VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — Officials with the Army Corps of Engineers say the developer of the Cavalier Beach Club illegally planted palm trees near the federally funded seawall.
“Federal code prevents the city from or prevents anyone from damaging or destroying a federal project,” said Army Corps of Engineers Geotechnical Engineer Raymond Dridge.
Dridge says when they noticed palm trees lining the back of the Cavalier Beach Club during an annual inspection back in the spring, they reported it.
“They theoretically weren’t supposed to do that,” Dridge added.
He says federal laws ban any vegetation near the seawall because it could damage it, but if a developer really wants to, they’re required to seek permission to plant them.
A protocol he says wasn’t followed in this case.
On the other hand, city officials believe it’s likely no problem at all.
“This is a steel wall with a concrete slab beneath these palm trees so our position there’s very little likelihood in fact, it’s remote, that the roots from a palm tree could make it through a 12 inch slab and compromise in any way the flood barrier,” said Virginia Beach Water Resources Engineer Phill Roehrs
Roehrs says the developer has now put in an “after-the-fact” request to the Corps in hopes of keeping the trees.
“They’ve sent some engineering calculations that say the additional weight will not affect our seawall so engineering is evaluating that right now,” explained Dridge.
The city says they’re asking them to review the guidelines and make sure they really apply in this case.
“It’s just a few palm trees we’re hoping the Corps will reevaluate the circumstance,” Roehrs commented.
Once the Army Corps of Engineers has reviewed the request they will decided on whether they can keep the trees or get rid of them.
However, if the developer decides to keep them despite their advisement, they could lose federal funding.
10 On Your Side reached out to the developer but hasn’t heard back yet.