VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WVEC) — A plan to reconfigure part of Atlantic Avenue in front of The Cavalier Hotel in Virginia Beach will go on as scheduled.
City Council voted to continue the project Tuesday, even though the majority of speakers were against it.
“You’re not here for the tourists, you are here for the people year-round, and a lot of times we feel very pushed out,” said one resident.
“It’s a bad command when we have a city manager who is favoring more what a developer wants than what citizens want,” said another.
“At least I have not seen and I know a lot of other people have not seen that this is a necessary closure,” said another.
Developer Bruce Thompson’s plan is to close Atlantic Avenue between 40th Street and Pacific Avenue in exchange for a cul-de-sac and green space in front of The Cavalier Hotel.
“It’s all about creating valet parking for Bruce Thomson,” said another resident.
However, The Cavalier said the reconfiguration will improve traffic flow and create more parking options.
“The safest and best way to handle the traffic generated by this project that would have the least impact on the adjacent properties is the proposal that this council approved over a year ago,” said R.J. Nutter who represents The Cavalier.
However, Council members John Moss and Jessica Abbott said not so fast to adopting the resolution to put a stop to the project, which will cost about $2 million dollars, funded by Thompson.
“And we are setting a precedent that if your checkbook is big enough, then the fundamental principles of the republic don’t matter because it’s all about the money,” said Moss.
In the end, the motion to stop the project failed by a vote of three to seven, Moss, Abbott, and Mayor Bobby Dyer were the only council members voting against the reconfiguration.
The reconfiguration is expected to be complete by the end of 2019.
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