Our networks will deliver Internet speeds more than 100 times faster than what most Americans have access to today, over 1 gigabit per second, fiber-to-the-home connections. We’ll offer service at a competitive price to at least 50,000 and potentially up to 500,000 people.
The City of Virginia Beach is requesting citizen input regarding possible participation in a fiber broadband trial being conducted by Google.
Google is planning to build and test ultra-high speed broadband networks in one or more trial locations across the United States. Google’s stated intention is for these proposed fiber networks to deliver Internet speeds more than 100 times faster than what most Americans have access to today with 1gigabit per second, fiber-to-the-home connections.
To be considered for participation in this trial, the City of Virginia Beach must complete a Request for Information (RFI); as part of this process, the city is requesting that citizens complete a short survey in order to assess the level of community interest and support for this type of trial.
The city has a very short window of opportunity in which to respond, so citizens wishing to participate should complete the survey no later than March 23. Responses will be tallied and incorporated into the application RFI process.
1. Do you feel our city and its residents can benefit from faster Internet connectivity?
2. How could you or your business benefit from this project?
3. Recognizing that new fiber infrastructure would have to be added to our city rights-of-way, would you still support this project if you personally would be impacted by the undergrounding or construction process?
4. Do you currently subscribe to a high speed Internet service provider (DSL, cable, fiber)?
Or downloading a high-definition, full-length feature film in less than five minutes. Or collaborating with classmates around the world while watching live 3D video of a university lecture. Universal, ultra high-speed Internet access will make all this, and more possible.
Planning Commission Public Workshop on Electronic Display Billboards
Monday, February 22nd – 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!
Budgeting for next year will be tough. Revenues will be down. For now, we expect a $49 million shortfall in fiscal 2010-11. How can we close that gap? Cutting services? Raising revenues?
The City wants to hear from YOU. Four town hall meetings to discuss the upcoming budget. These meetings will be held through the fall to give you ample opportunity to listen, learn and talk with us. All meetings will be from 7 to 9 p.m. City Council members and city staffers will attend.
Meetings will be held:
*Wednesday, Oct. 28, Larkspur Middle School, 4696 Princess Anne Road
*Thursday, Nov. 5, Princess Anne High School, 4400 Virginia Beach Blvd.
*Wednesday, Nov. 18, Green Run High School, 1700 Dahlia Drive
*Thursday, Dec. 3, Kellam High School, 2323 Holland Road
Space is limited. If you plan to attend, please send an e-mail to budget@vbgov.com.
Event: VBRHCC Blood Drive
“It only takes an hour to help save many lives!”
What: Please - donate blood!
Start Time: Tuesday, October 6 at 1:00pm
End Time: Tuesday, October 6 at 7:00pm
Where: Virginia Beach Resort Hotel & Conference Center - Cape Henry Room
Do you have an interest in public policy that affects the environment in Virginia Beach and across the state of Virginia? Governor Kaine has made this the year of the Environment and Green Jobs and there is much interest in tackling the challenges ahead of us. The actions of our elected officials do affect what we are able to accomplish right here in our watershed. Therefore, LRNow is forming a new Public Policy Committee to help all of our members stay on top of the issues and voice their opinions on important questions and decisions. As many of you know through your own service on one of our committees, the LRNow committees are vital to the many programs that we offer each year. We are very fortunate that Dr. Mary Picardi has agreed to chair this committee. Please contact Karen Forget at kforget@lynnhaven2007.com or 757-962-5398 if you are interested in being a part of this exciting new group. A kick-off meeting will be planned when we have identified interested participants.
Thank you for considering this new way of working for environmental sustainability in our watershed and across our state.
Is it too late to say Happy New Year? Since we are still witnessing days of transition, I think not. Just as we look for new developments in our City and in the nation’s Capital, we can expect some changes along the Shore Drive Corridor.
Fortunately, much of the good will remain. Todd Solomon stays on as our fearless leader in the quest to protect Pleasure House Point, as well as the media spokesperson for SDCC. He will continue to be ably assisted by Tim Solanic, who also works tirelessly as our Information Officer. Leslie Cornwell has agreed to serve once more as Treasurer. I certainly do not possess the skills and abilities that they embody.
I hope that I will be able to offer a bit of improvement in the area of communication between ourselves, the residents of the Shore Drive neighborhoods, and City leaders and City Staff. I will be supported by and will support the Bayfront Advisory Committee in achieving this goal. Each party to this process of information-sharing has a unique and necessary function.
Kal Kassir, Chairman of the Bayfront Advisory Committee, and I have had preliminary conversations regarding how best to go about this. Fellow Officers of SDCC have provided me with invaluable guidance, since they know the context and contacts to be addressed. We have a wonderful opportunity, in the midst of these trying economic times, to explore new opportunities. Your ideas are solicited and welcomed as we go forward.
We are presently galvanized by the renewed focus on Pleasure House Point. Many of you are passionate about this issue. Like Americans across the country, you are now called to offer your service in this matter, and also other matters, great and small, which affect our daily lives here in our little stretch of Virginia Beach.
Join an SDCC committee:
* Events (Town Hall, Oyster Roast)
* Membership/Ambassador
* Shore Drive Safety and Improvement Projects
* Planning and Development Issue
* Pleasure House Point (Indigo Dunes)
* Communications
Join the SDCC contact list:
Provide us your name, email and phone number for our contact list. Contact list members will be asked to attend hearings or send emails in support or opposition to Shore Drive issues (Planning Commission, Wetlands, Zoning, City Council). Speaking at hearings is not required, willing bodies are needed as a display of force.
If all of you reading this could offer just one hour per month, we could raise an army!
Everyone is looking at the Lynnhaven River’s recovering native oyster population with tremendous excitement.
Over the last 10 years, thousands of students and citizens have worked together with non-profits and governmental organizations to build oyster reefs in the Lynnhaven and to stock millions of reproductive oysters to the reefs. These community-raised oysters reproduce in the river, thus their babies also contribute to the Lynnhaven’s impressive developing oyster population. After only a decade of restoration activities, I am delighted to be able to report that all of this effort is working! Ten years ago, the Lynnhaven’s oyster population was estimated to be at about 1% of historic abundance, and recent calculations estimate that we may have already increased the Lynnhaven’s population to as much as 10% of historic abundance. That is a 10-fold increase in 10 years.
But today, there is a major threat to our burgeoning Lynnhaven River oyster population.
There is a heated debate underway right now with some parties favoring the introduction of a non-native oyster species to Chesapeake Bay waters. The Suminoe oyster, Crassostrea ariakensis, is the oyster species under consideration. If this asian oyster species is introduced into Chesapeake Bay and invades the Lynnhaven River (a likely scenario if the oyster is introduced), the asian oysters will surely hinder the restoration of our native oysters because the Suminoe oyster interferes with native oyster reproduction, undermining the laudable oyster restoration progress in the Lynnhaven. In addition to jeopardizing our native oyster restoration efforts, the Suminoe oyster harbors human pathogens moreso than our native oyster, posing more risk for human consumption, and the Suminoe oyster may cause increased oyster disease risks to our existing native oysters. For these, and several additional reasons, Lynnhaven River NOW, together with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Oyster Reef Keepers of Virginia, and all of the nearby Mid-Atlantic states are saying “no” to introducing Crassostrea ariakensis to the Cheapeake Bay.
Please let the Army Corps of Engineers know that you oppose introducing Crassostrea ariakensis to the Cheapeake Bay.
You can make your position known by attending one of 2 upcoming public meetings or you can send a letter to the Army Corps of Engineers voicing your position. Public meeting information is as follows:
1. Friday, November 7, 2008 from 6 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Virginia Marine Resources Commission main office, 2600 Washington Avenue, 3rd Floor, Newport News, Va. 23607
2. Monday, November 10, 2008 from 6 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Nandua High School, 26350 Lankford Highway, Onley, Va. 23418 (Eastern Shore)
If you would prefer to send a letter, you can write one of your own and send it to the address below, or you can check your e-mail in the next few days because Lynnhaven River NOW will be circulating a sample letter for you to work from. Comments may be submitted through December 15, 2008 and mailed to:
Department of the Army
Norfolk District, Corps of Engineers
Attn: Mr. Mark Mansfield
Chief, Planning and Policy Branch
803 Front Street , Norfolk, Virginia 23510-1096
or e-mailed to: Mark.T.Mansfield@usace.army.mil
Comments should reference the Draft PEIS. For more information visit http://www.nao.usace.army.mil/OysterEIS/homepage.asp
Subject: Volunteers needed for Fall Fest 2008
Dear Volunteers,
It is that time of year again to have the Fall Fest at First Landing State Park.
It will be on Saturday, Oct.18th from 2:00 pm-6:00 pm
20 volunteers are needed to help with the event this year
2 volunteers are needed for the Bon Fire from 6:00 pm-9:00 pm.
Please see attachment.
Last year we had a great turn out and everyone had a fun time. This year we hope to make it even better. But we need your help to do this!
If you can volunteer, please let me know. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me at 412-2308.
Thank you for all you do for the park!
Pam Kern
Volunteer Coordinator
First Landing State Park
What: Mayoral and City Council Candidate Forum for the Bayfront
Date: Wednesday Oct 1st
Time: 7:00pm to 9:30pm
Location: Baylake United Methodist Church, 4300 Shore Drive (Corner of Treasure Island Dr. and Shore Dr.)
Printable Flyer:
[1pg PDF]
Forum Format
* Candidates will be given an information period of 2 minutes each at the beginning of the forum to tell about themselves and their general positions.
* The informational period will be followed by a question and answer session where each candidate will be given 1 minute to answer a question submitted by the community.
* Questions will be chosen randomly from those submitted on-line at http://www.sdcc.info. The list of questions will be provided to each candidate at the beginning of the forum.
* Depending on the number of candidates attending the forum, candidates should have a chance to answer between 8-10 questions. Each candidate will be given a chance to answer every question.
* Candidates are asked to be respectful to other candidates and to the time limitations.
The Shore Drive Community Coalition (SDCC) and the Ocean Park Civic League are sponsoring this forum in an effort to bring attention to the many concerns of communities. The SDCC represents about 30 civic and condominium associations along the Shore Drive corridor comprising about 8000 residences.
Everyone is welcome to attend.
We recommend getting their early!
[Candidates:Please RSVP by September 26 if you can or cannot attend the Oct 1st forum. RSVPs can be sent to me at todd@sdcc.info or made in person to my cell phone at 667-8533.]
Thank you for you time and your initiative to becoming a leader for Virginia Beach,
As you know, Pleasure House Point is the #1 property to purchase for open space in the 2000 Virginia Beach Outdoors Plan.
Follow the info below and email your feedback to ensure it remains #1 for the 2008 Report:
Dear Valued Stakeholders,
On behalf of Parks and Recreation Director, Cindy Curtis, we would value your feedback on the final draft of the 2008 Virginia Beach Outdoors Plan. The Outdoors Plan is the City’s guidance document for open space acquisition and outdoor recreational planning. It is a significant component of the Virginia Beach Parks and Recreation Strategic Plan and a reference document to the City’s Comprehensive Plan.
We are providing a stakeholder review period from July 1, 2008 through July 31, 2008. Residents may also provide input on the Plan at the Open Space Subcommittee’s July 28, 2008 monthly public meeting. We value your input and welcome your comments. We realize and appreciate that your review perspective depends and will differ greatly on your relationship within or to Virginia Beach. If you have any questions as to what section of the Plan you should focus on, please call me (Brian Solis) at 385-1109.
In order to be “greener” in our planning and correspondence process, we are attempting a “paperless” review of the Plan. Please follow, or have your staff follow, the following three easy steps to review the Plan:
Step #2 - Review the Plan or sections that are of primary interest to your organization.
Step #3 - Email comments back to me by replying to this email address or
Hard copies of the Plan will be available at any Virginia Beach public library.
Your feedback will be considered with the final adoption of the Plan. Parks and Recreation staff will be briefing the City’s Bikeways and Trails Advisory Committee, Parks and Recreation Commission, Planning Commission and City Council on the Plan this summer. The Plan will be considered by City Council for final adoption in September/October 2008.
Thank you in advance for your time and efforts.
Sincerely,
Brian S. Solis, AICP
City of Virginia Beach
Department of Parks and Recreation
Planning, Design & Development Division
2408 Courthouse Drive - Municipal Center, Building # 21
Virginia Beach, VA 23456
Office: (757) 385-1109 Fax: (757) 385-1130 E-mail:
Our vision is a balanced, sustainable and value-focused system of parks, recreation and public spaces that creates a sense of community.
Your help is desperately needed to stop the largest development to ever be built in the Shore Drive corridor. The regional DEQ has issued a preliminary permit in favor of the Indigo Dunes project that will destroy over 1.5 acres of wetlands and allow 1069 new residents in the most densely populated area of Virginia Beach.
What can you do? A simple email in opposition to the project would help tremendously. The deadline to send emails is Tuesday June 24th. The email can be in your own words or a simple forward of the following draft.
As of the writing of this post, DEQ’s email is “down” and they do not have any idea when it might be back up. Currently - the drop dead date on comments is still close of business Tuesday, June 24th.
As many of you know, their email has been down since at least Saturday.
I am adamantly opposed to the proposed Indigo Dunes project and request that it be denied based on the following reasons:
1. Based on previous evaluation, VADEQ should not consider issuing a provisional permit for these same wetland fills.
2. The proposal has no justifiable hardship and by law should be denied.
3. VA DEQ should not even consider issuing a provisional permit for this project based on similar violations identified by DEQ sister agency CBLAD.
4. We strongly believe an independent 3rd party Functional Assessment should be completed as several agencies do in fact find value in the wetlands slated for destruction with this draft permit.
5. Zero wetland and riparian buffer impact must be a non-negotiable requirement. As the law states, avoidance of wetland destruction must come before mitigation. 100% avoidance is possible.
Virginia Beach is appealing to Circuit Court a decision by the Virginia Marine Resources Commission to allow the destruction of some wetlands on the site. The VMRC decision and the city’s appeal are based on the Sandlers’ initial application.
The Sandlers will have to start the city approval process from the beginning with the revised plan, according to Kay Wilson, an associate city attorney.
The Sandlers’ representatives disagree. The changes in wetlands impacts are just modifications of the original request, Williams said.
“We’re very encouraged; we think we have a great project,” said Debra Williams, a Sandler spokeswoman. “If people really look at what we have in there, they’ll realize we’re cleaning up a mess.”
Part of the “mess” they are going to bulldoze, & fill in with unknown fill to “clean up”.
Ms. Sheri Kattan, Project Manager
Virginia Dept. of Environmental Quality
Tidewater Regional Office
5636 Southern Boulevard
Virginia Beach, Virginia, 23462
Dear Sheri,
I am writing you today in protest of the Dept. of Environmental Quality’s intention to approve JPA #2 submitted by Sandler at Indigo Bay LLC which requests authorization for the destruction of tidal wetlands, non-tidal wetlands, vegetated and non-vegetated wetlands and RPA buffers for the sole purpose of constructing 1063 housing units and additional structures as part of a mixed-use development in pursuit of maximum profit.
If approved, this decision will set a precedent and severely weaken well established VA Law intend to protect such areas. Our statutes’ clearly state the applicant must make all efforts to avoid and/or minimize impacts to wetlands. Pleasure House Point (PHP) measures nearly seventy acres and certainly offers ample opportunity to construct a significant number of residential and commercial units without impacting these vital resources.
PHP is the last remaining natural habitat of significance on the Lynnhaven River, as recently exhibited by the City’s inability to find even a small site to transfer dredge spoils from the Lynnnhaven. Its total loss would be a tremendous detriment to the public. While admittedly not a perfect site or setting, there is no reason it cannot be developed in a more environmentally sensitive manner and make a tremendous contribution to the health of the Lynnhaven and Chesapeake Bay Eco-System.
DEQ approval of this JPA will send a clear signal that they are unwilling to enforce our environmental protections, as the Indigo Bay JPA clearly does not meet the criteria established by law to warrant this drastic reconfiguration and transformation of PHP. On behalf of the resident’s of Ocean Park, I ask that you please enforce our environment regulations and reject this application.
Sincerely,
Michael D. Wills
President, OPCL
3841 Jefferson Blvd.
Virginia Beach, VA 23455
I am uncertain whether or not I will be able to attend the DEQ hearing on this matter on June 9, 2008. I would like to register my comments, as a resident of Ocean Park and as an officer of the Ocean Park Civic League.
While I understand that the developer of this parcel has the right to build on his property, that right must be bounded by the local, state, regional and federal guidelines which are in place to prevent the degradation of natural resources to the public’s detriment.
I have viewed the developer’s proposal and find that his claim that his development, with his on-site water treatment designs, is disingenuous. Furthermore, his present proposal, much like his last one, ignores the mandate which is present when building in a wetlands area. To wit: avoid, minimize, ameliorate. The developer has not yet met even the first goal: avoidance.
I urge you and DEQ to stand fast for the long-term interests of residents, environmentalists and taxpayers who will be shouldering the burden of this unconscionable over-development.
Sincerely,
Grace Moran
Treasurer, Ocean Park Civic League
People who attend this Hearing may also attend State Water Control Board meeting, most likely in July, when the application will be decided upon.
More details:
As far as the hearing goes, the informal part starts at 6:30pm. I’ll be
giving a presentation on the draft permit and our process. The
applicant may also give a presentation on the project if they desire
(not sure yet). Then, there will be an opportunity for some Q&A with
questions fielded by DEQ folks and/or the applicant. At 7:30pm, the
formal hearing starts. A member of the State Water control Board will
be moderating the hearing. At that point, there is no more back and
forth discussion. There will be a sign up sheet when you come in - you
can indicate on that sheet if you’d like to speak for the record. The
Board member will call people up one by one to speak. Depending on the
number of people who sign up to speak, he may place a time limit on how
long you can talk. The Board member may also ask at the end if there is
anyone else who would like to speak. Everything is recorded and all
comments will be compiled by me and addressed in a package that will go
before the full State Water Control Board (likely in July) for a
decision. Citizens who attended the hearing are also welcome to attend
the Board meeting.
Later this year, City Council will consider the development of a program that would address the preservation, renewal and enhancement of the city’s existing housing and neighborhoods. To assist in their consideration, the Planning Commission Subcommittee on Preservation (Preservation Subcommittee) is currently developing a set of recommendations, which will be presented to City Council and help determine the direction of this initiative.
The Preservation Subcommittee believes that public involvement is a key part of the planning process and vital to its success. Therefore, we invite you to review the Draft Neighborhood Preservation Policy Report, which can be found on the Preservation Subcommittee’s web page. The subcommittee’s webpage can be accessed from the Department of Housing and Neighborhood Preservation’s web site, www.vbgov.com/housing, under the “Housing Initiatives” section, as “Preservation Initiative.” There you can access information about the subcommittee, such as its membership, meeting schedules, agendas and notes, and a copy of the Draft Neighborhood Preservation Policy Report. Remember to check the web page often as it is continually updated with the progress of the subcommittee’s work.
As you review the Draft Neighborhood Preservation Policy Report, we ask that you please keep the following questions in mind:
* Are these the right goals?
* Is this the right direction?
* How else can we address neighborhood preservation?
The Preservation Subcommittee values input on these recommendations and encourages you to share your feedback by contacting Lanitha Hudson, the coordinator of the Preservation Initiative at lhudson@vbgov.com or by calling 385-5734. You can also contact any member of the Preservation Subcommittee to share your feedback. The Membership list is located under “Related Documents” on the right of the Preservation Initiative webpage.
Thank you for your interest in the Preservation Initiative. We look forward to hearing your feedback.
________________________________________________
Lanitha C. R. Hudson
Program Coordinator, Strategy, Policy, and Resources Unit
Department of Housing and Neighborhood Preservation
Virginia Beach, VA 23456
757.385.5734 Direct
757.385.5750 Reception
757.385.1874 Fax
lhudson@VBgov.com
The project proposal will compromise the public welfare/good by overbuilding in a fragile resource area and will destroy wetland buffers and RPA (Resource Protected Areas) WITHOUT justifiable cause or necessity, other than sheer profit . The proposal has not fully avoided and minimized impact as required by law. ALSO, the measures being taken to minimize discharge & pollution from 1,063 more units are insufficient based on exaggerated and inaccurate information related to current drainage patterns, and the actual value and functioning of the wetland area, which already filters and buffers. Additionally, the proposal does not prove that there will be a “no-net” increase in pollution/run-off and discharge when the project is considered alone. Bottom-line, you don’t add more of the same to purportedly, do a “better” clean up. This land area is not a wasted, valueless, ineffective and corrupted wetland as the developer has reported it to be. My husband, Gary Vaughan, and myself are totally against this project for the above mentioned reasons, as well as, for the negative impact of increase in traffic, road deterioration, and over crowding of schools that the building of this site and eventual residency will bring to this area.
Sincerely,
Cherie and Gary Vaughan
This is for JPA#2 and not the JPA in litigation in City of VB vs. VMRC.
The ad went in the paper on Saturday which starts the public comment period. This comment period continues until June 24th (which is 15 days after the public hearing date). The public hearing will be held at our office here on June 9th (Monday). The formal hearing starts at 7:30pm, but the informal part starts at 6:30pm. The informal part will include a presentation by me on the draft permit, a possible presentation by the applicant (if they choose to do so), and Q&A. You can submit comments in writing anytime during that period. Also, if you speak at the hearing, that will be counted as formal comments as well since the hearing will be recorded.
