A Virginia Beach Neighborhood Association Founded in 1944
OPCL General Membership Meeting this month will be at the CBF Brock Center on Thursday, June 4th 7-8 pm. Join us to hear updates and enjoy refreshments! It’s turtle celebration month! Jill Doczi is a Department of Wildlife permitted wildlife rehabber. She will share some good news about successes with PHP turtles. We have turtle theme door prizes! You can also join us on Zoom.
Council members Joash Schulman and Stacy Cummings hosted a community meeting on May 27th to provide information about the USACE project to manage coastal storm risk. Here is the projected timeline and the full presentation from the Community Meeting.
Friday, May 22 ā 25 total launches, car parking did not fill up there was availableĀ parking throughout the day. The overflow lot was not used. We did not have to closeĀ using the barricades at any time. Light rain and wind.Ā
Saturday, May 23 – 54 total launches, car parking did not fill up there was availableĀ parking throughout the day. The overflow lot was not used. WeĀ did not have to close using the barricades at any time. Cool,Ā cloudy and some rain.Ā
Sunday, May 24 – 84 total launches, car parking did not fill up there was availableĀ parking throughout the day. The overflow lot was not used. WeĀ did not have to close using the barricades at any time. Small craftĀ advisory in the bay. Weather improved in late afternoon, butĀ visitors stayed away for most part.Ā
Monday, May 25 (holiday) ā 34 total launches, car parking did not fill up there wasĀ available parking throughout the day. The overflow lot was not used. We did not have to closeĀ using the barricades at any time. Thunderstorms and heavy downpours throughout the day.Ā
Reviewed camera footage from the weekend and not a lot of traffic due to weather.
Sunday May 24 ā Staff called VBPD for a stranded jet ski and rider just offshore of the boatĀ ramp. Police marine patrol arrived and assisted the jet skier.Ā
Notes:Ā No new update this week from PW/Traffic Operations regarding the digital Open/Full signsĀ installed on Shore Drive.
US Army Corp of Engineers has engaged in a long range study of the feasibility of managing the storm risks associated with sea level rise in our area with any actual steps being fairly far in the future. Of the many possible projects under study, the Lynnhaven Surge Barrier has been identified by the USACE as the Early Actionable Element. Much more information to come and wider public engagement has been promised.
Listen to the presentation here.
The Bayfront Advisory Commission May meeting highlights:
Update: Proposed Condominium Project on Shore Drive
Statement from the Ocean Park Civic League
As the proposed 52-unit McLeskey condominium project on Shore Drive moves through the City of Virginia Beachās approval process, including Planning Department review, Planning Commission consideration, and a final City Council vote, the Ocean Park Civic League has not reached a clear consensus. Resident sentiment is considerably mixed, and we respect the sincerity in each position.
The project ā which also includes a small commercial component and requires a rezoning that would increase allowable density from 4.25 to nearly 24 units per acre ā raises several concerns we believe warrant close attention. We also recognize that some residents see potential value in new housing inventory and added investment along the corridor, and we take that perspective seriously as well.
We encourage all residents ā whether supportive or skeptical ā to stay engaged and make their voice heard.
The project is expected to come before theĀ Virginia Beach Planning Commission on June 10, where it will receive a formal recommendation before advancing toĀ City Council for the final decision, likely later this summer. There are two straightforward ways to make your voice heard now:
Everyone who would like to express concerns or support of the project is encouraged to write a letter to the Planning Commission (PlanningCommissioners@vbgov.com)Ā and/ or speak at the June 10Ā Ā meeting (details below). Another opportunity will come when the project is considered by the City Council. Your input is welcome and important.
Your input matters at this stage. The OPCL will continue to share updates as the process moves forward.
There will be no Clean Up this Saturday at Pleasure House Point! Thank you to Mary Faust and to all the volunteers who come to help! The next clean up is June 20th before we take a break for the summer!
This was the first busy weekendĀ for this season. Total of 457 launches over the weekend.Ā
Friday, May 15 ā 62 total launches, car parking did not fill up there was availableĀ parking throughout the day. The overflow lot was not used. We did not have to closeĀ using the barricades at any time.Ā
Saturday, May 16 – 204 total launches, car parking did fill up around 12:20pm so thereĀ was sporadic parking until about 5pm. The overflow lot was usedĀ but was limited due to the condition of that area due to the sandĀ haul project. We were able to get about 30 cars (normally we canĀ fit around 50) We did have to close the facility at Piedmont CircleĀ because trailer parking was full. Barricade operations were carriedĀ out from 12:10pm- 4pm. All signs were placed in neighborhoodĀ per protocol.Ā
Sunday, May 17 – 191 total launches, car parking was full around 11:00am withĀ sporadic availability the remainder of the day. The overflow wasĀ used again for about 30 vehicles with trailers. We did have to closeĀ the facility at Piedmont Circle because trailer parking was full.Ā Barricade operations were carried out from 12:00pm- 4pm. AllĀ signs were placed in neighborhood per protocol.Ā
Reviewed camera footage from the weekend and we had a normal weekend nights mixed withĀ fisherman and beach goers.Ā During barricade operations on Sunday, May 17, staff encountered a few citizens with truck andĀ trailer that were unhappy with the full parking and subsequent facility closure. Staff explainedĀ our protocol and asked the citizens to move on and vacate the area until the facility re-opened.Ā They did not heed staffsā instructions and waited in the neighborhood. Police arrived on sceneĀ and re-affirmed staffsā information, and the citizens then left the neighborhood. Garda World security reported that at 12:05am on Sunday morning there was a verbalĀ altercation between a group on a boat and a nearby resident regarding the speed the boaterĀ returned in Crab Creek. Security was able to de-escalate both persons and police came on sceneĀ and spoke to the boaters.Ā
Notes:Ā
PW/Coastal has informed me that from Friday May 22-Monday May 25 the sand haul contractorĀ will not be working. Due to the holiday weekend.Ā
Enforcement runs from May 1- October 31.Ā Date Range: Friday, May 15 to Monday, May 18, 2026Ā
Total Citation Count: 51Ā
Total Read Count: 459 (this is the number of vehicles scanned during enforcement visits)Ā
Update: Proposed Condominium Project on Shore Drive
Statement from the Ocean Park Civic League
As the proposed 52-unit McLeskey condominium project on Shore Drive moves through the City of Virginia Beachās approval process, including Planning Department review, Planning Commission consideration, and a final City Council vote, the Ocean Park Civic League has not reached a clear consensus. Resident sentiment is considerably mixed, and we respect the sincerity in each position.
The project ā which also includes a small commercial component and requires a rezoning that would increase allowable density from 4.25 to nearly 24 units per acre ā raises several concerns we believe warrant close attention. We also recognize that some residents see potential value in new housing inventory and added investment along the corridor, and we take that perspective seriously as well.
We encourage all residents ā whether supportive or skeptical ā to stay engaged and make their voice heard.
The project is expected to come before theĀ Virginia Beach Planning Commission on June 10, where it will receive a formal recommendation before advancing toĀ City Council for the final decision, likely later this summer. There are two straightforward ways to make your voice heard now:
Everyone who would like to express concerns or support of the project is encouraged to write a letter to the Planning Commission (PlanningCommissioners@vbgov.com)Ā and/ or speak at the June 10Ā Ā meeting (details below). Another opportunity will come when the project is considered by the City Council. Your input is welcome and important.
Your input matters at this stage. The OPCL will continue to share updates as the process moves forward.
From 6:00 pm on Friday of the Memorial Day Weekend until 6:00 pm on Labor Day dogs are allowed on the beach only before 10:00 am and after 6:00 pm. According to Beach Rules Virginia Beach Gov.com : “Dogs can be off leash on the beach so long as they are firmly under their caretakerās control so as not to disturb other people or dogs”.
Some reminders about āgolf cartsā in our community. Although some communities in the area are designated golf cart communities,Ā Ocean Park is not a designated or approved golf cart community.Ā Because of this, to drive lawfully on the streets of Ocean Park golf carts must beĀ street-legal electricĀ vehicles as defined by state and city law. This means they must meet all the vehicular requirements, beĀ titled,Ā registeredĀ withĀ low-speed license platesĀ from DMV and covered by minimumĀ insuranceĀ requirements. They may only be operated by drivers with a valid license or learnerās permit and the driver must follow all the same rules of the road as a normal vehicle. (Virginia Beach Codes of Ordinance: Sec. 7: 65-68Ā ).
Golf carts are NOT allowed on the beach (no motorized vehicles). The exception to this rule is for handicapped persons with a mobility disability. Ā If the individual with a mobility disability requiring the use of a golf cart is asked, he or she would need to provide some type of ācredible assurance.ā An example of credible assurance could be a verbal statement that the golf cart is used for a mobile disability or the cart has a state-issued disability parking placard issued to it not transferred from another vehicle.
Ocean Park Civic League 