The Virginian-Pilot
©
VIRGINIA BEACH
Four years and $60 million later, the state's appetite and ability to invest in land around Oceana Naval Air Station to protect the base and roll back development seems to be weakening.
The Senate in its budget proposal completely eliminates the $7.5 million annual state contribution. The House version of the budget funds the program next year, but not in fiscal 2012.
"There just is not enough funding to meet all the needs in the state government," said Sen. Louise Lucas, a Portsmouth Democrat and a member of the Senate Finance Committee. "I don't believe it is going to endanger Oceana."
The proposals alarmed Virginia Beach officials. The city shares the cost of the program with the state.
"We've got to understand what the military means not only to Virginia Beach and the region, but to the commonwealth," Mayor Will Sessoms said. "I think anything that doesn't strengthen the relationship is a mistake."
The city and state launched the land purchase program in response to the Defense Base Realignment and Closure Commission's 2005 criticism that the master jet base should be moved out of the city because Virginia Beach had allowed too much development under Oceana's flight path. The growth threatened both aviators and residents, the commission said, because it was in a high accident potential area.
The program has since been expanded, and the money is also being used to buy land between Oceana and Fentress Naval Auxiliary Landing Field in Chesapeake.
Virginia Beach has spent all but $5.4 million of the $60 million allocated so far. Most of the money went toward the purchase of about 60 acres in Accident Potential Zone 1 and the Clear Zone, which are closest to the base. The city will likely spend or commit the rest of the money in the next few months, officials said.
The program has the support of Navy officials, but it has also come under criticism. Some property owners have been surprised that the city has resold land it bought under the program for redevelopment, although at lesser density that what was initially allowed. In some cases, the city resold the lots for less than half of what it paid.
Beach officials said that the program has been successful at reducing density around the base while maintaining the neighborhoods.
If there is another round of base closings, Sessoms said he would like to show that the city and state did everything possible to protect Oceana and its mission.
"We need to show tremendous progress," Sessoms said. "Right now we can and we need to be able to continue."
Deirdre Fernandes, deirdre.fernandes@pilotonline.com
Delicious
Digg
Reddit
Facebook
Twitter
Google
Yahoo
All just lip service. . .
Oceana will and should be closed. When the F35 comes out either they plop an airstrip down in NC (OLF) or Oceana's jets get relocated. I firmly believe it's the latter. The noise lawsuits (when the JSF is out) would be enough to shutter the base.
And Virginia Beach will be the better for it. If we can get two carriers out of here and the jets this will be a more desirable location to live and start companies.
the people that have lived
the people that have lived here for the majority of their lives do not understand how much the military has buffered us from this recession.
common sense would dictate not to build near a jet base. greed dictates to do it.
people that buy homes next to oceana can't be surprised about the noise and the risk of a jet crash. they are the fools for doing so and feed the greed to continue to do so.
if and when DoD decides to close oceana, the people that complain about the jet noise and everything else will be the first to cry. hampton roads is what it is because of the military - it grew around it. shouldn't bite the hand that feeds it.
Dead man walking
Oceana is a dead man walking. Brac commission overwhelmingly said the base needed to go for the safety of the Pilots. Political wrangling saved the base for a short time but the death of the base is near. Better get use to it.
Bad memory
Well the last BRAC may some highly political decisions, but they are gone. They don't exist anymore. And perhaps you will recall that neither the Navy nor DoD put the MJB at NAS Oceana on the list for closure; it was the highly politicized BRAC Chairman, Anthony Principi, a Bush family friend, who did that dirty deed.
humm, dead man walking is a whole lot more accurate
assessment of Oceana then the Navy's or the VB LG assessment. BRAC is not dead and wont be dead until Congress and the President sigh that decision into law or until all the requirements have been satisfied.
The conclusion of the BRAC process as signed into law, and not questioned by Congress is that the planes of Oceana should be relocated. The Navy has agreed to that conclusion with the latest statement that Fentress alone is responsible for performing FCLPs. That is wrong of the Navy. So why is the Navy doing that? The only proper answer is the findings of BRAC are accurate. That encroachment IS impacting the mission at Oceana.
The Navy has abandoned Oceana for everything but being used as a hanger. The most critical mission for our pilots, to safely get them back home at sea, their home field cannot support that mission. 4 runways, and not one of them will the Navy use to train our pilots how to get back aboard their carrier or claim for their FCLP capacity calculations.
Start the JSF NEPA process and stop this latest OLF NEPA process. Dead man walking is accurate and the JSF NEPA will demonstrate that.
"Sessoms said he would like to show that the city and
state did everything possible to protect Oceana and its mission." Finally, someone in VB LG is thinking about the mission. Mr. Sessoms, can and does the Navy perform FCLP operations properly at Oceana 24/7? If not, then the mission is not being accomplished or protected. The answer is no it is not. Claiming that Fentress alone is responsible for performing the FCLP mission indicates that the Navy has abandoned the training mission at Oceana. It is now up to the Navy to protect Oceana's mission. Navy, with the OLF NEPA process, you have enumerated what are the requirements for a runway to support the mission. Will you do that around Oceana or will you continue to abandon the airfield. Here is more proof that Oceana is not the future of naval aviation no matter what the Navy or the VB LG may say. Navy, either condemn the properties out to the 75 dB DNL contour line, and put most of the strip under restrictive use easements which will enable you to turn off the lights, or abandon Oceana. If you wish to continue calling Oceana your home, this needs to be done. If you wont do this around Oceana, don't even think about doing it at the 2nd OLF site.
I Don't need the Fed Money...so go away
I don't nor have I ever relied on the Fed money. If they go there will be a lot less noise, less traffic, more housing at a cheaper rate, it's a win win situation for me. I agree with the poster "Go Navy".
Can the session please be over
In one short day, the Governor and Legislature have delivered a gift wrapped package to the citizens of Florida. First, over the stated objections of the Navy and DoD, they passed the off shore drilling bill. Then, they cut funding for the joint land use program that was part of the concerted effort to retain the master jet base at NAS Oceana and of course the carriers and supporting ships in Norfolk. Way to go Legislature; makes one wonder why we even try here in Hampton Roads when our needs and requirements are simply paid lip service to the Grover Norquist inspired anti tax zealots. This one day was a debacle and will take years to mend, if ever.
just plain wrong!
You can thank the VB city council for oceana's woes about their future here, no one else!
no big loss if Oceana leaves
The Brac said the Oceana had no future, if the even louder Joint Strike Fighter is built, it will not be suitable for Oceana. And if the jet base is so important to a cities economy, why did Jacksonville, the air base closed to move the jets here and a better training facility, turn down moving the jets back. Jacksonville must not have suffered harm. Are the business leaders in Jacksonville smarted than the leaders of Virginia Beach.