Homerama Back in OV
Feb 17th
The next Homerama will take place in East Ocean View for the second time. The East Beach development was designed as an urban neighborhood when it was built, rather than a suburban subdivision. If you have never been to East Beach, it is certainly worth a drive. The houses sit close together. They sit close to the curb. Parallel parking is encouraged. No garage is allowed to face the street but rather made to face the rear of the house, where access is permitted by alley. To keep the back alleys (lanes) safe, the houses have plentiful rear-facing windows and guest houses. Sidewalks and parks are plentiful. Contrary to the popular belief of Virginia Beach suburbanites, the sidewalks have not led to an increase in crime. My only hope is that they stick to the plan for the new Homerama and for future development. There is plenty of room for future development. Hopefully after all of the empty land is take up with this style of development, someone can do something about the suburb at the end of East Beach. I love driving through the area, but when I get to places like the suburb part, it really makes me cringe.
CTB To Vote On HSR Today
Feb 17th
Downtown Garage Cameras
Feb 16th
As you may already know, Downtown parking garages are getting cameras installed. I think that it is a great idea. The garages should have cameras. I do have a couple of concerns. My major concern is why they have clear domes? Everybody knows that a tinted dome on the ceiling is a camera. The clear dome simply allows would-be criminals to time their break ins to the camera. Whether you believe it or not, a car can be broken into and the criminal can escape in under 60 seconds. A few months ago, a couple of Downtown garages were hit by criminals that broke into cars and stole the GPS units out of the windshields. They would drive into the garage in a stolen car. They would drive slowly through the garage looking for GPS devices. When they found one, the passenger would exit the vehicle, smash the window, snatch the GPS, return to the car and exit the garage. Sometimes, they would hit three or four cars on the way out. They break-ins have stopped but more due to the increased diligence of patrolling police and security guards from Downtown buildings. This is not just Downtown, either. A similar thing has happened in garages in Portsmouth and at the Oceanfront. It has even happened in parking lots at malls such as Lynnhaven and Greenbrier, where you can see the flashing lights of security a mile away, making it easier to target, break-in, and get away without being caught. Crime knows no boundaries.
These cameras should have tinted or reflective domes. People would still know that they are cameras but they would not be able to see which direction they were pointed. This would deter crime. A criminal however, is just like any other businessman. A criminal will research opportunities, evaluate risk versus reward, and make his decision. The cameras and increased patrols, increase risk. In order to fight the other two factors (opportunity and reward), we have to make people realize that they cannot leave valuables in sight. A GPS is easily visible and would bring in $50 or so at a pawn shop. If people will lock their doors and hide all valuables from view, they criminal’s opportunity is greatly reduced. If you take valuables with you, you reduce the reward. Finally, keep your cars either clean or completely trashy. If you have a fairly clean car, something as simple as an empty bag on the seat or floor may look like it could contain something of value. If you have a car that is definitively trashy (like mine usually), a criminal would have to see something worth having before breaking in. Common sense and diligence is the only way to stop criminals who break into cars short of hiring your own security.
Fix Hampton Roads
Feb 14th
Mixed Use in York County
Feb 12th
York County is in the works to get its first mixed use development. Called Nelson’s Grant, the development would include 66 town houses, 46 condos, and nearly 14,000 square feet of commercial space. The new development is designed to create a sense of place for those that will live there. It incorporates many of the concepts that real urban planners support, such as sidewalks, alleyways to support rear-entry garages, community spaces, parallel parking, and a mixed use area. If this development is successful, it should be a model for future development all around Hampton Roads. It is more efficient on city services and therefore less expensive to serve than the segregated-use, ‘traditional’ suburban sprawl.





