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Everyone I know from VA doesn't even go to VA Beach anymore. They just go to Myrtle Beach because VA Beach is a pain in the rear.
If that isn't the truth, I don't know what is. This pathetic excuse for a city caters to everybody except for the permanent residents. I can't wait for the economy to not be so bleak... cause I don't want to stay here much longer. ((I have particularly great job security, so I'll wait out this storm...))
What were the criteria for family friendly? Seems to me that thera are lots of houses with yards, parks, a close smusment park, lots of places to swim, etc. Although I think there is alot of potential in the town that is untapped, I do not get the family unfriendly part.
What were the criteria for family friendly? Seems to me that thera are lots of houses with yards, parks, a close smusment park, lots of places to swim, etc. Although I think there is alot of potential in the town that is untapped, I do not get the family unfriendly part.
I think the article was referring to the cost of living around here. The taxes and what not.
If that isn't the truth, I don't know what is. This pathetic excuse for a city caters to everybody except for the permanent residents. I can't wait for the economy to not be so bleak... cause I don't want to stay here much longer. ((I have particularly great job security, so I'll wait out this storm...))
This is my point! Why build all this extra stuff at the beach to cater to the tourists? We need more in the inner part of the city.
I won't drive all the way to Myrtle, I'd rather go to the outer banks. I think Myrtle is over-rated to be honest with you. I particularly enjoy my rv site on the water, my escape.
When I lived there (near Stump Lake) it was easier to go down to Hatteras than VB. I know I could find a parking spot in Hatteras.
VB screwed their citizens when it came to the beaches. There is no where enough parking and they've made it a pain to park on the side streets. The last time I was there I took my daughter to Croatan one summer morning to go surf. I rolled up, some guy came out and told me I couldn't park in front of his house. Dude, it's marked for parking. So he calls the cops, who are there within minutes. Come on, goons, you going to beat me like you do the Canadians? Here I am, a 40yo dad in a new BMW with a 4yo, yeah, we're going to get drunk and I'm going to pee in your yard. The cop talked to the guy, hassled me as much as he could before I walked off.
That was the last time I set foot in that sh*t pit of a town.
At one time VB had a nice vibe. It was busy but it was fun, people were nice. Then BOOM came the explosion. RG Moore and his cookie cutter homes went up everywhere, growth was unchecked. It seemed that overnight everyone became a money grubbing *****. Now it's a 24/7 race of Jones vs Jones. The heck with that.
This is my point! Why build all this extra stuff at the beach to cater to the tourists? We need more in the inner part of the city.
I won't drive all the way to Myrtle, I'd rather go to the outer banks. I think Myrtle is over-rated to be honest with you. I particularly enjoy my rv site on the water, my escape.
I guess I think you cater to the tourist to lower your residence taxes. That is how a tourist town is supposed to work.Your tourist area should be generating taxes to support your efforts in other parts of town, but the tourist area that we have now, is very yucky and would not attract money. There is plenty of shopping in town now, how much do we need? So what really is missing? We are getting more and more theater and music, we have cultural clubs, we have outdoor living, etc. I am just not sure what the residents want in town? Ideas?
I guess I think you cater to the tourist to lower your residence taxes. That is how a tourist town is supposed to work.Your tourist area should be generating taxes to support your efforts in other parts of town, but the tourist area that we have now, is very yucky and would not attract money. There is plenty of shopping in town now, how much do we need? So what really is missing? We are getting more and more theater and music, we have cultural clubs, we have outdoor living, etc. I am just not sure what the residents want in town? Ideas?
However, taxes aren't lower. We don't have an amusement park worth visiting - Ocean Breeze < Water Country.
What we want is *affordable* usage of the local stuff. Paying $5 for a single day's parking on Saturday during the daytime is just wrong. Our taxes pay for the upkeep of the beach... yet we have to pay *again* for the usage?!
What we want is for the city to fund schools properly and keep accountability. Instead of taking money away from schools in the budget to put towards Town Center (which is because Hoffler backed down on a lot, if not all, funding), we want the money to keep public schools doing great. I know firsthand that Virginia Beach has an excellent set of schools for children who want to learn (ODC, Kemps Landing, IB program at Princess Anne to name the ones I went to).
Also, to mention on Town Center - the average family in Virginia Beach makes $58K or something near there. Has anyone even seen the prices at the Westin? Town Center was not made for the majority of Virginia Beach. It was made for the slightly more well-to-do and people on business trips. Call me bitter, but the only place in Town Center I go to is the Funny Bone.
However, taxes aren't lower. We don't have an amusement park worth visiting - Ocean Breeze < Water Country.
What we want is *affordable* usage of the local stuff. Paying $5 for a single day's parking on Saturday during the daytime is just wrong. Our taxes pay for the upkeep of the beach... yet we have to pay *again* for the usage?!
What we want is for the city to fund schools properly and keep accountability. Instead of taking money away from schools in the budget to put towards Town Center (which is because Hoffler backed down on a lot, if not all, funding), we want the money to keep public schools doing great. I know firsthand that Virginia Beach has an excellent set of schools for children who want to learn (ODC, Kemps Landing, IB program at Princess Anne to name the ones I went to).
Also, to mention on Town Center - the average family in Virginia Beach makes $58K or something near there. Has anyone even seen the prices at the Westin? Town Center was not made for the majority of Virginia Beach. It was made for the slightly more well-to-do and people on business trips. Call me bitter, but the only place in Town Center I go to is the Funny Bone.
I realize that the whole thing is upside down, but tourist towns are supposed to extract the taxes from the visitors to enhance the areas for the locals. I am the one who says we should be able to buy a discounted car pass for the beach as most residents would not be going everyday to the beach, but on the off chance they wanted to, they would have their sticker on the car and they would be allowed to park on street at least. Tourist's tend to park in the lots and walk around downtown, so they only folks that are being penalized with the parking situation are the local taxpayers.
Town Center is an odd little thing that you see all over the country. Casinos in Las Vegas build those little town centers to give the spouses of the conventioneers something to do. But, if you can attract the conventions, the groups that spend money, then you can in fact keep your own taxes down. When I lived in Vegas, I learned that they marketed to both groups completely differently (locals got perks, discounts, etc in the tourist spots, and the visitors were steered toward the hi end entertainment and shops.) Virgnia Beach could be doing the same on a smaller scale. I have discovered that the city council is anti alot of things, so that may be part of the problem.
As far as retail, hospitals, schools, etc, it seems a good place in comparison to many I have seen. Just a bit pricey.
I realize that the whole thing is upside down, but tourist towns are supposed to extract the taxes from the visitors to enhance the areas for the locals. I am the one who says we should be able to buy a discounted car pass for the beach as most residents would not be going everyday to the beach, but on the off chance they wanted to, they would have their sticker on the car and they would be allowed to park on street at least. Tourist's tend to park in the lots and walk around downtown, so they only folks that are being penalized with the parking situation are the local taxpayers.
Town Center is an odd little thing that you see all over the country. Casinos in Las Vegas build those little town centers to give the spouses of the conventioneers something to do. But, if you can attract the conventions, the groups that spend money, then you can in fact keep your own taxes down. When I lived in Vegas, I learned that they marketed to both groups completely differently (locals got perks, discounts, etc in the tourist spots, and the visitors were steered toward the hi end entertainment and shops.) Virgnia Beach could be doing the same on a smaller scale. I have discovered that the city council is anti alot of things, so that may be part of the problem.
As far as retail, hospitals, schools, etc, it seems a good place in comparison to many I have seen. Just a bit pricey.
I would definitely love a sticker for my car that allowed me to park for $1 anytime during the summer. But no, the Virginia Beach resident thing is $1 for parking after 5pm.
And I don't see how they are doing things like Vegas on a smaller scale. I see zero perks as a resident. If they are, then I never want to go to Vegas ever again.
What's worse about Town Center that doesn't seem to be mentioned is that the placement is one of the absolute WORST spot for drivers.
Virginia Beach Blvd and Independence during rush hour? Probably the worst intersection I've ever seen for people blocking the road because they hoped to get through the light. I was so sad when they took the redlight cameras out.
Independence Exit off of 264? Whomever designed it must have thought that Virginia Beachians and Tourists all drive quite nicely and won't cut one another off. In fact, I think that person had to be stoned off their rear. That exit/area is the absolute WORST interstate exit that I have ever seen in my life! ((And I do a lot of driving...))
And when you add on the extra traffic for Town Center - it is a nightmare! I watch almost-accidents everytime.
But of course, let's take the money from the locals to build up something that the average cannot even use. Yes, it is Independence that needs to be fixed in some way to help alleviate the pain over there. I am happy that they have the barrier things - before those, it was downright deadly to be in that right-hand lane.
It's absolutely no wonder why Virginia Beach is a stinky place for a family.
Oh, and not even Ocean Breeze has perks for being a Virginia Beach resident. They could care less - they just want their money.
I would definitely love a sticker for my car that allowed me to park for $1 anytime during the summer. But no, the Virginia Beach resident thing is $1 for parking after 5pm.
And I don't see how they are doing things like Vegas on a smaller scale. I see zero perks as a resident. If they are, then I never want to go to Vegas ever again.
What's worse about Town Center that doesn't seem to be mentioned is that the placement is one of the absolute WORST spot for drivers.
Virginia Beach Blvd and Independence during rush hour? Probably the worst intersection I've ever seen for people blocking the road because they hoped to get through the light. I was so sad when they took the redlight cameras out.
Independence Exit off of 264? Whomever designed it must have thought that Virginia Beachians and Tourists all drive quite nicely and won't cut one another off. In fact, I think that person had to be stoned off their rear. That exit/area is the absolute WORST interstate exit that I have ever seen in my life! ((And I do a lot of driving...))
And when you add on the extra traffic for Town Center - it is a nightmare! I watch almost-accidents everytime.
But of course, let's take the money from the locals to build up something that the average cannot even use. Yes, it is Independence that needs to be fixed in some way to help alleviate the pain over there. I am happy that they have the barrier things - before those, it was downright deadly to be in that right-hand lane.
It's absolutely no wonder why Virginia Beach is a stinky place for a family.
Oh, and not even Ocean Breeze has perks for being a Virginia Beach resident. They could care less - they just want their money.
I did not say VB was doing what LV does. I was saying they could take a lesson from what LV does as far as creating a resident base for their enterprises and using the tourist money to support that resident base.
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Yes, it is Independence that needs to be fixed in some way to help alleviate the pain over there. I am happy that they have the barrier things - before those, it was downright deadly to be in that right-hand lane.
