Bacon's Rebellion

Democracy Thrives in Sunlight

Jacksonville’s Take on the Oceana Naval Station

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by

James A. Bacon
in

VoteJacksonville.com, a Jacksonville, Fla., coalition lobbying to relocate Oceana’s Naval Air Station to Cecil Field in Jacksonville, argues that the move would have a huge positive economic impact. According to a press release issued yesterday, it would:

    • Bring more than 31,000 high-quality jobs to Jacksonville with an average salary of more than $50,000;
    • Increase the economy of Jacksonville by $2.6 billion annually; and
    • Improve the opportunities and lives of thousands of Jacksonville residents.

Jacksonville’s gain would be Hampton Roads’ loss. Given Virginia Beach’s past negligence in allowing such development to encroach Oceana, it may be impossible to save the air station. But Virginia Beach and the Commonwealth must expend every effort to make it happen.

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5 responses to “Jacksonville’s Take on the Oceana Naval Station”

  1. Anonymous Avatar
    Anonymous

    OK, I’ll bite. Does that include using eminent domain to condemn private property around Oceana, and if so, who should pay — VB or the Commonwealth?

    I will assume that the monetary cost of condemnation would be outweighed by the economic impact to VB. But should taxpayers in Lebanon or Chesterfield pay for VB’s bad zoning decisions? After all, NOVA and Hampton Roads want to keep all the transit dollars to themselves.

  2. Anonymous Avatar
    Anonymous

    If virginia beach wants to rent the airspace over the adjacent land as a way to prevent development, they can find takers at the right price.

    BTW isn’t florida one of the fastest gowing states in the nation? If encroachment is the problem, that wouldn’t seem to be the Navy’s smartest place to go.

    Maybe they have some other reason for leaving, like traffic congestion.

  3. Insider Avatar
    Insider

    Bad zoning? Let’s understand something. The houses that BRAC objected to were built before the Navy objected. The jets changed, the flight maps changed, the noise contours changed. So, houses that were fine before suddenly were “encroachment”.

    Now the Navy can’t seem to do anything but object. Even if someone wants to build houses far away from flight paths, the Navy says no. When the city and the Navy develop a Joint Land Use Study, the Navy can’t officially agree to it.

    The Navy has said all day long that it was only concerned with stopping new development in noise and crash zones, but BRAC nailed Virginia Beach because they wouldn’t condemn homes of people who’ve lived there for generations.

    The airspace around Cecil field isn’t exactly Navy-friendly. I don’t think the Navy wants to go there. I don’t see how the move saves money, which is kind of BRAC’s purpose.

    If we have to bulldoze people’s homes for the reward of loud jets flying over us, no one in Virginia Beach will make that trade.

  4. Anonymous Avatar
    Anonymous

    The “other reasons to go” might include the President’s brother and the importance of Florida’s electoral votes. Virginia pays a price for being taken for granted.

  5. Ray Hyde Avatar
    Ray Hyde

    “Now the Navy can’t seem to do anything but object. Even if someone wants to build houses far away from flight paths, the Navy says no. When the city and the Navy develop a Joint Land Use Study, the Navy can’t officially agree to it.”

    Sure sounds like the Navy has some hidden agenda.

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