Yesterday I was skimming Virginia Beach's new draft Comprehensive Plan. There were a couple bus photos in the Policy Document that caught my eye:
Page 18
There's a photo of the bus on Hampton Roads Transit's (HRT) Route 72...sitting at the Suffolk Bus Plaza. That's right: the 72 runs from the Suffolk Bus Plaza to Paul D. Camp Community College and back. (What's a Suffolk bus photo doing in our Comp Plan?!?)
Page 116
There's a photo of Bus 2016 on Route 33 Outbound. Okay, they did get a Virginia Beach route this time.
What's unusual is a low-floor Gillig on the 33. Not in the past 15 months, since the 33's operations were transferred from Southside Base (in Norfolk) to Virginia Beach Base. Even before then, it would have been rare.
Here's the kicker
I was already planning a blog post on those photos. I called Michael Ragsdale of HR Transit Ideas so he could join in the laughs. Instead, I learned the photos were from his Flickr account:
1. The license on the photos prohibits them from being used without proper credit.
2. The City probably also violated Flickr policy, too.
Update
From Michael's blog:
This entry is cross-posted at Ideas for Hampton Roads Transit.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Thursday, October 8, 2009
VBTA Vice Chairman Calls For Cutting City Budget By $530 Million
It's pretty much an axiom in Virginia Beach politics that if you want to hear a position that's so extreme that it's beyond the pale, wait for Reid Greenmun to speak up. On Wednesday the Virginia Beach Taxpayers Alliance (VBTA) Vice Chairman/Transportation Chairman was commenting on a story online, and called for cutting the City Budget by $530 million. From his comment marked posted at 6:25 P.M., "The City budget has skyrocketed and now that the housing bubble has burst, the City Council needs to direct the City Manager to restore our city to the 2001 budget. We managed just fine in 2001". http://hamptonroads.com/2009/10/virginia-beach-city-council-ponders-taxes-fees
With the fiscal year beginning July 1, the FY 2002 Budget would have been in effect the second half of that year. (In addition, that's as far back as they go on the City's website.) The difference between it and the current Budget is $530 million. Therefore, his position would require cutting more than half a billion dollars from the Budget.
Of course, at a April 20, 2004 Public Hearing, Reid told City Council that he could cut $55 million from the proposed FY 2005 Budget. After being given unprecedented access to City resources, Greenmun never delivered the report that he had promised to Council. (Since the Hearing was in the Council Chambers, VBTV may still have the tape of it.) Given that track record, I'd love to see him now identify $530 million.
With "leadership" like that, no wonder the VBTA is barreling into irrelevancy.
With the fiscal year beginning July 1, the FY 2002 Budget would have been in effect the second half of that year. (In addition, that's as far back as they go on the City's website.) The difference between it and the current Budget is $530 million. Therefore, his position would require cutting more than half a billion dollars from the Budget.
Of course, at a April 20, 2004 Public Hearing, Reid told City Council that he could cut $55 million from the proposed FY 2005 Budget. After being given unprecedented access to City resources, Greenmun never delivered the report that he had promised to Council. (Since the Hearing was in the Council Chambers, VBTV may still have the tape of it.) Given that track record, I'd love to see him now identify $530 million.
With "leadership" like that, no wonder the VBTA is barreling into irrelevancy.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Draft Comp Plan Now Online
The new draft Comprehensive Plan for the City of Virginia Beach has now been posted online. http://www.vbgov.com/compplanupdate
This Is So Rich!
The VBTA was passing out a flier at tables prior to the Community Summit getting underway on Monday evening. (They were violating at least two city Ordinances in the process, but that's another story....) The opening sentence makes for a great laugh:
"The Virginia Beach Taxpayers Alliance's vision is to be the most objective local source of knowledge...."
Insert your own joke in the comments section.
"The Virginia Beach Taxpayers Alliance's vision is to be the most objective local source of knowledge...."
Insert your own joke in the comments section.
Redevelopment Wins Over Traffic Flow
I never saw one on this scale coming. 72% voted to design 32nd Street with three lanes for traffic, then wider sidewalks to aid urban redevelopment. 27% supported four lanes of traffic for better vehicle flow.
The new question is one what to do with Virginia Beach's Property Tax rate. City Assessor Jerry Banagan's preliminary report is that assessments will go down 5% in 2010. Should City Council raise the rate to stay revenue neutral, hold at 89 cents, cut below 89 cents, or raise above 91 cents?
The new question is one what to do with Virginia Beach's Property Tax rate. City Assessor Jerry Banagan's preliminary report is that assessments will go down 5% in 2010. Should City Council raise the rate to stay revenue neutral, hold at 89 cents, cut below 89 cents, or raise above 91 cents?
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
2009-2010 City Council Priorities
Early this afternoon the Virginia Beach City Council voted out their priorities for the coming year.
POLICY AGENDA
Top Priority
1. Landfill/SPSA
2. Tax Rate: Direction and Debt Limit
9. Roads Funding
10. Transportation and Light Rail : Strategy and Public Engagement
12. Lynnhaven Parkway Project (Phase XI)
High Priority
5. Northampton Corridor (Burton Station)
8. Land Uses for Business Development Review: Light Rail Corridor
13. Lesner Bridge: Design and Funding
16. Western Bayside Recreation Center
20. Dome site direction
Moderate Priority
4. Alternative Energy Report
11. Shore Drive Improvement Project
24. Major Community Projects: evaluation and direction (That's the 10 project list)
MANAGEMENT AGENDA
Top Priority
1. Total Compensation Policy - Direction
3. Federal Stimulus Dollars: Strategy and Projects
4. Military Initiatives
5. Energy Related Business Attraction Strategy
7. FAA Radar Issue Resolution
12. Economic Development: alternative funding model, matrix, and funding level.
High Priority
2. Green Initiatives: Actions
6. Alternative Field/OLF and Night Training (Oceana NAS)
8. Pattern Book for Neighborhood Preservation: Development, Funding
9. Dredging for Navigable Waterways (Western Branch of the Lynnhaven River)
10. Sand/Beach Replenishment
11. Form Based (Zoning) Code: Development, Policy Direction
POLICY AGENDA
Top Priority
1. Landfill/SPSA
2. Tax Rate: Direction and Debt Limit
9. Roads Funding
10. Transportation and Light Rail : Strategy and Public Engagement
12. Lynnhaven Parkway Project (Phase XI)
High Priority
5. Northampton Corridor (Burton Station)
8. Land Uses for Business Development Review: Light Rail Corridor
13. Lesner Bridge: Design and Funding
16. Western Bayside Recreation Center
20. Dome site direction
Moderate Priority
4. Alternative Energy Report
11. Shore Drive Improvement Project
24. Major Community Projects: evaluation and direction (That's the 10 project list)
MANAGEMENT AGENDA
Top Priority
1. Total Compensation Policy - Direction
3. Federal Stimulus Dollars: Strategy and Projects
4. Military Initiatives
5. Energy Related Business Attraction Strategy
7. FAA Radar Issue Resolution
12. Economic Development: alternative funding model, matrix, and funding level.
High Priority
2. Green Initiatives: Actions
6. Alternative Field/OLF and Night Training (Oceana NAS)
8. Pattern Book for Neighborhood Preservation: Development, Funding
9. Dredging for Navigable Waterways (Western Branch of the Lynnhaven River)
10. Sand/Beach Replenishment
11. Form Based (Zoning) Code: Development, Policy Direction
2009 Council Retreat - Day 3
It's been quite awhile since the Virginia Beach City Council met for strategic planning in August. With the Community Summit concluded, Council met again Tuesday morning.
The morning started with distribution of resident feedback from the Summit and a reading of their comment cards. The comment cards were a mixed bag: some were nasty, while others were trying to kiss up. However, the vast majority were pretty well thought out.
Council covered all five goal areas from August, making any adjustments desired.
There were a few issues of note this morning:
1. Light rail - a small implementation discussion. However, much on the VBTA's whining about not getting a Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) seat plus the effort of a VBTA front group to petition a referendum question onto the ballot for November, 2010. First, the Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement isn't scheduled to be completed until December, 2010 - after the VBTA's wished-for referendum. (Even Bill DeSteph agreed any referendum should wait until after the SDEIS is finished.) Second, the front group's proposed ballot question is misleading in a few ways.
2. Economic development - Glen Davis wants the Department of Economic Development's (DED) budget off-the-table when cutting for FY 2011, with Bill DeSteph disagreeing.
3. Public safety - not only was there talk of minimizing cuts or not cutting at all, but at one point Councilman Bill DeSteph claimed Mayor Will Sessoms was planning a public safety tax increase.
Council had lunch, then voted on Policy Agenda and Management Agenda priorities for the next year before adjourning.
The morning started with distribution of resident feedback from the Summit and a reading of their comment cards. The comment cards were a mixed bag: some were nasty, while others were trying to kiss up. However, the vast majority were pretty well thought out.
Council covered all five goal areas from August, making any adjustments desired.
There were a few issues of note this morning:
1. Light rail - a small implementation discussion. However, much on the VBTA's whining about not getting a Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) seat plus the effort of a VBTA front group to petition a referendum question onto the ballot for November, 2010. First, the Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement isn't scheduled to be completed until December, 2010 - after the VBTA's wished-for referendum. (Even Bill DeSteph agreed any referendum should wait until after the SDEIS is finished.) Second, the front group's proposed ballot question is misleading in a few ways.
2. Economic development - Glen Davis wants the Department of Economic Development's (DED) budget off-the-table when cutting for FY 2011, with Bill DeSteph disagreeing.
3. Public safety - not only was there talk of minimizing cuts or not cutting at all, but at one point Councilman Bill DeSteph claimed Mayor Will Sessoms was planning a public safety tax increase.
Council had lunch, then voted on Policy Agenda and Management Agenda priorities for the next year before adjourning.
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