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Choppy waters

WHERE THE NEWSPAPER STANDS

August 11, 2006

The charge to Buckroe's new planners: Find a compromise

To: LaQuatra Bonci, planners

Re: Buckroe Beach

Congratulations on your selection by Hampton to develop/revise/fine-tune the city's plans for the revitalization of the Buckroe waterfront. It's a big deal for the city and, if done well, could be a nice plum for you.

But a caution is in order as you wade ahead: Watch out for the local waters. Tides of public opinion rise and fall in Buckroe, and the waves of public sentiment can quickly wash away even well-crafted plans as if they were no more than a sand castle. A fair amount of debris is in the water already, and some people think they see vestiges of stuff that can be pretty ugly, like class issues. And, oh, watch out for the nettles - they look like wisps, but they can really sting.

Take on this job with the humbling knowledge that you were not the first choice. First, the city hired a well-known firm to develop a master plan to transform this troubled area. It assembled a citizen committee that worked hard for a long time to help shape the design.

But soon, that design was a wreck on the beach, as waves of controversy started crashing over proposals for the area known as Lots B. Those are three now-vacant lots just back from the beach, on which the plan called for houses and condos.

When the protests wouldn't quiet, the city formed another committee, and it had a heck of a time at its first meeting. Such a time that City Manager Jesse Wallace decided to abandon the committee before it really got going and then turned to you.

So good luck with this, LaQuatra Bonci.

And here's some advice as you develop alternatives to present: Look for compromise. Pay attention to what the conflict over Lots B tells you. Opposition to the plan for these lots proved widespread and unrelenting, and so any new plan that doesn't address those concerns is likely to elicit the same result.

It's understandable why folks got upset. When the city acquired these lots years ago, it was with the intention of developing them. But that dragged on for so many years that people got used to the unrestricted view of the beach, the open space for picnics and events. To them, it feels like they're losing something they collectively own, even though the city never intended for the lots to remain open.

On the other hand, some development is essential. The hard truth about Buckroe is that unless it can bring in more high-end residences, the rest of the ambitious plan for the area won't work as well. Residential development is essential to attracting the amenities that all residents want. Stores don't come because the façade of a shopping center is gussied up. They come because there are enough consumers with enough money to make business profitable. The city wants to jump-start that process on land it owns (Lots B, among a lot of other property). That will attract other developers and individuals who will acquire and upgrade properties, producing a more beneficial housing mix.

Some judicious development can push Buckroe toward a positive tipping point, into a more attractive, more prosperous future. Absent that push, it may reach a tipping point in the other direction, where decay, crime and drugs become Buckroe's defining attributes.

So do your best, LaQuatra Bonci. See if there are ways to develop part of the B lots and keep part open. See if there are ways to address concerns that on-street parking will block pedestrians' view of what Buckroe is all about: the waterfront. See if you can find compromises.

Because if you don't, and the city goes ahead with development, opposition won't die away but will instead corrode the relationship between a lot of residents and their government.

Clearing the waters

by Trish Ferraro

August 18, 2006

With all due respect, the Daily Press memo, August 11, 2006, “Choppy waters,” was very well written, but offered only a partial synopsis to the past and present situation that awaits any park planner as they begin the job of designing a world-class park on the properties known as Lots B at Buckroe Beach.

First, the "local waters" mentioned in the memo regarding the Bay Front Initiative (including Lots B) became “choppy” only when a petition to stop residential development on Lots B hit the streets in Hampton. Until then, only the city's planning department and a small local civic association were involved in any planning for Lots B. Unlike other areas in our city undergoing planning processes, the greater majority of Buckroe residents and Hampton citizens were unaware of what was being planned for the Buckroe area because the planning meetings were not properly advertised to the public.

During those meetings held in the fall of 2005, some wanted to see different visions for the Bay Front Initiative (Lots B), something other than high-density, high-cost residential development. However, their requests were ignored, and it was only then that the process began for the movement to save Lots B for the publics continued use.

Second, the City had good intentions when they decided to form another committee to look at the area, and fortunately, with the blessings of Hampton City Council, City Manager Jesse Wallace had the foresight to see that hiring a professional park planner was a better and more practical idea. I believe the new committee would have ultimately come up with the same decision, and so Mr. Wallace’s decision made life a little easier for all involved.

Third, when talking about compromising by adding essential development, it must pointed out that the City of Hampton recently acquired a large track of land near the water directly to the south of Lots B. This new city-owned land, slated for high-end residential development “is” the compromise for the area because it was the so-called “blighted areas,” and its purchase will increase the city's housing stock. Any new residential development on this newly acquired land will be highly complimented by having a lovely uniquely planned park as its centerpiece.

And, having world-class city park on Lots B will not only greatly increase the value of all surrounding homes, but a spectacular Chesapeake Bay Front park will greatly increase the livability value for the entire City of Hampton.

Thousands of Hampton residents have been waiting for a professional park planner to come on board to accomplish the right thing for Lots B at Buckroe Beach, not only for the good of all Hampton residents but for the good of everyone, locals, visitors, and tourists for generations to come.

Finally, a more optimistic opinion for Lots B is to consider how small 10-acres really are in the grand scheme of things and to envision a mix of shops, eateries, open space, and recreational activities, all on an impressive scale making Hampton’s beach and the Buckroe community an extraordinary place. Visit the “Riverwalk” located on the waterfront in Yorktown to see a good example of what can be accomplished at Buckroe.

Trish Ferraro