VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — An online petition is currently circulating to save what Virginia Beach neighbors call "Lake Conrad 2". Neighbors whose property sits adjacent to the lake said there is currently a plan to sell the land, which houses the lake, to a developer.
"They want to fill in the lake and build homes on it and in doing so we have a big concern," said Derrick Copeland, one of the petitioners, about the lake at 1445 Great Neck Road on the Wycliffe Presbyterian Church's property.
For years, Copeland said the lake has acted as a natural form of protection against stormwater damage. The lake, he said, gathers some of the more hazardous materials before it can be filtered into the bigger Great Neck Lake System.
The petition which started on August 1st now has over 6000 signatures.
Copeland said Tropical Storm Ophelia showed just how vital the lake is to neighbors.
"Thankfully our streets did not turn into a river, and we didn't see major damage, but was that directly because Lake Conrad 2 did its job?" questioned Copeland. "
During a previous Virginia Beach planning committee meeting, Eddie Bourdon, an attorney representing Wycliffe Presbyterian Church, said the future of the lake is ultimately not up to the church.
Bourdon said the Church is within their rights to want to sell their land, and said if city leaders have an interest in protecting the lake, they are welcome to buy the land.
"They're welcome to participate in that process! But that is not a process that this Planning Commission has anything to do with," Bourdon said.
In a split decision, Virginia Beach's Planning Commission sided with frustrated neighbors and voted to not recommend the rezoning to Virginia Beach City Council.
Virginia Beach city council members are expected to decide on the matter on October 17th.