Ed. — From the Sunday, Jan. 22, print edition.
VIRGINIA BEACH — I recently came across files from my days on the Planning Commission. Back then, I kept just about anything sent by planning staff, commission members and residents about environmental issues impacting land use policies. I also saved articles, bookmarked websites and email discussions with experts.
My mind wandered down memory lane while I sifted through these things. I pondered our progress as a coastal community vulnerable to climate change. I considered whether any issues had been resolved.
We’ve taken necessary steps forward, but, like others trying to stay afloat in a rising tide, we have a long way to go. Our biggest challenge is not prioritizing, funding or construction. It’s capturing public attention and commiting to address climate change.
In 2016, our area suffered one of the most catastrophic storm sets in recent history—Tropical Storm Julia followed a few weeks later by Hurricane Matthew. When Julia arrived, the land was sopping wet. There was nowhere for water to go when Matthew hit.
For almost three years, the effects of these extreme weather systems were the subject of discussions at dinner tables, backyard barbecues and City Council meetings. We were on fire with ideas about how to address the issues causing and caused by these frequent and severe storm events and the fact that our land is sinking in some areas while the water is rising around us everywhere. Interest was at an all-time high in those days, and ideas were plenty.
Ideas included mitigation by restoring marshland to provide an adequate buffer when tides roll in unabated. Planting more trees to soak up water regularly. Repurposing empty and aging office and retail spaces. Retreating from plopping down high-density housing or mixed-use developments on large plots of undeveloped land that could be used for recreation, conservation or less-impactful, environmentally friendly ventures.
Then, the pandemic arrived, and the issue of climate change address went silent.
But it didn’t go away. The problem is it’s hard to get the public involved in an issue that doesn’t seem as pressing as it once did because we haven’t been the target of a significant weather event in quite some time.
Having said that, I have the urge to knock on wood. We have a few winter months ahead. Just about anything can happen when it’s 50 degrees one hour and 30 degrees the next. I have a greater urge to sound the alarms that went off years ago:
• Because of climate change, we will experience more frequent severe storms.
• The seas around us will continue to rise and at a faster pace than in the past.
• Our low-lying land, much of which is agricultural, will continue to suffer to a greater degree if we aren’t aggressively committed to policies that preserve the land and protect the environment.
Stories highlighting these challenges are buried daily by a news cycle that changes minute to minute and is overshadowed by dramatic party politics. Here at home, I look out my window and recall the water – once so far away – that came almost to my door when Matthew hit, crossed the threshold into living rooms throughout my subdivision, and destroyed beloved homes across the city and up and down the coast.
Although our youngest talks about the possibility of returning here after college, my husband and I have considered relocating in retirement to somewhere further inland. We all love being near the ocean, cannot stand the thought of being landlocked and prefer flip-flop weather almost year-round. However, we have a high bar for how a city or town forecasts its future. And we firmly believe that vision is a matter of commitment today — by all of us.
How a region manages and plans to address climate change is paramount in our decision-making. Today’s choices affect an area’s vitality and quality of life into the future. It takes more than city leaders to make a difference. Each of us must remain vigilant. We can’t wait to act until we’re in the crosshairs of a major storm.
Our city’s Sea Level Wise Adaptation Strategy, approved in 2020 and found on the city’s website, is the culmination of years of focus and attention to this issue. It is highly informative and exciting. From there, it’s easy to explore the ambitious projects planned and already underway to combat climate change and address flooding.
Our community has done significant work, like voters approving $568 million in bond funding to pay for infrastructure improvements to combat sea level rise and related issues. But we have a long way to go.
It’s in our best interest to know how our leaders continue to work (or not) to bring projects to fruition, encourage them in their efforts and share information. Our actions can ensure that addressing climate change remains a priority and that this place we call home can be home to the next generation.
The author is a former Virginia Beach Planning Commissioner and college professor. Reach her at leejogger@gmail.com.
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