VIRGINIA BEACH, Va (WVEC) — Two city council members want to put a temporary halt on plans reconfigure a street at the Oceanfront.
Jessica Abbott and John Moss plan to present a resolution urging the city council to vote “no” in moving forward with the realignment of Atlantic Avenue near 40th Street. The change would create a cul-de-sac for traffic mitigation in front of The Cavalier Hotel, a major tourist attraction at the Oceanfront.
Bruce Thompson, the hotel’s developer, told city council he is willing to foot a $2.1 million price tag for the project.
"But it still doesn't change that this is a city asset, and it should have city input and citizen input,” Abbot said. "We didn't hold a public forum, we didn't hold a public hearing for anyone to come and say, 'I'm ok or not ok with this."
Virginia Beach Public Works spokesperson, Drew Lankford, said there were meetings with civic leagues and city council, but no public meetings advertised in newspapers.
Abbott told 13News Now that anyone who would want to change a public street would get a petition, showing at least 70 percent of people in the area are on board.
"If you were to do an FOIA, you'd see that there was some correspondence between the city manager and the civic leagues, but civic leagues don't necessarily represent all of the people who live in that area,” said Abbott.
The city manager, David Hansen has written in a memo that the realignment will benefit neighbors, he also says the council's support would reinforce their concern for the traveling public.
The issue goes to a vote on Tuesday at the city council meeting.
► Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13News Now App.