Willoughby Civic League Willoughby Civic League
October 11, 2018 7:00 pm, Pretlow Library
Don Musacchio presiding
Officer Jobes CSO gave an update about crime in the area. There have been 7 reported crimes- all property crimes. At the Motel 6 there were two car break ins. One was an unsecured vehicle and the other was license plate theft. One commercial burglary is under investigation. There were 29 arrests in civic league area, 8 felony arrests in the past month. There is a community open house 2nd Tuesday of the month. It is going to be held on Nov 13 at 6:30 pm. Residents are encouraged to attend Comm Stat, 2 people from each precinct are allowed to see what is involved in investigations and how crime is being addressed in the City. It will be held promptly on Thursday Nov 8 at 8:30 am. The Police department and Target on Military Circle teaming up Sat Oct 20 for a trunk or treat event. There will be an estimated 3-4 thousand kids there, so plan on being early. Police dept. kicked off Virtual Neighborhood Watch. Residents can register their address and camera locations through the NPD website. Investigator can use the map to see if crime has happened by the address, and can get info to help make arrests.
Chuck Joyner from the City of Norfolk discussed several ongoing issues.
Signage for interstate access will be updated in the upcoming years. New sign language will mark the help alert drivers of 15th view gate closure.
Update: I did find out that there is a connection problem between the flashing sign at Mason Creek and the gates. There is not hard wire connection, and the wireless connection between the two will no longer work because of signal interference. Transportation is looking into an upgraded wireless connection or a hard wire connection. In the meantime, they are aware of the flashing but elected to leave it that way rather than turning it off because it would keep more traffic off the Spit
Chuck commented on 11th view and Toler Place beach erosion problems. The City needed to wait a few cycles to see what would happen with the sand. Moffatt & Nichol took a look at the erosion issue and Toler Place beach erosion. There is still an erosion issue at 11th view. They suggested adding new breakwaters near the outfall at 11th view. Currently, the City is putting options into the model and seeing what will be the best way to prevent erosion. The schedule to put in new breakwater is already in motion. The permitting process will begin next month. The goal is to have it out for bid in the spring and constructed by the fall of 2019. The City is working with group building the HRBT to see if the City can get some good sand to replenish beach in 11th view. The same approach is being taken from Thimble Shoals dredging. Even with the addition of sand that is being dredged, outfalls should not need to be extended. There are three outfall projects ongoing now. Norfolk Ave, 13th view extending is out for bid now. The 12th view new outfall from little bay will be constructed Jan/Feb timeframe. When City has to extend outfalls, money that is spent gets to count towards the Corps matching fund.
Update: We are finally advertising the 12th View St Storm Water Outfall (Little Bay) this weekend. Bids are currently scheduled to open on November 20. That would mean construction would probably start in late January or early February.
Beach plantings-Emerald Forest, contracted through the City, will take a look in November to see what areas need to be addressed. Plantings have to happen by the end of March.
Sand spurs-no good solution. Only way to have to eradicate it is to kill everything else around it.
New beach walkways and signs are trying to set up a unified wayfinding system. The City came up with a new design. New patterns are to be implemented over several years. A sign on Ocean View Ave showing beach access, as well as on the beach, showing where patrons are. New beach roles and wayfinding signs will be implemented. If WCL has any priorities to put the signs, let Chuck know.
Adale Martin gave an update on the School Board
As of July 1st, Norfolk has their first fully elected school board. Elected a new chair and vice chair. Adale is on the policy, legislative, special education, outreach/community committees. The board is digesting SOL scores. Nothing has changed. All in Ward 1 are accredited. All are flat lined. It has been 3 years and no up and no down. Safety in Security in schools is a priority-establishing security task force to prepare for legislation that will be passed at State level. Getting everything lined up to be able to take advantage of any state grants. Currently, there are no security officers at elementary schools. Accreditation standards are changing. This year, everything is going to be paired on new and old standards. Drop out and long term truancy rates will be analyzed. Adale discussed with high schools about how to fund better ISS monitors. The priority is keeping kids in school and safe.
Ms. Barker asked a question concerning alternative schools, since they are typically the worst buildings and no SRO in the schools. More parent involvement is needed as well.
Val asked for support to send a letter opposing Toler Place being connected to 11th View. The residents sent a letter to send to City Council with 42 signatures. Looking for a preemptive stand to help support residents of Toler.
Rick Anderson made a motion that WCL supports Toler place residents in opposing opening Toler place to 11th View. seconded by Tammy Barker. Unanimously passed.
Discussion about short-term rentals took place. Ordinance passed the City planning commission in September.
Lea Ann needs volunteers to help set up and tear down flea market.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:15 PM.
Updates from Chuck:
Waste Management:
October 11, 2018 7:00 pm, Pretlow Library
Don Musacchio presiding
Officer Jobes CSO gave an update about crime in the area. There have been 7 reported crimes- all property crimes. At the Motel 6 there were two car break ins. One was an unsecured vehicle and the other was license plate theft. One commercial burglary is under investigation. There were 29 arrests in civic league area, 8 felony arrests in the past month. There is a community open house 2nd Tuesday of the month. It is going to be held on Nov 13 at 6:30 pm. Residents are encouraged to attend Comm Stat, 2 people from each precinct are allowed to see what is involved in investigations and how crime is being addressed in the City. It will be held promptly on Thursday Nov 8 at 8:30 am. The Police department and Target on Military Circle teaming up Sat Oct 20 for a trunk or treat event. There will be an estimated 3-4 thousand kids there, so plan on being early. Police dept. kicked off Virtual Neighborhood Watch. Residents can register their address and camera locations through the NPD website. Investigator can use the map to see if crime has happened by the address, and can get info to help make arrests.
Chuck Joyner from the City of Norfolk discussed several ongoing issues.
Signage for interstate access will be updated in the upcoming years. New sign language will mark the help alert drivers of 15th view gate closure.
Update: I did find out that there is a connection problem between the flashing sign at Mason Creek and the gates. There is not hard wire connection, and the wireless connection between the two will no longer work because of signal interference. Transportation is looking into an upgraded wireless connection or a hard wire connection. In the meantime, they are aware of the flashing but elected to leave it that way rather than turning it off because it would keep more traffic off the Spit
Chuck commented on 11th view and Toler Place beach erosion problems. The City needed to wait a few cycles to see what would happen with the sand. Moffatt & Nichol took a look at the erosion issue and Toler Place beach erosion. There is still an erosion issue at 11th view. They suggested adding new breakwaters near the outfall at 11th view. Currently, the City is putting options into the model and seeing what will be the best way to prevent erosion. The schedule to put in new breakwater is already in motion. The permitting process will begin next month. The goal is to have it out for bid in the spring and constructed by the fall of 2019. The City is working with group building the HRBT to see if the City can get some good sand to replenish beach in 11th view. The same approach is being taken from Thimble Shoals dredging. Even with the addition of sand that is being dredged, outfalls should not need to be extended. There are three outfall projects ongoing now. Norfolk Ave, 13th view extending is out for bid now. The 12th view new outfall from little bay will be constructed Jan/Feb timeframe. When City has to extend outfalls, money that is spent gets to count towards the Corps matching fund.
Update: We are finally advertising the 12th View St Storm Water Outfall (Little Bay) this weekend. Bids are currently scheduled to open on November 20. That would mean construction would probably start in late January or early February.
Beach plantings-Emerald Forest, contracted through the City, will take a look in November to see what areas need to be addressed. Plantings have to happen by the end of March.
Sand spurs-no good solution. Only way to have to eradicate it is to kill everything else around it.
New beach walkways and signs are trying to set up a unified wayfinding system. The City came up with a new design. New patterns are to be implemented over several years. A sign on Ocean View Ave showing beach access, as well as on the beach, showing where patrons are. New beach roles and wayfinding signs will be implemented. If WCL has any priorities to put the signs, let Chuck know.
Adale Martin gave an update on the School Board
As of July 1st, Norfolk has their first fully elected school board. Elected a new chair and vice chair. Adale is on the policy, legislative, special education, outreach/community committees. The board is digesting SOL scores. Nothing has changed. All in Ward 1 are accredited. All are flat lined. It has been 3 years and no up and no down. Safety in Security in schools is a priority-establishing security task force to prepare for legislation that will be passed at State level. Getting everything lined up to be able to take advantage of any state grants. Currently, there are no security officers at elementary schools. Accreditation standards are changing. This year, everything is going to be paired on new and old standards. Drop out and long term truancy rates will be analyzed. Adale discussed with high schools about how to fund better ISS monitors. The priority is keeping kids in school and safe.
Ms. Barker asked a question concerning alternative schools, since they are typically the worst buildings and no SRO in the schools. More parent involvement is needed as well.
Val asked for support to send a letter opposing Toler Place being connected to 11th View. The residents sent a letter to send to City Council with 42 signatures. Looking for a preemptive stand to help support residents of Toler.
Rick Anderson made a motion that WCL supports Toler place residents in opposing opening Toler place to 11th View. seconded by Tammy Barker. Unanimously passed.
Discussion about short-term rentals took place. Ordinance passed the City planning commission in September.
Lea Ann needs volunteers to help set up and tear down flea market.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:15 PM.
Updates from Chuck:
- There was some discussion about flooding at 5th View St, which the residents believe only started after the beach nourishment project. I have heard this from the Willoughby folks previously. Are we aware of any recent, significant flooding problems at 5th View St, and could these be related to the beach nourishment project? Not aware of any recent flooding issues. The 5th View St. storm drainage system actually drains south to a finger of Little Bay so the beach nourishment project would not have caused any issues. It may just be maintenance items which we will look into.
- There was discussion about two curb inlets or drop inlets at 7th View St, which may have “collapsed” or settled. Any knowledge of this? I did a quick look on google maps street view and based on the attached 2015 & 2016 images deduce that the collapsed structures are private utility related. The manhole top in the center of both pictures is labelled Telephone. Looks like bump-outs were constructed to accommodate these manhole tops and the covers were provided for pedestrian safety along the sidewalk and are apparently being crushed. We will check with our Right-of-Way Division to see if we can identify the private utilities involved.
- There is apparently a rumor that the outfall at 13th View St, the extension of which is currently advertised, was crushed at some location upstream during the beach nourishment project. Did we check this or note anything during the design of the extension that might confirm or refute this? This is the first time hearing about this rumor. Nothing specific was done during design to confirm or refute. We did have our IDQ contractor perform excavation work on the beach to uncover the pipe in areas upstream of the pipe end to obtain some pipe elevations to be used for design by the consultant. Maybe this is how the rumor started?
- It was noted that the Little Bay outfalls at Leaview St were clogged. Are these VDOT’s responsibility, as was suggested, or the City’s? Not sure exactly which outfalls are being referred to. Lea View Avenue connects to the 15th View St drainage system that outfalls north to Willoughby Bay.
- I was asked if the City had ever considered installation of some form of check valve outfall along Little Bay, at 8th View St in particular. We are still monitoring the performance of a handful of Tideflex®, Checkmate® tide valves which we have installed in a few areas. If we see that their performance is reliable, we will consider installing more of these valves City-wide in a programmatic fashion.
Waste Management:
- A few residents noted that the trash cans were pulled off of the beach for Hurricane Florence, but that not all of the cans had been put back. They assumed that was for the season. The warm weather has apparently caused the cans which were put back to overflow. They asked if somebody could check into this. - In answer to the concern about the beach barrels, our Waste Management beach crew services these cans daily during the summer months, and less frequently as beach usage falls off. If they notice a can overflowing, they will add additional cans as needed. If a resident sees a beach barrel that is overflowing, they should report it to Norfolk Cares.