Colonial Place/Riverview Civic League
COMMUNITY NEWS

December 2008

             Holiday Party at This Month's Meeting

NEXT BOARD MEETING will be in January 2009.

DEADLINE for the January issue is Tuesday, December 23, 2008.

THIS MONTH'S MEETING AGENDA:   Holiday Party

The community pride is oozing out of Colonial Place and Riverview! I see it every time I drive by a home with beautiful landscaping, when I see a neighbor helping another neighbor, and when I see the community coming together for the greater good.

This month one of our neighbors, Les Parks, donated several hundred bulbs for the neighborhood signs. In coordination with our Beautification Chair, Audrey Webb, nine residents gathered on their Saturday afternoon and planted bulbs around the historical signs in Riverview and Colonial Place. This spring we will again be reminded of their community pride.

Skateboarders who frequent the boat ramp snapped a few of the boat ramp poles doing some extreme tricks. A plan was made with the city to landscape the boat ramp sign and the Colonial Greenway sign in good faith. Sixteen kids and three adults came out to help the Friday after Thanksgiving and the results were beautiful. This project has further strengthened the community pride that these young people have for our neighborhoods.

Community Pride is all around us. Let's jump in and make a difference in the scene around us! I extend a special thanks to the following community helpers who donated their time to make our community beautiful!

Rashad Borland	Mary Hormell	Suzie Berg
Ian Janes	Kendall Burris	Jeff Morse
Kelly Chance	Randall Cobb	Libby Janes
Nova Janes	Sean Janes	Debbie Leeson
Sheila Janes	Randy Cook	Audrey Webb
Mary Commander	Montana Martyn	Bella Roman
Mark David	Hunter Roman	Janine Roman
Chris Gilliam	Dustin Gilliam	Michael Shaw
Chase Hamby	Walter Shaw	Phyliss Gonsalves

The Future Looks Great in CPRV!

In keeping with tradition, we're putting aside all business at our December meeting. We've planned an evening filled with sweet treats and holiday cheer to help everyone get in the spirit of the season. Bring the kids, ride with a neighbor. Plan to be a part of the festivities!

Thank you to two residents who stepped forward recently to beautify CPRV. Charles Chavoustie and Les Parks each made notable contributions for the good of the neighborhood.

Charles worked hard to fix the National Register of Historic Places sign from the 42nd Street entrance in Colonial Place. The sign was damaged when a car ran into it earlier this fall. (Two city employees should also receive credit for the repair. Chuck Swan, City Construction Engineer, helped Charles erect the restored sign. Freda Burnes, Right-of-Way Coordinator, paid for the repairs from her budget and gave Charles the three days he needed to complete the work. Without her, he says, the project would not have happened. A CPRV "thank you" to Mr. Swan and Ms. Burnes.)

Les donated 200-250 bulbs of assorted narcissus (daffodils) to be planted beneath the historic signs in Riverview and Colonial Place.

To Les and Charles, we commend you for helping to make our neighborhood even nicer.

Ever notice the signs posted to publicize our Civic League meetings? Before last month they weren't too pretty! Sporting an attachment held together with binder clips, the signs looked a little shabby.

Thanks to our friends, owner, Holly Chacon and company at CA Copies on Colley Avenue, all five signs have a fresh look, complete with updated location information. And to show appreciation for our business and support over the years, Holly provided this service as a gift to our community and our Civic League!

Next time you're at CA Copies, be sure to thank Holly. And, remember, shop the neighborhood first!

The judging for the 2008 CPRV Holiday Decoration Competition will be completed by December 18, 2008, so be certain to have your lights lit and your candies caned when the committee cruises by. Displays will be judged by their appearance during both day and night, even though Santa Claus only comes after nightfall. Again this year, prizes will be awarded to the winners. Signs will be posted in the winners' yards. Last year's winners cannot win again this year, but we will be looking to them for inspiration.

The decorations are a part of what makes this a great place to live! Get filled with enthusiasm for the holidays and demonstrate it by covering your house with signs of the season. Happy Holidays!

Crime Report:

• PACE Officer Randy Pashall and Lt. Cohen gave out cards with their contact information. They are looking forward to working with the community
• Only 10 incidents reports Oct 13 – Nov 10.
• 90% of reports were larceny of bikes or vehicles break-ins. Officers reports that most of the larcencies could have been prevented if property would have been secured or vehicles locked.
• Good idea to keep serial number of inspection sticker in case sticker is stolen
• Officers recommended residents continue to be watchful and call if any suspicious activity occurred. 823-4477 phone number

• Environmental Quality Functions sediments
• Water Quality improvement
• Aquatic and terrestrial productivity
• Fish and wildlife habitat
• Provide flood control
• Protection of water quality
• Erosion control
• Water Quality
• Pollutant removal: filter out nutrients, purify water by filtering out nutrients, wastes and sediments
• Sediment trapping
• Nutrient Uptake and recycling
• Oxygen Production
• Wastewater Treatment
• Storm water Treatment
• Waterfowl and wildlife utilization

• Norfolk has over 750 acres of tidal wetlands existing on public and owned property
• City has lost half of all wetlands in last 300 years
• Annual average- .79 acres per year loss
• Wetlands have important functions and values that benefit both the environment and city
• Ecologial values of wetlands for humans: Protection of water quality, recreation, aesthetics, flood control, erosion control, research
• Slide Show of recent Restoration Projects in Norfolk
• Living Shoreline at Hermitage Museum and Larchmont Library
• Question asked about Knitting Mills Creek—Geese have destroyed vegetation.
• Mr. Dubois reported that feeding geese in Norfolk is illegal.

• October Meeting Minutes were read., Motion made and seconded to accept minutes
• Old Business
• Discussion about no left turn at Colley and 42nd and no right turn at Llewellyn and Delaware.
• Dr. Al Harris gave history about civic league involvement.
• It was noted that traffic thru neighborhood significantly decreased after these traffic changes took place
• President ask about volunteers to have a traffic study
• No one volunteered to chair a study

• Donation of $100.00 to church for hospitality / Art Walk deposit $420.00

• CA copies donated new civic league signs / Residents are encourage to stop by and thank CA copies

• Skateboarders will make restitution by planting at the greenway sign and boat ramp sign.
• City has a place at Northside park. There will be on November 22nd, 9-11am to gather info about skateboarder park Saturday.
• Historic sign on Virginia Ave. is being repaired by Colonial Place resident.
• Raffle held by - by Ron Johnson
• Meeting adjourned at 8:20

I would like to introduce myself as the new chairman of the Traffic Committee. I have lived in Colonial Place for the past 12 years and also lived here in the mid 60s while attending Maury High School and Old Dominion. There are several concerns that neighbors have expressed regarding traffic that my committee intends to study. My first priority is to address the Delaware and Llewellyn light. I have contacted the city to look at the times for the light cycles at the intersection of Delaware and Llewellyn because I am tired of waiting through two light cycles to drive into the neighborhood when someone is making a left from Delaware onto Llewellyn. I did a time study for that intersection and the times on Llewellyn range from 45 seconds up to 1 minute and 45 seconds while the times on Delaware average 10 seconds for each cycle. To compare, the light at 38th and Colonial averages 40 seconds in both directions. I will keep you updated on the progress of this light timing request.

If you have any traffic concerns please contact me at randycook48@cox.net or 623-7202.

• Once a month, open to everyone! Day and time may vary depending on who is hosting.
• Join the Veg Club listserve by going to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cprv_veggies/
• Or send an email to: CPRV_Veggies-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.
• If you would like to join us or have any questions, contact Joanna at joannajenkins@cox.net

Residents of Colonial Place and Riverview are urged to contact the city when they become of aware of properties being offered for rent within our neighborhood. Call Rusty Masten at 664-6527 (City of Norfolk) and request an Occupancy Permit Inspection for the vacant or soon-to-be-vacated rental property.

              The Colonial Place/Riverview Civic League
              P.O. Box 6130
              Norfolk, VA 23508

              WEB PAGE: www.cprv.org

Community News Editor:   Stephanie Hale, Phone 622-6999
Community News Distribution:   Buddy Petzinger, Phone 622-0233 and Mary Hormell, Phone 627-2392
Advertising:   Stephanie Hale, Phone 622-6999

Please deliver typewritten newsletter items to:

              Stephanie Hale
              Phone: 622-6999
              e-mail: cprvnews@gmail.com