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Quality of Life

Introduction

Chesapeake is known regionally for its high quality of life. It consistently ranks highly for various quality of life metrics, and higher than other localities in Hampton Roads.

Old Dominion University puts out an annual “Life in Hampton Roads” survey report which gathers data on the attitudes of residents towards things such as crime, satisfaction with government, politics, plans to move, etc. In ODU’s 2024 report, residents were asked to rate the quality of life in their city. 85% of residents in Chesapeake ranked their quality of life as “good” or “excellent” (other options were “fair” and “poor”). This was the highest percentage of residents ranking their city highly, with the second highest being 77.2%.

In Chesapeake, quality of life is synonymous with its public services; parks, schools, and public safety are regularly noted as top reasons that residents moved to the City. Chesapeake takes pride in its services, and providing a high quality of life. However, services must be dynamic and evolve as demographics shift and the population grows. Making sure services match the world today is an ongoing process the City must continually invest in.

QOL 1: Provide excellent public services and facilities such that all residents have access to the services they need, and plan ahead for changing needs of residents.

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City Facilities

All departments operate differently and provide unique services, and many of these departments will be discussed individually in the following sections. However, there are some guiding policies that can be applied to all City facilities and should be considered in the design and planning stages of new facilities, or retrofitted into existing ones as needed.

Community Accessibility and Design

All City facilities should be designed so that they are truly accessible to all users, considering all the accommodations needed by those who use City facilities, even if that means going above building code requirements.

Facilities should also be designed and landscaped sustainably and be a presence in the community in which they are located. Buildings should be attractive, fit with the context of the community, and be a source of pride for residents. This also means providing community spaces, regardless of the services being offered, unless there are safety, security, or privacy reasons not to.

Technology

Technology, which is of growing interest to nearly all City departments and critical for administering services efficiently, is sometimes an afterthought in facility planning. However, because of the infrastructure required to sustain it, retrofitting technology can be complicated and expensive. Instead, technology should be incorporated into

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planning and design from the beginning, and the City should be a leader in promoting the use of technology to support our residents.

Service Options

The City must be thoughtful about how residents prefer or are able to access services and offer both physical and virtual options. For residents who have mobility issues or do not own a personal vehicle, connecting to services online may be the easiest way to get what they need. For residents who are less comfortable with the internet, or for those who simply don’t have access, in-person opportunities will be best. Likewise, different parts of the City are more or less accessible by different modes of transportation. Public facilities should be located with access to multiple modes of transportation, particularly when customers are more likely to be walking, biking, or taking public transit.

Location and Siting

One of the hardest parts about building a new facility is land acquisition. Most City facilities operate best with multiple acres of land, and must be located in specific parts of the City in order to serve residents, particularly for public safety where a goal is a fast response time. This is one of the reasons that co-locating services is highly recommended when expansions or relocations are being considered. Co-locating also has the benefit of making it potentially easier for customers to take care of multiple needs in one location, without having to travel to separate offices around the City. The Chesapeake Land Bank Authority can also assist by banking property for future anticipated needs (e.g., as growth will occur in the future) as properties become available.

QOL 2: Design and landscape sustainable City facilities so they are a landmark of the community, are accessible for all, and provide community spaces as needed.

QOL 3: Incorporate technology into City facilities as part of initial planning phases, and lead by example as a technologically-advanced organization.

QOL 4: Provide both physical and virtual ways for residents to easily access critical services.

QOL 5: Locate public facilities so they are easily accessible by the modes of transportation used by frequently-served customers.

QOL 6: Maximize the efficiency of public buildings, facilities, and services, by co-locating with either other City services/facilities, Schools, or private sector use whenever feasible.

QOL 7: Land bank property for future City needs when the market is favorable.

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Healthy Communities

“Healthy” can have a different meaning depending on whom you ask. It may mean being active, outdoors, in nature, or having access to fresh food. In today’s world, there is also a greater focus on mental health and well-being. Healthy Chesapeake is a leading organization working towards a healthy community, and has recently focused on food access and insecurity, diabetes and hypertension management, and education initiatives, particularly for pre- and post-natal women. Other health-focused organizations include local hospitals, cooperative extensions, and non-profits.

According to the Virginia Department of Health, there are several health metrics where Chesapeake trails the state. In 2018, the hospitalization rate for those suffering from asthma, diabetes, and ischemic heart disease (caused by narrowed or blocked arteries) were higher in Chesapeake than Virginia overall. Another example: a higher percentage of babies were born preterm in Chesapeake (11.0%) than in Virginia (9.4%) and at low birth weight. Health should continue to be a priority.

The City currently lacks a dedicated healthy communities policy, and past comprehensive plans have not included healthy living, mental health, or active communities as key things for the City to focus on.

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The City should take a more active role in making sure its residents are healthy in all ways by bringing together a team of staff to develop a holistic healthy communities policy, focusing on the issues that most impact our residents.

A successful policy will touch on multiple aspects of healthy living, be developed with the help of the community, promote regular engagement and provide education and awareness as part of implementation.

QOL 8: Develop a policy related to healthy, active communities including developing and integrating healthy living principles, ensuring convenient and safe access to healthy and fresh food for all residents, encouraging and advocating for community programs and events that promote health and wellness, and promoting communication and awareness of information around resources to help everyone get involved in their community.

Police

According to the 2024 Life in Hampton Roads Survey Report, Chesapeake has the highest satisfaction and trust in its police force of all Hampton Roads localities (with 83.0% of respondents expressing satisfaction and 85.0% expressing trust). Not only is this powerful in the context of the region, in a time where police satisfaction across the country is low, this is a striking level of support. This isn't a stroke of luck, but rather the result of a dedicated force that wants residents to know they are cared for and deserve to live somewhere they feel safe.

Community Engagement

The Police have robust community engagement strategies in place: an officer will attend any civic league meeting they are asked to attend (Police updates are often a standing item on an organization’s agenda), Police staff a citizen's advisory group, and they offer a citizen police academy. These connections should be maintained. Engagement may evolve over time with resident needs and preferred methods of communication, but interaction is critical to maintaining open communication and the Police Department’s great reputation.

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Workforce

Not only does Chesapeake’s Police Department achieve high satisfaction and

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trust, it is accomplishing it with comparatively few resources. The City's authorized full-time force reflects a per capita ratio of 1.59 officers per one thousand residents. This is the lowest of the seven cities, and a per capita reduction from previous years when it was 1.75 (note that 1.75 would still be the lowest of the seven cities today). While the City takes pride in being good stewards of public dollars, it's important that the City continue its efforts to keep the Police Department well-resourced. Having the appropriate number and quality of facilities, officers, and equipment keeps both officers and citizens safer as response times improve and additional services can be provided.

CPTED

One unique role Police play in the community is their participation in the development review process by applying Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles to project reviews.

CPTED is a critical set of principles that ensures the built environment is conducive to safety and security.

For example, officers trained in CPTED make sure a site will have natural surveillance (i.e., it is easy for people to see one another) through adequate lighting, windows, and removal of natural obstructions as well as natural access control, such as hedges or fences, that allows for monitoring of who is coming and going and discourages people entering where they should not. These nuanced considerations of how a space will be used may not be recognized by project developers.

Data and Technology

Chesapeake's Police Department is advancing their work through the increased use of data and technology, to improve both efficiency and safety for residents. A better understanding of growth forecasts and demographic shifts can help Police better plan for hiring and facility requests, as well as realigning beats as necessary. Staffing more densely developed areas looks different than staffing rural ones.

Technology can be used broadly to support Police, including red light cameras, body cameras, live force deployment tracking, and more. Some of this is already in use. Police is one department that is touting the benefits of a real time crime information center, which can be used for much more than crime tracking. Similar centers have been used for monitoring major storms and their impacts, flooding, traffic from events, etc. The City should continue its exploration of cutting-edge technology and how it can fit into our work (see more in the Smart and Future Technology section).

QOL 9: Continue to create safe, secure, and healthy communities.

QOL 10: Work closely with communities to establish and maintain open lines of communication and trust with residents and continue the Police Department’s positive reputation.

QOL 11: Maintain a police force that is adequate for the population, well-trained, and provided resources to meet the needs of their unique roles in the community, as well as an appropriate suite of facilities.

QOL 12: Continue incorporating Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles into development review as well as existing structures where improvements are warranted.

QOL 13: Leverage smart technology to increase efficiency in public safety services.

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Fire

Across all metrics, the need for fire and emergency medical services have risen over the past few decades, which is understandable given that the City’s population has also continued to grow. However, as incidents and responses have risen, the ratio of staff to population has fallen. Like Police, Fire plays a unique role in the community, directly interfacing with residents in dangerous, frightening, and/or complex situations. Making sure that the City is sufficiently staffed to protect the well-being of employees and the safety of residents can literally be a matter of life and death.

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Changing Demographics

The majority of calls are not for fire response, but emergency medicine; approximately 77% of calls are for EMS. Calls are not just increasing with the population: from 2014 to 2024 the City population increased approximately 9.4%, while calls for service increased approximately 40.8%. As the population has aged, there has been a direct correlation to increased calls for assistance, particularly for things such as trips and falls. Because older residents need additional support, staff should work closely with developers of senior or age-restricted housing. Putting in place additional access, resources, and protection for Fire and EMS that goes beyond the existing fire code means they can more readily assist in an emergency.

Education and Data

Some calls come into the Fire Department simply because residents don't know who else to call or where else to get assistance. Increasing community education and access to other resources would help reduce the Department’s workload. Fire is another department recognizing the benefit of data analysis, and has put increased focus on collecting and analyzing data. This shift helps the department not only better understand where calls are coming from, but what is causing the incidents, allowing the Fire Department to dynamically respond and use resources more effectively.

Response and Resources

One of the downsides of having a large, dispersed geographic area is that the City will spend more on some facilities and services in order to make sure they reach all residents. In 2024, the average City response time was 7 minutes and 58 seconds, which is higher than the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standard and the City's internal goals. Chesapeake also has to consider the impact of its various development patterns. Fire is particularly affected by this: not only is response time critical, different equipment is needed for rural areas (water tanker trucks), denser developments (tall ladder trucks), and waterways (boats), so staff must be trained on and able to access multiple types of equipment. Staffing must be sufficient to meet the standards of all forms of development to ensure it can safely protect all residents.

QOL 14: Encourage developers to provide enhanced access, resources, and protections throughout senior or age-restricted housing beyond what is required by the fire code.

QOL 15: Increase resources for fire and safety education and make residents aware of community resources that may be an alternative to use instead of emergency services.

QOL 16: Maintain a fire and emergency medical force that is adequate for the population, well-trained for residents’ changing needs, and provided resources to meet the needs of their unique roles in the community, as well as an appropriate suite of facilities.

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— WHAT IS THE “DIGITAL DIVIDE”? — The gap between those who have access to and can use technology (such as the internet), and those who do not. Given the importance of the internet and technology in our everyday lives – for connecting to others, applying to jobs, submitting homework – this gap can play a large role in who is successful in the future, and who is not.

Libraries

Chesapeake has seven branches spread throughout the City and several “library express” stations that offer convenient pick-up across the City. Libraries are particularly beloved places in cities. Even residents who are not regular users of the library value having one nearby, because it tells that community that it is important. That said, there are many Chesapeake library users. In 2024, over 1.3 million items were circulated, including 943,824 books. Libraries have evolved beyond simply providing books, however. Not only do the City’s libraries provide a “Library of Things” with video games, metal detectors, sewing machines, telescopes, and more, they offer modern technology that residents would be challenged to find elsewhere, including a memory lab for digitization, a sublimation machine, a photo lab, and an innovation studio with laser cutter, Cricut, and 3D printer. Many of these are available for use alongside classes that increase users’ knowledge.

Libraries are particularly important for those trying to learn or keep up with technology. Chesapeake libraries have over 100 computers available for public use, and in 2024 more than 90,000 computer sessions were logged.

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Libraries address the “digital divide” and teach digital literacy. Digital divide impacts can be felt at a young age when students may not be academically competitive because they don’t have the same access to the internet as their peers. Digital literacy issues are more likely to be felt by older adults as technology evolves and they are not trained through work or school to use it. Chesapeake Libraries have utilized “digital navigators” who are trained to help residents use digital resources and learn new skills (see more in the Connectivity and Infrastructure chapter).

Libraries also play a unique role in the community by offering a safe, comfortable space with no expectations of users. Community centers offer some of the same amenities as libraries, such as computer access and meeting rooms. Although very reasonably priced, community centers require a membership fee for most residents, and users have to check in with their card when they enter. These all require residents to write or type an application, or ask for assistance doing so, and remember and hold on to a card to get in easily. For some, these requirements are a struggle. On the other hand, libraries are open and free to everyone, without residents having to obtain a membership or provide personal ID. Libraries are also a safe place where groups of like people gather. Meeting rooms are one of the most commonly-used library amenities. These spaces also operate as learning and working environments for remote workers, homeschool families, tutors, and others. It is important that libraries continue to be safe, accessible spaces for all members of the Chesapeake community.

Our libraries are constantly innovating in their services, offerings, and method of reaching residents. Non-traditional libraries, such as library express, “library in a box” (a small collection of lending materials that can go into the community), bookmobiles, and more, connect residents with resources on their terms. The City should continue to implement non-traditional programs and facilities in order to maximize use of all that the City’s libraries have to offer.

Traditional libraries are becoming more user-friendly as well, with increased focus on universal design features and flexibility (e.g., moving walls, unprogrammed rooms, etc.) that allow more people to utilize libraries in ways that can change over time.

As Libraries continue to grow and evolve to serve the modern needs of our community, it is important that the City undertake a master libraries plan. A master plan would outline current and future facility needs and create a plan of action, including maintenance of existing facilities, new facilities as the population grows, and any major changes to the department’s offerings.

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Quality of Life

QOL 17: Create libraries that are safe, comfortable spaces for all community members where residents can engage with their communities.

QOL 18: Continue to implement non-traditional libraries and methods for reaching the community with their programs and services, such as “library in a box”, 24/7 libraries, and library express.

QOL 19: Build libraries with universal design features to be fully accessible to all users, and design them with flexibility so that libraries can evolve and the space within them can be changed and repositioned easily.

QOL 20: Develop a master libraries plan that outlines current and future needs based on populations to be served, facility design best practices, and Libraries’ Strategic Plan.

CIBH and Human Services

Chesapeake Integrated Behavioral Healthcare (CIBH) and Human Services provide resources to some of the City’s most vulnerable population. CIBH focuses on services for those with behavioral health needs and intellectual disabilities. Human Services more broadly offers social services, covering food assistance, employment assistance, juvenile detention and education, and more. Creating policies about connecting those in need to these services, as opposed to policies about the services themselves, is the primary concern for CIBH and Human Services in Chesapeake 2045.

Access

It can be difficult for those served by CIBH and Human Services to travel across the City, particularly if they have limited mobility or lack access to a vehicle. Creating multiple, dispersed points of access across the City where residents can connect to resources is

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critical. This may look like creating spaces for these departments in other City buildings or increasing internet access to services. Since most social services actions can be delivered from any office as long as staff can connect to their internal systems, enhancing internet access to services is vital. This also includes resources that can go directly into communities, such as vans or RVs that are equipped with counselors, educational materials, and ways to connect to more services.

“No Wrong Door”

Chesapeake Thrives, a City-supported organization, connects residents with resources related to health, housing, poverty, workforce development, and more. Human Services serves as the point of entry for those with behavioral health and other needs in the community. This “no wrong door” policy means that a resident or responder will be taken into the system wherever they enter it, whether that be an emergency room or City office. They will then be directed to the appropriate department, provider, or resource. In a successful program, no one is turned away, and there are no exclusions. The City should continue to promote this style of service and collaborate with other departments to operate within this framework as needed.

Crisis Continuum

CIBH and Human Services work along the “crisis continuum” which describes the various supports needed to address behavioral issues ranging from prevention to immediate intervention. It accounts for the fact that care should not look the same at all points in an individual’s life, and efficiently directs resources to reduce reliance on emergency interventions, which can be more costly and can have worse outcomes for the individual. For example, CIBH operates a 24-hour Crisis Receiving Center (CRC), which provides urgent, short-term mental health stabilization in the least restrictive environment, often reducing the need for inpatient hospitalization.

Working on the crisis continuum requires multiple care options be available, and that decisions are made with the individual in mind. This work requires thoughtful, well-trained staff not only within CIBH and Human Services but other organizations as well, including Public Safety. The City should support facilities that allow services to be provided along the continuum.

QOL 21: Ensure Chesapeake Integrated Behavioral Healthcare and Human Services act as the point of entry for behavioral health needs, intellectual disabilities, and strong, healthy families, connecting residents to resources.

QOL 22: Provide human services across the City, dispersed as needed to be able to reach residents in need, and following the “no wrong door” framework.

QOL 23: Support facilities that allow the City to provide modern services along the “crisis continuum.”

Parks

Chesapeake maintains a robust park system with 89 parks encompassing 3,480 acres (as of 2025), which is nearly ten times the parks system the City maintained in 1990. Parks, Recreation and Tourism (PRT) offerings continue to grow with the population and PRT has added more amenities that serve all Chesapeake residents regardless of age, income, or ability. PRT also manages ten indoor recreation facilities, many events, and programming throughout the year. This includes community centers that are central to community gathering and offer a wide variety of spaces: gyms, courts, kitchens, fitness rooms, meeting rooms, and more. This level of growth and breadth of services necessitated a high-level look at operations and a plan for the future.

Master Plan

PRT completed the Chesapeake Parks, Recreation and Tourism Master Plan in 2025; it serves as the guiding document

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for programming, maintenance, park improvements, and new facilities. As new parks and community centers are created, they should be located and designed so they are integrated into the community they serve, particularly when it is not a larger, regional park that is most likely accessed by vehicle. Residents take pride in their local parks and enjoy the opportunity to walk or bike to them.

Water Connection

As discussed in more detail in the Unique Design Considerations section of the Placemaking and Design chapter, residents want to be connected to the water, whether through launch points for canoes and kayaks or places to simply sit and watch the water. Parks provide the ideal opportunity for these connection points to be made.

Volunteerism

A special thing about Chesapeake and its parks is that residents put their time and energy into helping maintain them. Chesapeake has extremely high volunteerism around its parks, annually logging

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A volunteer clean up day.

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“Weed warriors” cleaning up a park and removing invasive species.

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approximately 270,000 hours, or nearly $9 million of volunteer time. According to the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), volunteer hours typically reach a value between 5% and 7% of locality staffing costs. In Chesapeake, volunteer hours reach nearly one-third (31%) of staffing costs. Virginia Beach sees less than half the parks volunteer hours Chesapeake does and has nearly double the population. Residents make it clear they care about these special places and are willing to do their part to support them.

Coordination

In addition to a long-term plan, the City benefits from coordination with other departments and Chesapeake Public Schools to share resources across the City. In particular, school fields, courts, and playgrounds can be utilized during non-school hours. This existing coordination should be expanded so that the City makes the most of its myriad resources and supports residents, particularly youth athletes, in being active.

However, the City does not always have full control over recreational amenities, as many large residential developments include facilities in their project. PRT can continue to work with developers to best determine the most appropriate amenities based on location and size of the project, and consider how they would fit in with the existing parks system. While some of these may be private and open only to residents who live in the developments, the City should continue to push for more of these amenities to be publicly available.

Resilience Features

Parks can be more than a recreational amenity for residents. They may contain sensitive environmental features and the City should protect them from development. They often provided habitat for wildlife. And depending on their location, they may be built to help manage stormwater as a secondary feature. This may include the creation of bioretention areas and constructed wetlands, where the park is designed so that certain parts will flood during major weather events, and be open fields for recreation or part of walking paths and trails when it is dry. Parks that have this feature require additional planning, expertise, and resources but can be a cost-effective way to both provide recreational amenities and manage stormwater.

QOL 24: Build on Chesapeake’s existing natural amenities and recreational assets to provide a parks and recreation system that serves all of Chesapeake’s population with a variety of facilities and programs.

QOL 25: Implement the Chesapeake Parks, Recreation and Tourism Master Plan which is the guiding document strategy for programming, maintenance, park improvements, and new facilities.

QOL 26: Build on inter-departmental coordination as well as cooperation between the City and Chesapeake Public Schools to share resources, such as gymnasiums, libraries, athletic fields and courts, playgrounds, trail connectivity, and after-hour access.

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A City-sponsored kayak event.

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QOL 27: Locate and design parks so that they are integrated into the community.

QOL 28: Determine where public access to the water is needed, and develop a plan to acquire it and provide amenities such as boat ramps and kayak and canoe launches.

QOL 29: Work with developers to provide the appropriate public recreational amenities based on the size and type of development.

QOL 30: Provide recreational and therapeutic services and amenities to support seniors and those with special needs.

QOL 31: Create multi-functional parks that store stormwater, reduce flooding, and improve water quality where appropriate.

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Schools

Schools are one of the primary reasons residents move to and stay in Chesapeake. Residents often feel strong connections to their local school, and are extremely vocal about protecting students, their learning experience, and their environment. Chesapeake Public Schools (CPS or Schools) is an excellent school system and a point of pride for those who live here, even if they do not have children in the system. Continued investment in our schools and teachers is deeply important.

Budget

While new schools and major facilities are highly publicized and most notable to residents, maintaining existing schools and continuing to modernize them to suit best learning practices are just as necessary. The State supplies approximately 55% of the budget for the Schools, and the locality is required to commit additional monies by State law. However, as is common across Virginia, the City regularly goes significantly beyond this requirement. For the FY 24-25 budget, 20.6%

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— SUPPORT FOR SCHOOLS —

• “People move to Chesapeake for its schools. Make supporting Chesapeake school system a priority”
• “Better support the Chesapeake Center for Student Success to help non-traditional students find success after school”
• “Strong school system to set up the future for success”
• “Build more schools”
• “Schools and other infrastructure aren’t keeping pace with development”

of Schools’ budget was the locality required share, and 23.1% was the City’s additional appropriation beyond what is required. For the FY 24-25 budget, City Council increased the total local funding by 4.6%, reflecting the City’s value in providing quality education for its students.

Enrollment

In 2023, Schools enrolled 39,384 students across 28 elementary schools (including primary and intermediate schools), 10 middle schools, and 7 high schools. Schools also operates the Chesapeake Center for Student Success and the Chesapeake Career Center. School enrollment has not grown significantly in the past 10 years, despite resident perceptions that rampant growth is continuing

The new Great Bridge Primary School.

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to impact schools. While some schools are very much overcapacity and feel the pressure of growth (read more in the Growth Management and Rural Areas chapter), other schools have capacity for additional students.

While redistricting is a very emotionally charged topic, and understandably it is not residents’ preferred method of managing capacity, it is important that the conversation about school capacity and utilization continues between Schools and the City.

The City must follow its responsibility to communicate growth that is occurring or will occur in the future so that Schools has the opportunity to make strategic decisions that maximize use of facilities and minimize

overcrowding. Significant changes or growth may require new or expanded facilities beyond what is typically programmed, and the City will continue to provide resources as needed to facilitate needs driven by growth.

School Siting and Design

Like with City facilities, finding new school sites can be challenging, as they require upwards of 15-20 acres, depending on what facilities, fields, etc., are needed. They also must be located in parts of the City that need additional capacity. When new developments would impact schools, the City should work closely with developers to accept land dedications for new facilities or other

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Learning in the classroom.

contributions that match the needs of the City and Schools. This includes the availability of infrastructure to the site. The City should not accept dedications where a school is not truly an appropriate use of the land. Schools should also be located and designed so that they are integrated into the community they serve. Schools should be a source of pride for communities.

Schools change as learning practices evolve and more modern teaching styles are adopted which incorporate new technology. Schools also change as new State regulations are adopted that require certain facilities and services or introduce new limits on class sizes. But large facilities are difficult to modify and use flexibly, particularly those that were built many years ago. While many of the schools in Chesapeake operate with portable classrooms because of capacity issues, some of them are necessary to meet new requirements. CPS operates with more than 150 portable classrooms; reducing this number is a key issue for residents, and CPS capital projects aim to do so.

Career Development

Schools also looks beyond the K-12 system to ensure students are ready for their futures. While STEM careers are highly valued, so too are vocational skills, particularly in sectors that are experiencing tight labor markets. In recent years, for example, there have been labor shortages in construction that have contributed to higher housing costs.

Schools supports career development through internship programs and the Chesapeake Career Center. Keeping young people in Chesapeake after graduation (or having them return once they complete college) is important for the City to maintain a high-performing workforce. Supporting the Career Center and seeking out partnerships with Tidewater Community College and other education institutions will help reinforce this talent retention (read more in the Economic Prosperity chapter). Similarly, the City should encourage additional higher education institutions to locate in Chesapeake.

QOL 32: Continue to invest in our schools and teachers so that they maintain a reputation of excellence and students are able to excel.

QOL 33: Continue to budget for school capital needs that address major maintenance projects and modernization to support modern learning, in addition to new schools and facilities.

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QOL 34: Continue to ensure Chesapeake Public Schools are able to adapt to City policies and decisions by increasing the level of coordination between the City and Schools.

QOL 35: When landowners or developers impact school facilities, accept voluntary land dedications that are appropriate and have necessary infrastructure, as well as other contributions that go towards the construction of new or expanded school facilities.

QOL 36: Continue to support Chesapeake Public Schools to design and locate schools so they are integrated into the fabric of the community and contribute to neighborhood identity and pride.

QOL 37: Continue to communicate with Chesapeake Public Schools regarding residential growth so that Schools has the opportunity to make strategic long-term decisions that minimize overcrowding. Chesapeake Public Schools will continue to monitor building utilization at each school and identify appropriate solutions to ensure space is used efficiently.

QOL 38: Support Chesapeake Public Schools career center and programs, and expand opportunities for unique partners in education.

QOL 39: Seek opportunities to partner with Tidewater Community College and other institutions to make additional educational services, internships, and training available to Chesapeake residents.

QOL 40: Encourage the attraction of colleges, universities, and other forms of higher education, through public/private partnerships or other means.