Tech Center Parkway Extension Phase II Project Response to Public Comments
On July 23rd, several Village Green neighbors and two VGCA Board members attended the Citizens Information Meeting on the Hogan Drive Extension Phase II which was recapped here.
Shortly after the meeting, the VGCA Board put our concerns and ideas in writing and provided them to the City’s Engineering Department. The City has responded and their response can be viewed on this link (in PDF format).
For those interested in the street conditions in Village Green and when they are planned to be resurfaced, please see pages 3-5 in the PDF.
If you have further comments, please contact [email protected].
Become the Eyes and Ears of the City with the 311 Mobile App!
Borrowed from the City’s Newport News Now newsletter…if you are not receiving those, you can sign up for it here: Subscribe to NN Now
| Report potholes, roadway repairs and other issues from your phone |
| The City of Newport News 311 Contact Center is a great resource for residents and guests to ask questions about city-related issues. Connect with 311 more easily by downloading the NNVA 311 mobile app and become the eyes and ears of the city through real-time collaboration! Citizens can report potholes, roadway repairs and other issues from anywhere in the city using their mobile phone. The app allows citizens to submit a service request via smartphone by simply installing the app, selecting the appropriate service request type, identifying the location of the incident and answering a few questions that pertain to the type of service request selected. With location services turned on, your smartphone’s GPS can automatically find your location and use that as the setting. Users can change the location by dragging the map marker to the desired address. The NNVA 311 mobile app is free and can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play. The Newport News 311 Contact Center can be reached at [email protected] or 933-2311. |
Save 15% on your Stormwater bill by turning in Household Hazardous Waste
If you have paint, oil, or other household hazardous waste, you can turn it into the Newport News Landfill for a 15% reduction on next year’s stormwater bill.
Landfill hours for household hazardous waste is Friday and Saturday from 8am-4pm.
Additional details on the 15% rebate can be found on the City’s Engineering Department’s webpage.
Finding information about land use and zoning in Newport News
Information about Newport News’ Codes and Compliance Department can be found here. Additionally, the City of Newport News provides their Code of Ordinances online.
Information about Coding and Categorization of zoning districts can be found here (it takes about 5 seconds to load the table). For Village Green, please look at column R3 Single-Family in the table.
Here is a screenshot of what it will look like and the column name which pertains to Village Green:
The above table will let you know what is permitted and what requires a conditional use permit. Information about conditional use permits and the process can be found here (specifically page 2 “Review Procedures”).
To check a parcel’s zoning and to see if there are any active Conditional Use Permits please go to this web page and following the steps in these screenshots:
Any concerns, questions, or reporting of violations should be made with the Newport News’ Codes and Compliance Department.
If you have additional questions and would like to bring something to the attention to the VGCA Board, please contact us here.
Newport News Waterworks warns residents about scammers
A Waterworks customer has reported that someone recently came to her door claiming to be from a research company that works with Waterworks. Waterworks is NOT conducting such research and has NOT hired a company to conduct research in the field.
Waterworks wants all our customers to be safe. We offer the following suggestions for your protection.
- A Waterworks employee will not enter your home unless you have scheduled an appointment through Customer Service. Waterworks personnel rarely show up to a home without prior notification except for routine meter reading or meter service, which would NOT require entry to a home.
- Waterworks personnel will always provide ID or credentials. Waterworks staff carry City of Newport News employee ID cards, wear uniforms with the Waterworks insignia, and drive identifiable Waterworks vehicles.
- Our meter readers from Alexander’s wear clothing clearly identifying them as meter readers, and they carry Alexander’s identification. And unlike utilities in cold climates, Waterworks meters are not placed inside customers’ homes, so a meter reader NEVER has to enter your home to read your meter.
- Waterworks does NOT have contracts with companies or contractors for water testing services.
If you have any doubts or questions about anyone who claims to represent Waterworks, and before letting anyone into your home, please call Waterworks Customer Service at 757-926-1000 or our Emergency Dispatch line (757-234-4800) to confirm an employee’s identity. Waterworks is committed to safety for its customers and employees. Don’t fall prey to deceptive tactics and potential criminal activity.
City provided documents for Hogan Drive and Village Green Pkwy extension
Below are the documents provided by the City for the Hogan Drive and Village Green Pkwy extensions. Please review and if you would like to provide your feedback, it must be emailed or postmarked no later than August 6, 2019.
https://vgnn.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Final_Hogan-Drive-CIM-Brochure.pdf
https://vgnn.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Hogan-Drive-CIM-Comment-Form.pdf
Hogan Drive/Village Green Pkwy Extension
The City held a Citizens Information Meeting on the Hogan Drive Extension Phase II.
Two VGCA Board members attended as well as three other neighbors. There was no formal presentation and the 5 attendees from Village Green had a discussion with the Director of Engineering, Everette Skipper for approximately 60 minutes. Mr. Skipper listened to our concerns and suggestions and took notes as well as made suggestions to us. There were other City officials in attendance as well.
Some of the key points that were discussed:
- The City and VDOT are working to add two right hand turn lanes from Canon Blvd onto Oyster Pt heading towards I-64. These lanes will merge together on the I-64 East ramp. The inside right hand turn lane will be for I-64 East Only.
- The City and VDOT are talking about improving the I-64 East entrance ramp at JClyde coming from Diligence Blvd to allow for two lanes as well. These two improvements to I-64 East entrance ramps will help improve the traffic flow on Oyster Point at Canon Blvd and I-64 East junction.
- At the Village Green Pkwy and Oyster Point light, the City plans to put a retention pond across from the neighborhood (to the left).
- The City anticipates the Hogan Drive extension will improve the traffic flow on Oyster Point as employees from Tech Center will be able to use Hogan Dr extension to Canon Blvd and then get on I-64.
- In addition to the Hogan Dr extension, the City is working with VDOT on adding an exit ramp on I-64 West bound at Denbigh Blvd. Mr. Skipper expects this to alleviate traffic on Oyster Point as residents in the Denbigh/Bland area of Warwick can use the Denbigh exit on I-64 rather than Oyster Pt exit.
- The parcel on the other side of Oyster Pt at the Village Green intersection is owned by the City’s Economic Development Authority and a considerable amount of it is wetlands. This doesn’t mean it can’t be developed, but lessens the likelihood.
Suggestions made to Mr. Skipper:
- Do not use the Village Green Pkwy name for the extension to Hogan Drive.
- Have the “Don’t Block The Box” enforced.
- Post “No Thru Way” and/or “No Outlet” coming into Village Green.
- Extend the right hand turn lane into Village Green back towards Hampton Roads Academy.
- Extend the right hand turn lane onto Canon Blvd (in front of Bayport building).
- Review traffic accident analysis to see if other improvements should be made in between Criston Drive and Canon Blvd.
- Consider additional landscaping/beautification on both sides of Oyster Pt Road between Canon Blvd and Criston Drive.
- Find out the status/schedule for repaving the roads in Village Green.
I have requested an electronic version of the document and comment request sheet from the City. They handed out a paper copy on Tuesday. All public comments must be postmarked and/or emailed by August 6, 2019 for consideration.
Newport News taking thoughts on proposed road extension through Tech Center to Oyster Pt/Village Green Pkwy
There is a meeting scheduled for next week for residents to comment on the proposed extension of Hogan Dr from Cannon Blvd to Village Green Parkway/Oyster Point.
Knowing the concerns over traffic, light timing, and entryway beautification, this would be an excellent opportunity to express them and encourage some action to address them. Just remember once it is done, we have little room to complain.
According to the website it is “7/23/19 from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM in the JAMES ROOM of the Waterworks City Center Conference Facilities located at 700 Town Center Dr., Newport News, VA 23606” or send comments to the project coordinator Thomas Cheney, 757.926.8715, [email protected].
City’s Project Status Page: https://apps.nnva.gov/ps/project.aspx?id=597
Daily Press Article: https://www.dailypress.com/news/newport-news/dp-nws-newport-news-notebook-20190715-story.html
City of Newport News offers job placement for teens and young adults
The 2019 Summer Training and Enrichment Program (STEP) has been redesigned to enhance job training and career placement opportunities for youth and young adults in Newport News. The redesign includes new partnerships with the Hampton Roads Community Action Program (HRCAP) and Newport News Public Schools (NNPS).
In partnership with NNPS, high school participants receive support through career technical education courses and industry certification opportunities. The program, which runs from June 25 through August 1, will serve 200 participants who are required to meet eligibility criteria. The partnership with HRCAP will help five cohorts of 15 young adults, ages 18-24, to receive extensive career readiness workshops, soft skill training, and obtain certifications and credentials over the course of the year. Businesses who are interested in partnering with STEP as worksites are also being chosen by NNPS and HRCAP.
Registration for NNPS students ages 16-18 is currently open and will close on May 17. To apply, students must visit www.nnschools.org/step. Registration for participants who are out of school, ages 18-24, will open next week. For questions regarding participants ages 16-18 or becoming a worksite partner for this age group, contact Anthony Tyler, Extended Learning Administrator, at 757-283-7791.