Time is running out: make your voice heard now

The City Council of Virginia Beach will soon consider the proposal to change the regulations regarding Short Term Rentals. The proposal as it stands now will put Ocean Park in a STR Overlay District. This would allow any property owner to offer their property as a STR without needing to seek city approval or obtain a Conditional Use Permit. Since areas outside the Overlay districts would not be allowed to have STRs, this change could bring a considerable increase of STRs in Ocean Park. The City Council could vote to remove Ocean Park from the list of the new overlay districts at the next meeting. (The October 6th meeting was cancelled). So this issue is time sensitive for Ocean Park residents who do not want to see Ocean Park become one of the designated STR Overlay districts. A loud public outcry from Ocean Park residents who are opposed could halt this deregulation for Ocean Park now.

The OPCL board has listened to feedback from the Ocean Park community on important issues that are facing the community: the proposal to put Ocean Park in the overlay that would deregulate and promote Short Term Rentals in our community, the Marlin Bay development which would add 227 units in a large apartment complex and the deferral of the Ocean Park beach replenishment. The board has in each case sent letters to the Mayor and Council members to inform them of the community’s stance. This will not be enough to see the changes the community wants. Residents need to send letters, emails and make phone calls to City Council members now to show the strength of the opposition to the STR overlay for Ocean Park and to the Marlin Bay development and the possible deferral of the Beach Replenishment. Consider voicing your concerns to those who make the decisions. It will take many voices to make changes happen.

Mayor Bobby Dyer mayorsoffice@vbgov.com tel: (757) 385-4581

James Wood jlwood@vbgov.com tel: (757) 366-1011

Jessica Abbott jabbott@vbgov.com tel: (757) 577-2068

Michael Berlucchi mberlucc@vbgov.com tel: (757) 264-9162

Barbara Henley bhenley@vbgov.com tel: (757) 426-7501

Louis Jones lrjones@vbgov.com tel: (757) 583-0177

John Moss jdmoss@vbgov.com tel: (757) 264-9162

Aaron Rouse arouse@vbgov.com tel: (757) 319-1398

Guy Tower gtower@vbgov.com tel: (804) 398-0070

Rosemary Wilson rcwilson@vbgov.com tel: (757) 422-0733

Sabrina Wooten swooten@vbgov.com tel: (757) 797-5625

City Council Page with hot links to phone numbers: https://www.vbgov.com/government/departments/city-manager/Pages/form-of-government-and-city-officials.aspx