VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Residents in a Virginia Beach neighborhood say heavy turnout for Tuesday’s Republican primary left behind property damage and traffic headaches.
Neighbors at The Signature at West Neck contacted News 3 after voters lined up to cast ballots in the House District 98 primary held at a community clubhouse. They said vehicles parked throughout the neighborhood and on grassy areas, left tire tracks and ruts in the saturated ground.
“People were stuck over there, and I think someone got stuck over here as well,” resident Donna Scott said.
At first glance, the damage may be difficult to see, but residents say the marks left behind have created a new eyesore in the community. Scott, who has lived in the neighborhood for nearly 11 years, said she had never seen traffic like Tuesday’s turnout.
“When I came in, cars were everywhere. I’ve been here for almost 11 years, and I’ve never seen anything like this,” Scott said.
Scott said the volume of traffic made it difficult to get home, estimating it took more than 20 minutes to travel from the neighborhood entrance to her house. She said vehicles were parked on grassy areas, and with the ground saturated, some cars left deep tire marks.
“This is definitely the first level of destruction that’s gone on in our neighborhood,” she said.
Virginia Beach Police Department said 11 parking violations were issued at the property mainly for cars parked on the sidewalk.
They tell News 3 a warning was given to voters before citations were given.
Scott said the congestion has also raised concerns about future development on the former golf course nearby. A proposal to replace the 18-hole course with a nine-hole course and build more than 140 homes received approval from the city Planning Commission earlier this month and now awaits a final decision from the Virginia Beach City Council.
“I would like for them to realize that we are a large community, and we’re going to be strongly affected by whatever decision they make,” Scott said.
A landscaper surveying the damage estimated repairs could cost at least several hundred dollars. News 3 reached out to the Republican Party of Virginia Beach for comment but has not yet received a response.
