VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — The Virginia Beach City Council took steps on Tuesday toward turning the undeveloped Rudee Loop at the southern end of the Oceanfront into a public park.
In a 7-2 vote, council members approved taking $4 million from the city's Tourism Investment Program Fund to pay for the procurement of design services from a team "with qualified national or international experience developing iconic park spaces."
"Rudee Loop is by far one of the most pristine properties on the East Coast right now," Mayor Bobby Dyer said before the council's vote, later adding, "I think at least getting the ball rolling now would be in our best interests."
The vote comes months after city officials surveyed the public to see how the area should be transformed. Bordering the Rudee Inlet and the Atlantic Ocean, Rudee Loop is a popular spot for locals, especially for surfers and fishers. But with the area mostly filled with parking spaces, city officials have long desired to develop it into something else.
The survey presented four different proposals, which included proposals for hotels, mixed-use development and parks. Most people indicated they wanted green or open space, as opposed to more hotels.
During an August update from Virginia Beach City Planning Director Kathy Warren on the development, many council members expressed their support for hiring a renowned firm to design a park.
Ahead of Tuesday's vote, Virginia Beach Parks & Recreation Director Michael Kirschman acknowledged that the design process could take a year and a half, which would include public feedback and the eventual approval by the City Council.
