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Don't let Buckroe Beach go condo

By Sandra Canepa

Daily Press

May 21, 2005

Buckroe Beach had two world-class attractions, a fun, family-oriented boardwalk amusement park sitting on approximately 10 acres of land beside a wonderful public beach fronting the magnificent Chesapeake Bay.

Today the amusement park is gone but, as pointed out in Living Here 2005-2006, Buckroe Beach is the biggest of the Peninsula Beaches, with open, grassy areas, a dog park, picnic shelters and convenient inexpensive public parking.

If Hampton City Council has its way, those open grassy areas at Buckroe Beach will be lost forever to Hampton’s 147,000 citizens as well as to tourists.

City Council recently adopted a 2005 Buckroe Master Plan which calls for three-story condominiums and other high-density housing to be built on those remaining 10 acres of green space. In other words the open grassy areas overlooking the magnificent Chesapeake Bay and now belonging to all Hampton taxpayers, will be sold to developers for the few buyers who will be able to afford the high-end, high-density condominiums planned for those lots.

Those 10 acres of green space need to be designated as a professionally designed and landscaped bayfront park for the continued joyful pursuit of fun and relaxation by everyone, no matter their status or income. Not only would a bayfront park benefit the now and future generations of Hampton, but, properly designed, it would be a major revenue-producing attraction with the right mix of special events, activities and services.

Say “No” to condos at the former Buckroe Beach Amusement Park site.

Concerned Hampton citizens and others can learn more online by visiting www.buckroebeach.org.

Sandra Canepa

Hampton

Plan misrepresented

By Amy Hobbs

Daily Press

May 21, 2005

There's been a lot of concern about "saving the green space" at Buckroe Beach. People have signed a petition against the development of mixed-use housing, with some small mom and pop commercial mixed in, at the areas from Mallory Street up to First Street. For those of you who have signed that petition with the best of intentions, but were misinformed, mislead or just plain uninformed, here are few facts about the Buckroe Master Plan:

Housing in the initiative area will go no closer to the beach than First Street. The area from First Street to the beachfront will remain parkland with parking access for the beach going from the current fewer than 100 spaces to more than 240.

All homes to be built will be held to a strict architectural standard and will be no higher than three stories. While the plan does call for condos and townhomes as well as single family homes, these will look like old time Buckroe Beach houses. Within the areas of these homes, parking will be in the interior of the blocks. Also, additional park areas will be added throughout the neighborhood as part of the redevelopment.

There is no intention from anyone involved in this process to cut off, minimize or reduce the access to Hampton's diamond in the rough, Buckroe Beach. Just the opposite. This plan will not only maximize the use of our beach and park area to the best of its best potential, it will create a new and vibrant neighborhood in Hampton to supplement and highlight the many wonderful characteristics we have in Buckroe.

To see the plan visit online at www.hampton.gov/planning/plans.html. Click under Buckroe Master Plan.

Amy Hobbs

President, Buckroe Civic Association

Hampton

We all know what has happened at our old playground at the Salt Ponds beach at the end of North First Street since the homes were built there.

The community there is now gated and the public is no longer able to visit the public beach because there is no where to park within walking distance without getting a parking ticket.

If we allow condos to be built and lose our logical parking area, the same thing will happen at Buckroe Beach.

This is not a good idea!

The additional park areas will only serve the few residents that live in the surrounding neighborhoods.

We should not take away a playground from the many and make small playgrounds for the few!

Also, there are no small playground areas planned for the older neighborhood -- the same neighborhood that the overflow parking is slated for!

We need to leave the bayfront green area as a place for all to use as it has always been.

That's what the people want. Ask them.

Comments:

With imagination and insight, the Peninsula's biggest beach, Buckroe Beach, can be transformed into the most admired revenue producing public recreational beach site in the State of Virginia.

If we sell out to condo development, we will lose that opportunity forever, and our citizens will lose a special place that has been a source of family enjoyment for many years.

There is still time for citizen input. Hampton citizens can sign the Petition to keep the Buckroe Beach bayfront as a state-of-the-art recreational beach park for all to enjoy.