party at Pleasure House Point. Saturday, 1 – 5 p.m. October 9 at the foot of Marlin Bay Drive. Live entertainment, exhibits, merchandise, and more. Time is short for saving this property from development. Marlin Bay Drive will be closed from Marlin Bay Court south to the turn onto Chesterfield. Party right next to the property and see what makes this effort so vital. For more information about the deal, visit http://www.SavePleasureHousePoint.org or http://www.sdcc.info.

Flyer for this event is at this link:

Please note that sections of Marlin Bay Drive will be closed to automobile traffic that day.

SavePHP-Rally-Flier-Final

Ocean Park Neighbors,

                Don Julios restaurant has made an application to the ABC to have the restrictions to their license removed.  The hearing is next Wednesday, August 18th at 3:00 p.m. at the Virginia ABC building, 1103 South Military Highway, Chesapeake, VA 23320.  This was discussed at our meeting last November, and the membership confirmed at the time that this is something we are still against.  The location that Don Julios is at has a long history, and the short of it is that the ABC license at that location was granted with some restrictions, specifically that they have to close by midnight and that they cannot have live entertainment.   Now since that license was issued the only thing that has changed is the ownership.  The location is still very close to private residences, which those restrictions were put in place to protect.  The reason that the restrictions were put in place is that Ocean Park residences showed up in force to the ABC hearing to let the them know that we didn’t want this unrestricted ABC licensed bar in our back yard (and for some it is literally in their back yards).  The only way we can ensure the restrictions to this license won’t be lifted is again to show up in force.  I will  be there, and I hope to see many of you there also.    

Rick Mercadante

President

Ocean Park Civic League 

mercadante@cox.net

 757-287-0771

Click here for a PDF copy of the July 2010 City Page. This issue includes a July 4th schedule of City events.

Virginia Beach City Page July 2010

Catch Midnight Madness!
Friends of Virginia Beach Animal Control Announces
3rd Annual Adopt-A-Thon
Virginia Beach, Virginia – 16 March 2010 – The Friends of Virginia Beach Animal Control (FOVBAC) hopes to see you this Saturday evening at the Virginia Beach Animal Control shelter for the 3rd Annual Midnight Madness Adopt-A-Thon.

“Families are so busy this time of year, so we’re hoping that the extended hours of this event will accommodate more schedules,” said Leigh Penner, FOVBAC’s president and founder.  “There are so many sweet, wonderful animals at the shelter right now that are in urgent need of a forever home.  And Midnight Madness is always a fun event. There will be special gifts for “Dog of the Night” and “Cat of the Night” and some great prizes giveaways, including a $50 gift card to Outback Steak House for one lucky adopter!”

Some adopters will receive gift cards from Care-A-Lot and Pet Smart.  Paws and Purrs will offer free grooming for six adopted dogs during the event.  Additionally, the Virginia Beach Animal Control Shelter will offer $5 rabies vaccinations for dogs and cats from 5 – 7 pm.  Staff and volunteers will be available to answer any questions you have and help you find a special new addition to your family.
Mark your calendars for the 3rd Annual Midnight Madness! 

Saturday March 20
5pm – Midnight
Virginia Beach Animal Control
2665 Leroy Road, Virginia Beach, VA
The Friends of Virginia Beach Animal Control was founded by caring and concerned citizens of Virginia Beach to help the animals in our municipal shelter.  Each year, the City of Virginia Beach takes in thousands of unwanted, stray and surrendered animals to its municipal animal shelter.

Please visit our Web site to view adoptable pets, learn more about our organization and how you can help.

City Budget set to go to City Council.  What share will Shore Drive get?

The City Manager will deliver the 2011-2012 budget no later than March 23.  Vice Mayor Louis Jones and City Councilman Jim Wood have agreed to come to the March 29 meeting of the Shore Drive Community Coalition, at 7:30 p.m. in the Ocean Park Volunteer Rescue Station, to give us some idea of what stays in the budget and what goes, as it relates to us.

City Council will offer their recommended modifications to the City Manager and vote on the final budget sometime in May.  Now is the time to hear and see what they will be looking to modify.  And to give our City Council representative our opinions.

If you don’t make another meeting this year, this is the one not to miss!  Visit www.sdcc.info for more details as they become available.

Planning Commission Public Workshop on Electronic Display Billboards

Monday, February 22^nd – 4:00 pm

City Council Chambers

The Planning Commission is holding a public workshop to take comments on the attached amendments drafted by their subcommittee. This alternate version differs from the  version referred by City Council in the following ways:

1.       Requires that where an electronic display billboard is approved, all existing billboards on the zoning lot must be removed and at least 2 times the total sign area of the proposed digital billboard must be removed from other existing billboard sites.

2.       The sign area of any new electronic display billboard must be at least 2/3 smaller than the sign area of the billboard that it replaces.

3.       Allows electronic display billboards only where plainly visible from the main traveled way of an Interstate Highway, a National Highway System Highway or a federal-aid primary highway, as that system existed on June 1, 1991. In Virginia Beach, such roadways with existing billboards include Interstate 264, Shore Drive, and Northampton Boulevard.

4.       Increases dwell time to 30 seconds.

5.       Prohibits electronic display billboards within Strategic Growth Areas, as identified in the City’s Comprehensive Plan.  

6.       Requires any electronic display billboard visible from a residential or apartment district to go dark between 10:00 pm and 6:00 am.

7.        Reduces intensity to 5,000 candelas with a maximum of 500 candelas at night.

8.       Requires all digital billboards to be monopole construction.

Please forward this to anyone who might be interested. I am trying to get it widely circulated before the Monday workshop. Thanks!

Forwarded from SDCC:

Did you know?

This November, seats for both Lynnhaven and Bayside City Council representatives are up for your vote?

Beach Sand Replenishment and Access Repairs

We have received the following information via Drew Lankford, of the Department of Public Works.

From Phil Koetter:

    “We are working on repair plans for all of the City’s damaged public accesses along Chesapeake Bay.  As soon as we get our restoration plans finalized we plan on notifying the residents along the Bay so that they are aware of the plans. We hope to have the surveyor to start working on gathering data for these repairs in the next week or two.  We are working to get all accesses restored as soon as possible while also working with FEMA and VDEM on storm damage reimbursements for covered damages.

    Some property owners may want to use the same contractor for private restoration work while they are in the area.  All private work must be reviewed, approved, and receive all applicable and required permits.  This work should be coordinated through the City’s Planning Department & Permit and Inspections Division.”

From Mike Mundy:

    “More great news is that the permit modification (to do the truck haul from Maple Street dredge disposal area) that was submitted to Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC) was approved Tuesday January, 26th.”

LED Sign Ordinance Deferred

City Council was set to hear the proposed LED sign ordinance February 9, but the matter has been deferred.  A new date will be forthcoming.

May is Bike Month

Bruce Drees, Legislation and Advocacy Chairman of Tidewater Bicycle Association, notes that plans are underway to organize local events for Bike Month in May and Bike to Work Day. Friday, May 21.  All with an interest in participating should contact Bruce at bwd-vb@cox.net.  Note: deadline for event submissions for publication in the printed calendar is March 15th.

Meetings this month:

February 16: BAC Communications Subcommittee
3 p.m.  1st Landing State Park (water side)

February 18: Bayfront Advisory Committee
3:30 p.m.  Bayside Rec Center

February 22:  Shore Drive Community Coalition
7:30 p.m.  Ocean Park Volunteer Rescue
Station