# OV Pier Ordered To Remove Bar



## hookinfinger (Feb 7, 2000)

Article from today's Virginian-Pilot.

The Ocean View Fishing Pier extends almost 1,500 feet into the Chesapeake Bay and was built to replace Harrison’s Fishing Pier. MORT FRYMAN/THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 


By MATTHEW JONES, The Virginian-Pilot 
© March 29, 2007 



NORFOLK - Ronnie Boone Jr. must tear down the second-story bar and restaurant he built at the Ocean View Fishing Pier, a judge has ruled.

The ruling, issued late last week in response to a civil suit filed by a neighbor, Sarah Harrison, orders Boone to "dismantle and completely remove the structure."

The pier, which extends almost 1,500 feet into the Chesapeake Bay, was built to replace Harrison's Fishing Pier, which was destroyed in Hurricane Isabel in 2003. 

Soon after construction began on the $2.5 million project, the staff of the Virginia Marine Resources Commission, which regulates construction along the water, noticed that what Boone was building didn't match the original plans.

Throughout 2005, the agency asked Boone repeatedly to submit plans, saying it would not issue construction permits otherwise and that he could face penalties if he didn't comply.

Construction continued through the spring, summer and fall, with Boone saying in July 2005 that he wanted the second story to use as an office and catering facility. The VMRC said this modification caused them "serious concerns."

Once the pier opened, it became clear the second story was actually an extension of the first-floor restaurant, complete with a bar.

In January 2006, a VMRC enforcement agent recommended making Boone tear down the second story, resubmit accurate plans and apply for another state maritime permit.

At a hearing, Boone argued that the bar did serve as an occasional office, allowing him to do paperwork as he sat on a stool there. He said he never did anything "to harm the environment." He said he made the changes during construction because his expensive crane and siding crews were out on the water already and he thought he'd eventually get the state's approval.

Several city leaders, including Mayor Paul Fraim and lawyer Pete Decker, spoke on Boone's behalf at the hearing.

Harrison (who's not connected to the original pier) and another neighbor said the second story blocked their view of the water and its patrons were too noisy.

The commission voted unanimously to grant Boone after-the-fact permits for the restaurant and other structures that didn't match his blueprints. It also fined him $10,000. Harrison appealed to Norfolk Circuit Court.

In his decision, Judge Norman A. Thomas found that the VMRC had erred in granting Boone the after-the-fact permits.

Thomas also questioned the commission's fairness. Commissioners never considered any of the evidence that Harrison submitted, he said. And one of the commissioners prefaced his questioning of Boone by saying, "I'm on your side."

This, Thomas wrote, "expressed a clear and inappropriate bias in favor of Boone... Such events clearly taint the hearing process."

Thomas found that the second-story bar had no value to the public interest.

Attorneys for Boone and the VMRC did not return calls seeking comment.

Harrison's attorney, Scott Carnes, said he was delighted with the decision.

"It's been my point of view that you ought not to grant an after-the-fact permit for something that in all likelihood would not have gotten a before-the-fact permit."

"On a personal level, it's wonderful," Harrison said. "It's taken all my life for the last few years."

Carnes said the VMRC's attorney told him Wednesday that he planned to ask Judge Thomas for a motion to reconsider his decision. If that fails, the matter could be headed to the state court of appeals.

"I know we're not finished," Harrison said. "They'll fight it tooth and nail to the very end, as will I."


Reach Matthew Jones at (757) 446-2949 or [email protected]. 


Dennis


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## FishinAddiction (May 9, 2006)

maybe if it didnt take 2 hours to get your food up there he would have more people on his side


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## Digger (Jan 4, 2000)

Hoorah for the little guy. This may wake up the VMRC.


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## the rhondel (Feb 6, 2003)

People like the Harrisons piss me off.Just like members of a housing development association;nothing better to do with their menial lives than stirrin' up chit.The Boones piss me off also.Just like that mess in Hampton.Some people think they are above rules and regulations and that the world will come to them.Trump comes to mind but he does it with class(shark attorneys)...hampton would of had a pier by now had boone not been feeling so daum omnipotent(rhymes with impotent).Now he's going to screw up a nice waterin'hole.Oh well,he still has greenies;I like that place too....the R


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## jay (Feb 19, 2004)

*o yeah and to add to The R*

inculding these people that will complain about chit on a stick. "Harrison (who's not connected to the original pier) and another neighbor said the second story blocked their view of the water and its patrons were too noisy."
EEEEEEEEEHHHHHHHHH shut up
:--| 
ahhhhhhh bo-hoo, dang! the pier that was there way before they ever though about building the gosh dran condos, heck it blocked your view then too lady! O yeah, its too nosiey too, i though they'd be used to all of the noise b/c of all the shootings and drug deals going on in front of thier houses. (no offense to anyone whom may live over there because it happens here too). Noise is going to happen around any kind of succesful business and something like that is not like having a neighbor blaring music till 4 in the mornin' it's over the water and a 1/2 mile down.(I know sound carries over water)


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## hengstthomas (Mar 11, 2006)

I have never fished there but its on the list for this year as long as its still there. I think I'd like the changes . Thanks for the info!


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## J-E-T-S (Jul 18, 2005)

Glad to hear the underdog may win....Boones may have all the money, but they still need to play by the rules..


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## kingfish (Feb 28, 2004)

*He with the most money*

rules. But it sounds like in this case, the dumb a$$ with the money got a little to greedy, should have paid the 10K fine and been done.


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## rattler (Jul 3, 2004)

the old pier was not as tall...and it did not have a live band(i haven't heard a good one yet)...if he did not build by approved plans, he screwed up...


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## Tom Powers (Aug 2, 2001)

He did pay the fine. I wonder what percentage of the overall cost that represented. I am confident it was a multimillion dollar construction contract. Let's just say it was $2,000,000. If it was a $10,000 fine is a 0.5% of the project fine. I would bet that just the realestate costs more than $2 Mil.

Tom


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## kq6 (Dec 16, 2003)

As a consumer, thats too bad. We had out TKAA tourny party and trophy presentation up top. great place to be fishy and drink beer. Alot of the out of towners were impressed with the setup. the tourny at jamaica bay was in the parking lot.

i dont see it as a eyesore but an amenity.


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## WALT D. (Dec 18, 2003)

I've never fished the new OV pier, but I still plan to get there soon.

If it meant we'd have more piers to fish I wish they'd all add a 2 story bar. Piers are going away in record numbers as high rise condos take thier place. I can easily understand why anyone that owns a pier would want to add something to it that would help offset the costs of letting us fish. Pier admission, a few bloodworms, a box of squid here and there can hardly cover the cost of salary, utilities, insurance, etc. 

I hope the Boones win this one, I think it would be a victory for us all. JMO!!

Walt


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## wolfva (Nov 17, 2006)

I went by the new peir last week on the way to the Willoughby boatramp; it looks real nice. Especialy with all those old buildings on either side gone. Wonder what the odds are of them NOT developing that land...yeah, probably 0. Most likely put more ugly arsed condos up, then Mrs. Harrison (no relationship to the pier) can whine about them taking her view to. Although I like the way the new pier looks, and think the resteraunt was a good addition (if it had been like that when me ole pop took us there fishing he'd've probably stayed in the bar the whole time<LOL>) Boone screwed up bigtime by trying to play God. He figured he's big enough in Norfolk to do what he wants, and I hope he gets slapped down real hard for that. NO ONE is above the law; and he doesn't own Norfolk. Peter Decker does <LOL>.


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## Shooter (Nov 14, 2004)

I hope Mr Boone wins everytime,, wanna know why? He is the one that spent the time and money to build a pier for me to be able to take my daughter out on to fish. OMG so he built a small wooden bar on top and this is the big threat to Ocean View and blocks everyone from being able to see the water? 
Just remember next time you go to drive a nail in anything at your house and you dont get a building permit and everybody is cheering you had to pay a fine. I am not saying he should be allowed to get away with murder but when there is no longer anywhere else to fish but a pier *and its getting that way quickly* will you give up fishing all together before stepping foot on Mr Boones place?


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## the rhondel (Feb 6, 2003)

Shooter,I wholeheartedly support Boone's efforts.And I,myself,have little patience with a bogged down system.But he's become his own worst enemy by trying to navigate around the rules.We probably would have had a pier here in Hampton by now and it looks like a nice addition to OVP might have to go.His efforts and concepts are great for business investment and for the public usage.He just needs to quit shooting himself in the foot and have a little patience.Yeah and I know,time is money......the R


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## Digger (Jan 4, 2000)

the rhondel said:


> Shooter,I wholeheartedly support Boone's efforts.And I,myself,have little patience with a bogged down system.But he's become his own worst enemy by trying to navigate around the rules.We probably would have had a pier here in Hampton by now and it looks like a nice addition to OVP might have to go.His efforts and concepts are great for business investment and for the public usage.He just needs to quit shooting himself in the foot and have a little patience.Yeah and I know,time is money......the R


His actions while building OVP are the reasons Buckroe did not get built. He lost the trust of the regulatory agencies. He thinks he is above the law. And that is where I have the problem.


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## hsstie (Sep 8, 2005)

I'll second that digger!


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## redneckranger (Jan 19, 2006)

While adding the bar and what not too the pier Illegaly. He should still be able to have it as long the proper paperwork is filled to have an ABC as for the witch of a condo owner complaing about Noise and a bad view what does she expect from a PUBLIC BEACH??? if she wanted quiet with a view she should go and purchase some beachfront property so she can do what she wants with the land and leave us alone you are using a legal establishment( the pier to fish not the bar). This country is going to hell in a hand basket with whiners such as this. I hope that mrs. harrison( i can't capatalize her name it would disrespect all the beachfront owners who don't mind the pier) and those of her ilk would do the world a favor and pull their lower lip over there heads and swallow


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## RedskinFan228 (Jun 28, 2004)

I am on Boone's side. I hope he apeals the ruling and drags it out for years. My god it blocks thier view the pansy arse people I hope they have to spend a fortune in attorny fees to fight him. In the long run he will win he may have to pay some fees to the city but he can out last the little old lady


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## butch (Jun 9, 2002)

He did build the pier and thats a good thing but he also broke the law because he thought he could get away with it.. if the law was not broken she would be pissing in the wind.. you guys are defendng the law breaker because he built a pier and condemming the lady for defending her rights. if she's so wrong lets take those rights away... by the way he was told by the VMRC to stop building and he blew them off.


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## redneckranger (Jan 19, 2006)

We are also defending our own rights to use that pier for our pursuit of happiness and this lady is also crapping all over that


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## Digger (Jan 4, 2000)

Well if he had not oversteped his bounds on the first one the regulatory agenices probably would have worked with him in Hampton and we would have two piers. The VMRC could have made him tear it down but they did not and gave him a light slap on the wrist. Also removing the bar would not close the pier unless he wants to take it in the shorts.


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## Chugg'n & plug'n (Jul 3, 2006)

man this is one hot topic! hopefully ya'll will respect my opinion (as current smartest man in the universe). 1. the pier is great. it brings a different crowd to o.v. which will hopefully bring a "safer" class of residence. i know what you are saying by it not being louder than the gunshots. besides, the food was good and it was nice to be able to grab some boat drinks when the weather got bad. oh, and they had a really nice staff much like that israeli girl named Shanee or however you spell it. 2. we all know why it really closed and that is the poor karma from not staying opened during the stated hours of operation, not stopping people from camping out under the shelters during fair weather, and not providing me with VIP shuttling to the "T". this is also why there AREN'T ANY FEESH AT OVP!


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## redneckranger (Jan 19, 2006)

true i never caught anything there put still that isn't what fishing is about totally. This for me is about encroachment on my rights over these transplants(although yes i am a transplant from TN). However these peopl want to bulldoze every tree they see and take away land rights from those who have hunted and fished it for hundreds of years ( i see this increasingly in my hometown of Memphis) all in the name of the almighty dollar


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## sand flea (Oct 24, 1999)

Shooter said:


> I hope Mr Boone wins everytime,, wanna know why? He is the one that spent the time and money to build a pier for me to be able to take my daughter out on to fish. OMG so he built a small wooden bar on top and this is the big threat to Ocean View and blocks everyone from being able to see the water?
> Just remember next time you go to drive a nail in anything at your house and you dont get a building permit and everybody is cheering you had to pay a fine. I am not saying he should be allowed to get away with murder but when there is no longer anywhere else to fish but a pier *and its getting that way quickly* will you give up fishing all together before stepping foot on Mr Boones place?


I couldn't agree more. Piers are being sold right and left, and here's a family that could have cashed out and moved on, yet they decided to give pier fishermen a spot. I'll forgive their mistakes because they stuck pilings in the sand and gave us a place to park and a place to fish.


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## Lip Ripper (Dec 8, 2003)

every town has got there "boone" family, you know, the one everybody loves to hate. and they do seem to be above the law. but a piers a pier and i be a fisherman, but it was nice hitting on the waitresses while i smelled of rotten bunker. hey chug and plug, what do you mean that they are drawing a better croud? everyone on that pier is just as haggard as us.


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## wolfva (Nov 17, 2006)

I'd like to make a little correction; Randy Boone didn't actualy build Harrison's fishing pier. It's been there since the mid 1940s I think. At least since then. He bought the land up when the Harrison's sold a few years ago with the agreement that he would rebuild the pier, which had been destroyed by Hurricaine Isabel. It was like the 3rd time the pier had been damaged/destroyed in 10 years by hurricaines if I'm remembering correctly. If he hadn't agreed to rebuild the pier then the Harrisons wouldn't have sold to him, since they were adamant about keeping the pier alive. I always got the feeling that if he could have bought the land without agreeing to the pier there would now be a row of condos on that beach. Heck, it's what the Boone's have been building every place else in OV.


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## the rhondel (Feb 6, 2003)

Smart thinkin' on Boone's part.....when the next storm takes out the pier,he takes the business loss writeoff and up go the condos.Then he won't have to deal with selling bloodworms anymore.And you will be able to buy one of the condos and fish on your own private beach.......a good deal all the way 'round...right?....the R


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## AL_N_VB (Apr 3, 2002)

*Hey R....*

Its like having your cake and eating it too.......


IMHO, OVP pier will be hot and heavy this year...ya know it takesa while fer tha dust to settle


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## redneckranger (Jan 19, 2006)

Nserch4Drum said:


> Its like having your cake and eating it too.......
> 
> 
> IMHO, OVP pier will be hot and heavy this year...ya know it takesa while fer tha dust to settle


Forgot it was just rebulit recently


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## rattler (Jul 3, 2004)

this pier was built with concrete plies...not wood...the biggest storm will take nothing but the decking...with that said, it will always be Harrisons Pier to me...i went to school with some of them...AND the OCEAN VIEW PIER was next to the amuesment park...fire works every friday and saturday night...it was longer, cleaner, had a bathroom ON the pier, ETC... THAT I MISS...but i will make due with what i have...it gets me fishing...


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## baitslingin (Jul 31, 2005)

"running out of places to fish"...really.... ok keep your arses on those piers. that just makes more room in the places where the real fish are . 
keep up the good work folks


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## GotchaMack (Jun 16, 2004)

I'm with Digger on this one....you can't (or I guess I should say, should not be able to) toss the law aside because of money. It really scares me in this country now to feel that our allegence to the flag is being wholly and quickly transformed, into allegence to the dollar.


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