Title
Comprehensive Plan Amendment to Adopt the 2021 Newmarket Creek Pilot Project Area Water Plan by Reference into the Hampton Community Plan (2006, as amended)
Purpose
Background Statement:
The Newmarket Creek Pilot Project Area Water Plan is the first of the City’s watershed- and neighborhood-level analyses aimed at devising strategies for improving Hampton’s resiliency. It represents Phase II of the Resilient Hampton Initiative, following the development of the Phase I report, Living With Water Hampton: A Holistic Approach to Addressing Sea Level Rise and Resiliency. Completed in 2018, the Phase I report established a framework for assessing Hampton’s proximity to the water through a place- and asset-based approach in order to design solutions for present and future water-related challenges, such as flooding and sea level rise. The Newmarket Creek Pilot Project Area Water Plan is a result of this focused approach and is the product of extensive public outreach and community engagement. The design process for the development of the Plan included a design charette and first community meeting in January of 2019 that was attended by residents, technical experts, and leaders in business and politics. A second community meeting was held in January 2020 where concept designs for the pilot projects were presented to the public for feedback and discussion.
The Newmarket Creek Pilot Project Area is intended to serve as a demonstration project area for how Hampton might adapt to deal with stormwater and projected climate changes through targeted interventions that create multiple benefits. The Newmarket Creek Vision includes nearly two dozen pilot projects along a loop trail connecting the creek to existing and planned networks around the city. Of these, the Big Bethel Blueway, North Armistead Avenue Road Raising and Green Infrastructure, and Lake Hampton Resilience Park projects were selected as flagship resiliency projects and are on the path to implementation. Th...
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