Dear City Council Members:

I had hoped to attend tonight’s City Council meeting on the evening of May, 9th in person but unfortunately I am not able. Please include my email to the record.

The Ocean Park Civic League requests the proposed 2024 budget include full funding for the Phase 4 Shore Drive Improvements Capital Improvement Project (CIP). This project has been delayed for nearly 20 years, and it is vital for resolving long-standing documented safety issues on one of the most heavily traveled corridors in the city. 

Timeline of Phase 4 Shore Drive Improvement Delays

• 2007-2008 Project first appears in Capital Improvement Plan as CIP 2-118. January 9, 2007 the City Council established the project with appropriation of FY 2005-2006 fund balance from the General Fund.
• 2008 December Phase II, III, IV plans advance to 30%.
• 2010 July Shore Drive Phase IV funding transferred to Phase III.
• 2018 In FY2020 CIP funds were appropriated to initiate design activities. Construction to start September 2023.
• 2020 CIP funds were appropriated to this project to initiate project design activities. The Commonwealth Transportation Board awarded this project $500,000 in Revenue Sharing in FY 2024-25. “As an existing Revenue Sharing Project, Shore Drive IV will receive priority in the next round of Revenue Sharing Awards. Therefore, Commonwealth funds were increased in the project and local funds in the outer years of the CIP were redirected and reprogrammed to Centerville Turnpike Phase II.”
• 2021 March “Phase IV going to construction in summer of 2025 with a 3 year duration.” Letter from William Purcell, Dept of Public Works.
• 2022 July : “The Preliminary Engineering Report and 30% Plans for Shore Dr Ph4 are scheduled to be completed Aug 2023.” Letter from William Purcell, Dept of Public Works.
• 2023 Proposed FY 2024 Budget: Phase IV CIP project is defunded and funds transferred to Phase III. again.

The Phase 4 Shore Drive Improvements CIP would widen Shore Drive from Marlin Bay Drive to Lesner Bridge, add a multi-use path and sidewalk, improve drainage and landscaping, and install new traffic signals and streetlights. This project would significantly enhance the safety, mobility, and quality of life for residents, businesses, and visitors in the Shore Drive area.

The reason this project is not closer to shovel-ready is a lack of political will. The city has repeatedly postponed or reduced funding for this project, despite its high priority ranking by the Public Works Department and strong public support. The project was originally introduced in 2007 and has now laid barren through 4 five year CIP budgeting cycles.  

This is unacceptable and unfair to the Shore Drive community, which has been waiting patiently for decades for this project to be completed. The city should honor the commitment made by the late Councilman Louis Jones, who represented the Bayside District for 32 years and championed this project until his passing in 2021. Councilman Jones understood the importance of this project for the safety and well-being of his constituents and the city as a whole.

I would like to address several of the reason’s city staff has indicated for defunding the project:

• One stated reason for Phase IV defunding: lack of immediacy of the project: Since 2005, despite the establishment of the Bayfront Advisory Commission and over 18 years of stated support for the Phase 4 CIP (as voted by past councils), this project has languished due to a failure to fully support this documented priority. There are no other project with a longer tenure for uncompleted CIP projects while many, many others around the city have been added and completed.
• Another stated reason for Phase IV defunding: lack of state or federal matching funds: again, this falls squarely on the city who did not seek, request nor obtain said matching funds.
• Ultimately, the decision to defund this CIP comes down to budget constraints. Our specific Shore Drive community has accounted for hundreds of millions of dollars of tax revenue to the city coffers since the inception of this project. Additionally, we have voted to approve the  Flood Prevention Bond Referendum. 

For all of these reasons, I respectfully ask you to restore and allocate sufficient funding for the Phase 4 Shore Drive Improvements CIP in 2024. This project is long overdue and deserves your full support.

Thank you for your attention and service.

Sincerely,

Daniel Murphy

President, Ocean Park Civic League

Link to April 2023 Engineering Study for Shore Dr CIP. Shore Drive Corridor Improvements Phase IV Preliminary Engineering April 2023.

Reaction from President Danny Murphy: After two decades they now have a plan but not only did they redirect about $8 Mil already appropriated to the CIP last year, they have completely defunded it for this year and removed it entirely from the budget through 2030! It is an abject failure of leadership and commitment from the city. The Bayfront Advisory Commission was created to specifically develop and push Shore Drive safety and identity forward but they have not fulfilled their role on this issue. After our advocacy, they agreed to send a letter objecting to the CIP defunding.

Since there is no formal scoring system for rating CIP projects under consideration in the budget process, selection of what gets funded is an exercise in political power. City staff has indicated they selected CIP projects to defund based on criteria that only highlight the city’s lack of commitment, resolve and performance process: 

• One stated reason for Phase IV defunding: lack of immediacy of the project: Since 2005, despite the establishment of the Bayfront Advisory Commission and over 18 years of stated support for the Phase 4 CIP (as voted by past councils), this project has languished due to a failure of council and city staff to adhere to a 5 year process for 3 now going on 4 times!
• Another stated reason for Phase IV defunding: lack of state or federal matching funds: again, this falls squarely on the city who did not seek, request or obtain said matching funds.
• While long serving Council Members should be held to account for promoting further inaction on this long standing safety issue, new council members face a litmus test of executing and keeping past promises to the citizens of Virginia Beach.

The city continues to solicit input from city voters on what the election in 2024 will look like in Virginia Beach: 10 districts with the mayor elected city wide or 7 districts and 3 at large seats with the mayor elected citywide. Everyone can give their input in the online survey until May 26th or leave a voicemail at any time: Election System Community Engagement:public input.

At the May Ocean Park Civic League meeting at the rescue squad, President Danny Murphy drew the winner for our Sea Life Trivia Contest from our Spring Fling event at Taste in April. The winner is Bryan Spillane from Three Ships! Secretary Christy Allen delivered the prize and his wife Elisa was home to receive it. Congratulations! Thanks to all for participating and to Anita Cooney for creating the trivia questions!

Huge thanks to all the many volunteers for our two recent very successful events! Thanks to these folks for our new Pop Up Easter Egg Hunt was a huge success: Natalie McIntyre, Jennifer Bland, Joanne Parker, Jennifer Snyder, Rose Hester and family, Sandra Dawe, Julie Vance, Rachael Beutler, Andrea Lindemann, Danny Murphy and of course our talented Easter Bunny Shane Abell. Spring Fling followed and in spite of the weather we had a great event thanks to: Joanne Parker, Natalie McIntyre, Michael Grossman, Sherri Walton, Debbie Zaydel, Anita Cooney, Jenny Snyder, Christy Allen, Shane Abell, Alice Leggett, Jay and Anita Montgomery, Tim and Andrea Lindemann, Danny Murphy, Blake Norris and probably more!! Thank you all!

President Danny Murphy had updates. Treasurer Blake Norris gave a budget update. Scholarship Chair, Betty Dierstein gave a scholarship update. The scholarship deadline was extended to April 30 so now the committee will review applications and announce a decision shortly!

Our hearts go out to our neighbors in the Great Neck area. We are here for you and will do everything we can to help you rebuild. Please know that you are not alone and that we will stand with you every step of the way. Also, thank you to all the city first responders and volunteers that have assisted the community in beginning the long process of recovery. Please follow VB Gov and Councilman Chris Taylor to learn about supporting those affected.

UPDATE: President Danny Murphy received this update on Friday, May 5th: “We just confirmed to allow Salmons to work an abbreviated schedule for tomorrow, Saturday, May 6, 2023. The allowable work hours will be from 8:00am to 2:00pm. The contractor has been reminded to continue to adhere to all traffic control procedures at the sand stockpile site and the project site. All appropriate safety precautions will continue to be implemented to insure the public’s safety.”

Mr. Jim White, COVB Department of Public Works,  provided  answers to questions put by the Civic League which outline the potential impact on the Ocean Park neighborhood of the sand stockpile truck haul project from  the Lynnhaven Sand stockpile. Latest update from Mr. White: “Salmons stated that they anticipate averaging approximately 10 trucks per hour to come and go from the stockpile site to Cape Henry Beach.  The contract performance period is for 180 consecutive calendar days from the notice to proceed date of April 17^th, 2023.  There are no time of year restrictions imposed for this project.  Salmons project schedule has them completing all sand hauling efforts by late July 2023.  This completion date could change due to weather, equipment or other logistical issues.

Regarding work hours and days per week, the contractor is allowed to work between 7:30am and 4:30pm as per the City contract.  Salmons will be working these hours and will be allowed, if necessary, to extend the work hours to 7:00am to 5:00pm.  Should Salmons request to work on a Saturday, our office will take serious consideration as to how this request will affect the use of the Lynnhaven Municipal Boat Ramp and expected traffic along the Lesner Bridge corridor.  For example, Salmons will not be allowed to work the full Memorial Day weekend (i.e., Saturday through Monday) or on the July 4^th holiday.  However, if the weather forecast for a given Saturday is for a non-boating/non-beach day (i.e., due to rainy weather or rough seas), then we will consider allowing Salmons to work.”

Nothing can get Ocean Park folks down when they want to have a good time! In the face of very iffy weather- the neighborhood came out ( it was a good thing we moved it forward an hour though)! Great food – huge thanks to Taste Inc. and their wonderful manager Jordan and her team! Great music- kudos to Jakob Vanko! Huge thank you to all the volunteers who made it happen!

Since we got cut off by the rain at the end of our event, the drawing for the Trivia Contest prize will take place at the May 4th General Meeting at the Brock Center at 7:00 pm.

The Ocean Park Civic League is not associated with signs seen around Shore Dr. (Shore Drive Sucks) but has long advocated for the City to honor commitments it made in the 2007 CIP for Shore Drive Improvements and to honor those commitments NOW not in another 15 years. OPCL will continue to work toward this goal. What are these defunded improvements? Go to OPCL.org/Phase IV Long Promised West Shore Dr. Improvements

President Danny Murphy spoke to WTRK Channel 3 on Monday about the signs and defunding of Phase IV. “I think the defunding of the project gives us serious concerns with the leadership within the city and city council that they’re just going to pass aside all the promises and commitments that have been made over the years, to delay this project even further,” stated Danny Murphy, President of Ocean Park Civic League. “We would like continuous sidewalks, lighting, anything a modern roadway would bring,” Murphy explained. “We see it in the rest of the city, and they seem to be able to find dollars for various places, but it’s been 18 years and we still don’t have a shovel in the ground yet.” District 9 Councilman Joash Schulman was also interviewed and also Tim Solanic.

Coastal Transplants has installed sand fences and planted American Beach Grass on the dunes. Sea Oats have now also been planted on the crest of the dunes. “Please Stay Off the Dunes “ signs remind beach goers to leave the grass and dunes undisturbed. Let’s give the grass a chance to get established!