THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 9, 1994 TAG: 9410070294
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Medium: 61 lines
Regarding reporter Debbie Messina's excellent article on Virginia Beach's landscaping ordinances (Virginian-Pilot/Ledger-Star, Sept. 11), isn't it interesting that ordinances that are working so well to beautify our city have been placed on the chopping block by our city manager and our planning director? Of all the readily apparent problems we have in this city, it certainly does my soul good to know that Jim Spore and Bob Scott have made it their priority to change these ordinances.
I do not buy Planning Commission Chairman Richard Cockrell's apology for not consulting with the original landscape committee, which represented all facets of the community and worked together to resolve their differences over a period of two years. Even if Mr. Cockrell did not know what was going on, it is the duty of the city staff to inform appointed and elected officials who suffer memory lapses.
These ordinances were an outgrowth of the results of an advisory referendum in the city, which passed overwhelmingly to preserve trees as well as plant them in developing areas. State legislation was passed to allow this. I am ashamed that we have such insensitive city officials who are trying to set the city back in an area in which we are recognized statewide for the quality of what we are doing.
It is important that citizens realize that the present city manager (who is from the Midwest, where trees may not be as prevalent as here) recommended the removal of the inspection of landscape plans and trees from the oversight of qualified landscape inspectors to the city's building and plumbing inspectors. They may be very well qualified in their area, but they certainly cannot be expected to have expertise in landscape practices; hence, the recommendation to have to count only the trees rather than judge type, size, suitability, etc. The changes in these ordinances have likewise been drafted by employees in the Planning Department who also are not knowledgeable in this field. Robert Huff, city arborist, and Eddie Barnes, head of Landscape Services, have been bypassed. All of this has occurred at the behest of the city manager and the planning director.
I am told that the staff is still trying to force these absurd changes down the throats of citizens who have worked for years to improve the aesthetic appearance of the city. It is most unfortunate that our current mode of Council operation seems to be continuously bringing up changes that are nurtured and appear on a Council agenda without ever having been near a living, breathing citizen. This little project was well on its way to passage when headed off by the concerned citizens mentioned in Ms. Messina's article.
Hopefully, the Council members who ran for office this past May will remember they signed statements saying that they supported the existing landscape and tree-preservation ordinances; likewise, it is hoped that the other Council members will remember that their commitments are to the citizens of the city, not to the city staff.
Reba S. McClanan
Burnt Mill Road MEMO: Reba McClanan, a former member of City Council, was on the landscape
committee. by CNB