General Membership OPCL Meeting April 10

We heard updates on upcoming events and meetings. 3rd Precinct Captain James Gordon, Parks and Rec Department Director Kirschman, and Community Liaison Officer Schonbach attended to answer questions about the problems at the Lynnhaven Boat Ramp: disturbance of the peace by car clubs and ongoing traffic/ safety problems with boat trailers.

Since the Lynnhaven Boat Ramp incident with large speeding car rally and very large crowd of spectators on Sunday, March 30 VBPD has been working to investigate and capture information on who was there that night and investigate further. They have been reviewing all of the video evidence to identify as many people as possible and are following up on any leads in order to charge individuals if they can prove illegal activity. The investigation continues.

VBPD Actions Moving forward:

• Instituted extra patrol checks in the area, Hotspot checks have increased.
• Officers are encouraged (especially after hours officers)to sit at the boat ramp when doing things like paperwork.
• Special ops and traffic safety has a special patrol that they host at midnight. The patrol musters around 930, and sporadically, will muster in the boat ramp parking lot. If you see them, you are welcome to come out and join, share concerns.
• Citations could include reckless driving, endangerment, destruction of property
• Car clubs are a national trend unfortunately. VBPD is aware of it and monitoring social media for the coordinated efforts of the club.

Parks and Rec Department Actions Moving Forward

The community is asking for Clearer Regulations and Signage for boaters and traffic

“Staff is working to place portable digital signage on Shore Drive to alert drivers on when the parking lot is full in hopes of reducing traffic congestion in and around the area. “

The community is asking for increased monitoring and patrols.

“Parks and Recreation will increase staffing at the Lynnhaven Boat Ramp for the summer season.” 

• ·         April 11 – May 1: 6am – 8pm 

• ·         May 2 – May 22: 5:30am – 8:30pm 

• ·         May 23 – Sept 4: 5:30am – 9pm 

• ·         Sept 5 – Sept 18: 6am – 8pm 

• ·         Sept 19 – Nov 2: 6:30am – 7:30pm 

• ·         Nov 3 – Dec 31: 6:30am – 5:30pm “

In answer to questions posed at the meeting:

• Parks and Recreation Director Kirschman thinks that closing the area to one group (beachgoers for example) but leaving it open for others (fishermen/ boaters) would cause more problems. If for example it remained open only for fishing after hours.
• The city beaches are by code open 24/7 unlike many parks in the city which close at dusk.