News Flash

Nov. 4, 2016 - Over the next 12-18 months, the City of Hampton will be working with “Dutch Dialogues” consultants to address the continuing problem of flooding and the threat of sea level rise. On Tuesday, Nov. 8, starting at 7 p.m., a special community introduction and “listening session” will be held for the general public at the Hampton Roads Convention Center.

The long-term goal is to develop a plan for “Living With Water” that includes both long and short-term strategies that can be used throughout the region. City officials also want to coordinate their strategy with ongoing or regional strategies, and encourage state and federal participation.

In June of 2015, Hampton was one of several local communities to attend a regional meeting about flooding and sea level rise. That meeting was called the “Dutch Dialogues” because it was a joint effort involving Dutch technical experts, local and state governments, and others. The first “Dutch Dialogues” were held in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.

The consultant team is led by Waggoner & Ball of New Orleans, a company that worked with others to pioneer the “Dutch Dialogues” approach to living with water. Others include several people who were part of the Hampton team during the 2015 “Dutch Dialogues” discussions.

On Thursday Nov. 10, representatives from surrounding jurisdictions, state, regional and local partners will attend a smaller more technical discussion in the Community Development Conference Room on the 5th floor of City Hall.