CHESAPEAKE, Va. — There is a lot of opportunity for economic growth and recreation in Chesapeake.
The city says anIndustrial Waterfront Study could bring benefits to the city from businesses to work-life balance.
The Elizabeth River runs through the core of Chesapeake, from South Norfolk to the Great Bridge Lock.
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Historically speaking, it might have helped kick-start economic growth in the city, according to Planning Director Jimmy McNamara.
"The Elizabeth River was critical to what would become Chesapeake," explained McNamara. "A lot of people who lived in South Norfolk depended on the Elizabeth River for jobs."
McNamara says job creation on the Elizabeth River can and should continue.
Currently, there are some companies like Purdue already utilizing the waterfront. However, McNamara says the area could be more inviting for big and small businesses along the water, creating jobs and a better quality of life for citizens with the addition of trail connections and kayak launches.
"When we spoke to people on the river, we discovered that they didn't have an easy time getting on the water," said McNamara. "We want to change that and make it more accessible."
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Aside from job creation and recreation, the city of Chesapeake is also hoping to protect the land along the waterfront.
Mcnamara says many areas of the city flood, and it's predicted to get worse over time.
"It certainly impacts the quality of life for the residents who live there but also from an industrial perspective, we have access to industrial sites where it's flooded out," explains McNamara. "That does not help us from an economic standpoint,"
Christy Everett with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation says there is nowhere for the water to go when it floods.
"Chesapeake along with all of Hampton Roads is very vulnerable to sea level rise because of stormwater issues," said Everett. "Some people getting trapped while they're coming home from work,"
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Everett thinks the study potentially serves as a solution as long as there are areas where water can infiltrate or that water can be stored or held.
McNamara says the study has a variety of strategies from environmental to containment and fortification, which might include road-raising and opportunities of that nature.
The city is gathering comments on the study draft from now until the next planning commission public hearing on Feb 14.
By next month, McNamara expects the study to be ready for the city council to consider and hopefully adopt.
