VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Tire marks on the pavement at Lynhaven Boat Ramp are not the remnants of a Hollywood movie stunt but part of an ongoing issue for residents in the Ocean Park neighborhood.
Residents report that joyriding in the parking lot has become a frequent problem.
For residentsliving off Shore Drive offers a stunning view, but that beauty is often marred by reckless behavior.
Recent videos posted to YouTube show burnout activities occurring at the boat ramp, a scene that residents say happens too often.
"Some of them appear to shoot fire out of their tailpipes as they make these big donuts, and if one of them slipped, they would probably run over one of the people standing there cheering them on," said Howard Weinberg, a neighbor.
One of the more alarming incidents occurred just weeks ago when police reported that a man fired a rifle near the Lynhaven Boat Ramp.
"I was hoping those were fireworks," said Karin Brashears, another neighbor.
Virginia Beach Police confirmed an arrest related to that incident on July 1, adding to a growing list of concerns among residents.
"It's unacceptable and unsafe," said Councilman Joash Schulman, who represents District 9 that includes the boat ramp. "We don't want neighbors confronting those individuals and putting themselves in harm's way."
Schulman noted that he has been working with Parks and Rec and VBPD on solutions to help address the issues residents are facing.
He mentioned that speed bumps have been installed to deter street drifting, signs have been posted to alleviate neighborhood traffic, and cameras are in place and monitored by police.
Its technology that helped police make an arrest in the recent incident with a gun being fired and with other activities.
"Early Monday morning, someone was doing donuts in the parking lot," Schulman said. "That feed was being monitored by the Real-Time Crime Center. A police unit was dispatched, witnessed the activity, and issued citations for reckless driving."
Virginia Beach Police tell News 3 they have increased directed patrols to the boat ramp.
The city has also hired an additional summer staff person to assist with daily operations.
While Schulman indicated that some of the changes are proving effective, he acknowledged that the nature of the facility makes it challenging to simply close the area off with a gate, as that could exacerbate traffic issues in the already tight neighborhood.
"We're just trying to do the best we can with the resources we have," he said.
This Wednesday, Councilman Schulman will hold a community meeting at Shelton Park Elementary at 6:30 p.m. to address residents’ concerns regarding the Lynhaven Boat Ramp.
