The civic league received the following response this morning to the letter from March 31 about the activity at the boat ramp and on Shore Drive. The civic league is working to follow up specifically on this reply with additional questions and comments.

Dear Mr. Murphy,
Thank you for reaching out with your concerns about safety and security in our community. I understand and share in your frustration regarding the events that occurred over the past weekend. As the weather warms up, Virginia Beach draws so many more visitors. Some coming to enjoy our beautiful waterfronts and others looking for gathering spaces for different reasons. Your attention to this matter is invaluable in helping us maintain a safe and enjoyable environment for everyone.

Please see the below responses to your inquiries and let me know if you have any questions or need additional information.

Saturday- Serious traffic accident (potentially DUI-related) There was a four-vehicle accident at 3700 Shore Drive that occurred at 4:48pm.  There were no injuries, but one party was charged with DUI.

Saturday afternoon – 3-4 gunshots near Pleasure House Point We have no record of shots fired near Pleasure House Point.  The only report of gunshots in that area were reported on Diamond Springs near Shore Drive at 6:11am.  If residents have additional information, please let us know so that the Police Department can further investigate.

Sunday evening – Massive “street takeover” at LBR facility
Prior to the events below, Parks and Recreation staff noticed cars parking in the trailer parking lot and loud music and called Police at 5:39pm. Police arrived at 5:55pm and cleared that lot. Officers remained on scene until after staff left at 7:30pm. Police received a priority call for service and left the parking lot with lights on at 7:52pm. A call for service to 9-1-1 was received at 7:55pm.  A Third Precinct unit was in the immediate vicinity of the Lynnhaven Boat ramp at 7:56pm but was dispatched to a Priority 2 emergency event shortly thereafter. Due to this emergency event, the Third Precinct resources were tied up and the 2nd precinct responded with the first unit arriving at 8:12pm. In total, ten officers responded to the gathering with lights and sirens. Once the police arrived on scene, patrons of the gathering dispersed without any conflicts. No action was needed to be taken by the police because they did not witness any violations.
Sunday evening – Multivehicle (motorcycle) accident on Lesner Bridge (related to LBR street takeover?) Two motorcycles were in an accident at 10:03 pm at 3400 Shore Drive. There were minor injuries.  Because this incident happened more than 90 minutes from the time officers cleared the boat ramp, there is no indication these incidents are related.

Also, I would appreciate access to any footage captured by video surveillance systems at these locations. Requests for video surveillance may be sought via the FOIA process. To assist, we have forwarded this request to FOIA@vbgov.com for review and processing.

Specific recommendations or plans for improving safety and security along Shore Drive in these areas moving forward: a. Clearer Regulations/Signage
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.

b. Increased monitoring/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

The Virginia Beach Police Department is committed to fostering a safe environment at the Lynnhaven Boat Ramp Facility. To achieve this, the department plans to increase patrols and enhance uniform visibility in the area. Additionally, we will be implementing saturation patrols in collaboration with our Traffic Safety Unit to effectively address traffic safety concerns, reduce the occurrence of accidents, and promote responsible driving practices, including DUI enforcement.

Community Engagement The Third Precinct Community Liaison Officer and Captain Gordon will be attending the Ocean Park Civic League meeting on April 10th. In addition, Captain Gordon will have a dedicated Lieutenant from the third precinct at the CAC Meeting on April 17th at 6:30pm at the Williams Farm Recreation Center to share important precinct updates, fostering our commitment to community engagement and collaboration. Following similar issues in previous years, we have increased signage, added surveillance cameras, added speed bumps, and upped staffing in the parking lot and beach area in line with the daylight changes. We will continue to keep the lines of communication open with the community in hopes of improving the situation.

Mr. Murphy, your leadership, and commitment to the community make a real difference and we appreciate your partnership in keeping Ocean Park, and the Shore Drive community at large, a great place to live and visit.

Please don’t hesitate to share any additional insights and we will keep you updated on our efforts moving forward.

Sincerely,

R.J. Mattes MPA, CBO
CITY MANAGER’S OFFICE
Assistant to the City Manager – Special Projects|ADA Coordinator

On Sunday evening March 30th at the Lynnhaven Boat Ramp there was a very large gathering of cars racing around (drifting) and spectators rallying with them in the LBR parking lot resulting in large scale disturbance and damage. Police were on the scene.

This letter was sent to the City of Virginia Beach City Staff and Leadership, the City of Virginia Beach Police Department and Councilman Joash Schulman on Monday, March 31 at 9:30 am. Recipients of the letter included:

• Kenneth Chandler, Deputy City Manager
• Michael Kirschman, Parks & Recreation Director
• Michael Parkman, Parks & Recreation Operations Manager
• Amanda Parrish, Parks & Recreation Coordinator
• Colin Jesse, Parks & Recreation Facilities Supervisor
• William Chisolm, Virginia Beach Police Department Lieutenant
• Colin Elliot, Virginia Beach Police Department Marine Patrol Officer
• Brian Ricardo, Virginia Beach Police Department Community Engagement Officer
• Joash Schulman, Councilman

Good morning,

As you know, there were a multitude of incidents along Shore Drive, specifically in the Ocean Park area, including a large “street takeover” at the Lynnhaven Boat Ramp facility. Social media is rampant with scenes of chaos and personal accounts of what can only be described as carnage. These incidents have raised significant safety and quality of life concerns among residents and those traveling on the roadway. While the accuracy of all incidents cannot be verified, here is the list from social media:

1. Saturday- Serious traffic accident (potentially DUI-related)

2. Saturday afternoon – 3-4 gunshots near Pleasure House Point

3. Sunday evening – Massive “street takeover” at LBR facility

4. Sunday evening – Multivehicle (motorcycle) accident on Lesner Bridge (related to LBR street takeover?)

To better understand the situation and ensure appropriate measures are taken, I request a detailed report of all activities reported to the police during this time. I also emphasize the need for transparency and accountability in this report. Also, I would appreciate access to any footage captured by video surveillance systems at these locations.

If possible, please include:

• A detailed summary of all reported incidents, including time lines of notification and response.
• Any actions taken by law enforcement or city staff in response.
• Specific recommendations or plans for improving security along Shore Drive in these areas moving forward.

Please let me know if further information is needed from my side to facilitate this request.

I appreciate your cooperation. Your role in ensuring community safety is invaluable, and I look forward to hearing back from you.

Very respectfully,

Danny Murphy,

Ocean Park Civic League President

Huge thanks to our neighbor, Tina Morey for a very enjoyable evening of wine, snacks and sensory experience! Thank you to our neighbors for joining in and to our volunteers who made it happen! Thank you to our beautiful Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s Brock Center !

Lucky us! We have such wonderful neighbors and members! Let’s get 2025 dues taken care of! It helps the civic league so much to have dues paid on time for planning! 👉Please if you haven’t had a chance to remit 2025 $25 dues yet- do it today! Easy peasy- do it online! Get a sticker- we have a few left!

Many folks have their dues set up to renew in April when our first Members Only event Spring Fling happens (April 26 this year! music and great food at Taste!). But did you know that according to the bylaws dues are meant to be paid in January since they are annual dues to be paid at the beginning of each calendar year. Here we go for 2025! Pay today! (save time at Spring Fling! No line! ok.. a shorter one)

Article IV – DUES

“Yearly dues shall be established by the OPCL Board of Directors (BOD) with notification to the general membership and will be due to the Treasurer in January. “

Sunday, March 30th, from 4:30 to 6:00 PM is an exclusive wine tasting experience at the picturesque Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s Brock Environmental Center for only $45 per person.
Our talented certified neighbor sommelier, Tina Morey will again lead a tasting of curated wines paired with savory bites. Whether you’re a seasoned wine enthusiast or just curious to explore, this open-house-style gathering is the perfect opportunity to relax and mingle with neighbors!

This event is for current OPCL members: Pay your OPCL 2025 membership dues $25 for the year! (if you are unsure about your membership status contact: treasurer@opcl.org

The BAC meeting on March 20th included several updates:

The COVB Public Works Dept spreadsheet of PW projects shows current status of Public Works projects along Shore Dr. Updates are in red.

BAC Chair Bob Magoon shared that the working group established by Councilman Joash Schulman has had several meetings to monitor the PHP Wetlands project and address concerns and look for solutions. Lynnhaven River NOW was invited to the BAC to share concerning the efforts to save saplings and grasses.

Ms Pullin related that they have consulted with a professor from the College of William and Mary, Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources staff, and the Wetlands Institute in New Jersey to develop a plan for a barrier to prevent diamondback terrapin from entering the excavation and construction area.  “This barrier system has been used effectively on the Eastern Shore and on the New Jersey shore to keep terrapin off roadways and safe from cars.  We have confidence in this system but will also be monitoring it regularly throughout the construction period.”

The meeting was well attended and many members of the public voiced concerns in particular about protections for wildlife during the project time. Fencing should now be in place to prevent turtles from entering the area as they come out of winter brumulation. Wildlife rehabbers have been on call but so far no cases of wildlife needing assistance have come up.

Ms. Pullin related that more information on the project at the Brock Center. There is a binder that the public can view at the Brock building.

In a recent update, Karen Forget from Lynnhaven River Now gives this update:

“As you know, there is a very healthy oyster population in Pleasure House Creek including on the 11-acre reef that was completed only three years ago by LRNow and CBF.  We are committed to protecting the oysters in the creek from any sediment runoff from this construction.  We will soon have a page on our website devoted to water quality monitoring in Pleasure House Creek including current, or baseline, monitoring of water clarity, also called turbidity.  Throughout the construction period, we will monitor turbidity and post those results for you to see on our website.”

As always we came for the treats! Cornbread and chocolate muffins! Thank you, Mary Faust as always for baking for us! Just kidding- we love to keep our nature area clean!

Lots of trash collected by our great volunteers! Winner in the Big Stuff Found category is Howard Weinberg! A dog house!

The Ocean Park Civic League has been the sponsor for the Adopt-A-Spot(Park) program for Pleasure House Point since the city opened it as a park.  Suzi Walton, the civic league president at the time, saw to it that, as the community was so instrumental in the process of discouraging the development of the natural area and fight for its survival, that we (the Ocean Park community) should be the designated sponsor.  And as she was formerly an administrator in the city’s Parks and Rec department, she was able to claim it for us.  She conducted the first cleanups and had enormous support from the board, many of whom showed up to participate in the removal of an enormous amount of refuse.  

Mary Faust has organized the cleanups of PHP for many years. She reminds us that the city does not undertake any cleanup responsibilities for PHP since it is a ‘preserve’. The work that the community does to clean up trash and litter at Pleasure House Point is enormously important so that it will be a beautiful natural place for all to enjoy. Mary has it all organized: grabbers, gloves, trash bags and SNACKS!

LRN Director Karen Forget gives an update on LRN efforts to mitigate effects on wildlife, trees and water quality.

Pleasure House Point Wetland Restoration – Part II