Dear Neighbors,
The District 5 Report for November 2012 is designed to keep you informed of local and state government actions that impact our homes and communities.* Crime Watch information is included as a supplement to your local Crime Watch Program. York County residents are added to the distribution list for the District 5 Report upon request by email to either tgshep@cox.net or shepperd@yorkcounty.gov. Comments and questions are always welcome. You can reach me at the phone numbers and email addresses listed below my name. I greatly appreciate your help in disseminating the report to other residents of our communities.
Sincerely,
Tom Shepperd
Chairman and District 5 Representative
York County Board of Supervisors
Home (757) 868-8591
Cell (757) 604-3079
------District 5 Report November 2012*------
1. District 5 Town Meeting Briefing Slides – The District 5 Town Meeting was held on October 10th at Tabb Elementary School. The turnout was great with over 100 in attendance. Key subjects of interest included an update on the proposed recycling program and the proposed new solicitation ordinance. Other subjects of interest included an update on the Victory Boulevard Multi-Use Trail, VDOT’s road maintenance plan for our neighborhoods, and a detailed breakout of the Route 17 widening plan.
The District 5 Town Meeting briefing slides are available for your review by going to http://www.yorkcounty.gov/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=Ha3N%2fGTJ4%2f4%3d&tabid=1756&mid=14003. Another way of getting to the briefing is to go to the County’s webpage at www.yorkcounty.gov and selecting “County Government” then “Board of Supervisors.” The link to the briefing is on the left side of the Board of Supervisors page. The briefing contains 89 slides, so it may take up to 15 second to open.
2. Crime Watch – York County continues to enjoy a very low crime rate. A good way to see how well we are doing is to compare our crime rate with that of surrounding jurisdictions. This is often done by stating the crimes per 100,000 population. In 2011, the last year for complete data, the crime rate for York County stood at 4,142. Compare this rate with that of Hampton at 8,182 and Newport News at 8,743 and you can see we are living in a pretty safe area. Historically, the more densely populated an area the higher the rate of crime and this holds true for District 5. Portions of District 5 have a population of nearly 7,500 per square mile, which makes it the most densely populated district in the County.
When looking at crime distribution across District 5 and using a comparison of Very High, High, Moderate, and Low concentration of incidents, the densely populated areas along Route 134 (Hampton Highway) such as Yorkshire Downs show a moderate crime rate. Not surprisingly, areas such as the Shady Banks Shopping Center and Tabb High School also show moderate levels of crime. Low incidents of crime are seen in some areas of Meadowlake Farms, Running Man, Wythe Creek Farms, York Colony, and The Woods of Tabb. Many areas of the district had no reported crime in 2011. Larceny continues to be a perpetual problem, particularly with vehicles. In 2011, there were 33 incidents of larceny from automobiles and 11 incidents of vehicle theft. In nearly all cases of larceny from automobiles, the automobile was left unlocked. The Sheriff highly recommends that you remove valuables from sight and lock your vehicles at night. What is important to take away from all this is that overall crime is not a major issue in our area. Of course, this doesn’t mean we can relax. You must always pay attention to what is happening in your neighborhood.
There is one very important aspect of crime reporting that is often misunderstood. Way too often I hear of break-ins and complaints about the lack of timely reporting of the incidents. When I talk to the Sheriff’s Office about the situation, it isn’t uncommon to find that there was no report called in to the Sheriff’s Office. I’m not sure what the rationale is for not reporting a crime but I can tell you that unless it’s reported, the Sheriff’s Office cannot act and the situation can escalate. Please do not hesitate to dial 911 to report any type of crime.
RAIDSONLINE is an online program that gives you an update on the location of reported criminal activity near your home and neighborhood. The York County Sheriff’s Office participates in RAIDSONLINE which is located at http://www.raidsonline.com. When you go to the RAIDSONLINE site, you can either double click on the map or type in your address to see the crimes reported around your home. It is important to note that the Sheriff’s Office updates the crime data every Tuesday. If you select a date range that does not cover a historical two week period, the map will most likely not display any data. Also, you might find the “Data Layers” of interest. The “Data Layers” cover many different aspects that can give you a better understanding concerning the makeup of your community.
3. Notices
a. Daylight Saving Time or Summer Time ends November 4th. Don’t forget to turn your clocks back an hour. Also, it’s a good time to change the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
b. Hampton Road Transportation Planning Organization (HRTPO) Survey. If you want to have an impact on the future development of transportation in our region, I strongly encourage you to visit the HRTPO website at www.hrtop.org and complete the short survey on the right side of the home page. The HRTPO represents the 16 municipalities of the Hampton Roads region. Representatives of every state level governmental organization associated with transportation, the military, and state legislature participate in the HRTPO.
c. The DMV2Go mobile office conducts DMV transactions on a regular basis ever third Tuesday of every month at the Yorktown Library. The library is located at 8500 George Washing Memorial Highway in York County. Services include applying or renewing driver’s licenses, ID cards and Veterans ID Cards (issued if the veteran supplies a copy of their DD214). For more information on DMV2Go, visit http://www.dmv.virginia.gov/webdoc/citizen/dmv_2go.asp.
d. York County polling locations will be open on Election Day from 6 a.m.-7 p.m. Absentee voting is available for those who will be out of their precinct on Nov. 6, those who are unable to go to their polling place because of an illness or disability, and those who otherwise qualify to vote an absentee ballot. The deadline to apply to vote absentee in person is 5 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 3. In order to accommodate those who wish to vote absentee in person, the Registrar’s Office will be open Saturday, Nov. 3, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Any voter age 65 or older or physically disabled may request a ballot from an officer of election outside the polling place but within 150 feet of the entrance to the polling place. On Nov. 6, persons who fit these qualifications and who wish to vote outside the polling place can call the Registrar’s Office at 890-3440. The Registrar’s Office will alert the polling place that a voter who wishes to vote outside the polling place will be arriving. For additional information, please call the Registrar’s Office at 890-3440 or visit the website, www.yorkcounty.gov/voting.
e. Local businesses and organizations can now advertise at the York County Sports Complex. Banners on outfield or sideline fences or underneath the baseball/softball scoreboards will provide exposure to the many visitors that come to the park. The park is home to York County Little League and the county’s recreational youth soccer and adult softball programs. In addition to these programs the park hosts numerous youth and adult leagues and tournaments in various sports such as soccer, kickball, lacrosse, baseball and softball. The park’s 13 lighted athletic fields and three concession/restroom buildings also includes two playground sites, numerous picnic shelters and a paved walking/bike path that are open daily for the public’s enjoyment. For more information on the opportunity visit the website at www.yorkcounty.gov/parksandrec or contact Amy Rowley at 890-3511.
f. Leaf Collection is available for Residents who live on publicly maintained streets. An unlimited number of clear bags of leaves can be placed at the curb for collection every other week. Residents who live in private communities or on privately maintained streets or roads may also bring leaves out to the closest public roadway for collection. The maximum weight limit is 40 lbs. per bag. Bags must be at the curb by 7 a.m. on Monday of your designated collection week. Pick-up will be completed by the end of the week. Leaf collection for the Southern zone will be on the following weeks: November 12, November 26, December 10, December 24, January 7, January 21 and January 28. Leaf collection for the Northern zone will be on the following weeks: November 19, December 3, December 17, December 31, January 14 and January 28.
4. Upcoming Public Hearings – On November 20th, the Board of Supervisors will hold public hearings on a proposed new recycling program and a proposed solicitation ordinance. If you are unable to attend the public hearings, you can provide comments on the proposal by emailing the Supervisors at bos@yorkcounty.gov. The following is a brief synopsis of the two issues.
a. Proposed Solicitation Ordinance – The purpose of the ordinance is to provide greater protection to the community, provide the Sheriff’s Office with better law enforcement capability, and support community programs. The ordinance will regulate but not prohibit door to door solicitation of sales and services. Door to doors solicitors must obtain a permit from the Sheriff’s Office. The permit costs $20 dollars and is good for one year. The permit may be denied for certain criminal convictions. Door to door solicitation is prohibited when a property owner displays a “No Solicitations” sign and between the hours of one hour before sunset to 9 a.m. All orders must be in writing. Violation of the ordinance is a Class 1 misdemeanor. The ordinance has several exemptions, some of which come from state code. For example, newspaper sales, sales of farm products, insurance salesmen, and deliveries to regular customers are protected by Virginia state code. Other exemptions include political canvassing, anyone 18 years old and younger offering residential lawn care or similar services, and charities and nonprofits (Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, High School clubs, etc.).
b. Proposed Recycling Program – The purpose of the new program is to remove the cost of recycling from the tax rate, offer residents a modern voluntary program that promotes participation through competitive pricing and a reward system, reduces the cost of trash collection and ultimately protects the environment. The new recycling program will provide a wheeled 96 gallon container, which is similar in size to our current trash container. Curbside collection will be every other week and a “perks” program will reward those who participate. The cost of recycling and trash collection will be combined into a single fee for service. The current fee for trash only collection is $12.25 per month. The new program will combined trash and recycling into a single service fee of $18.50 per month. If a resident does not wish to participate in the recycling program, the trash only fee is $24 per month. If a resident wishes to participate only in the recycling program, the cost will be $4 per month. A regional municipal cost comparison of combined trash and recycling fees shows a range of $18.42 to $33.36 per month.
Curbside collection is just one aspect of the County’s total recycling program. The program also includes the citizen drop off areas, composting facility, household chemical and leaf collection. The County receives no revenue from curbside recycling, which cost $808,000 a year. The County receives revenue only from citizen drop off of recyclable material and the composting facility. Revenue from the drop off and composting amounts to $275,000. The cost to the County for all aspects of the recycling program is $1,173,000. Combining trash and curbside recycling into a fee for service programs reduces the County’s overall recycling cost to $365,000.
I want to emphasize that the proposed curbside recycling and trash collection program is a voluntary program managed through the Virginia Peninsulas Public Service Authority (VPPSA). While the proposed fee for recycling and trash collection is very competitive, it may not be the best option for everyone. Nonparticipating residents will still be able to take their trash to the VPPSA collection site for a small fee. There is no cost for dropping off of recyclable material.
5. Development Update
a. Putt-putt golf course cancelled. Earlier this year the Board of Supervisors approved a special use permit for a putt-putt golf course on the vacant property near the Shady Bank Shopping Center. Recently, I learned that plans for the putt-putt golf course business are cancelled.
b. Krispy Kreme. The vacant lot at the corner of Oriana Road and Route 17 has stood vacant for years. According to the County Office of Economic Development, a Krispy Kreme store is now scheduled to be built on the site. Details are still being worked with the County’s Planning Department.
7. Board of Supervisors Actions
a. Approved Resolution R12-114 to accept $500,000 in grants (no funding match required) to support the County’s Next Generation Enhanced 9-1-1 Pilot Program. The NG9-1-1 will enable the interface of new emerging technologies into the York-Poquoson-Williamsburg Consolidated Emergency 9-1-1 Center. NG9-1-1 will allow cell phone users to send text messages as the first phase of the multi-media data capabilities. Pictures, videos, and other technologies will be added as they evolve. York County has a national reputation for being on the leading edge of emergency technology. Thanks to the County staff’s outstanding efforts, the citizens of York County have for years experienced an unprecedented degree of emergency response capability.
b. Approved Resolution 12-115 authorizing the County to expend $110,000 in funds to support the study and design of the Moore’s Creek 2C drainage project. The project includes analyzing the existing drainage system and determining a suitable storm water solution for the project area.
c. Approved Resolution 12-125 authorizing cost sharing funds for transportation projects. Projects include:
(1) Culvert improvement under Lakeland Crescent at the outfall of the Woodlake Crossing lake. The project is expected to cost $200,000. VDOT and the County will each put $100,000 towards the project. This will reduce the overall cost of the Moores Creek Phase IIC drainage project.
(2) Study to widen Mansion Road, which is an 18-foot wide road serving three subdivisions and multiple non-subdivision homes. The study is expected to cost $50,000. VDOT and the County will each put $25,000 toward the project. The study will make the widening of Mansion Road a shovel ready project pending future state or federal funding.
c. Approved Resolution 12-116 to accept a U.S. Department of Justice grant of $47,779 for Sheriff’s Department officer overtime, salary and expenses in support of activities intended to disrupt illicit drug trafficking in Hampton Roads.
e. Approved Application PD-33-12 authorizing the reclassification of approximately 11 acres near the intersection of Fort Eustis Boulevard and Route 17 from General Business to Planned Development Residential. The Yorktown Arch development will contain both residential and commercial structures. There will be a maximum of 92 multi-family units and a minimum of 15,000 square feet of commercial space. Yorktown Arch is the third Planned Development in and around the Fort Eustis Boulevard and Route 17 intersection. The recent widening of Fort Eustis Boulevard provides residents of the area with easy access to Fort Eustis and Interstate 64.
f. Approved multiple applications for home businesses: Beauty shop at 1630 on Route 17; physical therapy office at 309 Marks Pond Way (Upper County); firearms repair at 218 Cherwell Court.
* Comments and opinions expressed in this report do not necessarily represent the position of other members of the York County Board of Supervisors. If you wish to obtain comments from members of the Board of Supervisors, please visit the York County website at http://www.yorkcounty.gov. Supervisor contact information is located on the website under the title "County Government." Homeowner Associations are encouraged to use portions of this report in preparing their association newsletters.
