No public pier – No federal money for dredging

The site administrator acquired this letter yesterday. It requires no explanation.

From: Mabel Washington

Sent: Friday, November 09, 2007 4:47 PM

To: Stuart Katz; Susan Houser; Bert Bateman; Madeline; B. Haskins;

McMillan; SHARON P SCOTT; Lottie Vincent; J. Whitaker

Subject: Deep Creek Pier

Greetings:

FYI. Mr. John Atkinson has been in touch with the Army Corps of

Engineering. He says there are several agreements between the City and

the Army Corps of Engineers/federal government regarding Deep Creek

Pier, dating as far back as the 1950s.

The agreements state the City must maintain an adequate terminal and a

mooring facility, public landing, and provisions for the sale of engine

fuel, lubricants,etc.

or the City would lose federal money. The City is not providing a

public facility, therefore no federal money for dredging will be

allotted. This will affect the Menchvillle side.

2003 was the last time dredging was done, and because the pier was

there, the Corps did not cite the City for anything, but without the

pier, we have nothing.

I wanted to advise you of this information in case it was brought up at

the next Council meeting.

—

Mabel V. Washington, CMC

City Clerk

City of Newport News

Deed for land leading to Deep Creek Pier is missing.

John Atkinson of Newport News, a local title researcher, says he has researched the deed to the Deep Creek pier and has not found any evidence that the city owns the land leading up to the pier. (Heather S. Hughes, Daily Press / September 19, 2007)

BY SABINE HIRSCHAUER 757-247-4536

2:48 PM EDT, September 19, 2007

NEWPORT NEWS – Sifting through 110 years of deeds and land transfers, John Atkinson, a local title researcher and Deep Creek resident, said this week that he couldn’t find the deed where land was conveyed to Warwick County or to Newport News for the road to Deep Creek and the pier.

This would thrust the city into legal ambiguity if it pushes ahead with the demolition of the pier, Atkinson said.

In the 1930s, Deep Creek resident Bonnie Melzer gave land to what was then Warwick County, providing access to the creek under one condition: The county had to build and maintain a pier there. Warwick County built the pier in the 1940s, and when the county consolidated with Newport News in 1958, the pier became city property.

“It’s unusual for the county to construct a pier and a road without having legal access to it,” Atkinson said. “If the agreement is broken, their access is broken.”

The City Council voted last month to tear down the pier because of its poor condition. Demolition is now scheduled for Monday.

“The city’s standpoint is if someone is contesting that it is not city property has to hire a lawyer and has to go through the legal procedures,” said Michael Poplawski, director of parks, recreation and tourism.

Atkinson also wants to comb through Warwick County Board of Supervisors’ minutes from the 1930s — they are already on the way from Richmond, where they have been stored for years, to Newport News — to find where the county discussed building and maintaining the pier.

In addition, on Friday Atkinson and others will have an independent engineering study done to find out if the 476-foot-long pier could get repaired and what it would cost to repair or replace it.

City officials said that it is impossible to repair the pier because of the 40- to 50-year-old pilings, and it would cost about $500,000 to completely replace it.

Source: dailypress.com