Sandbridge sand fences can remain with conditions

VIRGINIA BEACH

The controversial sand fences that some Sandbridge residents have built on the beach can remain, as long as they meet certain guidelines.

Virginia Beach officials, in consultation with the Army Corps of Engineers, have set rules for the fences - they must be a certain height and length, and don't impede a federal sand-replenishment project.

The rules are an attempt to compromise with residents who believe the fences create dunes that protect their homes from flyaway sand that was getting into pools and air-conditioning systems, said Dave Hansen, a deputy city manager.

City officials initially were concerned that the fences could be seen as an attempt to cordon off the beach to the public and jeopardize a multi-million-dollar Army Corps of Engineers sand replenishment project. Every four years, the federal agency places sand on the Sandbridge beach, on the condition that the beach remain public. Beach officials also were concerned that the fences could block city vehicles.

However, Army Corps officials said in a letter last month that as long as the fences are constructed properly and maintained, they will "reduce wind blown sand losses from the beach berm which is beneficial to the overall project."

According to the draft guidelines, sand fences will only be allowed up to 20 feet from the bulkhead, there will have to be 100 feet of open beach from the fences to the mean high water line, and residents can't use bulldozers to push sand and create dunes.

A committee formed by the Sandbridge Civic League will police their neighbors, Hansen said.

If residents don't fix their sand fences after receiving a notice from the civic league, the city will get involved and could eventually cite the property owner and remove the fence, Hansen said.

"We're just looking for consistency," said Karen Moyer, a member of the committee set up to look into violations.

Bill Brown, a Sandbridge resident who lives inland, said enforcement could be problem because it depends on who serves on the civic league at any point and how important the issue is to them.

"Trying to get the civic league involved is abdicating the city's responsibility," Brown said.

Deirdre Fernandes, (757) 222-5121. deirdre.fernandes@pilotonline.com