BY JANE BLOODWORTH ROWE
VIRGINIA BEACH — Protecting natural resources and agriculture as well as mitigating the impacts of flooding are priorities for Planning Commissioner David Bradley, who was appointed in August to represent the Princess Anne District.
Bradley will fill the unexpired term of Steve Barnes, who resigned earlier in the summer, and he comes to the position with a lot of experience in Virginia Beach city government.
The Princess Anne District includes the main coverage area of The Independent News, and it encompasses communities as different as rural Creeds and Sandbridge, a residential resort area along the ocean.
Bradley retired in April after working as a Virginia Beach city staff member for over 30 years. He served most recently as deputy city manager, and prior to this, he was Virginia Beach’s budget director from 2016 to 2019.
Bradley, who lives in Southgate, said that an interest in the diversity of natural resources in southern Virginia Beach coupled with a desire to continue in public service led to his interest in serving on the Planning Commission.
“I want to protect the beauty of this area,” said Bradley, who has lived in the Princess Anne District for more than three decades. “I really think that we live in the prettiest part of the city, and I fish in Back Bay and love Back Bay.”
He also mentioned the diversity of ocean beaches, farmland, historical sites and urban development within the district.
Existing programs, including the Agricultural Reserve Program, which helps preserve farmland, and guidelines for development in the Transition Area, which is between more suburban parts of Virginia Beach and the rural areas of the city generally south of Pungo, should be adhered to, he said.
Growing the tax base within the limitations of existing city infrastructure should also be a priority, Bradley said. He hopes to encourage “orderly development that doesn’t put a strain on city infrastructure.”
Flooding – particularly sunny day flooding caused by wind tides from strong south winds – is a particular problem in southern Virginia Beach, Bradley said, and should be considered with each proposal for development.
“We want to take it case by case and listen to the public,” he said.
“He certainly knows the city, and he knows the southern portion of the city,” said City Councilmember Barbara Henley, who represents the Princess Anne District and who appointed Bradley to the Planning Commission.
He’s particularly knowledgeable about the city’s infrastructure needs and the Agricultural Reserve Program, she added.
Bradley said that he retired from city government to spend more time with his family, but he missed public service and wanted to continue it in some capacity. He served on the Social Services Advisory Board before he was appointed to the Planning Commission.
“It’s a way to continue feeling connected,” he said.
“He certainly has a lot to offer,” Henley added.
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