The Virginian-Pilot
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VIRGINIA BEACH
Here’s a situation you rarely see: Virginia Beach is all but begging the federal government to take its money.
The Beach is offering $15 million to pump sand on the Sandbridge beaches and buffer the cottages and pricey vacation rentals from a potentially destructive storm.
When Virginia Beach officials asked the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to accept the money, they were told it couldn’t be done. Since May, Virginia’s congressmen have made similar pleas on the city’s behalf.
The response?
“I regret that the Army is unable to accept the city’s offer of contributed funds at this time,” Jo-Ellen Darcy, the assistant secretary of the Army’s civil works program, wrote to U.S. Rep. Scott Rigell late last month.
Now local officials are backing a change in federal law that would allow the federal agency to take the city’s money for the project.
“It’s not going to cost the federal government any money,” said Councilwoman Barbara Henley, whose district includes Sandbridge. “That’s what doesn’t make sense.”
The replenishment project, which officials initially wanted to start this fall, will be delayed at least until next spring while local and federal officials sort out the money issue, said Phillip Roehrs, the city’s coastal engineer.
A wide stretch of beach still separates the ocean from homes, and the delay shouldn’t cause any harm, Roehrs said.
At issue is a federal law that bans the Army Corps from accepting money for the entire cost of a coastal storm-damage project like Sandbridge’s from the local partner, said Jennifer Armstrong, the Army Corps local project manager.
Federal funding is supposed to cover 65 percent of the cost of this occasional sand replenishment project, with the remaining money coming from taxes paid by Sandbridge homeowners.
But the federal government’s contribution has dwindled over the years and there’s no money set aside for the next cycle. Beach officials anticipated the decline in federal funds and reserved money from the Sandbridge taxes to pay the entire cost.
City officials have considered going solo on the replenishment, but that poses additional challenges, Roehrs said.
The city would have to reapply for all the permits, deal with endangered species concerns and coordinate with other federal agencies.
“It would be a bureaucratic nightmare,” Roehrs said.
The Army Corps also has the expertise to do the project, he said.
Army Corps and city officials are exploring other options, including whether they can change the original contract for the replenishment so that the Beach can provide the full amount but potentially get reimbursed in the future if federal money becomes available.
The Army Corps hopes to start placing sand on Sandbridge around the same time as the resort beach replenishment, which is funded.
Pat Barton, a Sandbridge resident, said he expects a resolution. Sandbridge’s beaches bring tourists to the area and have generated hefty tax revenues for the city, Barton said.
“I think they’ll get it worked out,” he said. “It might get done to the 12th hour, but they’ll get it worked out.”
Deirdre Fernandes, (757) 222-5121, deirdre.fernandes@pilotonline.com
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All It Takes is One Good Storm
As most living on the coast already know, you can put sand on the beach for weeks or months and one good storm of decent duration can remove all of it in hours. Thankfully the folks in Sandbridge are not nursing off of the sandteat of the rest of the CoVB. Too bad other public private partnerships are not held to this higher standard. The Bridge'ers know the worth of their effort to hold tightly to the sands of time and pay their way via taxes they adore. In the core of the resort area, favored dvelopers know the worth of shaking down the locals for grains of gold to build projects occupied less than 15% of capacity during the 7 months of off-season. No matter, sands travel north and the bars at the NEnd will be great for surfing at no cost.
Americans do not want sand, they want unemployent below 6%.
Americans do not want sand, they want unemployent below 6%. Sand at Sanbridge creates less than 20 jobbs for 3 months. Nuff said.
Just read Barret's twisted posts. The boo-birds will rule.
Maybe, Mike Barrett will enter into a public/private partnership with Sessoms and friends to figure out how to pump the sand. It will lower the taxes of all the pheasants. Remember, Mike called all the area residents stupid and idiots for not agreeing to his twisted philosophy in recent posts.
Just read his recent twisted posts. The boo-birds rule.
no winners in Sandbridge
I agree entirely that the 15 million belongs to the Sandbridge sand replenishment effort. It is unfortunate that private citizens actually trusted their government to do what was right and proper. Time and time again it is proven in this country that government, at any and all levels cannot be trusted with the people's money. It is a shame that Sandbridge property owners are having to learn the hard way that enjoining with any government entity is a disaster waiting to happen.
Remember this lesson folks when VAB council tells you that the Federal Government is going to give them money for light rail.
What the government gives it can take away.....most of all your hard earned money.
Dissension In Paradise
SSD and TIF aside, what is the REAL underlying issue of the article? Sand replenishment utilizing the Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). Well guess what Va Beach? The USACE is not a for hire agency, they're a federal agency, mandated by federal laws that were not created yesterday. If the USACE starts taking for hire projects they will be setting a dangerous precedent. Yes, they (USACE) have the expertise and yes, they have the permits. But no, they're not contractors. The nation's broke, spending will be cut; not just in Sandbridge but in a lot of areas/locales. But guess what? People in hell want ice water. So of course Va Beach is fighting - they know that if they have to hire a private contractor like Skanska...it's a wrap.
ah yes, justice at citizens' expense
Another fine example of what happens when you get in bed with government. Whether you are a state or an individual -- if you sign agreements with the government then the government can yank those away any time they want.
Again: What the government giveth the government can taketh away.
Maybe those potentates on the VAB city council will finally learn their lesson about hopping into bed with the federal government.......Naw probably not.
And those of you in Sandbridge who volunteered to be taxed....well shame on you for not knowing better, those are the cities funds now and they can give them to the developer for their new Gateway and continued eyesore at Town Center.
"sand"
Basic engineering principles and simple logic dictate that you shouldn't build on sand. Let them fall into the ocean. Houses aren't supposed to be there. It's just a matter of time anyway before the "million-dollar homes" are demolished by a major hurricane. Give the Army Engineers a break; they have a thousand rotting bridges and dams to consider before concerning themselves with a beach that will disappear again, and again, and again . . .
Sandbridge Pays
Sandbridge homeowners pay a higher property tax rate specifically to fund sand replenishment. If you don't own property there, your local tax dollars are not paying for the sand. You can read anything you want to know about the SSD (Special Service District) and TIF (Tax Increment Financing) on the City's web page. You can also read that the City has actually taken large sums of money from the Sandbrige fund and placed it back into the general fund vs refunding it to the taxpayers as part of the agreement. Additionally, Sandbridge vacation rentals generate A LOT of general tax revenue for the City through a lodging tax. The beach is open for everyone to enjoy and as the traffic shows, lots of people do. Know the facts before you whine.
I believe the funds taken from the Sandbridge fund
were from the TIF revenues, which could justifiably be used for other city expenditures. Monies from the Special Tax District add'l tax rate cannot be used for anything but sand replenishment purposes.
Why?
Why hasn't some entrepreneur come up and made an offer to dredge all of Va Bch, and replenish the sands. It appears there is plenty of monies to be made. (millions).
It appears to be a full time year round job: the bay sands, the north end of the beach, the ocean front, Croatan, Pendleton and Sand Bridge. And if the Fed govt wants to pay for their sand replenishments Like Little Creek, Fort Story, and Dam neck.
It just appears there is a lot of money to be made by somebody with a little iniative and investment.