When it comes to sea level rise, Norfolk is unfortunately one of the first cities in the country to begin seeing the measurable and menacing impact of this concerning new reality. Courtney sees the opportunity in these challenges, and has positioned our city as a leader in combating them.

While there’s no singular approach that will remedy or reverse the effects, we can take steps to ensure our beautiful waterfront and shorelines, the residences that line them, and the businesses and entities that are empowered by them, like the United States Navy, United States Coast Guard, and Port of Virginia are protected.

Examples of these steps include:

  • Increasing the amount of living shoreline in different parts of the city
  • Taking evidence-based action against erosion on our beach

Courtney also wants to further Norfolk’s partnerships with our higher-education institutions, scientific community, private businesses, residents, and even with other cities that are working on flooding and sea-level rise to collaborate and innovate on creative solutions.

Some of Courtney’s accomplishments in this area include:

  • Completion of the two berm projects – one at Cambridge Crescent and Carroll Place and another at Walnut Hill and Sylvan Street.  Both of the projects were built to reduce nuisance tidal flooding. These projects allow residents to access streets and sidewalks in front of their homes during nuisance flooding events, which occurs too often in our community. The shoreline improvement project in the area of Surry Crescent and Richmond Crescent are moving along.  This project includes a combination of knee walls, berms and living shorelines along the Lafayette River. This project will start in Fall 2026 after several reviews between the city and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. 
  • Advocating for other major initiatives, including:
  • Constructing flood mitigation measures in downtown to protect businesses, residences and parks while preserving the wonderful historic nature of our downtown.
  • Securing additional funding from the state and federal governments in support of major flood/sea-level rise needs in areas of the Hague, Lafayette River and seawalls throughout the community.