The City of Virginia Beach City Council adopted the current Comprehensive Plan in 2017.  The City Council lays out specific goals for each area of the city in the Comprehensive Plan. In the Suburban Focus area section that deals with Shore Dr., the City Council sets forth Guiding Planning Principles to achieve  a stated goal of Great Neighborhoods. Here are some quotes from the CP that show how inconsistent the Marlin Bay Development is with the plan that the City Council has adopted for Ocean Park and Shore Dr.

“Our primary guiding principle for the Suburban Area is to create “Great Neighborhoods,” and “to support those neighborhoods with complementary non-residential uses in such a way that working together the stability and sustainability of the Suburban Area is ensured for now and the future.” ( page 1-60) 

• “The planning policies that apply to the entire Shore Drive Corridor and Bayfront Communities are:
• Preserve and protect the character of the established neighborhoods
• Achieve the lowest reasonable density for future residential uses.” page (1-71)

“For example, new residential development on larger parcels should be consistent with the character of any residential uses in the surrounding area, as well as consistent with the guiding planning principles for the Suburban Area.” “Residential density in the Suburban Area should be low to medium where the surrounding land use patterns and densities are appropriate for such. Higher densities are appropriate for development in the Urban Areas.”  (page 1-62)

“Infill development on small vacant parcels within an existing neighborhood or on parcels being redeveloped should be compatible to the existing development around it. Designing a structure that is scaled and proportioned with surrounding development is typically more difficult than utilizing a design that simply fits the site and meets zoning regulations. The result, however, is a structure compatible with the neighborhood with respect to land use and design, and will give the impression to those who pass by that it has always been part of the original development.”     (page 1-63)

The Bayfront Advisory Commission (originally established as the Shore Drive Advisory Committee and then the Bayfront Advisory Committee) was established by City Council in 1998. The mission given by City Council to the Bayfront Advisory Commission is: to review and make recommendations to the City Council regarding public and private projects and issues associated with the Bayfront area, and projects or issues associated with the Bayfront area that the City Council may refer to the Commission. At the April meeting, the Bayfront Advisory Commission did not approve the design for this project, finding it incompatible with the Design Guidelines for Shore Dr. 

Link: ComprehensivePlan.pdf

The Planning Commission for the City of Virginia Beach will vote on their recommendation concerning the proposed 197 unit Marlin Bay Apartment Complex on June 9th after the public hearing at the Virginia Beach Convention Center. The Staff Report will be posted with the recommendation of the City Planning Department by noon on June 3rd. Residents who wish to make their voice heard should communicate their stand to Mr. Dao and the Planning Commission members by the last week in May at the latest in order to be taken into account. Now is the time to make your voice heard!

OPCL will be posting further information so stay tuned!

Residents can write to the Staff Planner, Mr. Dao : He will make the COVB Planning Department recommendation to the Planning Commission and he welcomes community input until the last week in May (the sooner the better though since the report will have to be processed) . Write to him: HDao@vbgov.com or   2875 Sabre St. Suite 500 Virginia Beach, VA 23452

Residents should contact Planning Commission members to explain their concerns:

Mr. George Alcaraz	galcarazvbpc@icloud.com	757-620-8040
Mr. Steve Barnes		757-287-3199  (c)
Mr. Whitney Graham	wgrahamVBPC@icloud.com	757-287-4835
Mr. Donald Horsley	horsley_don@yahoo.com	757-421-3625   (h)
Mr. Michael Inman	mainman@inmanstrickler.com	757-486-7055 (h) 757-403-8172 (c)
Ms. Dee Oliver	branch.oliver@gmail.com	757-406-4954 (c)
Mr. David S. Redmond	dredmondVBPC@icloud.com	757-215-5302
Mr. John H. Coston	johnhcoston@gmail.com	757-407-8663  (c)  757-499-1388 (h)
Ms. Robyn R. Klein	RKleinVBPC@icloud.com	757-918-9317    (c)
Mr. Jack Wall	jckwall@aol.com	757-748-5602    (c)
Mr. David Weiner	dweiner@batchelder-brick.com	757-620-1681    (c)

Residents will be able to speak and voice their concerns at the public hearing on June 9th at 12:00 at the Convention Center. Directions for arranging to speak at the hearing: https://www.vbgov.com/government/departments/planning/boards-commissions-committees/pages/pc.aspx

At the virtual meeting on May 6, 2021, a large showing of residents heard an important update on the Marlin Bay Apartment Project. After meeting with Mr. Dao, the city Staff Planner for the project, OPCL president Danny Murphy relayed some important information about the project. Go here to view the details: May 6 General Meeting Minutes.pdf. The most important news is that the project may go before the Planning Commission in June and residents need to pay attention to find out what they can do to have their voices heard. OPCL will work hard to keep residents informed. We should know by Monday, May 10th if the project will be on the June Planning Commission agenda.

Please pay your 2021 OPCL membership dues today! For the direct link to the OPCL PayPal account go here: PayPal.com. You can also pay by credit card with: Cheddarup.com. Your annual dues not only support the civic league’s efforts to protect and promote our community, your dues also get you entrance to our First Post-Covid Social for your whole family! The food and fun are always memorable! Also get a new car sticker when you pay your dues!

The Ellen Reid Soundwalk is active now at Pleasure House Point! The Ellen Reid Soundwalk is a work of public art that uses music to illuminate the natural environment. Created by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Ellen Reid, SOUNDWALK is created to “encourage calm reflection and introspection”. Ms. Reid has created musical settings tailored for ‘the sunlit water, tidal marsh, sandy shores and maritime forest’ of PHP. The walk is GPS enabled so just install the free app and download the SOUNDWALK, hit start and begin walking! Go here to the Pleasure House Point page to learn more about it! Go to: Pleasure House Point Park.

Another great activity: everyone is invited to join in on the City Nature Challenge April 30-May 9. The Challenge is to record and identify as many species of plants and animals as possible in the 8 days of the competition. Residents can participate by using the INaturalist app to take images anywhere (even your backyard!) but also especially at Pleasure House Point Park. Identifying items captured via images will take place May 4-9. Staff will be on hand at Pleasure House Point Saturday May 1 and Sunday May 2 from 10-3 both days. On Saturday May 1st, staff will be near the kiosk by the Brock Center and on Sunday May 2nd by the Participating Agencies Sign along Marlin Bay Dr. For more information: go to the Pleasure House Point Park page Pleasure House Point or to https://citynaturechallenge.org/.

At their monthly meeting on Thursday, the BAC heard from Mr. Peterson, representing the company developing the Marlin Bay Project, who presented the design changes for the Marlin Bay Apartment Complex which mainly consisted of reducing part of the building to 3 stories. Mr. Davenport, chair of BAC, cautioned commission members and visitors that zoning questions such as density were not within the purview of the BAC. They were to address compliance with the Shore Drive Corridor Plan and Design Guidelines. Mr. Bob Magoon, chair of the Design Committee, gave a summary of the pros and cons of the project. The Design Committee recommended non approval. After hearing from the commission members and from many residents, the commission voted overwhelmingly not to approve the project. Mr. Magoon made recommendations including eliminating the fourth floor from the rest of the project. Mr. Peterson’s response was that would render the project unprofitable. BAC approval for a project is not required for approval from Planning Commission or City Council.

Many residents spoke against the project at the virtual meeting. Apparently many more residents were not able to join the meeting. Mr. Mark Shea, Comprehensive Planning Coordinator COVB, said that the noon deadline had been set and noted in the meeting sign up so that there wouldn’t be a flurry of activity during the meeting. He apologized to those who could not enter and attempts were made to let people in. At the end of the meeting, he said that the May meeting would be in person.

OPCL will keep residents updated as new steps are taken in regard to this development. Stay tuned!!

The Bayfront Advisory Commission will hear from the Marlin Bay Apartment Complex developers again at their virtual meeting on Thursday, April 15 at 3:30.

The developers will present a slightly redesigned project with 197 units instead of 222. The new plan (see above drawing) shows a change to one part of the apartment building along Shore Dr. That part of the building will be 3 stories instead of 4. The rest of the complex along Shore Dr. and all that borders the neighborhood on the other side remain 4 stories. Areas circled in red are 4 stories and show how the 4 story building is overbearing next to current residences. The parking garage also remains 4 1/2 stories. The scale of the project means it will tower over Shore Dr. and the neighborhood and change the character of Ocean Park. So while the developers have made a modest change to the plan, this complex is still too large for our small, historic Ocean Park. The community remains strongly opposed to the zoning change that would allow such a large apartment complex in Ocean Park.

Please support Ocean Park and voice your views either by email (see the links to BAC commissioners below) or at the BAC meeting virtually. Here is the two step process to speak at the meeting on Thursday: Follow this link to register: https://vbgov.webex.com. And then contact Mr. Mark Shea by calling him at (757) 385-2908 or emailing him at MEShea@vbgov.com by noon on the 15th to indicate which presentation you wish to speak to. You can also join the meeting to listen by following the link above.

At the November BAC meeting, the commission declined to approve the earlier design of the project. If you would like to email members of the Bayfront Advisory Commission, here is their contact information:

Morgan Ayers	ayersmorgan@gmail.com
Mr. Wallis Damon	walkatdam@aol.com
Philip Davenport, chair	Pdavenport9@cox.net
Mr. Whitney Graham	whitney@grahamcre.com
Charles Guthrie	address on gov website not valid
William Hearst	whearst@verizon.net
Charles Malbon	tanklines@aol.com
Robert Magoon, vice chair	Bob@coastalresidentialdesign.com
Stacey Shiflet	Sshiflet35@yahoo.com
Martin Thomas	Mthomas2001@gmail.com
Michael Witherspoon	Michael.l.witherspo1@navy.mil
David Redmond (Planning Commission)	dredmondvbpc@icloud.com
Mark Shea (staff)	meshea@vbgov.com

At the Planning Commission hearing on March 10, 2021, the following ordinance changes regarding Short Term Rentals in the city of Virginia Beach were approved. (Sandbridge was excluded except for one safety measure).

Two overlay districts with limitations were created: East Shore Drive was approved as an overlay district. STRs would be allowed with a Conditional Use Permit. The number of STRs was capped at a 11.5% which is the current number relative to overall number of housing units. The overlay district was reduced to the area north of Shore Drive. The North End (including the Holly streets) was also approved as an overlay district with the same regulations as for East Shore Dr: CUP required and number capped.

The Oceanfront Overlay district was also approved but with STRs allowed by right.

The vote about whether to allow STRs in the remaining areas of the city was close: 4-3 of those present voting to prohibit STRs outside of the 3 overlay districts.

The meeting was very long-over 5 hours- as the commission heard from many residents pro and con. The spokesperson for the STR Association argued for increased enforcement of STR regulations and registration with inspections rather than limiting STRs to overlay districts. In the commission’s discussion that followed the comment period, the members showed that they clearly paid close attention to the residents’ views and the impact on those communities. But it was a very close vote on allowing STRs outside the overlays which would have affected Ocean Park. The members mentioned frequently that the numbers of people speaking out was persuasive to them. Showing up makes a difference!

The City Council will vote on the recommendations of the Planning Commission.