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City Clerk's Office - City Council - Town Meetings

Western Branch Town Meeting
June 2, 2009

Following are responses to issues, grouped under headings, raised at the Western Branch Town Meeting.

Mosquito and Tick Control

Tick Control:
Ticks are not affected by mosquito control pesticides, especially at the rate of application used for mosquito control. Private pest control companies can and will treat for them, but property owners themselves can control them relatively easily.

Grass and weeds need to be well groomed and cut short. Most, if not all, hardware stores and home improvement centers sell products for the purpose of tick control, and if used according to label directions will do the job quite well. Also, tick repellent works very well if used properly and according to label directions. Mosquito Control crews deal with ticks almost on a daily basis and are provide with and encouraged to use repellents. Some repellents are designed for application to clothing and provide long term (multiple washes) activity, and they work equally well.

From the Health Department: Although less than 2% of ticks most likely carry Lyme's Disease, there is no way to determine this by outward appearance of the tick. So it is most wise to consider any tick as a potentially infected tick and take stringent protective measures. It generally takes about 6 hours for an embedded infected tick to transmit disease. So the first and foremost rule is to check your body, especially those parts with hair, about every 2 hours and remove any ticks. This should prevent them from being able to transmit disease. The use of DEET spray is a deterrent for ticks as well as wearing long pants (tucked inside socks) and long sleeved shirts.

Mosquito Control:
Mosquito Control will respond to citizen requests for spraying and citizens can request service on-line. There are times when spraying an individual yard is not the answer; however, Mosquito Control will take whatever steps are necessary.

Following are tips for what citizens can do:

  • Empty, remove or cover any receptacle that would hold water - particularly old bottles, tin cans, junk and tires
  • Repair leaky pipes and outside faucets
  • Screen rain barrels and openings to water tanks
  • Cover or turn small boats upside down and keep all water pumped from the bilge
  • Change water in wading pools, bird baths, pet dishes and vases holding flowers or cuttings twice a week
  • Clean clogged roof gutters of all debris and drain flat roofs
  • Dispose of yard debris (grass cuttings, trimming, branches, leaves etc…) properly – do not put in ditches or drainageways
  • Fill holes in trees with sand or mortar, or drain or spray them as needed
  • Fix or replace screen on doors and windows
  • Stock ornamental ponds with mosquito larvae eating fish
  • Report standing water

Resources:

Taylor Road

The Public Works, Engineering Division reports that Taylor Road from Bruce Road to Western Branch Boulevard is scheduled for resurfacing with funds provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Stimulus Package), provided approval by the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). This work, along with other projects throughout the City, if approved, is expected to begin in March 2010 and will be completed by the end of December 2010. In the meantime, the Operations Division will monitor all sections of Taylor Road for continuing road maintenance. They will ensure that remedial road repair work is conducted prior to any paving operations which may not begin until March of 2010.

Gas Station:
According to the Commissioner of the Revenue’s Office, the gas station at Taylor Rd. and Bangor Dr. is still licensed to do business.

Resources:

  • Stimulus.Virginia.gov - Stimulus.virginia.gov informs citizens about how state government leaders plan to implement the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA).

    NOTE: Use Internet Explorer browser to see ALL options under "Where is Your Money Going."

Bruce Road and Crossings Drive

Map of intersection

Traffic Signal:
The Public Works Traffic Engineering Division has previously studied this intersection. The study showed that the traffic pattern going through that intersection failed to meet federal traffic signal warrants. The Division will conduct a new traffic study at this intersection during rush hours when schools are back in session and the traffic study should be available at the end of September 2009.

Development between Taylor Rd. and Crossings Dr.:
A subdivision construction plan titled Western Branch Reserve was initially approved on March 22, 2007 and a land disturbing permit was issued May 21, 2007. This development project soon commenced; however, due to the downturn in the housing market it came to a halt. The developer has recently indicated that he has no immediate intentions of continuing this project and that he intends to put all permits and bonds in suspension.

On June 29, 2009, an inspector met with the developer on site to discuss the required measures to bring the site into conformance with all erosion and sediment criteria. The developer will remove the majority of the silt fence and mow along the roadside of Bruce Road; however, some silt fence will remain as a safety measure around excavated areas.

Sidewalk/Terry Drive

The Public Works Operations Division supervisor performed an on-site inspection of the sidewalk at the above location on June 10, 2009. There was no evidence of graffiti at the time of inspection; however, it was determined that approximately ninety feet (90') of the sidewalk on Terry Drive at the intersection of Terry Drive and Brittany Way warrants replacement in order to improve pedestrian travel. This work is scheduled to start within the next three weeks, after schools are in recess for summer, weather permitting.

Resources:

  • Online Service Requests - Chesapeake Customer Contact Center
    See Graffiti (City Owned Property/Right-of-Way) or Sidewalk Repair Service Requests

Speeding/Parking near Western Branch High School

The City Manager has contacted the Schools and is putting together a task force made up of the Police, Public Works, and the Neighborhood Services Coordinator to work with Schools to find solutions to the speeding and parking issues that have resulted from the construction, and will result from the additional students, at Western Branch High School. The group will work on this over the summer and hopefully have solutions for the start of the new school year.

Related:

Retail in Western Branch

Some recent commercial successes in Western Branch include Gold's Gym, ABNB/New Commercial Center and N.A.E. Federal Credit Union. Also, a new Cracker Barrel will be opening in late 2009/early 2010.

The Commissioner of the Revenue's Office has responded that Dillard's is closing and has obtained a permit to hold a final sale. The City's Economic Development Department is working with the owner of Chesapeake Square Mall to assist in their development plans. In the current economic climate, there are not many retailers looking to expand in the immediate timeframe. Economic Development, however, continues to contact retailers and attend trade shows, in order to position the City appropriately when retailers are ready to expand again.

Real Estate

The Real Estate Assessor conducts periodic physical reviews of properties throughout the City to maintain an accurate and current inventory. The quality and quantity of data collected on these reviews will determine the reliability of values that are generated and insure uniformity and equalization, as is required by law. City appraisers were recently in the Green Meadow Point area of the City.

Generally, this review entails an appraiser going house to house to verify the information on record with the property owner if possible. An interior inspection is not required, or demanded. If a homeowner indicates that property records contain an inaccuracy regarding an interior feature, the appraiser may suggest visual clarification, but only with the homeowner’s approval. If a homeowner is not a home, the appraiser will leave a card as a courtesy to let the homeowner know that appraiser has been at the property and can be contacted if the homeowner has questions.

Real Estate Sales are collected and analyzed each calendar year in the City. Sales ratio studies are conducted within subdivisions to determine ratio of assessment to selling price. By State law, assessments are to reflect 100% of the fair market value with uniformity and equalization being considered as well. The January 1, 2009 reassessments reflect the 2008 Real Estate market trends. Current sales (2009) will be used for the January 1, 2010 reassessment process.

Resources:

Bulk Trash Pick Up/Recycling

The City of Chesapeake does not charge for bulk pick up, nor is there a proposal to do so. The City will, however, be charging each resident and small business receiving City waste collection services a $3.00 monthly fee. The funds will be used to cover increased garbage disposal costs incurred by the City and to start an enhanced curbside recycling program utilizing 95 gallon large roll-out carts. This recycling program is targeted to begin prior to the end of 2009. Billing for these charges will be twice a year and the first bills will go out in November 2009.

Resources:

SPSA

The City entered into an agreement with the other counties and municipalities that make up SPSA, in order to maintain the solvency of the organization. This plan is designed to give SPSA financial breathing room to sell off its assets and retire its $240 million in debt without shutting down. It is our goal that the selling of these assets will pay down most, if not all, of the SPSA debt, and present a business model that is more efficient and effective in providing services to the citizens it serves.

Governor Kaine has stated that if the localities did not deal with the SPSA debt issue, he would redirect State dollars coming to Hampton Roads for others services (such as Constitutional Officers, public safety, education) to SPSA in order for it to stay solvent. The region was placed in a difficult position to come up with the best solution possible, given the circumstances. The Plan was designed to allow for an orderly transfer of assets. The city will continue to monitor the status of SPSA in the coming weeks and months as this process unfolds.

Resources:

Speeding on I-664

Speed enforcement on Interstate highways is performed by the Virginia State Police. With regard to the question of whether anything can be done from an engineering standpoint to curtail speeding, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) has jurisdiction on the Interstate system.

City Vehicles

The City staff operates a large motor-vehicle fleet and recognizes that efficiency in this area is essential. Accordingly, through a number of initiatives the size of the fleet has been, and will continue to be, reviewed and reduced where possible.

The number of active, licensed vehicles in the City fleet is currently 1,099. Of these, 48% are public safety vehicles. The number has steadily declined since 2005 when it was 1,463 vehicles. Last year, the City initiated a vehicle utilization study that has resulted in at least 81 vehicles of all types being eliminated specifically as efficiency measures.

The City is actively seeking to further reduce the number of active vehicles by eliminating "assigned" vehicles where possible and replacing them with a lesser number of motor pool vehicles. We have established a general purpose vehicle motor pool in the municipal center and we are in the process of establishing a heavy duty vehicle motor pool at Butts Station. We also have an ongoing work group that is evaluating other vehicle reduction initiatives, including among other things, establishing more motor pools at additional outlying areas.

Even as the fleet is reduced in total numbers, new vehicles are still required to replace those that have reached the end of their economical service life. Our goal is to provide a lean but functional fleet that is efficient to operate and ready when needed.

Voting Precinct

The Office of Voter Registration states that there are no plans to make changes to voting precincts prior to 2011. Change will then be made as a result of the 2010 Census.

Neighborhood Stabilization Program

The Neighborhood Stabilization Program has three specific targeting responsibilities for how and what neighborhoods the NSP funds may be used:

  • All funds must go towards programs that serve individuals and families whose income does not exceed 120 percent of area median income;

  • At least 25 percent of the funds must be used for the purchase and redevelopment of abandoned or foreclosed homes or residential properties that will be used to house individuals and families whose incomes are less than 50 percent of area median income;

  • Localities that receive NSP funds must give priority emphasis to the areas of greatest need within their communities, including those areas: with the great percentage of foreclosures; with the highest percentage of homes financed by sub-prime mortgage related loans; and identified as likely to face a significant rise in the rate of home foreclosures.

City's At-Large Election System

When the City was first established in 1963 there was a charter provision which required the election of City Council members under a ward system. In the late 1960s a citizen challenged this in the federal District Court as being unconstitutional. The Court invalidated the system, and thereafter the Virginia General Assembly amended the City's Charter and established the current at-large election procedures. Pursuant to Section 3.01 of the Chesapeake City Charter, the Mayor and Members of the City Council are elected at-large, without regard to borough residency. In order to establish election districts or wards, the City Charter would have to be amended by the Virginia General Assembly. In addition, the City would have to obtain approval of the proposed election districts from the United States Department of Justice.

The potential benefits of a ward system in the City have not been analyzed for many years. In the mid-1990s, the Department of Justice inquired whether the City's at-large council elections resulted in the violation of the "one-man, one-vote" construction of Amendment XV to the United States Constitution. The Department of Justice found that the at-large elections did not result in unequal voting power among persons due to race.

Northwest River Park/YMCA Summer Day Camp

A concern was raised that the YMCA to occupy public property will lead to other religious groups wanting and expecting the same privilege. The YMCA is one of the largest not-for project community service organizations in the United States. They are not affiliated with any religious denominations and their membership is open to all regardless of religion. Also, the public/private partnership between the YMCA and the City includes benefits to the public Northwest River Park with the addition of a swimming pool, activity building, amphitheater, sports pavilion, crafts building, picnic shelters, ropes and initiatives course and improved parking. And any future partnerships developed would include citizen benefits.

Information on this project is listed on the City's website under YMCA at Northwest River Park.

 

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