The Virginian-Pilot
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VIRGINIA BEACH
It's a done deal. The city will soon own the old rail line long coveted by some leaders as the ideal spot for a future light-rail project.
The City Council on Tuesday voted unanimously to spend $40 million to buy a 10.6-mile corridor from railroad giant Norfolk Southern.
"This is a vital piece of property for the city to control, and that's something we never should forget," Mayor Will Sessoms told about 100 people at a public hearing.
A contingent of residents told the council that the property is too expensive, light rail is a bad idea, and any decision about the project should be put to voters in a referendum.
"The only beneficiaries are the developers," said Paul Davis, member of the Virginia Beach Taxpayer Alliance. "Those are the ones that are going to make money."
Another group described the council members as visionaries poised to improve life in the Beach for generations to come. Members of the new group Light Rail Now came out in force.
"I consider this to be a historic occasion," said Mike Barrett, CEO of Runnymede, a commercial real estate company. "This isn't the Louisiana Purchase, but it's up there."
The closing on the property, which runs along Interstate 264 from Newtown to Birdneck roads, is scheduled for Sept. 24.
As part of the agreement, the city will buy a $5 million utility easement from the company, bringing the Beach's total cost to $15 million. The city had previously committed only $10 million to the project. The state will contribute $20 million, and Hampton Roads Transit is expected to spend $5 million over five years.
The city's additional $5 million expense is for a Dominion Virginia Power easement that will generate about $100,000 a year in rent. The option to purchase it was exercised before the December 2012 deadline because the money helped the city secure the $20 million state grant, officials said.
Councilman Bill DeSteph told residents that the purchase does not mean light rail is a done deal.
"We're still on track to put this out to referendum," he said. "It's important we control the Norfolk Southern right of way."
Residents voted down light rail in a referendum in 1999.
Aaron Applegate, (757) 222-5122, aaron.applegate@pilotonline.com
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HAHAHAHAHAHA
Mr. Barrett writes "If an owner does not wish to sell their land for development of a station, or to redevelop their own parcel to take advantage of the opportunity brought by light rail and the new SGA zoning overlay, they can opt to do absolutely nothing." I almost fell out of my chair laughing. Are you telling me that we will have a kinder, gentler HRT for VB? The same entity that has used eminent domain to condemn around 40 properties in Norfolk for light rail? One property owner is suing because they used a quick take (not requiring a judges approval) claim. HRT has stated its power under Virginia law related to the Department of Transportation under both "slow take" and "quick take" laws. Look Mikey, if HRT decides it wants to take a restaurant, a house, or private land to build anything to do with light rail, they'll take the property and do it. So again, you folks along the proposed light rail corridor, stand in readiness. Cooperate or else. Not only is your property at risk, but your homes will be the mortgage for this $760MIL plus $5.5MIL train wreck.
Apples to Oranges
Well Keith, perhaps you have failed to notice that the 10.4 mile ROW is there already; unlike much of the Norfolk line, the VB segment is built entirely on the existing ROW. You laugh about private sector interest in the stations, but then again, you have not exactly shown an open mind on this topic. Fact is, developers will compete for station locations in order to capitalize on the development opportunities. Already, light rail has stimulted some $800 M of transit oriented development in the downtown area, and that will continue for some time. At the Beach, the conversion of lower value, light industrial property with no stormwater management, will be replaced by multi use projects developed to comply with today's more comprehensive environmental standards. Clearly, a win for the taxpayers and a win for the environment. And yes, a potential win for any developer willing to take the risk to reinvest in his/her property.
Apples to oranges?? Please....
Well perhaps you are forgetting that we have already addressed VB's ownership of the ROW along the corridor. But as usual, you continue to spin the entire argument. I have no doubt that private developers have interest in the stations. This is a dream come true for them to bid contracts for light rail stations after an owners property is condemned. It is reprehensable that you would have folks believe that HRT has a heart rather than a pumping gizzard in regards to eminent domain. Especially in the developement of light rail stations and light rail park and rides. I am sure you will tell the retired owners of their home that has been condemned by HRT that it was in the public interest, even though they will not be able to find another home for the amount they have paid. Nor will they live long enough to take out a new mortgage, much less qualify for it. No I don't have an open mind on this topic as what was fortold about cost over-runs, mismanagement, the low-balling of the estimate, and the snowballing of the public.
Keith, the story teller
Thanks Keith for proving my point; that is, the opponents can't win on the facts, so they make up incredible stories to scare the general public. The Light rail extension to Virginia Beach, as opposed to widening the interstate, involves no condemnation nor dislocation. Keith knows that, but to scare you, he must make up a story about dislocation and condemnation and the creation of a housing and redevelpment authority. But most citizens are smart enough to know that property owners along the route may benefit from light rail if they are willing to invest in the redevelopment of their own property. No authority needed nor wanted. Around the nation, property values within 1/2 mile of light rail stations have increased by 8 to 10 times becasue of the conversion of these properties to multi use projects like town center. So don't be fooled by Keith, the story teller; he's just trying to scare you.
The snake oil salesman has spoken
The real truth is Mr. Barrett left out the word 'yet' in the predicate of his sentence after the word condemnation. Yes Mike, we all know VB owns the ROW. However, they don't own the properties where light rail stations and park and rides will be established in neighborhoods and along the routes. VB won't need a redevelopement authority (which Mr. Barrett would absolutely love) as HRT will act to condemn property and take it just as they did in Norfolk. In a couple of cases illegally. Most citizens also know if they own property in the corridor, they had better cooperate and redevelop it or else. So tell us Mike, if the property owner along the corridor decides NOT to sell his property to use for light rail...then what? Will they (HRT or the city) go away? Will they take NO for an answer? Only an idiot would think they would go away. HRT is a PUBLIC entity. It receives federal, state, and local money. It can take property just as Dominion power can take property for power lines. It's public. Look it up for yourselves folks.
Reprehensible scare tactics
Thanks for the questions, Keith. If an owner does not wish to sell their land for development of a station, or to redevelop their own parcel to take advantage of the opportunity brought by light rail and the new SGA zoning overlay, they can opt to do absolutely nothing. Again, your attempts to scare people is reprehensible, but not unexpected. Fact is, light rail brings opportunity for property owners, it does not take opportunity away. If one property owner won't participate, others will.
Thank you Keith
Keith. you mentioned something that I've completely forgotten about and I want to thank you. In November the Republicans will take over Congress and then this is issue will die and there will be no light rail in Hampton Roads. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you. So, now I will sit back and watch as the stones are thrown and people are bloodied. So, the day after election day I will post and people like Mikey and his ill-guided misinformed lackeys will be whining and crying about all of us in the "minority" that are backwards and fighting against progress. I also forgot "Beach Snobs". But, we need to also remember that Mikey boy and some of his buddies tend to gain from LRT, and not from riding the "Tide" either, their own bank accounts. Hopefully, then we will have a city council that will vote the will of the people and not their own personnal and financial interests masked as trying to "lead" Hampton Roads into the future. LRT is nothing but a failure from the begining and Norfolk is looking for someone to help share the burden.
I don't know what Mike is
I don't know what Mike is talking about widening I-264. I can't find anything on the VDOT or CTB websites about it. It must have been brought up in a meeting that Mike was at and then dissed. Therefore it was planned and then pulled because he said VA won't raise the gas tax. Care to enighten us Mikey? Can you provide a link from their site showing this proposal of $250MIL widening project on I-264?
The facts, Keith
Well Keith, just to keep you on the straight and narrow, there was a plan to widen I-264 between I-64 and Witchduck Road. Just this small section would have cost $250,000,000. It was recently removed from VDOT's six year plan by the Commonwealth Transportation Board because the funds were simply not available any longer. Why? Becasue of the refusal to raise the gas tax, we must use our construction allocation for maintenance, so new construction in Virginia is grinding to a halt. Since the chances of ever building the Southeastern Greenbelt and Expressway are slim and none, without light rail, expansion of I-264 is inevitable. That cost will be astronomical compared to light rail which can be expanded simply by adding train cares and increasing the frequency of trains.
Show me the facts Mike. Stop
Show me the facts Mike. Stop rubbishing me with the same line over and over again. Show me a VDOT or CTB document.