THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, March 17, 1996 TAG: 9603150218
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 14 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: Medium: 81 lines
At its retreat last August, the City Council set priorities for 1995-96. Now, halfway through the fiscal year, City Manager James K. Spore has prepared a report updating those progress on those goals as follows:
TOP PRIORITIES
(in no particular order)
Lake Gaston:
Large-scale construction of the pipeline resumed last week, five years after a court ordered it stopped until Virginia Beach received all necessary permits. North Carolina, which has opposed the project for 13 years, filed an appeal last fall to overturn the final permit. That case will go to court this summer.
Alternate Water Source Plan:
No action will be taken until after the appeal is settled.
Review Comprehensive Plan:
The council and the Planning Commission have scheduled an all-day session Saturday to discuss the comprehensive plan, which is expected to be completed in about a year.
Business Retention and Expansion:
The city enjoyed a strong business year in 1995, attracting 14 new businesses. More than 2,500 new jobs were created or retained at the Beach with the help of the city's Department of Economic Development.
Police Staffing:
The Police Department received a federal grant to hire 13 more police officers.
Community Safety Strategy:
The city manager has established a staff committee to devise ways to improve safety in Virginia Beach beyond conventional policing. The Police Department is also evaluating the results of a federal grant that provided 28 community policing officers to 10 neighborhoods last year.
HIGH PRIORITIES
(in no particular order)
Burton Station:
The City Council postponed plans to buy residential land in the neighborhood to turn the area into an industrial park. The city's top priority in the neighborhood now is to
``build trust'' before resuming any work.
Master Street and Highway Plan:
The state chose an alignment for the Southeastern Expressway and has said it would be open to the council's plans to build a ``parkway'' surrounded by greenery, rather than a large-scale expressway.
Legislative Lobbying:
The city hired a lobbying firm during the recently ended General Assembly session to push council's top priorities. Council members also appeared regularly in Richmond to argue for the consolidation of school and city financial departments.
Neighborhood Vitality:
The Department of Housing and Neighborhood Preservation launched a ``Neighborhood Institute'' to train residents to become better civic leaders. Next year's budget, to be considered by the council next month, will include requests for more money for street lights and code enforcement.
School Funding Strategy:
The city and school district are developing a plan to merge accounting, purchasing and payroll departments to improve financial management and save duplication costs.
Lake Ridge:
The City Council appointed a task force to consider possible uses of the 1,200-acre parcel next to Princess Anne Park. The task force has held two public meetings to solicit citizen ideas for the site, which will house the amphitheater, and possibly a soccer stadium, several golf courses, an equestrian center and some business development. The city has issued a request for proposals from golf course developers interested in creating courses on the property.
Corporate Landing:
The first two projects in the long-quiet industrial park will be completed next month. The council-appointed task force formulated recommendations that have stalled for the moment before the Planning Commission because of concerns by residential neighbors. MEMO: This summary was compiled by staff writer Karen Weintraub. by CNB