The Wetlands Board has rejected the Indigo Dunes project in Virginia Beach.
This is one of the city's largest stretches of open shoreline and it will remain undeveloped, at least for now.
The 1,063 home project to be built by L.M. Sandler & Sons Inc. failed to win approval from the Virginia Beach Wetlands Board on Monday and is stalled.
R. J. Nutter who is representing Art and Steve Sandler says he is surprised by the decision.
After a five hour hearing in numerous civic leaders and residents were present, the vote was taken. Even the board chairman, J. Bryan Plumlee voted against the project because of the environmental impact.
The Sandlers had proposed creating 6.09 acres of wetlands for the 1.51 acres destroyed under the board's jurisdiction; treating the storm-water runoff from their development and the nearby Ocean Park neighborhood; and creating an oyster bed.
Apparently, or several board members, however, it wasn't enough.
"We don't destroy wetlands in the name of water quality," Plumlee said.
The Sandlers have 10 days to appeal the Wetlands Board decision. The appeal will go to the Virginia Marine Resources Commission. The commission's board is made up of nine members, including F. Wayne McLeskey of Virginia Beach. McLeskey sold the Indigo Dunes site to the Sandlers earlier this year for more than $25 million.
Can only imagine how that will turn out.
The city of Virginia Beach could have, should have bought this property and left it the way it was. It would have been a great
addition to the city but there was no future in undeveloped land. What a loss.
Comments(0)