We wrote to VB Public Works Director asking about 7 items for Ocean Park.

Our January 2019 Letter to VB Public Works Director Mark Johnson.

Dear Director Johnson:

Thank you for email replies regarding our questions about internal improvements and maintenance in the Ocean Park area that includes repaving, Phase IV improvement and sand replenishment. We usually post our correspondence and the responses we receive on social media and our website to keep our neighborhood involved and to try to answer their questions.

As a neighborhood, we still have several questions about these ongoing projects and maintenance issues:

    1. Is the repaving of Shore Drive between the Lesner Bridge and Shady Oaks Drive still on schedule for February 2019?
    2. Can the proposed crosswalk at E. Stratford Road and Shore Drive . . .

“On Sunday, February 10, 2019 at 4:30 pm westbound lanes on Shore Drive at the Lesner Bridge will be closed and diverted to the eastbound side of the bridge for two way traffic. The diversion will end by 10 pm.”

From NextDoor:

The diversion will move westbound traffic onto the eastbound side of the bridge at the intersection of Shore Drive and Vista Circle. Traffic will be routed back into the westbound lanes at Shore Drive and East Stratford Drive.

Official News Release from VB Police Department. (1 page PDF)

OPCL is looking for 3 volunteers. You? Join us!

Membership chairperson:

    This position requires no bookkeeping. It is strictly a position for someone who is outgoing and wants to meet OP residents. Perfect volunteer position for a networking opportunity.

At Large Rep board Member:

    This position is a voting Board of Directors appointment.

Government Affairs Chairperson:

    This position is significant for updating the BOD as well as the civic league membership to alert everyone of city and state projects affecting the Bayfront community.

We thought you might be interested in a simple step to help move a bill that will help increase residential and commercial tree canopy throughout VA, in the name of water quality improvement and flood mitigation.

From Tanner:

Delegate Keam’s proposed tree canopy Bill HB 2333 is something we have been looking forward to for some time.

View Bill HB 2333 here.

Why is the legislation needed?
Virginia state code currently limits the amount of canopy a locality may require a developer to plant/replace/preserve.

For example, under current law, for a residential parcel zoned for 10 or fewer units per acre, the locality may not require a tree canopy greater than 20% in 20 years’ time. For a commercial parcel, the maximum tree canopy a locality can require is 10%. That’s right, there is a maximum amount of trees a locality can require to be replaced.

What does HB 2333 do?
It exempts a locality from those caps if they’re using trees to achieve a water quality (i.e. Bay TMDL) or quantity (i.e. flood mitigation) goal.

See this attachment to see how it changes to existing law. (2pg PDF)

What can you do to support this common-sense legislation?
Simple. We are building a consortium of groups to add their names to our sign-on letter of support (see below how to join).

We will share this list with members of the House Counties, Cities and Towns subcommittee to ensure it makes its way to full committee vote.

From there we think it has a good chance of making it to the floor.

To join the sign-on letter all we need is:
Organization, Lead Signatory, and Title. You can see who else is already on board and add your organization to our running list here.

Or just email Tanner at CBF & let me know you are in!

View letter that will be sent that will include list of supporting organizations.

Have capacity to help?
Share this email with others who might be interested — HOAs, civic leagues, local government, tree stewards, healthcare companies, nurseries, tree care companies, botanical gardens, small and large businesses – anyone that has a stake in increasing tree canopy in the Bay watershed.

What is the deadline for signing?
We’ll leave the letter open until the bill is on the House Counties, Cities and Towns subcommittee #2 docket, which could be as early as next Thursday.

Thanks for your consideration. We hope you will join us. Please don’t hesitate to call if I can answer any questions about the bill.

Cheers,

Tanner Council
Hampton Roads Grassroots Manager
Chesapeake Bay Foundation
Brock Environmental Center | 757.644.4113

Our newly elected Mayor Dyer will be at the Thursday January 10th meeting at Brock Environmental Center and wants to meet all of Ocean Park.

We also have the election of 2019 officers and representative appointments.

There is a considerable amount of correspondence between OPCL and local government but also the Governor of Va. and OPCL needs your input and blessing on these subjects.

Presentation about the new school at Brock Environmental Center too IN CBF’s BEC!

Did you know the beach is being widened to 500 feet, find out how and when.

Social half hour starts at 7 pm.

Make the new Years resolution to join OPCL, support OPCL and be a contributing part of OPCL.

Have you seen the Lesner bridge lights in person yet?

Join us!

CBF’s Brock Environmental Center is located at 3663 Marlin Bay Drive.

January 10 2019 General Membership Meeting AGENDA (2 pg PDF)

VB City Public Schools and CBF are partnering on a new environmental science program for high school students, which will be based at CBF’s Brock Environmental Center in OCEAN PARK PEOPLE!

What is the goal of the new environmental studies program at Virginia Beach City Public Schools, which will use the new classroom?
The Environmental Studies Program will empower students to broaden their understanding of sustainability and the environment by using the Brock Center and surrounding natural community, implementing environmental service learning projects, and integrating interdisciplinary instruction.

Learn more.

Dream impossible dreams & work on them because sometime they DO in fact come true!

Fall Fest Thanks !

In spite of threatening weather, the Fall Fest was a huge success thanks to the great turn-out by our Ocean Park residents!

First, a special thanks to Alicia Benjamin who joined our volunteer team this year and became our third amigo! She was a big help to Joanne Parker and me (Lynda Martin) and took on the daunting task of recruiting other volunteers.

Thanks also to the many other “worker bees” that made this Fall Fest another fun success! We greatly appreciate the following people for taking shifts during the festival:

    Brian Parker, Brian Snyder, Paula Demosthenes, Leslie Cowing, Terry Gearhart, Mike Wills, Princess Norris, Blake Norris, Lauren Harrington, Betty Demers, Brian Demers, Karen?? (sorry, didn’t get your last name), Margaret Brzostek, Isabelle Hume, and Debbie Bickel.

Thanks to all who helped clean up, especially Ron and Tracy Macan and Isabelle Hume.

Our junior helpers who deserve thanks are:

    Lane Wills, Katie Wills, Mia Gardener, Sammie Gardner, Jessica Parker, Ben Parker, Maddie Busch, and Annie Busch.

A special thanks to Blake Norris for doing a fantastic job of handling the Treasurer position in his well-organized manner as well as temporarily covering our Membership Committee.

Without paid members, new incoming members, and accurate records of our members, our social events can’t happen.

And of course, A BIG thanks to Froggies for their professionalism and excellent food!!
Special thanks to Debbie Bickel for volunteering to help serve throughout most of the event!

Lynda Martin
Co-Chair OPCL Social Committee

THE LOUISE AND GEORGE LYON MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP

Completed application deadline is March 2019.

The Lyons were lifelong members of the Ocean Park Civic League and dedicated a good portion of their free time to serving the community in which they lived. They were especially committed to supporting the Ocean Park Volunteer Rescue Squad which was the first, all voluntary, rescue squad established in Virginia Beach and which is still in operation today on Shore Drive.

Each year the Ocean Park Civic League awards a scholarship to a deserving high school senior who will attend a postsecondary institution in Virginia.

If you are a senior or have a senior in your household, it is never too early to start thinking about and applying for scholarships. The scholarship is $1000 per year for up to four years as long as the student maintains the required GPA. The criteria include academic record, service to the community and letters of recommendation.

Mail complete application by March 31, 2019 to:

Blog at WordPress.com.

Up ↑