Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Resort Advisory Commission Priorities

Today Virginia Beach's Resort Advisory Commission (RAC) met for it's Strategic Planning Meeting. The RAC holds one once every three years to set strategic priorities for the Resort Area.

Voted out this afternoon as the top five (high) priorities:

1. Implement the Strategic Action Plan

Status: that is, the Resort Area Master Plan that is in the works. The Plan should go to City Council in late May-early June for approval.

2. Rudee Loop: Interim and Long Range Plan

Status: the City of Virginia Beach owns virtually all of one of the most valuable pieces of real estate in the city. The latest consultant's report (the Hunter Report) underlines it's value, calling for it to be redeveloped well and cautiously. In the interim, there may be a better use for it than what is being done now.

3. Dome site redevelopment

Status: the Virginia Beach Development Authority (VBDA) has chosen three finalists for redevelopment of the City-owned property straddling 19th Street along Pacific Avenue. The aforementioned Hunter Report called for this property to be first in line for redevelopment in the Resort Area.

4. Work with Media Group for information sharing in all vehicles

Status: it's been an ongoing struggle for the RAC to get information on the value of Tourism to the residents of Virginia Beach. The RAC's Communications Committee is being charged with working with the City's Public Information Office (PIO) to get the job done. The need will become all the more acute when trying to implement the Resort Area Master Plan.

5. Future of Transit in the Resort Area

Status: the pending Resort Area Master Plan has transit proposals entirely different from what's in service now. Therefore, Commissioner Henry Ryto suggested this priority, so as to have the Transportation Committee shepherd what comes out in the Plan. Score one for the CCO RAC representative!

The Resort Advisory Commission will take these five back up at it's February 7 meeting, wordsmithing them before final approval.

4 comments:

Michael Ragsdale said...

Future of transit: Run the 33 every 15 minutes DAILY during peak season (every 30 off peak). Ditto for the 20 (except that would be year round): Every 15 minutes during the day (5 AM to 8 PM) / 30 at night (until 12:07 AM - yes this is one hour after the current last trip of 11:07) weekdays and 30 minutes all day Saturdays, Sundays, and Holidays.

Avenging Archangel said...

In HRT's 2030 Plan, Route 20 does go to every 15 minute service. However, that is still years away.

The 33 every 15 minutes? Unless you can figure a way to triple ridership, you couldn't start to justify it.

Michael Ragsdale said...

The #33 every 15: This could replace Route 31 since they pretty much duplicate each other. Only during Summer season. Maybe every 30 minutes peak / 60 minutes off peak during the off season?

Michael Ragsdale said...

I'm picky about the 30, 31, and 32 since they're on Fareset 6 and won't honor my 30-Day. Give me a 33 any day on Fareset 4 and I'll be a happy camper :) Yes, the only problem I see with the 33 is Ocean Breeze / Motor World withs its wooden bridge. Here's an idea, cutback service from the Ocean front to General Booth & Dam Neck (use Dam Neck to Corporate Landing Pkwy to turn around) during peak usage