We’re Here To Help
August 20th, 2008 at 3:38 pm by Kelly Welsh under 10 On Your Side
Hi I’m Kelly Welsh, 10 On Your Side Producer. We are extremely busy here at the station answering dozens of phone calls, emails and letters. Many of the requests for help are about Renter’s Rights. And, many of the questions are similar in nature. For example, how long can my landlord keep my deposit or who do I contact if my landlord refuses to fix problems in my apartment? We try to help everyone who contacts 10 On Your Side. Here is the website to the Virginia Office Of Consumer Affairs http://www.vdacs.virginia.gov/consumers/f-landlord.shtml. This is a very informative website that any renter should visit. If you are a renter or a landlord you definetly need to get a copy of the Virginia Residential Landlord Tenant Act handbook. This handbook lists the rules and regulations pertaining to the Landlord Tenants laws in Virginia. You can download it from the above website or call and order one. It’s a must have and it’s free!!!!
The basis is that W. Randy Wright in his capacity failed to produce a comprehensive revitalization plan for East Ocean View that could have dealt with many of the problems that exist (the plan was supposed to be made available for public commentary by Fall 2003)…Here we are 5 years later and no real studies or plan to deal with our infrastructure and issues in all other areas as were supposed to be addressed in such a plan that was touted 5 years ago which motivated alot of us to move here…here is a recap of what they said back in 2003
“Due to the growing interest brought about by promising developments such as East Beach and Harbor Walk, a new East Ocean View plan is needed to synthesize previous studies with the changing economic environmental and ensure that East Ocean view is a safe and attractive place to live and play. Planning for the future of East Ocean View is underway. A revitalization plan is being developed by a community steering committee comprised of residents and business and other stakeholder interests. Facilitated by the Department of Planning and Community Development and lead by City Councilman W. Randy Wright, the East Ocean View Plan will focus on the area bounded by the Chesapeake Bay to the north, Little Creek to the east, 1st Bay Street to the west and Little Creek Road to the south. The plan will serve as a guide for future growth and potential development patterns spurred by public and private initiatives in the area. Work on the plan began in Spring, 2003. Focused on creating and maintaining a high quality of life in East Ocean View, the plan seeks to maintain and enhance the residential, commercial, transportation and recreational assets in the community. A draft of the revitalization plan will be available for public comment this fall.(2003)”
You have expressed what is on many residents mind here in East Ocean View…we have been asking for a formal study of the needs of the community (ie. infrastructure, rec, sewer/stormdrainage, various capital improvements, etc)…back in the Spring of 2003 we were promised a formal revitalization plan that would be made avaliable for comment in Fall 2003…Randy Wright was declared the lead for the plan which never materialized.
Such planning and implementation can be seen in many other areas…For example, The Fairmont/Five Ponts comprehensive revitalization study and plan (96 pages available on the City Website…Planning Dept) demonstrates the failure of our representative to make it happen here. We have never seen a plan thus obviously have been unable to provide public commentary/input leaving everything in the hands of a small group of council members/officials and developers…In my opinion, the time has come to demand a plan and make our voices heard in regards to the needs of this community
In my opinion, the citizens were misled to have informed back in Spring 2003 that a revitalization plan was in the works and would be furnished for public comment and subsequent implementation….We have watched many other neighborhoods get their plans over the past five years…years ago the City published a list of neighborhoods that needed significant attention due to grossly inadequate infrastructure and a myriad of other issues (Broad Creek Renaissance, Church Street, East Ocean View, Fairmount Park, Southside, Wards Corner, Downtown 2010, Five Points)
All of these neighborhoods except Church Street and East Ocean View have a active plan that can be viewed on the City website… Furthermore, the areas which have a plan become part of the Comprehensive Devlopment Plan of Norfolk.
The question is why is there still no plan for East Ocean View which was deemed in need of such a plan five years ago.