⚓️ LBR Report: July 17-19

Parks and Rec Department report for last holiday weekend July 17-19, 2026: “This was a slower weekend with a total of 346 launches. Overall, very hot and humid weekend with periods of rain Saturday and rain all day on Sunday.”

“Friday, July 17 – 122 total launches, car parking was not full and remained available throughout the day. The overflow lot was used for 14 vehicles with trailers. The main trailer lot did not fill. Barricades were not deployed. Weather was hot, humid with some wind.

Saturday, July 18 – 167 total launches, car parking did fill up around 10am and had limited availability throughout the day. The overflow lot was used for approximately 34 vehicles with trailers. We did not have to close the facility to trucks and trailers. Weather was hot, hazy and some wind.

Sunday, July 19 – 81 total launches, car parking did fill up around 11:45am and had limited availability the rest of the day. The overflow lot was used for 2 oversized trailers. Barricade operations were not implemented this day. Hot and humid, water was choppy with wind. Late day rain.

Incidents:

We had a 2 boats breakdown at the recovery ramp on Saturday. This caused a short delay for people for people recovering their boat.

Review of camera footage from weekend did not show anything out of the ordinary. No reports from security guard.

Notes:

Although we are getting colorful comments on social media, staff reported that several boaters complimented us on the new stand saying that it was a great idea and that they could identify staff more clearly during launching and recovery.

Parking Enforcement:

Enforcement runs from May 1- October 31.

Total Citation Count: 30

Total Read Count: 349 (this is the number of vehicles scanned during enforcement visits)”

July 26, 2026 0

Marlin Bay Project at Planning Commission

OPCL President Danny Murphy was one of 9 speakers at the June 10 Planning Commission meeting. There were 6 speakers against the project, 2 in favor and 1 neutral.

The 6 speakers who oppose the project noted that there have been 57 letters of opposition to the project citing density, building height, potential environmental impacts, increased traffic and associated safety issues, overflow parking into surrounding neighborhoods, and potential flooding impacts.

Terry Browning owns the adjacent property and business: Browning’s Marine Sales which was part of the 2021 Marlin Bay project. He spoke in favor of the project and noted that ownership of the property and business has changed since the first Marlin Bay Project. He spoke to address speculation that his property might also soon be developed. He has bought out his brothers and owns both now outright and stated that his and his son will continue to operate the boat sales business.

President Danny Murphy’s statement:

“Good afternoon, Chairman Coston, Commissions and staff. My name is Danny Murphy, and I serve as the President of the Ocean Park Civic League.

I am here to formally state that the Civic League has chosen not to take an official position for or against the Shore Drive Area Condo project application. Over the past five years of my tenure, this site and adjacent parcels have been the focus of redevelopment projects. The Civic League and community have strongly opposed those previous plans, as some of you on this commission may recall. Our community remains divided on this proposal, as confirmed at our recent June meeting. We believe it is important to prioritize residents’ voices by stepping back and allowing them to present their individual perspectives directly to you.

According to our Bylaws, the Civic League’s mandate is to ‘inform residents of issues of neighborhood importance, to provide a forum for discussion of concerns, and to promote participation in public affairs,’ such as this hearing. We operate ‘for the mutual beneficial interests of the Ocean Park community’ and promote ‘safety, and natural resource stewardship for the protection of property values of Ocean Park so it may continue and flourish.’ As noted, redevelopment of these parcels has been discussed at numerous meetings (recap) and open houses. I would like to thank the City of Virginia Beach Planning Department, especially Deputy Director Carrie Bookholt and staff planner Marchelle Coleman, for dedicating an evening to educate our members on land use and redevelopment as it relates to this project. The Q&A portion was extremely valuable, and the city of VB should be proud of their representation.

I also thank the developer, McLeskey Assoc., for addressing past concerns, working to mitigate them where possible, and continuing to seek input throughout this process. They will likely outline their community outreach, pre-project meetings, concept reviews, and efforts to incorporate feedback from the Civic League and Bayfront Advisory Commission, including features such as the designated pet relief area. Their good-faith effort is evident.

Redevelopment is inevitable, necessary, and welcome. As the Civic League observes the future of Shore Drive, we respectfully ask that you evaluate this application within the context of the long-term vision Virginia Beach has adopted for the corridor. We emphasize that this project is unique and should not set a precedent for other nearby redevelopment proposals, several of which may soon arise. All projects must meet the standards of the Comprehensive Plan, the Shore Drive Overlay District, the Shore Drive Corridor Plan, and design guidelines. A wise councilman once told me these represent the contract with the city’s citizens.

There are concerns that many of us share, regardless of our position on the project. I ask that these concerns accompany your recommendation to the City Council, which will make the final decision.

Scale, density, and massing are significant, documented concerns. To reach nearly 24 units per acre, the applicant is requesting variances to reduce the required 30-foot setback on Clipper Bay Drive to 15 feet and lower step-down height 33 feet adjacent to existing townhomes. We ask the Commission to consider these requests carefully before granting approval.
Neighborhood character and corridor alignment. The key consideration is whether the project reflects Ocean Park’s identity as a historic coastal community and aligns with the City’s adopted corridor plan.
Parking and traffic. The trade-off between building height and ground-level parking is significant, and neighbors are concerned that resident and guest vehicles may spill onto Marlin Bay Drive and nearby streets. As for traffic, Shore Drive already exceeds its designed capacity. The Shore Drive Corridor Improvements (Phase IV) project is not scheduled to begin until 2032. Additionally, without proper light cycling, Marlin Bay Drive remains a significant concern as it serves as a main conduit for the area.
Stormwater Management and the Lynnhaven watershed. This section of the Bayfront is already vulnerable to flooding. Any new development must demonstrate that it will not increase runoff or drainage issues, nor hinder the potential need for the west Shore Drive Phase IV Stormwater Pump Station.
Pleasure House Point Natural Area. This property is adjacent to the city’s crown jewel, which the entire community values. With 52 new units, increased use of the area is inevitable. We request meaningful & thoughtful protection for the habitat and trails.
We respectfully request that, regardless of your recommendation, these concerns be included in the record and forwarded to Council, and that residents continue to have a full and fair opportunity to be heard.
Thank you for your time and your service.”

Link to the full Planning Commission Meeting June 10

July 14, 2026 0

⚓️ LBR Report May 29-31

Parks and Recreation staff share weekly updates regarding weekend activity at the Lynnhaven Boat Ramp (LBR):

Total of 480 launches over the weekend.

Friday, May 29 – 132 total launches, car parking did fill late in the afternoon around 5pm. The overflow lot was not used. We did not have to close using the barricades at any time. We had a big rush of boaters getting on the water in late afternoon/evening.

Saturday, May 30 – 138 total launches, car parking did fill up around 12noon and there was sporadic availability parking throughout the day. The overflow lot was used. We did not have to close using the barricades at any time. A small craft advisory was in effect for the bay and high gusty winds.

Sunday, May 31 – 210 total launches, car parking did fill up around 11:00 am and there was limited available parking throughout the day. The overflow lot was used. We did have to close the facility around 12:45 pm and barricade operations were implemented. Police were notified at 12:40 pm that our facility parking was full.

Incidents to report:

Reviewed camera footage from the weekend and no issues to report.

On Sunday, around 3pm staff encountered a disabled boat on ramp #4. Staff were quick to close that ramp to give the boater time to sort the issue. The ramp was closed for less than 15 minutes. The remaining 3 ramps were fully operational.

Notes:

As of June 3, the eastbound digital sign has been installed. The westbound sign should be completed by June 5. Once the installation is complete, the control software will be installed, and staff will be trained on how to use the controls. We hope to have the signs fully functional by the June 12-14 weekend.

Parking Enforcement:

Enforcement runs from May 1- October 31.

Total Citation Count: 52

Total Read Count: 406 (this is the number of vehicles scanned during enforcement visits)

Staff hours this summer:

May 23 – Sept 4 5:30 am –9:00 pm

Security staff:

8:00pm – 2:00am 7 days a week

“In addition to our specific on our assigned security guard, there is an additional security guard that checks city facilities Tuesday through Saturday between the hours of 11:00pm and 7am. The Lynnhaven Boat Ramp is included on the list of facilities that they visit.”

June 4, 2026 0

Sunday? Why are the 🎇Fireworks 🎆 on July 6th?

Putting on the fireworks show over the bay that we enjoy every year is more complicated than many folks realize. This year the date of Sunday, July 6th was chosen carefully with many factors of cost and logistics in mind. Fireworks czar Jill Doczi explains:

Let’s start with the barge:

“ We can’t just use any barge. It has to be a certain-sized, oceangoing barge with a certain kind of edge around it and certain features. There are major, multi-year projects on the HRBT and the CBBT utilizing those types of barges, and the cost to get those to unload all their equipment, suspend their scheduled work and move from their locations for two days would be unthinkable. We (and the oceanfront) almost didn’t have a show about three years ago because there was no barge to be found in along the East Coast. We, the city, the fireworks company, etc. looked hard for months before we found one, which we shared. When there is a shortage of barges, you work with what you have. What we have is a barge being used already on July 4 that we are lucky to be using. We explored the option of doing it on Saturday, but the cost was way too high.“

Contraints on the crew for the fireworks:

“A crew, each of which has to be highly vetted far ahead of time by multiple security agencies, is dedicated to our show. It IS essentially a giant bomb that floats past vital shipyards, Little Creek Amphib Base and over major tunnel-bridges like HRBT and CBBT, so the people involved can’t just be found on the street to work for a day gig. They must have multiple permits at the federal and state level as well as longshoreman insurance.“

“It takes over a day to load in Chesapeake for that first show. Then it takes half a day to get to that shooting location. They shoot on Friday night at the Oceanfront, and it takes them the same amount of time to get back to Chesapeake, where the crew gets to rest because they’ve already been working nonstop with dangerous cargo since early the day before. Then they go back to work to prep and load our show, which will take a day to do.“

“If we wanted to shoot on Saturday night, the crew would have to be relieved by a second crew after being up so long, and our show would absorb the cost of the second crew, their permit fees, their travel, hotel, per diem, lodging, insurance, etc. If you’ve ever worked in maritime, insurance for Jones Act and workers comp is crazy. That second crew would then sail over to us (taking half a day), shoot our show and return in the middle of the night to Chesapeake to disassemble, load their things and go home.“

“BOTTOM LINE: We couldn’t absorb the 💰cost of a second crew, nor could we absorb the cost of a separate barge on our own (if there was one even available), so it became: Give the crew the required and necessary break and shoot on Sunday night or don’t have a show. The neighborhoods chose to have a show.“

“Keep in mind, this is only the logistics of the barge and crew. We also need to have an available tug and staff, the city services must be available on a busy holiday. VB fire marshal must be on site the entire time in Chesapeake while the barge and explosives are there, then on site here in our beach while the barge is here. As you can imagine, the fire marshal’s department is busy July 4, so they’re stretched thin. We also have to have a plan in place with a city special events person, beach police,⚓️ maritime police and Coast Guard to be on site for our show. They are stretched thin on July 4 as well.“

Jill continues: “I’m anticipating the next question.”

Why can’t we just have it on the beach and get rid of about half those issues?

We aren’t allowed to close off a large area of the public beach for the entire holiday weekend to prepare, load and have a show on the sand. Can you imagine how upset people would be if we had to block off our beach across multiple accesses? But that doesn’t matter anyway because of the next answer.
After the Ocracoke fireworks explosion in July 2009 that killed and injured multiple people, safety rules tightened up everywhere. You can only load shows that are far enough away from people and structures to keep them from harm. So we can’t trot giant 8-foot-diameter explosives down the beach paths all day with houses 16 feet on either side and people using the already full beach on a holiday. We also couldn’t place explosives with the capability of flying 800 feet sideways within 250 feet of houses and people.
Side note: This is also why it has to load in at an industrial dock in Chesapeake. Imagine the fire power of an entire truck full of hundreds of shells and what that could do to a block of houses on Jefferson or Sandy Bay, or even the boat ramp. It would never be permitted by the fire marshal.
There are SOME shows that can shoot from land, but, they must have a safety perimeter that meets the requirements. For instance, a 2-inch shell can fly roughly 200 feet in any direction, including sideways, so if you want to load a show with 2-inch shells or smaller, there have to be no buildings or people within 200 feet of the loading area or the show. That also means the fireworks are lower and harder to see by a wide crowd because they explode at 200 feet. A 3–inch shell needs 300 feet of load in and crowd-viewing perimeter, etc. The little ones that look like they’re exploding right above the barge deck are 2-inch shells. Our show uses up to 8-inch shells, so the whole beach gets a good view. The barge is so far out to get the necessary 800 to 1,000 feet of safety perimeter. That’s why Coast Guard and marine police are required to secure that perimeter. If an 8-inch shell got lose and shot sideways, it couldn’t hit anyone on the beach.

There is no way we could meet safety requirements to load a show in and shoot on our beach unless we’re talking some guys with bottle rockets, which would be a sad, sad show.

It’s a LOT of information. Trust me — I know. 😉 But, hopefully it answered multiple questions for multiple people. Short answer: It boils down to safety and cost. “

THANK YOU JILL AND ALL THE VOLUNTEERS AND ALL THE WONDERFUL PEOPLE WHO CONTRIBUTE TO MAKE IT HAPPEN!

Your donations are GREATLY APPRECIATED!!

June 16, 2025 0

Thank You Generous Neighbors!

CASA Outreach Coordinator Lenora Thompson received our gift cards ( so cold outside the court!) : “Please send a HUGE Thank You! to everyone that contributed financially, logistically and administratively. And may you ALL have a safe/healthy and happy holiday season!” She said the volunteer advocates had been asking if there cards being donated and we are so pleased that we were able to contribute for every child! Thank you neighbors!

We have met our goal of providing a gift card for all 40 children in the CASA program! Each child will receive a gift card from Target, Amazon, or Visa AND a small card for a treat from Chick-Fil-A or McDonalds! Huge thank you to all our generous neighbors for providing gift cards and contributions in excess of $1600! We applaud the work of the Court Appointed Special Advocate staff and Volunteers who provide such crucial support to these children! We recognize our neighbors who currently and in the past have worked with the organization Tracie Cohen, Morgan Ayers, Gaynelle Ayers and others! If you would like to still donate, you may donate directly to CASA!

The mission of the Virginia Beach CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) is to support and promote court-appointed volunteer advocacy so that every abused and neglected child can be safe, establish permanence and have the opportunity to thrive. CASA volunteers are appointed by judges to advocate for a child’s best interest. Volunteers undergo extensive training and do important work. Ocean Park has a long connection with CASA with neighbors serving on the CASA board and as hardworking case advocates.

December 16, 2024 0