THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, July 2, 1994 TAG: 9407020560
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: By MAC DANIEL, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 90 lines
While most plan barbecues this Independence Day weekend, residents in Ocean View are plotting revolution.
These folks want to secede from Norfolk.
All it takes is 2,000 signatures on a petition to get the ball rolling.
Nary a name is on the petitions, but a committee of seven organizers has drawn up its own Declaration of Independence as well as a city seal for the proposed city of Ocean View.
The enemy is not a king but a City Council.
``These tyrants have been deaf to the voice of justice and consanguinity,'' reads The Declaration of the Free People of Ocean View, which includes segments from that other Declaration of Independence.
If the revolt were successful, Ocean View would become the 11th largest city in Virginia with about 81,000 residents.
The courting of a mega-mall in downtown Norfolk, the city's plans to create more residential than commercial development in Ocean View, and a steadfast emphasis on downtown tourism have angered already angry residents. They believe they would be better served on their own.
``The people up here are fed up with years and years of neglect,'' said Michael Bond, 38, an unsuccessful City Council candidate this year and the main organizer of the secession. ``And who can you blame but the city government? They're going to hear it, whether they want to hear it or not.''
Councilman Randy Wright, whose ward includes Ocean View, doesn't see a revolution here. Not even a movement.
Wright said the secession idea is ``a maneuver by somebody who lost and who will not accept the fact that he lost election to City Council.''
``It's just sour grapes,'' he said. ``It is so ludicrous. It is not even in the believable category. But let him do it. I think it's fine.''
Bond, a lifelong Ocean View resident who first ran for the City Council in 1975 at age 19, said plans to secede from Norfolk have been discussed for the past five years. About two weeks ago, residents formed a seven-member executive committee to draw up the proposed city's boundaries and plot a course for the future.
This is no publicity stunt, said Bond, who plans to take the effort as far as he can. ``We're doing this to give a wake-up call to government that the middle class and poor have been excluded,'' he said.
The Committee for the City of Ocean View is now in the process of forming the proposed city's boundaries, which are not set. There is talk of going as far south as Military Circle Mall and Interstate 64.
The city charter requires 2,000 signatures to bring the matter to the City Council. If the council does not act within 30 days, the petitioners then would need 5,400 signatures to create a citywide referendum on the secession. If they get this far, the city would have to vote on the change. Ocean View then would have to apply to the state for a charter.
Philip R. Trapani, Norfolk city attorney, said he was not aware of any state law that allows a part of the city to separate from the rest.
Judith N. Boone of Judy Boone Realty said Bond and his cadre likely will get a large segment of support from Ocean View residents who are dissatisfied with Norfolk's political and business leaders.
But when it comes to revolution herself, Boone was unsure. ``I am attached to all areas of Norfolk,'' she said. ``I'm proud of Ocean View but I'm also proud to be a Norfolk resident. I don't think I'll be seceding.''
Mayor Mason Andrews said the region's future lies in cooperation, not separation.
``It's a free country and free expression is important,'' he said. ``But I would like it to come from people who have actually become involved in the community . . . I don't think it's constructive and I don't think it'll help anybody. It's a dissipation of energy that would be best spent some other way.''
James R. Exum, 49, owner of Jimmy's Harborside restaurant and several parcels of Ocean View real estate, called Bond's plan ``something that should have been tried a long time ago.''
``The west side (of Norfolk) and downtown interests run this city and that's where their businesses are - downtown. They want everything downtown. They've never done anything for this beautiful waterfront here. They don't want Ocean View. They shouldn't even argue about it. To me, they should just sign us off.''
Exum calls it a revolution ``in a calm way.''
``Nobody's throwing firebombs at City Hall,'' he said, ``but we're taking the right shots at them.'' ILLUSTRATION: [Color photo by] JOSEPH JOHN KOTLOWSKI/Staff
Michael Bond, secession effort organizer
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KEYWORDS: OCEAN VIEW SECESSION SECEDE NORFOLK by CNB