THE VOICE VIRGINIA BEACH COUNCIL OF CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS NEWSLETTER Post Office Box 9252, Virginia Beach, VA Vol. 59 No.

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1 THE VOICE VIRGINIA BEACH COUNCIL OF CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS NEWSLETTER Post Office Box 9252, Virginia Beach, VA Vol. 59 No. 3 March 2018 VBCCO GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING: Meyera E. Oberndorf Central Library Libris Room THURSDAY, MARCH 15, :00 pm OUR PROGRAM WILL BE: Deputy City Manager Tom Leahy Recurrent Flooding and Sea Level Rise

2 President s Corner Hello everyone. In case you missed our February meeting on short term rentals, we had a briefing on what the Planning Commission determined. This newsletter contains the detailed information. Please review, continue to share and vote on short term rentals in your neighborhoods. This is how democracy works. We all need to have a voice and take part. We need to tell the City Council how we are concerned about our neighborhood safety, security and stability. I look forward to seeing you all March 15. Sam Reid SHORT TERM RENTAL UPDATE as of March 1, 2018 On February 20, a Power Point presentation was made to the City Council by Barry Frankenfield, Director, Planning, City of Virginia Beach Planning and Community Development. This presentation to the city is available for viewing: ShortTermRentalsForCouncil.pdf These Planning Commission recommendations are based on meetings and public hearings that date to August We ask your civic organization be informed on all aspects of the issue and take a vote. There will be a public hearing on Tuesday, March 6, 6pm, City Council Chambers for public comment and a City Council vote is scheduled for Tuesday, March 20, 6pm. There are several sources available online for additional information: 20Workshop/Alternative%202%20-%20Short-Term%20Rental%20Ordinance.pdf Protect VB Neighborhoods on Facebook

3 C. Stolle, America, Doug, Heather, Sam, Bill, Mary, Mary Commonwealth Attorney, Director, Director, Secretary, President, Director, Secretary, Director VBCCO MEETING OVERVIEW February 19, 2018 President Sam Reid opened the meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance and a moment of silence. Commonwealth Attorney Colin Stolle was introduced and gave the oath of office to the VBCCO Board. First Vice President Brad Sike and Treasurer Jody Korman were absent. Minutes from the November meeting were approved as presented. Bill Brown, Protect VB Neighborhoods presented the current state of the Short Term Rental issue. Discussion was held and a motion was made by Bill Brown and seconded by Lorraine Jones. After discussion, a substitute motion was introduced by Conrad (Croatan) and seconded by Bill Brown to place the following modified motion to a vote on March 15. This motion will be considered and voted on at the March 15, General Meeting of the VBCCO: The mission of the VBCCO is "to advocate on behalf of the neighborhoods of Virginia Beach." Therefore, to encourage the City to protect the health, safety and public welfare for the residents and the renters alike, be it moved that the VBCCO take a position in support of a city ordinance that will require each short term rental going forward to obtain a conditional use permit. Furthermore, be it moved that all home sharing and short term rental dwellings will have to abide by the ordinance regulations, recommended by city staff and supported by the VBCCO. New Business (included, but not comprehensive): Future program suggestions were placed on index cards and returned to Director Mary Bradley for Board consideration. If your civic group is not receiving s, please contact Secretary Heather. A member asked about the number of apartments going up in the Haywood/Wesleyan corridor. There was discussion regarding overall traffic conditions in the city. Comments were made regarding the promotion of the VBCCO and it s purpose.

4 OUTSTANDING VOLUNTEER PROGRAM Does your civic league have that SPECIAL volunteer? One that organizes, helps, assists, does without being asked or just is always there? It s time to shine a light on that volunteer! A panel of city officials will preview and choose YOUR city-wide volunteers in the following categories: Volunteer of the Year Youth Volunteer of the Year Civic Organization of the Year Submit a letter nominating a volunteer in any or all three categories. Include information of why they deserve to be a Volunteer of the Year. Deadline is April 24, Please include contact information and mail to: Council of Civic Organizations PO Box 9252 Virginia Beach, VA Nominees will be presented with certificates, May 17th during the VBCCO General Meeting, 7pm, Meyera E. Oberndorf Central Library, Auditorium. Top winners in each category will have an award presented at a later date. Questions? Please contact Mary Bradley,

5 CALENDAR OF EVENTS VIRGINIA BEACH There are multiple sites to obtain meeting information in the city. School System: City Council public-meetings.aspx Other City Public Hearings public-meetings.aspx Help Back Bay NWR remove Asiatic sand sedge, an invasive plant, from the dunes! Volunteer days will be held on March 11, 12 and 14. Contact Peter Ahl at to sign up. All ages are welcome.

6 RECYCLING NEWS: Recycling has been mentioned in the news recently. Virginia Beach is in the process of updating their website to reflect what goes into the blue can. curbside-services.aspx This site currently lists collection rules and basic information. In addition, there is a list of Acceptable Recyclable Material and a Recycling Guide. These are the items currently listed: Paper: office paper, newspaper, junk mail, magazines, phone books, paper bags Cardboard & Chipboard: flattened, un-waxed, clean & dry Plastics Bottles # 1-7, NO plastic bags. Cartons, including food and beverage cartons (juice, milk, soy milk, soup, broth, etc.) Glass Bottles & Jars: clear, green & brown; remove & discard lids. Metals: aluminum, steel, or tin food & beverage cans; clean aluminum foil Pour out contents or wipe out cans and bottles. Place recyclables loosely in your container. Townhome residents with the 18-gallon recycling bin container service may place any additional recyclables in paper bags next to their container. Please do not put the following items in your blue cart: Household garbage, waxed cardboard, yard waste (grass, leaves or branches), plastic bags - (plastic bags are collected at most grocery stores for recycling.), plastic toys, plastic pools, plastic motor oil containers, ceramic or ovenware dishes, Styrofoam, packing peanuts Working together, we are making this recycling program successful! The City of Virginia Beach appreciates your recycling efforts. You are also a partner with the City of Virginia Beach and TFC Recycling Corporation and without you, none of this would be possible. askhrgreen.org This site also has many recycling efforts. We ll bring information in April!

7 SHORT TERM RENTAL LETTER TO THE EDITOR Dear Friends: Senator Bill DeSteph and Delegate Barry Knight are championing a bill that will single out one neighborhood in Virginia Beach and take away the City of Virginia Beach's right to control zoning as it relates to Short Term Rentals. This is an egregious over-reach of authority. The bill is HB 824, as amended. Delegate Barry Knight submitted a bill to rescind what Lexington, VA had passed. No one knows why he was meddling in Lexington's zoning issue. However, it provided an opportunity for Senator Bill DeSteph to tack on a provision that is specific to Virginia Beach. This was further complicated by inaccurate and misleading information that many Sandbridge businesses have sent out as a scare tactic. Below is the that PVBN has sent to City Council. If our local State representatives are willing to throw Sandbridge under the bus, will they do that to your neighborhood next? It sets a bad precedent. Dear Mayor Sessoms and Members of City Council: On behalf of Protect Virginia Beach Neighborhoods, we are contacting you to register our dismay that members of the Senate Committee on General Laws and Technology have included an amendment to HB 824 that will prohibit using Conditional Use Permits (CUPs) in Virginia Beach, or more specifically Sandbridge, regarding Short Term Rentals (STRs). Protect Virginia Beach Neighborhoods is a city-wide group that wants to protect Virginia Beach s residents from the negative side effects of Short Term Rentals, as well as protect renters from residential dwellings that may be over-capacity, underinsured and not properly inspected for such activities. At the City Council informal session yesterday, City Attorney Mark Stiles said the Senate committee members received misinformation that they apparently relied upon before they voted for the amendment to HB 824. We are asking that City Council write a letter to the General Assembly to correct the misinformation regarding the use of CUPs for STRs in Sandbridge. Sincerely, Mary Girevendulis, Joan Rose, Donna Watson Co-Chairs

8 CITY-WIDE ITEMS WE ARE FOLLOWING: Watch for downed trees, limbs and debris in the roadways. Call 311 (or ) to report debris in roadways and at for downed power lines. You can also follow the hashtags #BePrepared and #ReadyVB on Twitter and Facebook for helpful information. Shore Drive Area Clean Up: PIER DEVELOPMENT VBCCO WEBSITE: OFF-SHORE DRILLING Mount Trashmore Steps: The city is drawing its own inspiration from staircase murals already painted in Chile and South Korea. Voting is open until Wednesday, March 7. To vote for your favorite, visit All member civic leagues and community associations are invited to submit articles about what s going on in your neighborhoods for inclusion in The Voice. Hit reply or send to WMalaby@aol.com

9 VBCCO OFFICERS, DIRECTORS AND CHAIRS President Sam Reid st VP Brad Sike nd VP C. Douglas Jr. Treasurer Jody Korman Recording Secretary Mary McFadden Corresponding Heather Malaby Director America Wyatt Director Bill Brown Director Dell Young 2018 VBCCO DUES ARE NOW DUE Please fill out and submit the form below:

10 VBCCO Board Meetings are held at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Thank you! Next general membership meeting date will be Monday, April 23 Meyera E. Oberndorf Central Library 7pm Tentative Program: Virginia Beach City Budget