THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, November 12, 1995 TAG: 9511100163
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 16 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DEBBIE MESSINA, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 78 lines
Now that North End residents have signed off on the city's hurricane protection plan, which alters their beaches and dunes, they are hoping to get some long-needed improvements in return for their support.
Specifically, residents want a storm drain system to alleviate flooding on Atlantic Avenue and they want their electrical wires buried because exposure to salt and wind contributes to frequent power outages in their neighborhoods.
City officials discussed the possibility of getting drainage and electrical improvements at a North Virginia Beach Civic League meeting last month in which the majority of residents expressed satisfaction with the revised hurricane plan. But no promises were made.
``We hope it's not another political ploy, dangling this in front of us so we'll like their program,'' said Dr. Roger L. Visser, civic league president.
North End residents had been overwhelmingly opposed to the hurricane protection plan, which they argued was unnecessary along their plentiful beaches and dunes. They feared the project would destroy the character of their community, limit beach access and bring additional parking facilities.
But after project officials nixed plans for elevated concrete dune cross-overs and replaced them with on-grade wooden ones, agreed to building walkways at the end of every street as opposed to every third street, and guaranteed that no additional parking would be created, the residents were more supportive.
The $93 million hurricane protection project widens the beach from Rudee Inlet to Fort Story, builds a seawall and expanded boardwalk from Rudee Inlet to 40th Street, erects a new bulkhead from 40th Street to 58th Street and replenishes the dunes from 58th Street to Fort Story. It will be funded 65 percent by the federal government and 35 percent by the city.
If the North End were not included in the project, the plan probably would have died.
Federal funding for these projects is based on a cost-benefit ratio, with only the most cost effective projects getting funding. While the resort strip meets the minimum ratio on its own, the case becomes more compelling when the North End is factored in because of the relatively small amount of work that is needed to protect expensive property.
``Many people have expressed the feeling that we are not getting our fair share of the project's benefits,'' Visser wrote to Councilman W.W. ``Bill'' Harrison Jr. ``In light of this, it is easily understood why so many people have urged me to work for some added benefits. . . .''
Storm drain improvements have been slowly phased in along Atlantic Avenue, but the stretch from 42nd to 68th Streets has yet to be built.
Heavy rain sometimes renders this section of Atlantic Avenue virtually impassable. At those times, traffic is restricted to one lane down the center of the road, or motorists use the feeder road.
The cost of installing better drainage is $22 million. However, if the improvements were constructed at the same time as the hurricane protection project, the city could save $8 million.
The hurricane project includes piping the current levels of storm runoff under the beach into the ocean. By timing the projects together, the pipes could be upgraded while everything's already torn up, resulting in savings.
City officials encouraged North End residents to lobby City Council next spring to include the drainage project in the budget so it can be timed with the hurricane protection project.
But Visser is pressing for ``something more definite.''
City Manager James K. Spore wrote to Visser, ``. . . no promises could be made because the final decision has to be made by the City Council through the Capital Improvement Program process.''
Residents also were told that the city has negotiated with Virginia Power to place underground 21,600 feet of power lines for free over the next 20 years along Atlantic and Pacific avenues, Shore Drive and at Sandbridge. That would be roughly two blocks per year.
The civic league was hoping for more streets per year and that the North End would be the highest priority.
Philip J. Roehrs, city coastal engineer, said that Atlantic and Pacific avenues would likely be targeted first as they are the gateways to the tourist area. by CNB