West Neck development approved, OBX leaders at coastline summit, airfare rises: Sunrise Brief

TOP STORIES: West Neck development approved, OBX leaders at coastline summit, airfare rises

1. Virginia Beach city leaders on Tuesday approved a plan to redevelop a deteriorating golf course in a Southside neighborhood, clearing the way for more than 140 new homes despite strong opposition from some residents.

   VB City Council approves redevelopment of former golf course into smaller course & housing community

   More than 110 people signed up to speak during the City Council meeting about the proposal, which has divided neighbors in the area. The plan calls for converting the no-longer-maintained 18-hole golf course at the Villages at West Neck into a nine-hole course and building 143 homes on the remaining property.

   Some residents supported the project, citing safety concerns tied to the condition of the existing course, including a 2023 brush fire that threatened nearby homes. Others opposed the plan, raising concerns about increased traffic, construction impacts and the addition of more housing in the neighborhood.

   City Council voted 9-2 to approve the application. “I reluctantly hit the yes button because I am moved by the people, but with that being said, this property is a nuisance and I really don’t see an end in sight,” Bobby Dyer said. Dyer also said the Navy has requested additional housing in the region and that more development is needed to meet demand. Based on discussion during Tuesday night’s meeting, the redesigned golf course could open as early as September 2027.

2. Neighbors and leaders are bringing the Outer Banks to the nation's capital this week for the American Shore and Beach Preservation Association's annual summit — a chance to exchange ideas for the coastline's future.

   Outer Banks delegation to spotlight coastal crisis at D.C. summit

   Dare County leaders and Hatteras and Ocracoke Island organizations are taking part in the summit, with some also part of specific panels discussing issues including the rapidly eroding shorelines in areas like Buxton, access to N.C. 12 and funding for future beach nourishment projects. "We're presenting some issues that are important to Dare County. One is FEMA funding for nourishment projects and those kind of things. And the other is how to get funding and how to preserve access to Hatteras Island," said Dare County Manager Bobby Outten.

   Funding has been an ongoing challenge for projects addressing these issues. The delegation is hoping to leave the summit with a way forward. "The State of North Carolina needs funding, Dare County needs funding, Hyde County needs funding. That's the biggest thing that's going to be the outcome of this meeting, it's going to have a group in D.C. to start getting us money," said Brian Harris, with the Buxton Civic Association.

   "I was just in a room with people from California to New Jersey to Florida to the Gulf Coast states, and they all have issues similar to ours. And so the opportunities to nationally go in and reach other delegations from other places that we don't know is important and helpful in moving the needle to fund all of our projects," Outten said.

3. While some airports are seeing hours-long delays, the economic effects of missed paychecks and expensive oil could soon cause deeper disruptions to air travel.

   As some airports see major delays and struggles, other airports are barely affected, including Baltimore’s airport and Norfolk International Airport. "Staffing is strained at some particular airports more than others, but there is no clear throughline and really no understanding of whether or not one airport will see more call outs versus another," said travel expert Katy Castro.

   The slowdowns are the result of a continued congressional standoff over DHS funding. And travel experts say if they continue, the economic effects could start to get more profound. More TSA agents are calling out, and the agency's workers are set to miss their second full paycheck on Friday.

   Meanwhile, travelers could soon face higher fares when they go to book their flights, due to the war with Iran driving up the price of oil and therefore jet fuel. "In terms of airfare, we are expecting some spikes," said Eric Rosen, director of travel content at The Points Guy. "It's been a little uneven so far but average airfares have gone up about 15% in the last month. So travelers are already seeing rising prices and it's only going to get worse as long as the conflict is going on."

This morning's weather: Warming up to end the week, Tracking rain for Friday

Meteorologist Myles Henderson says another cold start with temperatures in the 30s this morning. We will warm to near 60 this afternoon, closer to normal for this time of year. Look for a mix of mostly sunny to partly cloudy skies.

For the latest weather updates, watch Myles live on News 3 This Morning here.

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For the latest traffic updates, watch Conor live on News 3 This Morning here.

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