THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, April 21, 1995 TAG: 9504200155
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 08 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DEBBIE MESSINA, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 71 lines
Distrust has become a major stumbling block to solving the access dispute between Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge and False Cape State Park.
A meeting of a citizens advisory group Monday demonstrated how none of the players - the state, the federal government and the public - trust each other.
The issue has simmered for decades because the state and federal governments trusted each other to work something out nearly 30 years ago. They never did.
False Cape State Park is an isolated barrier spit just south of Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge. The state started buying the land for False Cape in the late 1960s knowing the only access to the park would be through the existing federal refuge. No formal arrangements were made.
Now, the state is asking the federal government for a deeded access corridor through the refuge with no federal restrictions on use.
``The point is, there has to be trust,'' False Cape manager Bryan Anderson told the group. ``As a land management agency, we have a good track record.
``We do not want to jeopardize our resource there or the wildlife refuge's resource.''
U.S. Fish and Wildlife, however, is not about to relinquish control over how many people traverse a wildlife refuge to the state.
``We can't go on handshakes and verbal communications,'' acting refuge manager Joe McCauley said at the meeting. ``We wouldn't be here today if that hadn't occurred in 1966.''
The two managers were not the only ones with doubts.
``We just don't trust the state,'' said Reese Lukei, a local wildlife activist. ``The message the state is sending is so confused.''
The state has had varying goals for the park through the years. State officials now say they don't want to greatly increase visitorship beyond the current 21,000 people annually. But in previous years, they've quoted goals ranging from 25,000 visitors a day to 2,000 visitors a day.
Anne Henry, another local activist, suggested the goals for park usage could change every four years as new governors are elected.
``The state's already threatening privatization of four state parks,'' Henry said. ``If they get deeded access, what's stopping them from saying not enough people go down there in the first place so we may as well sell it?''
Henry and others fear then that a developer could buy the property and use the deeded access for major car traffic.
``As a citizen, I want to see both of these areas protected,'' Henry said.
Henry contended that the reason Seashore State Park has remained in a natural state is because citizens fought efforts by the state to develop the park.
``A lot of us down here are pretty good watchdogs,'' she said.
State and federal officials have been in a stalemate since the summer over the access issue. The local citizens stepped in to help encourage dialogue and ultimately a resolution.
The refuge in November closed most of its dikes, or trails, to the public for seven months to protect migrating birds. Those dikes, used by hikers and bikers, are the main access to the park. Park visitors must now travel 10 miles round trip on the beach to reach the park.
As a result of the citizens' suggestions, the refuge is considering shortening the closure period and allowing school and other groups to travel by bus through the refuge for programs at the park.
Because of pressure from the citizens as well as from Sen. John W. Warner, who is trying to get Congress to force a resolution, park and refuge officials agreed to meet Thursday and today in Richmond.
KEYWORDS: BACK BAY NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE FALSE CAPE STATE PARK ACCESS
by CNB