THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, August 4, 1996 TAG: 9608030144
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: 83 lines
The city of Virginia Beach has had a good reputation of listening to its citizens when they have something to say or suggest. We may not always get the answers we want, but we are heard. This especially holds true when civic leagues or civic league organizations speak before the City Council or Planning Commission.
Recently, I have seen a few civic leagues and residents of communities not fully supporting their organizations. On the other hand, I am pleased to see some civic leagues getting stronger, bonding and increasing their memberships.
I urge all of you who take your civic leagues lightly to look again at the need for a strong front and band together to make this happen. Strong and active civic leagues can and do make a difference in how our city grows.
By supporting groups like the Great Neck Association of Civic Leagues and the Council of Civic Organizations, your civic league is added to the voice of many and can make a big difference as to what happens in the area. It also increases the involvement of these groups to help keep the city we live in a very desirable place to live.
The large membership in either individual civic leagues or the combined membership of the GNACL and/or the CCO helps keep our city leaders aware that we are not only interested in what is going on but will take an active part in decisions that affect our residents. This has been proven many times over.
Do your part and keep your civic leagues active and growing.
Bill Buono,
Chairman, Great Neck
Association of Civic Leagues
July 20 Improve trails and signs
I have planned several times to attend the Planning Commission's meeting regarding future plans so I could bring up two concerns of mine that I feel should be considered. Unfortunately, I have been ill.
1. The lack of street numbers on all commercial buildings anywhere in the city. It must be doubly difficult for newcomers who have tried to find restaurants, etc., not knowing any of the stores nearby the place they are searching for. Also, having to slow up traffic looking for these places can be disruptive to traffic.
2. As yet I've heard no mention of bike trails. Most cities our size have them now, knowing many could use them not just for pleasure, but for traveling to and from work safely. Furthermore, their use causes no pollution as do our cars.
Someone mentioned in a letter that instead of spending all that money to kill trees on Shore Drive, the better solution would be to have bike trails on both sides. A ranch type fence made of steel along the trails, which would rust to a natural brown, would control these drivers from going further into the trees when they go off the road. Even if this type of fence would have to be made, it would be in keeping with the naturalness we all hate to see destroyed.
I do hope both of these ideas will be considered by the Planning Commission. I believe we need every tree we can conserve what with pollution coming from all our cars. Trees serve as a very important health aid as well as giving our sense of beauty a lift.
Virginia Hutchinson
June 22 Curb our resort rowdies
Having read the July 21 Sunday Beacon column regarding the young ``punks'' who are creating problems for visitors to our beautiful Boardwalk area, I can only ask, ``Why is this being tolerated?''
Virginia Beach is largely considered a tourist resort and the revenue generated by middle- and upper-income tourist families has kept our beach alive. A large sum, supplemented by residents' tax dollars, has been spent to improve the appearance of the Boardwalk and surrounding areas. Laws have been implemented to make the beach safe and enjoyable for everyone (anti-cruising ordinance, parking permits, etc.) The presence of law enforcement officers also has been greatly increased in the Boardwalk and surrounding beach areas. So why isn't something being done to correct this current situation?
Don't we already have existing ordinances regarding loitering? Why aren't they being enforced with as much zeal as the parking or cruising ordinances? Are we afraid of offending a section of the local populace? This fear and resulting lack of action will only result in the loss of the almighty tourist dollar, spent by visiting families of all races. Loss of these dollars will undoubtedly result in higher taxes for local residents due to lost revenue!
Robert W. Daly
July 24 by CNB