THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, October 12, 1995 TAG: 9510120310
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DEBBIE MESSINA, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Medium: 88 lines
North End residents, swayed by concessions made by the city and the Army Corps of Engineers and by hearing the facts, are more supportive of a hurricane protection plan.
In a showing of hands at a North Virginia Beach Civic League meeting Tuesday night, 60 to 70 percent of about 200 residents favored the plan, which calls for a new boardwalk, seawalls, dunes and wider beaches from Rudee Inlet to Fort Story.
At a June meeting, only 2 percent favored it.
``This is a classic example of government responding to the concerns of citizens and trying to do a better job,'' City Councilman W.W. ``Bill'' Harrison Jr. said. ``I'm pleased we were able to turn the corner.''
Noting the reluctance of some of the residents, civic league president Dr. Roger L. Visser characterized the group in several ways, from being ``pretty well satisfied'' to being ``resigned.''
The civil war of words has pitted the ``north'' against the ``south'' and raised issues of fairness, equality, leverage and trust.
The hurricane protection plan divides the resort oceanfront into the north and south ends. The commercial south end desperately needs a new boardwalk, seawall and wider beach. The residential North End, for the most part, has ample beaches and dunes, but they could use some enhancement.
The south end needs the largely affluent North End to participate in the plan or no one gets anything, officials contend. Without the North End, they say, the project is not financially feasible.
But the North End has been stridently opposed to the plan.
``The North End, we don't need it and don't want it,'' said John Koehler, a 60th Street resident. ``The south end, they need it and want it.
``It comes down to the fact, do we want them to have it?''
City Councilman Linwood O. Branch III implored the group Tuesday to consider the larger picture.
The $93 million hurricane protection plan would provide protection from a major storm, the kind that hits about once every 140 years. It's designed to prevent flood damage when the ocean rises to the same level as the infamous 1933 hurricane. A hurricane of similar strength today would result in $106 million in damage, according to city estimates.
The plan - to be funded 65 percent by the federal government and 35 percent by the city - calls for widening the beach from Rudee Inlet to Fort Story, building a seawall and expanded boardwalk from Rudee Inlet to 40th Street, erecting a new bulkhead from 40th Street to 58th Street and replenishing the dunes from 58th Street to Fort Story.
``A lot of misinformation had gotten out,'' Branch said. ``And there were some things in the plan that were not good ideas.''
So the Corps and city made a presentation to the civic league Tuesday night highlighting the misperceptions and the changes to the plan.
The original plan had only 10 beach access points on the North End, and all would be elevated concrete crossovers. The revised plan includes low-level, wooden walkways at the end of every street.
Officials said they will not tamper with dunes that are already high enough and beaches already wide enough to provide adequate storm protection.
They also said the new seawall from 40th to 58th streets will not be an extension of the boardwalk. The concrete slab connecting the old and new seawalls will be buried under the sand.
In response to fears that the beach improvements will bring restroom facilities and additional parking, the City Council will reaffirm its earlier resolution that forbids parking on the medians and the building of public bathrooms.
Still, some residents are skeptical.
George Wilkinson of 59th Street said: ``I really don't think that what we're getting will do us any good against a hurricane.''
Andy Cooper said it simply: ``Leave us alone.''
And others don't trust the city.
``These promises are good as long as these people remain on council or until they change their minds,'' said resident Adin K. Woodward.
But many more, some who spoke without identifying themselves, are pleased with the revised plan.
``After hearing everything tonight, it seems to me there will be very little disruption to the areas north of 58th Street,'' said one resident. ``I don't see how walkways and dunes will disrupt life on the North End.''
Said another: ``I was afraid and opposed before. Now I think it sounds very reasonable.''
The city and the Corps are expected to sign an agreement for the project in the spring. The council will hold a public hearing before entering the agreement.
KEYWORDS: BEACH EROSION by CNB