This afternoon Virginia Beach's Resort Advisory Commission (RAC) met. From that meeting:
1. With the Virginia Beach Development Authority (VBDA) meeting Friday morning with 2 of the 3 finalists for Dome site redevelopment, the RAC unanimously voted out a letter to the VBDA emphasizing the importance of Dome site redevelopment and some baseline criteria for it.
Under discussion, concerns were raised as to how much input the RAC will have in the plan for the Dome site.
2. The priorities voted on at last month's RAC Strategic Planning meeting were reviewed. Four of the top five were fleshed out. (The fifth was defered for lack of time.)
RAC Chairman Ken Taylor now wants the RAC's committees to review the priorities, potentially overturning the full RAC's earlier vote. (Say what?!?)
3. About 25 minutes were spent trying to wordsmith the priority on Dome site redevelopment. Everyone was joking about it before things were over.
4. Former RAC Chairman Billy Almond continued to push for a Resort Development Office. It would be a "one stop shop" for developers looking to redevelop the Resort Area under the pending Resort Area Strategic Action Plan. Norfolk (for downtown) and Hampton (for Town Center) have similar offices.
5. CCO RAC representative Henry Ryto cautioned the RAC on interim use of Rudee Loop. The city owns most of the property, and some Resort interests are pushing for an interim use until the city redevelops it. As parking is already scarce at times, Dome site redevelopment would eliminate the surface lots there, and Rudee Loop has some parking, Ryto is concerned that parking may not be available for residents who want to enjoy the Resort Area.
A survey by Continental Research found that nearly half of Virginia Beach's residents would visit the Resort Area more often in-season if only parking was easier.
6. You want me to take a potshot at Bob O'Connor, don't you? During introductions, he refered to himself as "Bob O'Connor, taxpayer." If you listen to the Deaniacs, you would believe only the fringe right pays taxes.
3 comments:
Bob O'Conner...not a name I've heard since he ran for election.
I used to see his CACI newspapers at the library, but they were all just long-winded diatribes by Bob.
Is he running again? I can't remember, but wasn't he one of the at-large people last time?
Bob O'Connor ran in Lynnhaven District, where he lost to Jim Wood 62%-38%. His campaign was flat, raising little money. I had one CACI lifer tell me he was surprised that O'Connor got 38%.
Last CACI newsletter: 6 articles, 5by O'Connor, all 5 attacking Resort policy. He may come to RAC meetings, but he obviously doesn't have any friends there. :)
As one person told me, O'Connor is "anti-everything". He's one of the 1% who is going to complain no matter what City Council does. That he opposes EVERYTHING Council proposes makes it impossible to take him seriously or give him any respect.
Probably one of the ones who complains about the high burden on residential real estate tax and then fights any new commercial development!
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