City staff brief council on five‑year Army Corps right‑of‑entry request for phases 1B–D; council reiterates opposition to current alignment

Deputy City Manager Doug Beaver and the district commander for the Norfolk District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers briefed the council on a requested five‑year right of entry to perform exploratory field work on city‑owned parcels in phases 1B, 1C and 1D of an authorized flood‑protection project. Beaver said the request is a procedural step in the design and planning process and "is not a final approval for the design or construction alignment."
Colonel Avichal, the Norfolk District Commander, described the planned work as standard preliminary investigations—geotechnical borings, topographic surveys, wetland delineation and archaeological investigations—to improve cost estimates and design fidelity. He said the geotechnical borings would take about three weeks in total. "This is not a decision document," the colonel said, explaining the surveys provide a basis for comparing alternative alignments.
The nut graf: Council members emphasized that allowing limited field work does not imply city approval of the current alignment; multiple council members stated their opposition to the presently proposed alignment for phases 1C and 1D and stressed the need for additional engagement and exploration of alternatives.
Staff outlined a timeline: entry and field work this fall for phases 1B–D, a target of 30% design completion for phase 1B next spring and 30% design completion for phases 1C and 1D in 2026. Beaver said the Corps and city plan extensive public outreach, coordination on detours and downtown events, and advance notification to stakeholders; flyers could be issued by the end of the month if the right‑of‑entry is approved for outreach.
Separately, staff reported outreach to the congressional delegation seeking $500,000 for exploratory work on the South Side and Willoughby areas; that funding remains contingent on the federal budget being passed.