Virginia Beach Civic/Government issues

[vdogg]

I sat the fence on this one but it is indeed an urban issue and other forums are starting to have it too. I think this can be a good thread, just keep it civil.

[rusthebuss]

You don't think that we can be civil?

[burt]

If you guys know how to "link" yourselves to it, there's an interesting piece in today's RTD titled "What's Virginia Beach Without Oceana?"

I guess this is the right thread for it.

[vdogg]

Whats Virginia Beach without Oceana

[rusthebuss]

Vabeach council approves to buy 15 million condo project land

People around Oceana better start packing it up cause the city is turning their backs on you and don't care about you at all. I would sue the city! beotchs. People wait for this purchase most of their lives to have it swept away for uncertainity is insane. Make sure you vote all those beotchs out expect for the ones that opposed the buy!

[hoobo]

Vabeach council approves to buy 15 million condo project land

People around Oceana better start packing it up cause the city is turning their backs on you and don't care about you at all. I would sue the city! beotchs. People wait for this purchase most of their lives to have it swept away for uncertainity is insane. Make sure you vote all those beotchs out expect for the ones that opposed the buy!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Easy there. The city hasn't bought anyone's house and hasn't even laid out a plan for Oceana yet. They're waiting for the BRAC 2005 Final Report. VB had to buy this parcel because it said it would before BRAC finished its draft report. Even though the land is outside APZ1, VB couldn't undo its promise without alienating BRAC even more. IF the city gets a guarantee of keeping the base, I expect it will decide to proceed with condemnations at "fair" market value. If no guarantee is given, hopefully the city will not pursue this course of action. No plan has been finalized yet. VB still has until March '06 to submit its plan for Oceana.

Why do you care so much about what VB does? Weren't you raised and still live in Norfolk?

[vdogg]

Why do you care so much about what VB does?  Weren't you raised and still live in Norfolk?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Probably the same reason I care so much about what goes on in Norfolk, it's part of the region. I was born and raised in Michigan, so I have even less say than he does.

[vdogg]

To be fair though, calling them all beotchs is a bit extreme as a lot of them have actually done good for the city. They are really in a tough position on this one but I really don't think they would have been able to go back on their promise at this stage, even if it isn't in APZ1.

[rusthebuss]

Easy there.  The city hasn't bought anyone's house and hasn't even laid out a plan for Oceana yet.  They're waiting for the BRAC 2005 Final Report.  VB had to buy this parcel because it said it would before BRAC finished its draft report.  Even though the land is outside APZ1, VB couldn't undo its promise without alienating BRAC even more.  IF the city gets a guarantee of keeping the base, I expect it will decide to proceed with condemnations at "fair" market value.  If no guarantee is given, hopefully the city will not pursue this course of action.  No plan has been finalized yet.  VB still has until March '06 to submit its plan for Oceana.

Why do you care so much about what VB does?  Weren't you raised and still live in Norfolk?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Even though I was raised and still live in Norfolk I have alot of family in Vabeach. Vabeach is just as important to me as Norfolk, Newport News, Hampton, Portsmouth, Chesapeake, Suffolk and Willamsburg! This is my area! 0

[hoobo]

Does the city have any plans to include a boardroom/auditorium at the Westin conference center, which can be used for one monthly city hall and school board meeting each in addition to private sector functions? I'm not proposing moving all of the municipal center or even one service of it, but just two meetings a month: one each from two bodies that the citizens elected.

[rusthebuss]

Does the city have any plans to include a boardroom/auditorium at the Westin conference center, which can be used for one monthly city hall and school board meeting each in addition to private sector functions? I'm not proposing moving all of the municipal center or even one service of it, but just two meetings a month: one each from two bodies that the citizens elected.

Who knows. They should move all the city functions down to TC if this is really going to be their DT. It only makes since. They could use those other buildings for something else! Its stupid to have all the city functions close to the part of the city that is rural. It needs to be near the most populus area!

[hoobo]

Who knows. They should move all the city functions down to TC if this is really going to be their DT. It only makes since. They could use those other buildings for something else! Its stupid to have all the city functions close to the part of the city that is rural. It needs to be near the most populus area!

Tell that to the ghost of Kellam.

[urbanlife]

it made sense when they decided to put city hall out there, but if they were to do it today it would probably be put up my pembroke.

The reason for putting it down there was to make the merger between the town of Virginia Beach and Princes Anne county to go through. PA county wasn't gonna go through the merger if they put the city hall up by the beach because they figured if that happened they would have no say so with their city. So a location was picked that was halfway to the farmland and beachfront. Sounded like a great idea then.

[rusthebuss]

it made sense when they decided to put city hall out there, but if they were to do it today it would probably be put up my pembroke.

The reason for putting it down there was to make the merger between the town of Virginia Beach and Princes Anne county to go through. PA county wasn't gonna go through the merger if they put the city hall up by the beach because they figured if that happened they would have no say so with their city. So a location was picked that was halfway to the farmland and beachfront. Sounded like a great idea then.

Yeah I know this, but I'm hoping for the citizens they bring this close to the interstate and bring it to the most populus area of the city. It only makes sense and they probably have already thought of this and will do it within the next decade.

[hoobo]

Yeah I know this, but I'm hoping for the citizens they bring this close to the interstate and bring it to the most populus area of the city. It only makes sense and they probably have already thought of this and will do it within the next decade.

I posted my response on the city issues thread.

[hoobo]

I like the idea, however I don't see it happening in that short of a time frame. It could be a couple decades, if not more off. There are some factors to consider. First, they need to find a use for the existing municipal center whether it be as a starter for a college or a business campus before any move is considered. The city doesn't want to tie up more Pembroke CBD space with non-tax generating uses. Although putting city services there will generate much more traffic for businesses it will also create more vehicular traffic which Pembroke doesn't need until transportation solutions are build.

PA High was basically rebuilt after the 1995 fire. It will probably become obsolete in a couple decades. Rebuilding it as an urban high school would open up space for a new city hall/services building without buying or leasing land currently on the tax rolls.

What about the courts and jail, would they be moved? Or should they remain at their current location? That's another question to ask since not many people would like the jail moved to their backyard.

What we can agree on is that the city needs to bring services closer to its citizens. Board meetings at Pembroke would be a start. If Oceana is closed, I would actually prefer city hall be moved to Lynnhaven. In terms of access, I believe this to be a more convenient location to most VB residents.

[Telmnstr]

The real issue is cost. Do you really want them spending that much taxpayer dollar to duplicate the facilities that already exist? What use would the old facilities serve? There would be public outcry, and rightfully so, if they start trying to move their facilities to the new business district. While the district appears to be off to a good start, I wonder how much it can grow. I have an office nearby (Witchduck/Virginia Beach Blvd). One day I left my client's site in downtown Norfolk to go to Independence to grab lunch before hitting up Norfolk Wire... Holy traffic.

The city can stay where it's at. Besides, it's not like council listens to the taxpayers anyways. *Cough 31st street Cough*

[vdogg]

In tonights council meeting will be discussed a very important referendum. Apparently enough citizen signatures have been collected to put to a referendum the developement of a Virginia Beach Housing and Redevelopment Authority. Such an authority, like Norfolks, would have the powers of condemnation. This I would assume is the main sticking point against such an authority forming. I personally believe that the time has come. There are sections of Virginia Beach that are getting dilapidated and rundown which is normal for a large city and will become increasingly apparent as the city ages. An HRDA can go a long way towards ensuring that the city stays on the right track so far as development and revitalization of aging areas is concerned.

[rusthebuss]

In tonights council meeting will be discussed a very important referendum. Apparently enough citizen signatures have been collected to put to a referendum the developement of a Virginia Beach Housing and Redevelopment Authority. Such an authority, like Norfolks, would have the powers of condemnation. This I would assume is the main sticking point against such an authority forming. I personally believe that the time has come. There are sections of Virginia Beach that are getting dilapidated and rundown which is normal for a large city and will become increasingly apparent as the city ages. An HRDA can go a long way towards ensuring that the city stays on the right track so far as development and revitalization of aging areas is concerned.

Honestly I think this is being performed for the Oceana issue. So watch what you ask for.

[vdogg]

Honestly I think this is being performed for the Oceana issue. So watch what you ask for.

The referendum was citizen initiated and if anything it is so citizens will have a voice over how Oceana is handled. There are many more issues than just Oceana however in the creation of an HREDA.

[urbanvb]

when you throw the Oceana situation in the mix creating the HREDA is going to be even more difficult than ever. While many agree we need to redevelop the older parts of the city many will also agree they would never want to surrender their homes to keep Oceana in this city.

[hoobo]

There are sections of Virginia Beach that are getting dilapidated and rundown which is normal for a large city and will become increasingly apparent as the city ages.

How has VB revitalized Reedtown, Gracetown, and Beechtown without condemnation authority? These used to be rundown neighborhoods there which are now working/middle class neighborhoods. There is the racism undertone which may figure into how the city acquired the land, but I don't know how it all whappened.

[vdogg]

I was gonna put this in the military thread but decide on second thought that it belonged here.

Opponents of growth control urge Beach to postpone vote

VIRGINIA BEACH

[vdogg]

I do think that city council is in far better of a bargaining position now that all that Florida stuff is going on. I really hope they vote to scale back the proposed restrictions. Development issues should remain the sole purview of an elected council, not quasi-military rule. I understand a lot of the Navys issues but the simple fact that now 100,000 would be displaced if every recommendation is followed means they have more than overstepped their bounds.

But because nearly 100,000 Virginia Beach residents live in about 35,000 homes in the 65-to-74 decibel jet-noise zones

[rusthebuss]

I still think that they need to let Oceana go. It is counter productive for this area. We need to grow and if new jets come in the zoning will change and maybe the TC will be in the crash zone, so lets let it go and move on. I think those F35s will need more room