THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, April 12, 1995 TAG: 9504120449
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B7 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY SCOTT MCCASKEY, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Short : 37 lines
The shores of Ocean View promise to be louder and livelier this summer.
After weeks of discussion and debate, City Council on Tuesday voted 4-3 to allow a zoning change that will make way for a jet ski and watercraft rental facility in East Ocean View.
Mayor Paul D. Fraim cast the deciding vote.
``The public's been split, the planning commission's been split, and the council is split,'' Fraim said. ``. . . If I could ban jet skis in Ocean View I probably would, but the other vessels will offer a great recreational benefit to the community.''
The facility will be located on the Bay at 9710 Chesapeake St. The change in zoning from residential to commercial is required before any construction can begin. A second vote by council is scheduled for April 18. The second vote is largely a formality; decisions are very rarely overturned.
Facility owner Ronald Boone Jr. will rent sailboats, fishing boats, kayaks, windsurfers and jet skis. He said he is ready to begin construction immediately and hopes to be in business by mid-summer.
The issue has been hotly debated in previous public hearings. Proponents contend that the operation will provide Ocean View with a much-needed Bayfront family-recreation center. Those against complain that a change in zoning is counter to a proposed Ocean View Master Plan that seeks to encourage residential development. They also cite noise and possible dangers brought by jet ski activity.
KEYWORDS: JET SKI OCEAN VIEW by CNB