Event kicks off outdoor eating season

Despite the steady rain, patrons enjoy lunch at The River House in Portsmouth on Friday as part of the Greater Portsmouth Chamber of Commerce's Hit the Decks day.Rich Beauchesne/rbeauchesne@seacoastonline.com

PORTSMOUTH A lack of sunshine did little to deter Seacoast residents from flocking to local dining establishments and merchants Friday on the second annual Hit the Decks day.

Despite the rainy weather, diners hit some of the indoor decks downtown, as well as several other restaurants taking part in the day.

Organized by the Greater Portsmouth Chamber of Commerce, Hit the Decks is considered to be the official opening of the decks and patios for eateries throughout the downtown.

Restaurants and business offered special deals to attract customers.

Although no one was on the outside deck of the Old Ferry Landing on Friday afternoon, owner Jack Blalock said the day was not a bust. Diners wandered in to take advantage of food and drink specials, he said.

"That's the nature of my business anyway," Blalock said.

Over at The River House, owner Peter Labrie was still able to offer outdoor seating thanks to a retractable roof on his upstairs and downstairs decks.

Labrie said the weather made little difference in the attitudes of his customers on Friday.

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Rain doesn't deter deck diners

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The dining platform in front of Bistro 412 was fully operational for the Savor the Summit on Saturday, June 19, 2010. (Park Record File Photo)

Main Street restaurant owners and Park City Council members found common ground on charging for outdoor dining decks last week during a council meeting. City fees for restaurants to lease outdoor deck space during the summer months increased to $550 this year, up from last year's price of $310 to lease the space.

The 3-year-long pilot program started in 2010 with fewer than five decks, and now it is entering its third and final year, after which a more long-term proposal for the program will come forward. Nine businesses have applied for leases to build the decks, which are built out into the parking spaces on Main Street. Owners lease the space from the city each year, running through the summer.

This year the city is allowing outdoor dining from the beginning of May to the end of October, a longer window to match the increase in lease price.

Restaurant owners at last week's council meeting said that was where they took issue.

"We're being charged for a month that's not being used," said Kevin Valaika, owner of Shabu.

Many restaurants may not open the decks until the summer tourism season picks up toward the middle of the month, but they would still be required to pay the full amount of the lease for time they were not using. And once the decks are open, restaurants under the city program are required to serve lunch and dinner seven days of the week, a fact owners at the meeting said was a burden on their budgets.

Rather than pay the full amount, the city council worked out an agreement that owners could take off up to a month's worth of the rate if they choose to open outdoor dining later in the season or end 'deck season' early.

"We could charge for the time being used, with up to one month of forgiveness," said councilmember Liza Simpson, offering a solution to complaints.

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Outdoor dining on the way

RICHMOND, Va., May 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --As homeowners rev into full spring and summer entertaining season, the local deck and outdoor living experts at Archadeck Outdoor Living (www.archadeck.com) are reminding homeowners to check their decks for safety concerns that could lead to accidents and injuries.

"Many of us have delayed home repairs and improvement until they are absolutely essential," said Rob Haislip, vice president of Archadeck. "Even then, sometimes homeowners don't have enough information to decide when something is optional or truly a safety hazard that could result in an injury."

To help ensure safety, especially for decks that are more than 10 years old, Archadeck is sharing seven deck safety inspection guidelines with the acronym of "BE SAFER":

Boards: Look at the condition of your deck boards. While most wood will show some minor cracks and splits over time, boards should be good and not rotting or damaged.

Every Connection: Decks should be built using a variety of fasteners and metal hardware connectors. Check every connection on the deck to make certain that they are not corroded or compromised. Look for nails backing out, red rust and other signs of corrosion that can weaken the integrity of the deck.

Structure: If visible, look at the posts, beams and joists that provide the structural framework of the deck. Is there any noticeable sagging between supports?

Attachment: The attachment of the deck to the house is where most deck failures occur. Ensure that the deck is properly attached to the house with bolts and is properly flashed for water protection. Nails should never be used.

Foundation / Footings: The foundation / footings support the weight, also known as the load, on a deck and the columns that bear on them. A footing that is sinking may cause a noticeable sag in an area or a column to separate from a beam.

Exits: Check the areas where people exit from the deck, usually stairs. Check the condition of the material used on the stair stringers, stair treads and risers. Do the stairs require a handrail? Is there adequate lighting to safely use the exits at night?

Rails: Look at the condition of the rail posts and sections of railing to make sure that they aren't loose or wobbly. Verify that the pickets/balusters are fastened securely and spaced no more than four inches apart.

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May Is National Deck Safety Month: Archadeck's "Be Safer" Campaign Urges Homeowners To Check Their Decks To Ensure A ...

Posted: Apr. 28, 2012 | 2:05 a.m.

From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. today, Ryland Homes plans to celebrate the grand opening of its new Maravilla Courtyards in Mountain's Edge, a master-planned community in the southwest.

The new-home community features two-story homes with rooftop decks.

"This is a completely unique concept and one we know new-home shoppers will like," said Mara Glaser, sales agent at Maravilla Courtyards. "Each of the three floor plans offered include an option for a rooftop deck. They are incredibly flexible, giving homeowners the option to use them for cooking, entertaining, sunbathing and peaceful relaxation."

During today's event, home shoppers are invited to stop by for a free lunch from noon to 3 p.m. and tours of the model homes. There also will be special activities, including a children's planting station with Star Nursery and entertainment. Event sponsors include Star Nursery, Xyience, Furniture Market, Pizza Hut, Evergreen Recycling and Sweet Glory Cupcakes. Prize drawings will be held for items including a flat-screen television.

Maravilla Courtyards offers three floor plans ranging from 1,852 to 2,157 square feet with prices starting at $154,990. The floor plans include such appointments as rooftop decks, two master suites and three-car parking.

Among the highlights of Maravilla Courtyards' location is its proximity to the newest park opened at Mountain's Edge. The 20-acre Nathaniel Jones Park includes a lighted basketball court, tot lot with shade structure, children's water play area with splash pad, turf areas, walking trails and shade structures. The park incorporates the natural terrain to complement design and to conserve water.

"This beautiful park is so close to Maravilla that some of our guests think the neighborhood has its own 20-acre park." Glaser said. "It is certainly lovely to see from the rooftop decks at our model homes and all of the neighborhoods' rooftop decks will look over either the parks, lights of the city or other natural areas surrounding Mountain's Edge."

Maravilla Courtyards showcases two of its three floor plans as model homes. Plan 2144 includes three bedrooms, 2 baths and a two-car garage with 2,144 square feet of living space.

"This home is extremely flexible," Glaser said. "It can be built with up to five bedrooms or with a dual master bedroom option. The front door also opens midway between the first and second floors, with the great room, dining room and kitchen all located on the second floor."

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Ryland To Host Grand Opening Today

About 11 months ago, we all started posting photographs of the upper decks of FedEx Field, which had started looking different.

That led to the months of on-again off-again party deck reportage; earlier this month, Mike Jones reported that the Redskins were removing 4,000 more seats, and that the Redskins party decks are to feature tables for fans to sit or stand around while watching the game.

And the teams Web site reported earlier this month that the Redskins plan to completethe project that was started last year by installing standing decks on the upper level of the stadium and a video wall on lower level concourse in the west end zone.

Anyhow, the blog Son of Washington posted a bunch of photos this week that shows seat removal has already begun. Quoting the site:

Ill be at FedEx Field for Thursdays draft night party, so I suppose there will be many more pictures to come. For now, see Son of Washington for more.

Note: The original headline of this item said the team is working on party decks; I suppose I dont know that for sure, so I changed it.

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Redskins working on FedEx Field

Echoes of cinematic mutiny on decks of HMS Bounty in St. Augustine

The tall ship that sailed through St. Augustine's Bridge of Lions at noon Wednesday looks quite historic.

But the 50-year-old HMS Bounty has more cinematic history as the three-masted square rigger from the classic movie "Mutiny on the Bounty."

The ship will open for Friday through Sunday tours in America's oldest city to commemorate its 450th anniversary as well as the 223rd anniversary of the real ship's mutiny on April 28, 1789.

Teaming up with St. Augustine's Pirate Museum for the "Mutiny with the Bounty" event, visitors can trod the decks where Marlon Brando, as 1st Lt. Fletcher Christian, mutinied against a cinematic Capt. William Bligh, played by Trevor Howard, in the 1962 MGM film.

"There are other ports we could have gone to, but I liked the charm of the city and knew that the pirate museum was there, a perfect fit," said Tracie Simonin, director of the nonprofit HMS Bounty Organization.

Tall ships abound this week. The Coast Guard's Eagle is at Mayport Friday through Thursday. The French Navy's Etoile and Belle Poule moor near The Jacksonville Landing Monday through Wednesday to celebrate the 450th anniversary of French Capt. Jean Ribault's arrival at the St. Johns River.

As St. Augustine begins its Commemorative Celebration to honor Ponce de Leon's discovery of Florida, the arrival of the Bounty is a great addition, said Dana Ste. Claire, director of the city's Department of Heritage Tourism and Historic Preservation.

"To have that piece of cinematic history is significant in its own right, and for it to be here during the anniversary celebration is fortuitous," Ste. Clair said. "... The Bounty at one level is a prelude to the celebration of our rich maritime history, which will be a principal component of our commemorative celebration through 2015."

The original Bounty sailed to Tahiti in 1787 with Bligh pushing his crew hard to get there quickly. Resenting the living hell on the ship, Christian and the crew led the mutiny that forced Bligh off.

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Echoes of cinematic mutiny on decks of HMS Bounty in St. Augustine

The 34th annual Venice Art Walk & Auctions kicks off Friday with a free community event that includes an exhibition and silent auction of custom skate decks and surfboards embellished by local tattoo artists.

Presented by Quiksilvers new 585 Boardriders concept store, the second annual Surf & Skate Auction event will includelive music, refreshments and meet-and-greets with various artists.

Attendees will also have the chance to bid on one-of-a-kind creations designed from used, recycled and re-created skate decks and custom-shaped and tatted surfboards by more than 70 artists, including surfboard shapers Jeffrey Sudzin, Dan Cobley and Jose Barahona; surfboard tattoo artists (we honestly didn't know this even existed) Charly Reynoso, Big Boy, Juan "Ente" Gollaz, Show, Justin Jakus and Tyoni Aragon; Quiksilver surfboard artist Kristi McKnight; DC Shoes skate designer Mark Winn and DC Shoes photographer and video producer Tobin Yelland.

And don't feel bad opening your wallet for that one-of-a-kind skate or tatted board, the event raises funds for the Venice Family Clinic (as the Venice Art Walk has done for more than three decades), which provides free medical care to approximately 25,000low-income men, women, children, teens, and seniors who lack private health insurance.

Venice Art Walk & Auctions' kickoff Surf & Skate Auction to benefit the Venice Family Clinic, 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday at 2525 Michigan Ave., Bldg. C1, Santa Monica.

RELATED:

Launch date: New SoCal trade show set for July 2012

Quiksilver's custom boardshort program taps heritage, technical expertise

Photo ops: Street fashion at the downtown Los Angeles Art Walk

-- Adam Tschorn

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Charity Surf & Skate Auction kicks off Venice Art Walk on Friday

With spring in the air, building a deck might be on your mind. Building a deck is not as hard as you might think, and if you follow some basic guidelines it can be a great DIY project.

Bit of Advice #1: Build Your DIY Deck Level

Decks are built to add living space to a home and every one of them should be built nice and level. For some home sites this is pretty easy, as many back yards or areas around the home are relatively flat. Here in Colorado, flat is rare my deck starts at ground level near the front door of my home, while the far side of my deck is about 15 feet off the ground.

Bit of Advice #2: Get a Permit before Attempting to Build Your Own Deck

Most municipalities require that decks be approved by the local building dept. Low free-standing decks may not require full permitting, while 2 story complex decks may require fully engineered plans. It is always best to check with your local permit office before you get started.

Bit of Advice #3: Build Your DIY Deck on a Firm Foundation

Over the years I have seen some great deck designs which I would be proud to call my own. But more often than not, many of the deck repairs I do as a Denver-area contractor are due to shortcuts the original builder used during the initial construction. I have done demo on some decks where the decks support columns were simply set on the dirt. Others had been set on rocks, blocks and some wimpy poured footers.

Like with most home builds a sturdy foundation results in a sturdy project. The key to a good start is a solid foundation. The most common base I use is a poured footer in a Sonotube. For this type, a hole is dug to frost depth and a cardboard tube form is installed. Concrete is mixed and then poured into the tube, and then an anchor bolt is then inserted in to the wet concrete. After the concrete has set the form is removed and the hole is back filled and a post bracket is mounted. The anchor bolt/post base provides both compressive and uplift resistance. This is repeated for each of the deck's support columns. Does this sound intimidating? You could always hire a concrete contractor to pour your foundation, even if you are choosing to build the deck yourself.

Bit of Advice #4: Choose the Right Framing Material

The framing of a deck is what the decking is mounted to and it provides the skeleton of the design. Some types of decking can span long distances while others require a tighter spacing of the joists. Your local climate will also dictate some of these parameters. Snow and wind loads vary from place to place and the material choices will also affect the design. I like to use pressure treated wood for all of my framing, as in my experience it provides the best long-term durability.

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Build Your Own Deck

MORGANTOWN -

Monongalia County's Clean Indoor regulations have caused many bars and restaurants to use outdoor decks as a way to accommodate patrons who smoke.

Morgantown Code Enforcement Officer Mike Stone reminded businesses and residents that permits must be obtained before constructing a deck.

Many bars have not followed that procedure, Stone said. For that, they could face a $500 fine.

Businesses who wish to have a deck must have it engineered and submit four copies of the plans to have reviewed, signed and stamped.

Residents who would like to build a deck onto a house need to submit two copies of their plans for review to gain a permit. If they're using a contractor, they should check to make sure they're licensed to operate in the city.

Questions can be directed to the Code Enforcement office Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Residents and businesses can also call 304-284-7401.

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Code Enforcement Officer Reminds About Deck Permits

STUART Waterfront homeowners would be allowed to install structures like wood decks and tiki huts in their backyards within 25 feet of a hardened shoreline under a proposal that received initial approval Tuesday from the Martin County Commission.

The proposed amendment to the Shoreline Protection Zone rules in the county growth plan still faces review by the state Department of Economic Opportunity and a second vote by the county commissioners.

One of the requirements of the proposed amendment would be for a property owner who places a pervious structure near the shoreline to show it doesn't send more polluted runoff into the waterway, said Clyde Dulin, a county planner.

Commissioners Ed Fielding and Sarah Heard, who dissented on the 3-2 vote, argued the initiative would reduce shoreline protections, harm water quality and set a bad precedent.

Fielding said the growth plan amendment seems to be a favor to Shaun Plymale, a Republican Party activist, who received a notice of code violation last year for allegedly building a wooden retaining wall too close to the shoreline in the backyard of his Lighthouse Point home.

"It's not that our rules are inappropriate, it's that our rules have been broken," Fielding said. "What we're trying to do now is try to justify the violation."

But Plymale argued the retaining wall reduced the flow of polluted runoff into a canal that leads to the St. Lucie River and hundreds of owners of older waterfront homes could do likewise.

"This is a problem in those neighborhoods ... because when those neighborhoods were designed, they were small lots and they were designed to drain into the river as fast as humanly possible and that's not good," Plymale said. "We need regulations like this that allow homeowners like me to take matters into our own hands and improve stormwater runoff. "

Commissioners Doug Smith and Patrick Hayes argued the initiative would allow waterfront homeowners to simultaneously improve their properties and reduce the amount of polluted runoff flowing into the county's waterways.

Many of the county's waterfront homes were built in the 1960s and 1970s before the adoption of the county's growth plan and its strict environmental regulations, Smith and Hayes said. The runoff from some waterfront properties drains straight into the waterways.

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Martin County Commission set to allow structures in Shoreline Protection Zones