CBPA proposed change details

April 23 Public Hearing Package with rationale for the proposed changes - https://www.cityofchesapeake.net/DocumentCenter/View/18260/04-23-24-Item-7_PLANNING_CBPA

Consideration of the change was Continued (deferred) to the end of June.

Below the proposed CBPA changes provided by Chesapeake Planning Department were compared against National Wetlands Inventory maps - https://fwsprimary.wim.usgs.gov/wetlands/apps/wetlands-mapper/

1. Fernwood Farms/Riverwalk

Areas Proposed for removal (red), addition (dark green)

National Wetlands Inventory

City Drainage Map  https://www.cityofchesapeake.net/DocumentCenter/View/4216/Figures-PDF

Background on Interrupted and Disconnected Wetlands for CBPA Guidance Documents

https://www.deq.virginia.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/22569/638430806129970000

Google Earth 4/8/1990

2. Great Bridge Blvd

Areas proposed for removal (red)

National Wetlands Inventory

Close-up

3. Oakbrooke (East of Arboretum)

Areas proposed for removal (red)/addition (dark green)

National Wetlands Inventory

4. Joliff Woods Area

Areas proposed for removal (red)/addition (green)

National Wetlands Inventory

Close Up 

Google Earth 4/8/1990

5. Goose Creek - Western Branch

Areas proposed for removal (red)/addition (green)

National Wetlands Inventory

6. Western Branch Park area

Areas proposed for removal (red)

National Wetlands Inventory

7. Bruce Road Area - Western Branch

Areas proposed for removal (red)

National Wetlands Inventory

Close-up west end area

National Wetlands Inventory

8. Forested Wetlands west of I-664, not currently in CBPA

9. Popular Hill Estates - Western Branch

Areas proposed for removal (red)

National Wetlands Inventory

Swale running north of Western Branch Avenue

10. Norfolk Highlands - Indian River

Areas proposed for removal (red)

National Wetlands Inventory

Close-up on Lilac Avenue

11. Great Bridge

Areas proposed for removal (red)

National Wetland Inventory

12. Indian River - Additions

Chesapeake Crossing Apartments, Rock Creek in Georgetown, south end of Indian River Park

13. Southern Branch - Additions

Saint Juliens Creek Annex (US Navy), Ferebee Manor, Altantic Corporate Park, Roosevelt Memorial Park cemetary, Keats Landing, Dorcas Acres (South Norfolk), East Iowa Street (Deep Creek)

National Wetlands Inventory - Saint Juliens Creek Annex

Reducing the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area protections

One day after Eartg Day, the City Council will be voting on changes to the boundaries of the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area (CBPA) this Tuesday, April 23. There is little information on the proposed changes included in the public hearing package other than some low resolution maps. Only a high level explanation was given for the process used by the Staff to come to these decisions. This may be something to contact the City Council (council@cityofchesapeake.net) to ask them to Continue (defer) this decision until they can provide the public with more details on the changes and why the decisions were made for different parcels.

Overall, 1030 acres are being removed from the CPBA and 742 acres are being added, although most of the land being added is the already "Intensely Developed" St. Juliens Creek Navy Annex. Some of the areas being removed may make sense - removing parcels that were subdivided from larger parcels and that are no longer adjacent tidal areas of the Chesapeake Bat tributaries. But other areas seem less obvious.

One area being removed is 10 acres of woods at the head of the tide of the Indian River mostly owned by Chesapeake Public Schools. These woods most definitely seem to "have an intrinsic water quality value due to the ecological and biological processes they perform or are sensitive to impacts which may result in significant degradation to the quality of state waters" as defined by for a CBPA Resource Protection Area.

Another area slated for removal includes 50 acres or more of wooded wetlands in the Fernwood Farms section of Rivercrest. This is an area of significant flood risk with sea level rise. Will removing CBPA protections from this area open it up to development and/or tree removal causing more flood risks for Rivercrest?