Law introduced to replenish beaches

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) - New legislation is set to protect the beaches of Chesapeake Bay by speeding up replenishment requests.

The City of Virginia Beach denied Sheldon Wetherington the request to build a bulkhead by his home at Chick's Beach fearing it would lead to even more erosion on the beach.

Residents of Chick's Beach have watched their community beaches wash away from storms and surges for years.

"It's going away. Pretty soon, you'll be walking on water," President of the Chesapeake Beach Civic League Brad Sike said. "If we get the sand and the beach is extended like they do at the main beach in Virginia we'll be in good shape."

Senate Bill 946 and House Bill 1531 ask agencies that grant requests for sand replenishment to speed up the process of the applications.

Residents would like sand to be mined from the Chesapeake Bay and filled onto Chick's Beach. It's similar to the what the city has done for other beaches.

"They pump sand from the Rudee Inlet [at the main beach] and made that beach beautiful and wide," Sike said.

Senate Bill 946 was approved in a Committee on Thursday, and is working its way through the full Senate.