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Placemaking and Design

Introduction

Placemaking and design go hand in hand. Most often the first thing we perceive about a place is how it is designed: its architectural style, size, or its connection to the street and sidewalk. Placemaking uses design as a way to create a sense of community, identity, and character.

The first part of this chapter focuses on the design of buildings, sites, and communities so that they are attractive, functional, and reflective of the area’s unique identity. It also covers special considerations that may impact design and particularly important or overlooked aspects of projects that deserve design consideration, such as parking lots.

WHAT IS THE PUBLIC REALM?

The public realm is all the places in a community that are accessible to the public, including streets, sidewalks, parks, open spaces, waterfronts, and civic buildings.

The second part covers placemaking at a broad scale, focusing on public spaces and how to bring arts, culture, identity, vibrancy, and fun to the City.

DES 1: Utilize design as a tool to achieve development patterns that support a variety of lifestyles while maintaining quality, attractive, complete communities.

Community Design

While individual housing design is important, community design is paramount. Many people choose a home for its size, layout, and features, but will not consider it if the neighborhood or development is not desirable. Conversely, residents are often willing to “buy into a neighborhood,” even if the only available housing is not perfect, because the community is what they are looking for. Housing developments should be thoughtful about creating these communities and provide amenities for residents.

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Attractive, amenitized communities are one of the City’s top Smart Growth priorities.

Amenities

Amenities should reflect the community they are serving. Successful amenities don’t necessarily require large investments and Homeowners Association effort. Some may, in high-end communities, include investments such as pools and clubhouses. However, successful amenities may simply be a creative arrangement of housing units that create comfortable, intimate gathering spaces throughout the community where residents can be outside.

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Natural and Open Space

Natural space should also be considered an amenity and planned for within housing developments. Whether that space is programmed for resident use or set aside for conservation depends on the individual project, and should be carefully contemplated.

Aging in Place

Once settled in a neighborhood, older residents in particular may be less interested in leaving it. By then, residents know their neighbors, have close social ties, and are comfortable in their community. Many residents would prefer to “age in place,” meaning they would like to be able to live in their home or broader community as they age, even as their housing and support needs change. For example, in the survey conducted about the housing continuum for this plan update, 61.4% of respondents in Southern Chesapeake stated they would prefer to upsize or downsize in either their current neighborhood or planning area.

Housing Variety

As discussed in the Introduction of the Housing chapter, all people move back and

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Placemaking and Design

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Duplexes add diversity of housing and can blend into single-family neighborhoods.

WHAT IS A THIRD PLACE?

A “third place” is somewhere away from our homes where we go to relax and socialize in public. Typically, this is a place that involves little or no cost, not requiring us to be paying customers. It’s a place where we do not need to participate in specific activities, but where we can go simply to be present and feel a sense of belonging. Some examples include community centers, libraries, parks or outdoor spaces, coffee shops, and barber shops. Third places are important to the health and vibrancy of our communities.

forth along the housing continuum for a variety of reasons. Neighborhoods with housing diversity allow residents to move within communities more freely, without upending the network of people and third places they have come to know and love.

In 2023, the U.S. Surgeon General put out an advisory on loneliness, which is on the rise and has profound individual and community impacts. In recent years, about one in two adults in America reported experiencing loneliness. The City should encourage housing developments that incorporate multiple housing types in order to facilitate residents moving within their community and maintaining strong social ties.

DES 2: Work with developers to establish residential communities with amenities, such as community gathering places and recreational features. Amenities should correspond to the community the development is being marketed towards, with a consideration to maintaining affordability.

DES 3: Preserve developments' natural spaces for community use or conservation, whichever is appropriate.

DES 4: Include a variety of housing types within one community to create diverse neighborhoods.

DES 5: Consider how land development influences residents' feelings of safety, connectedness, well-being, and other mental health factors that are often overlooked.

Residential Design

The need for housing and, specifically, a variety of housing types at different price points is covered at length in the Housing chapter. Here, the consideration is for design standards that can apply to all types of housing and price points across the City. Chesapeake 2045 does not go too deeply into specific design practices because design should generally not be controlled at such a broad level. Developers should design creatively, with some areas of the City having different design guidelines as needed to drive unique, quality projects. Policies here represent minimum or high-

level standards that staff looks for during the development review process. For example, project design should consider the context of its location, and prioritize compatibility with existing community elements.

There are a few specific standards worth applying based on the unique experiences of Chesapeake. The City advocates for Smart Growth principles and Traditional Neighborhood Development in appropriate parts of the City, particularly where overlay or character districts support more compact, walkable neighborhoods which enable alternative transportation. Portions of the Zoning Ordinance may be at odds with these goals. It’s important to reconcile the Zoning Ordinance with these policies, such as by reducing front yard setbacks and allowing for smaller lot sizes. To support walkability and focus on pedestrians, communities should de-emphasize the appearance of garages, and communities located in the Urban and

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Suburban Overlays should make pedestrian connections between the front entrances of housing to sidewalks within the public right-of-way.

DES 6: Promote high quality housing developments that foster community and are compatible with surrounding neighborhoods and residences.

DES 7: Residential design should consider the character and context of the location, with design elements aligning with existing features and context.

DES 8: Encourage well-articulated façade design, paying attention to a pleasing layout of windows, porches, bays, and/or other primary features using quality materials. Avoid monotony by including a variety of styles or details in development applications.

DES 9: Incorporate Smart Growth principles and Traditional Neighborhood Development practices in new development and redevelopment where appropriate to enhance quality of life and the public realm.

DES 10: Review the Zoning Ordinance for amendments that will facilitate the application of Traditional Neighborhood Development practices, such as reducing front yard setbacks.

DES 11: Encourage reduced prominence of vehicles in community design. Visual impact of garages should be reduced to the greatest extent possible.

DES 12: Support decreased lot sizes and flexibility of lot alignment when it will protect sensitive environmental features and not increase the overall density that would be allowed on the tract or be directly incompatible with surrounding uses.

DES 13: Emphasize connection to the public right-of-way in Urban and Suburban Overlays communities, with front entrances connected to pedestrian walkways and sidewalks.

Non-Residential Design

Non-residential (i.e., commercial, industrial, and civic buildings) design is in some ways more important than residential design. While the majority of buildings are residential, non-residential uses are visited by many and are more likely to be visible from roadways. As such, it’s important that these buildings are high-quality and well-designed, particularly where they transition to residential areas and there may be impacts on nearby residents, and where the buildings are particularly visible and prominent.

Walkable, Mixed-Use Commercial

In order to realize other goals of this plan, such as increasing walkability and density in key areas and creating an environment more conducive to the use of public transit, commercial uses should be developed in the walkable, mixed-use manner found in pedestrian-focused and urban areas. This will be particularly impactful near Employment

Placemaking and Design

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A public plaza supports pedestrians and the walkability of Poindexter Street.

Centers found in the Suburban and Urban Overlay Districts, where there are large numbers of workers in one place.

Design Guidelines and Form-Based Code

As with residential design, non-residential design should not look the same everywhere in the City. Design guidelines, currently adopted for a few commercial cores in the City, such as the Great Bridge Historic Gateway Overlay District, offer more guidance that suits the character of the specific area. These design guidelines should continue to be developed and adopted for more areas of the City.

These guidelines also overlap with the implementation of form-based code. Although “code” is in its name, aspects of form-based code are typically implemented through these policy-based design guidelines. Critical design elements, which must be included in order to realize the development goals for an area, are often translated into the code.

Form-based code or design guidelines may be more costly to implement if they include elements to enhance aesthetics and the experience of the public realm; it is particularly

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Quality building design and landscaping.

difficult for redevelopment, as developers are often working with an existing building footprint and site layout. In order to promote implementation of the form-based code and design guidelines, the City has adopted a series of successful façade improvement grants that provide funding to property owners

WHAT IS FORM-BASED CODE?

A type of land development that focuses on the physical form (how buildings are situated on a site, setbacks, height, provision of open space, etc.) as opposed to the allowable uses (such as residential, industrial, etc.). By prioritizing a certain physical form, certain uses will naturally be driven to the site and others disincentivized. For example, a form-based code specifying dense, tall buildings, with minimal setbacks are unlikely to draw industrial uses that rely heavily on truck traffic.

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for certain improvements in areas that have adopted design guidelines. These grants currently exist for the business corridor in South Norfolk, primary roadways in Indian River, and the Great Bridge Historic Gateway Overlay District. Continuing and expanding the use of these grants are a way for the City to support property owners making changes that benefit everyone.

Meeting Zoning Standards

Projects going through a land use application should be encouraged to meet the standards of their zoning district when feasible. If a use was in place prior to the Zoning Ordinance’s establishment or subsequent updates, it may no longer be in conformance with its district, such as for green space, tree requirements, setbacks, etc. Where the project can meet today’s standards, there will be improved cohesion throughout the broader area.

Interior Sidewalks

Beyond meeting the Zoning Ordinance, a few specific items should be considered. Projects should include interior sidewalk connections through commercial developments to make them safer and more comfortable for pedestrians moving between buildings. This also eliminates the need for customers to move and re-park their cars somewhere else.

Reciprocal Access and Connectivity

For customers in cars, connectivity between commercial developments should be enhanced by providing reciprocal access between developments. Not only does this facilitate cars moving between buildings, it allows for fewer access points off roadways, improving traffic flow and reducing points of conflict.

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Usable Green Space

Finally, required green space should be aggregated when possible so that is usable either as natural open space (thus providing habitat and other ecosystem benefits) or as active or passive recreational space. Too often, green space is scattered across a building site, with ten-feet-deep front and side yards composed of maintained turf which provides no functionality. It is particularly impactful for developments in walkable, mixed-use, compact areas to use land in an efficient and beneficial way. This is similarly explored in the Parking Lot Design section later in this chapter.

DES 14: Promote high-quality non-residential developments across the City, particularly focusing on areas with high visibility and where there may be impacts to residential neighborhoods.

DES 15: Encourage more walkable, mixed-use, and higher intensity commercial development, particularly in areas of the City near existing or proposed Employment Centers in the Suburban and Urban Overlay Districts.

DES 16: Continue to develop design guidelines across the City to help define character, such as architecture, streetscapes, and landscaping.

DES 17: Implement form-based code in areas of City where it is most impactful, particularly areas that should be walkable, mixed-use, and people-oriented.

DES 18: Expand the use of façade improvement grant programs to help facilitate a transition to a more desirable form and style, particularly as design guidelines are adopted.

DES 19: Encourage land use applications pertaining to redevelopment sites and changes of use to comply with development criteria for that particular zoning district.

DES 20: Promote interior sidewalk connections throughout commercial and mixed-use developments.

DES 21: Encourage developers to provide reciprocal access between commercial and mixed-use developments in order to enhance connectivity, prioritizing the consolidation of existing vehicle access points and limiting new vehicle access points.

DES 22: Aggregate required green or open space to make it more usable and increase environmental benefits.

Compatibility

Compatibility is important to maintaining cohesive and orderly development in the City. Compatibility may be visual, such as the size or architectural style of buildings, or functional, such as uses that impact surrounding properties. Both must be managed.

In large planned unit developments (PUDs, see more in the Growth Management and Rural Areas chapter) thought is given and

approved for design elements that blend well, regardless of use or housing type. However, most development does not occur within such planned developments, and the City must ensure compatibility during the development review process. This includes reviewing physical attributes, such as limiting differences between residential and non-residential developments in terms of building massing, setbacks, etc., as well as use impacts from noise, odor, and light. Compatibility issues don’t just occur between residential and non-residential uses, either; as housing density increases or decreases, appropriate buffers or other mitigating measures should be put in place to maintain compatibility. As issues arise, the Zoning Ordinance should be reviewed and updated when needed to address common incompatibility concerns.

DES 23: Ensure compatibility between non-residential and residential uses in terms of building massing, height, and setbacks during the development application process.

DES 24: Housing of greater density than its surrounding uses should incorporate measures to ensure compatibility between housing types. Such measures may include increased buffering and other design considerations.

DES 25: Review the Zoning Ordinance as needed to reduce impacts from incompatible uses, such as through improved screening, buffering, and vegetation.

Unique Design Considerations

There are several “conditions” that require additional design consideration. These span the character districts, overlay districts, proposed land use, and zoning districts, and should be accounted for when they occur on a project site.

Waterfront

People love to be near the water in their everyday lives. And yet, waterfront is a special, limited amenity that most communities do not have access to. Where feasible, the City should acquire public access to the waterfront for all residents. Currently, many private developments own stretches of water that are not open to the public. In future instances, it is highly recommended that

rather than the waterfront being divided up among a few private owners who have the amenity in their backyard, the waterfront be retained as a community amenity.

This is linked to the Smart Growth principle for compact, conservation design. This benefits the entire community (or customer base) rather than just a few property owners, in terms of quality of life, desirability of the overall community, and property value. When retained for the use of the community or customers, appropriate facilities should be considered to enhance use of the waterfront. The City’s Trails & Connectivity Plan highlights blueways that should be established or enhanced, and bordering projects put even greater emphasis on water access.

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Water access.

Mixed-use waterfront hubs are recommended where major roads meet the water, such as along Battlefield Boulevard at the Great Bridge Lock and where Cedar Road meets Dominion Boulevard and the Elizabeth River. Mixed-use hubs allow for the greatest number of people to have access to the water, especially when they are designed with features, such as plazas, boardwalks, outdoor dining, parks, and other places where people can gather. It’s important that as these projects are designed, they maintain an eye towards future sea level rise and recurrent flooding. Projects may need to protect certain low-lying land from development and use innovative engineering to make sure flooding concerns can be addressed.

DES 26: Whenever possible, retain waterfront as a community amenity with specific facilities based on the nature of the site. This includes both residential and non-residential developments.

Comparing development types. In the second, natural features are protected for the community rather than a few property owners.

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DES 27: Develop mixed-use waterfront hubs where major roads meet the water.

DES 28: Developments along waterways should capitalize on the City's wealth of water-related assets and incorporate water-access points along adjacent rivers, streams, and canals, particularly along those depicted as blueways within the Trails & Connectivity Plan.

Sensitive Environment

In conjunction with the City's Conservation Character District (where development should essentially be prohibited), Chesapeake 2045 establishes an Environmentally Sensitive Overlay District (read more in Character Districts chapter) where land contains features that should be protected (such as wetlands) or that should be avoided to protect people and structures (such as flood zones). All projects should be reviewed for impacts based on this district, and mitigation should be provided or land left undisturbed as needed.

Light and noise pollution are unique impacts that occur with development and can potentially be harmful anywhere in the City, for both human neighbors and wildlife. Light pollution can be limited throughout the City by choosing exterior fixtures that are not brighter than necessary, are directed towards the ground, have full cut off, and use warm tones, among other practices. While lights may be a nuisance for residents, for wildlife it can be more serious, rendering habitat unlivable or confusing animals' natural patterns. Birds in particular may be susceptible to light pollution as most migratory birds fly at night, and can be disoriented or stressed by lights.

Where there are known migratory paths, habitats, and highly natural areas, even more care should be given to lighting choices and ensuring lights are used only when necessary, and to limiting noise disruption. Noise can cause wildlife to seek new habitat or veer from traditional pathways, but can be reduced through restricting permitted land uses, and using built or natural buffers that dampen sound. While noise ordinances are already in place for residents, the City can also develop an ordinance addressing light pollution that codifies best practices for consistency and ease of implementation.

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Another development impact that may need to be addressed when a project is located in or near a sensitive environment is increased traffic and new road construction. Roads may traverse migration routes or an animal's home range (the general area that an animal considers its territory), creating conflicts between vehicles and animals. When new development will directly impact natural areas or habitat, consideration should be given to whether or not wildlife-vehicle collisions may increase and if wildlife crossings or other mitigation measures might be needed. This review should occur even if a new road is not being constructed, but vehicle traffic will significantly increase, such as along Dominion Boulevard, or other roads in rural parts of the City.

DES 29: Review all development and City construction projects for impacts based on the Environmentally Sensitive Overlay and provide mitigation for those impacts or refrain from developing in those areas.

DES 30: Encourage developers to reduce light pollution by limiting the brightness of exterior fixtures and promoting full cut-off fixtures when practical. Where a development will occur in a highly natural area or where wildlife may be impacted, even greater consideration should be given to such practices.

DES 31: Develop an ordinance directed towards reducing light pollution.

DES 32: Ensure the City continues to manage detrimental impacts from noise.

DES 33: When a development would impact existing natural areas or known habitat, consideration should be given to whether or not wildlife-vehicle collisions will increase, and thus whether a dedicated wildlife crossing or other measure needs to be considered.

Transit

As the City works to promote existing public transit and develop new options, such as high-capacity transit,

it must also bring development that supports the use of such transportation.

This means directing greater densities (both commercial and residential) near existing or proposed public transit, with an extra focus on transfer stations or hubs. Successful public transit relies on having enough people in close proximity to make it viable. Similarly, in order for dense developments to thrive and not become bogged down in congested roadways, public transit must be a feasible option for users (see more in the Transit section of the Connectivity and Infrastructure chapter).

DES 34: Direct higher commercial and residential density around future or current areas served by public transit with the greatest focus around transit hubs or transfer stations.

Parking Lot Design

Parking lots, particularly surface parking, take up a huge percentage of the City’s developed land. Within the Greenbrier Area Plan study area, 40.0% of the land is covered by surface parking. Because there are many land uses competing for space, and the City is actively trying to reduce sprawl and land consumption, this indicates a problem. In South Norfolk, another more densely developed planning area, parking is rarely full. In 2023, the Planning Department conducted a parking study that showed major parking lots, Poindexter Street, and several residential streets regularly had available parking, and only an average of 34.0% of existing parking in the study area was used over the course of the study.

Most customers anecdotally are more comfortable using surface parking (as opposed to structured parking, street parking, or using other modes of transportation), but these lots are rarely full and may be completely vacant for large stretches of the day.

Parking Requirements

The City should revisit the Zoning Ordinance and assess parking requirements. It is likely that parking minimums can be reduced in some areas, and other techniques, such as shared parking, enhanced. Even with these changes, adequate parking will still be provided to meet the needs of the businesses and patrons of those areas.

Structured Parking

Structured parking, such as parking garages, must become a regular part of the City’s urban fabric in order to provide sufficient parking for dense areas and keep developments walkable and compact. They should become a common practice in the Urban Mixed-Use District. As structured parking grows, it will become familiar; the more residents are exposed to different parking methods, the more comfortable they will become.

Improving Surface Lots

While successful implementation of Chesapeake 2045 would likely see a decrease in land dedicated to surface parking, these lots will continue to be an important part of the City’s commercial experience. However, parking lots can be improved so they are safer, more comfortable for users, and serve as a connecting tool rather than a dividing line. Streetscaping along parking areas should be high-quality, allowing the built environment around the lots to shine, rather than directing focus to the vast expanse of parking.

Within parking lots, continuous, visible pedestrian walkways should be incorporated

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so both cars and pedestrians recognize where the preferred pathways are, making for a safer environment. Buffering or well-maintained landscaping can also add protection for pedestrians.

Portions of parking lots can also be transformed into green spaces that provide usable land for plants and trees to grow and thrive. While traditional parking islands at intervals may be necessary in a few cases, aggregating the required green space in parking lots can lead to more beneficial planting areas, both for the vegetation planted and the people using the parking lots. Larger areas provide plants with enough space to grow and thrive and clearly define spaces for pedestrian and vehicle movement.

DES 35: Review Zoning Districts to lower parking minimums where appropriate, and unless provided reasonable justification, require the use of structured parking in the Urban Mixed-Use Character Districts.

DES 36: Encourage high-quality streetscaping for parking areas and include continuous, visible, internal pedestrian walkways.

DES 37: Use parking lots as an opportunity to create treed and vegetated areas, capturing stormwater runoff and aggregating required landscaping into usable space where plants can thrive, as opposed to only building small parking islands.

Landscaping

Despite being a crucial part of the built environment, landscaping often takes a back seat to buildings and hardscaping (sidewalks, plazas, etc.). Landscaping makes a space more attractive, comfortable, and unique, providing a softening layer of visual interest to structures and paved surfaces. Various studies show increased spending and time spent in landscaped commercial areas, leading to more vibrant spaces. Additionally, much like green infrastructure, landscaping can provide more benefits than just aesthetics; it will contribute to cleaning the air, absorbing rainwater, and providing food and habitat for pollinators. Using native species and conservation landscaping practices are especially important to achieving these additional benefits.

In order to support landscaping in both new and existing developments, the City should continue its practice of including unique and sustainable landscaping strategies as part of design guidelines. These strategies help create a unique sense of place for different areas of the City, and make it easier for developers to choose attractive, appropriate landscaping and understand the required maintenance. Enhancing landscaping helps developments stand out and creates places the community cares about.

The City should also lead by example by continuing to improve its own landscaping projects on City-owned property, particularly on sites regularly visited by residents. This is often an easy, cost-effective way to make a big positive impact without creating a new

Placemaking and Design

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Attractive landscaping.

big maintenance burden (especially if some landscaping was already planned or exists in the area). In addition to City-owned property, the City can continue to identify major roadways and medians for enhanced and sustainable landscaping and streetscaping and incorporate it in future strategic projects.

Landscaping can increase the maintenance burden on the owner, whether developer, City, or neighborhood. Landscaping should be undertaken with this understanding, as the City should not be forced to become responsible for another’s efforts due to lack of planning.

DES 38: Include a unique landscaping aesthetic and strategy when developing area design guidelines.

DES 39: Encourage developers to include enhanced landscaping in their projects as a way to create unique places and a sense of community pride.

DES 40: Ensure the City sets the tone for landscaping by going above the minimum code-required efforts on City-owned property that residents and customers often frequent.

DES 41: Identify existing major roadways and medians for enhanced landscaping and streetscape treatment and require landscaping in strategic future roadway projects.

DES 42: Encourage the use of native plantings and conservation landscaping in public and private projects.

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Streetscape, Wayfinding, and Gateways

Like landscaping, the streetscape can often be overlooked during the design process. However, there are a few key aspects of the streetscape that should be considered in all projects, both public and private. Street trees are important amenities that provide shade, offer a buffer between vehicle and pedestrian traffic, and create an opportunity to increase the City’s overall tree canopy in otherwise developed areas.

Street trees require wide verges in order to grow healthily, and appropriate varieties must be selected that can tolerate urban conditions while not growing too large. These considerations and lack of maintenance are typical reasons that street trees fail to survive or are not included on streets in the first place.

Given their importance, the City should be more forceful in requiring their installation and consider appropriating additional funding towards street tree enhancement and maintenance. Additionally, whenever there is a roadway project that creates the opportunity to bundle in tree planting, such as public utilities installation, it should be done. In a few cases, such as where there is very constrained right-of-way, trees may not be appropriate for a street, in which case other landscaping should be considered. The Public Facilities Manual

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should be reviewed for updates that help clarify the expectations for these projects.

The streetscape also includes the street furniture (e.g., benches, garbage cans, planters, etc.) in pedestrian areas. Street furniture is important to the pedestrian experience and is another opportunity to add character to the City. Urban and suburban areas in particular should include street furniture in road projects that provide sidewalks or other walkways.

Wayfinding is an integral part of the street and includes signage and any other unique features or markers that help travelers understand where they are and how to reach their destination. It should be functional for

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users of all modes of transportation, including pedestrians. Enhanced wayfinding improves the public realm by adding character to the street and making travel more enjoyable and visually appealing.

Gateways and entryways have the dual purpose of acting as signage or entry markers, as well as delineating unique places and areas of the City. Gateways both let you know where you have arrived and what kind of place you have arrived to. Chesapeake wants to communicate its attractive, special elements to those traveling within and through the City. The City has already begun work enhancing main gateways, identifying key locations for future enhancement, and designing landmark elements to support them; this work should continue.

DES 43: Invest in streetscape improvements and street furniture that create visually cohesive places with a sense of safety and beauty, particularly in pedestrian-oriented areas where there is a closer experience of the streetscape.

DES 44: Establish and fund a citywide policy for the planting and maintenance of street trees. As a starting point, staff will refer to the Virginia Department of Transportation and City Landscape guidelines when designing street sections and the need for any planting of street trees.

DES 45: Include appropriate landscaping when roadway projects require the installation of public utilities or otherwise create the opportunity.

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DES 46: Review the street sections and related guidelines in the Public Facilities Manual for possible amendments that clarify the expectations for road design and accompanying facilities, such as sidewalks, underground utilities, and street trees.

DES 47: Promote the use of wayfinding and signage in key areas that reflect the unique character of each area. Invest in wayfinding that functions at both pedestrian and vehicular levels.

DES 48: Prioritize and establish visually attractive and distinctive entryways into and out of the City.

DES 49: Continue to identify and establish gateways around the City that serve as internal gateways to distinctive areas. Consideration should be given to incorporating both pedestrian and vehicular wayfinding signage in these areas that highlight places where people can gather, recreate, shop, or receive services.

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High-Level Placemaking

Placemaking is typically defined by five principles:

• It is human-focused
• Activates the public realm
• Involves community in the process
• Reflects local identity
• Creates economic value.

Chesapeake further distinguishes placemaking as opportunities to create vibrant, unique, functional, and meaningful spaces for all. It involves harnessing the City's history, character, and culture and tapping into the creativity and interests of residents to enliven the City. Many residents enjoy the fact that Chesapeake has a slow pace of living and that they can leave the City for activities and come home to Chesapeake afterwards. Others provide comments repeatedly asking for more activities, destinations, entertainment, and fun. Part of placemaking is that there is room for all of these residents; place can be created through art, design, and history just as much as it can be made through building signature destinations and hosting events. It simply requires understanding residents and their values across the City.

PLC 1: Create opportunities for public art, culture, signature destinations, and fun in the City.

Identity

While there may be one or two common images that come to mind when people think of Chesapeake, there are actually many different versions of the City – all equally Chesapeake – depending on who you are, where you live, and what you value. It is important to acknowledge and promote the different lifestyles that are created through the Urban, Suburban, and Rural Overlay Districts (see more here).

This perspective also applies to the City’s planning areas. The planning areas are generally divided along Census tract lines (which are typically based on development patterns and natural or man-made barriers such as rivers or major roads), but they also tend to have their own history and character as well (learn more in the Planning Areas section). Some planning areas are older, with more historic sites; others are rural with residents that highly value that lifestyle; others were founded to support major employers and continue to be home to working-class families. It would be impossible to try and ask all of these different people to squeeze into a single, narrow identity. This is supported by a number of resident comments that parts of Chesapeake feel like they could be “anywhere, U.S.A.” and would like to see more “authentic” places and local businesses.

Thus, this plan recognizes that Chesapeake is a city of neighborhoods, each with its own viewpoint, and encourages them to develop their own unique places, character, and aesthetic.

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PLC 2: Support the different development patterns that occur in the Urban, Suburban, and Rural Overlay Districts, and protect the various lifestyles that take place in each.

PLC 3: Acknowledge the unique history and character of each planning area in the City and allow each to develop their own aesthetic identity and create distinctive places.

Public Spaces

An unexpected piece of feedback residents provided during the public engagement process was the desire for more places where the community can gather. One survey response suggested “libraries open later and with coffee shop elements with purpose of becoming a community gathering place where you can talk.” Responses include requests for gathering places with events and programming, as well as requests for places for people to come together without having a specific activity associated with it. Some comments note the need for places that are designed for (but not necessarily exclusive to) adults. The provision of public spaces also chips away at the loneliness epidemic described in the Community Design section.

People want to be with other people; the City can create the spaces and circumstances to allow them to do so.

One action the City can take is to evaluate existing vacant lots and parking areas (particularly those that are vacant at regular times or days) to find opportunities for new public spaces. Lots of any size can be successful if they are in the right location and given the right care. Activating these spaces is best done with neighbors to understand how local residents would like to use the space, and if possible, help care for them. Activating these spaces not only provides an opportunity for residents, it also helps relieves some potentially unattractive conditions. Where the City would like to implement larger

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public spaces or where vacant lots are not available, the Chesapeake Land Bank Authority (discussed in the Housing chapter) can thoughtfully acquire properties well-suited to community spaces.

PLC 4: Create physical environments where citizens and visitors can experience art, community, and public spaces in their daily lives.

PLC 5: Find places to create new, attractive, comfortable public spaces that allow people to gather without a specific use or activity in mind. Prioritize areas where these spaces are missing and specific populations that will benefit most from them, such as underserved communities.

PLC 6: Inventory and evaluate vacant lots and large parking areas that can be used by neighborhoods for gathering and beautification, and work with residents to activate those spaces.

PLC 7: Extend the scope of traditional land banking activities to include the creation of public spaces that provide opportunities for residents to gather, particularly where such places are scarce.

Public Art

Public art enhances the public realm and creates many public benefits. It can be used to commemorate important historic events or people who have been lost; it can educate or spread awareness of an important issue; it can bring together community, particularly with communal artworks; it reflects the identity of the surrounding area; and it can simply add beauty and delight.

Some localities have put in significant work to bring art to their city, and Chesapeake can

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use their programs and experience to build our own effort to increase public art. The first thing the City can do is review its City Code and remove barriers to public art. Public art can be tricky: it may raise alarms for first amendment rights infringement, or businesses may use it as an attempt to add additional signage to their building. Review and amendment should be strategic, but localities continue to successfully refine their ordinances within the context of existing case law.

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Many localities have adopted a "Percent for Art" program. While details vary between localities, it is a program that sets aside money per development project to be dedicated to funding the installation of public art. Programs differ between what types of developments are part of the program, how much funding is required to be set aside, etc. The City would benefit from evaluating other programs and developing one that is specific to Chesapeake's needs.

In addition to a percent for art program, the City can lead the way in showcasing the benefits of public art by continuing to fund the installation of art on City properties. The

Placemaking and Design

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City already has a Public Art Committee in place that is responsible for selecting artwork. As the City’s collection of public art grows, Chesapeake should create an awareness program to both highlight opportunities for artists to become involved and highlight existing art for resident and visitor awareness. This will help grow interest and excitement, compounding the likelihood of more art going up around the City.

• PLC 8: Foster art projects in public spaces and remove barriers to public art in City Code.
• PLC 9: Create and implement “Percent for Art” programs that determine a cost per project and mechanisms for funding, for both public and private developments, to be dedicated to public art.
• PLC 10: Fund the installation of public art on City properties to lead the way.
• PLC 11: Implement an awareness program for public art opportunities in the City and highlight existing public art.

Arts and Culture Ecosystems

A thriving arts and culture community starts with artists. Chesapeake is home to a passionate creative community, but those within it have expressed interest in creating more resources and opportunities to draw the arts to the City. Currently, the City operates a Fine Arts Commission that is tasked with coordinating and bringing the arts to Chesapeake. This body hosts annual events and provides grants for individuals and organizations bringing art to Chesapeake. The Public Art Committee is responsible for recommending funds to be allocated to public art as well as locations for the artwork. Still, there are tools that the City can implement to help support artists.

One tool is simply to continue sharing resources with the arts community by offering the use of public facilities, including more artists in City events, or promoting and highlighting arts activities. This is a low-cost way to connect with artists and build a relationship with them.

The City can also research creating “arts districts” within the City Code that help

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facilitate creative businesses and spaces. These districts may reduce permit fees or taxes for certain uses, have expedited permit review, or other incentives to drive creative activity to certain areas.

There are also funding strategies the City can consider. This includes increasing the grant amount that is currently offered by the Fine Arts Commission, creating City-operated or City-supported museums or flex spaces, and other creative solutions.

Because the City's current involvement in the arts is limited, there are many ways that the City can expand its support and engagement in the arts. As the arts begin to grow and a larger artist community takes shape, new tools will likely emerge that make the most sense for the City.

PLC 12: Consider finding more opportunities for the City to continue sharing resources with the arts community, such as allowing use of public facilities, incorporating the arts community in City events, and promoting non-City art events.

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PLC 13: Research the possibility of creating arts or cultural districts to help facilitate creative spaces, businesses, and communities.

PLC 14: Partner with nonprofit or private organizations to find small, flexible spaces that can be utilized for performing arts.

PLC 15: Explore funding and incentive tools to support and expand resources for artists, creative workers, and cultural organizations to bring and keep artists and creative businesses in Chesapeake.

Historic Preservation

The City of Chesapeake has seven districts and three individual sites on the National Register of Historic Places, as determined by the National Park Service, which evaluates and recognizes submitted historic resources (learn more about each district on the City’s webpage here). The City contains a number of other districts and properties that are currently under review or considered eligible for the National Register of Historic Places and/or Virginia Landmarks Registry. Staff continues to work to make sure these places are recognized.

The City also has a local historic preservation district for the Chesapeake Arboretum and part of the South Norfolk planning area. Local districts are notable as they are regulated by the City; national recognition does not typically offer any protection or requirements for maintaining historic status.

Historic Districts

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The City has seven historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places and two local historic districts that have regulations in place to protect their historic integrity.

Local Historic Districts	— Major Roads
National Historic Districts	[image] Great Dismal Swamp
	[image] Water Bodies

--- PROTECTING OUR HISTORY ---

Residents cited history and historic places as special characteristics of their planning areas to be maintained and improved.

"The historic aspects and local parks."

"I'd like to see the historic vibe maintained and even more improved."

"History sites."

"Historic vibe, waterfront, small business."

"Important to note the historic areas of Chesapeake."

"Highlight the history - Battle of Great Bridge, etc.."

"Increase historic features."

"Let's have pretty buildings/architecture design that reflect our heritage!"

"Protect and preserve historic resources."

"Protect historic South Norfolk."

The Chesapeake Arboretum is managed by the City of Chesapeake as a recreational and educational amenity. The South Norfolk Historic District primarily includes homes that are owned by everyday residents with differing values, opinions, opportunities and constraints for maintaining a historic home. Maintaining historic structures can be expensive and difficult, requiring skills and materials that are

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not necessarily readily available. Policies must allow for a balance between preservation and development.

The City’s Role

Residents value the history of Chesapeake, including sites and structures, and want to see them recognized and preserved. The City must be a leader in preservation. Where the City owns historic properties and structures, such as the Cornland School, the City should model responsible stewardship of historic resources. Similarly, new City facilities located in historic areas must be considerate of that context as they are designed. An extremely modern building would not fit among a stretch of Victorian style dwellings in the South Norfolk Local Historic District. Policy can be broadened to recognize the importance of preservation in all City actions, whether it be expanding a building so it can offer more services, or demolishing one that is no longer serving a public purpose. Preservation may not dictate decisions, but it should be a factor.

Knowing the location and status of these sites is the first step to protecting, conserving, and

Placemaking and Design

⬚ figure Cuffeytown cemetery.

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maintaining them. An overall comprehensive survey update of the City’s historic assets and update of the City’s Historic Preservation Plan, which was adopted in 1996 and has not been revised since, can provide this information.

Community Involvement

The City can work with neighborhoods and property owners to survey and submit nomination forms to the Virginia Landmarks Register and National Register of Historic Places when they offer historic significance. It is important that the community is involved and supportive of designations, particularly if there is interest in furthering a local district.

Within the Development Process

Where the City does not control a historic resource in question, staff can work with developers and property owners to encourage first preservation, and then integration

of historic sites and structures into new projects. When they may no longer be fit for their original use, historic structures can be converted to other uses or preserved for their historic value. If structures cannot be preserved, they can at least be well-documented, and have unique features salvaged, to maintain a continuous understanding of the City’s past.

Cemeteries and Burial Sites

Interest in documenting, preserving, and understanding burial sites has been growing, and Chesapeake is home to dozens of small, sometimes poorly-marked grave sites. The City should continue its effort to identify these sites and maintain information about them in a register.

Archaeological Sites

In addition to historic sites, structures, and cemeteries, the City tracks important archaeological sites. The City has a long history which includes American Indians such as the Chesepian (or Chesapeake) and Nansemond peoples, and early Colonial settlers. There are sites in the City that may contain archaeological artifacts and opportunities to learn more about our past and are an important part of historic preservation. While these areas are typically left undisturbed, if development is to occur on these sites, options for excavation must be considered.

PLC 16: Update the Historic Preservation Plan for the City of Chesapeake.

PLC 17: Implement an official register of private and public burial places within the City.

PLC 18: Encourage the identification, preservation and rehabilitation of significant historic sites and structures.

PLC 19: Identify, rehabilitate, and maintain City-owned historic properties as examples of stewardship for historic resources or determine an appropriate treatment plan that protects the historic asset.

PLC 20: Design new City facilities proposed within historic areas or adjacent to historic structures to reflect that context.

PLC 21: Consider the importance of historic preservation in the City of Chesapeake in all municipal actions and projects, maintaining historic integrity when feasible.

PLC 22: Continue to survey and nominate properties/districts determined to be of historic significance to the Virginia Landmarks Register and National Register of Historic Places as residents and neighborhoods express interest.

PLC 23: Encourage first preservation and then integration of historic sites and structures into new developments. When integration of historic assets is not possible, allow photographic and written documentation of assets to take place before further action is pursued.

PLC 24: Pursue a comprehensive survey update of historic assets, including archaeological sites, within the City.

Tourism and Attractions

Tourism is a vital and expanding sector of Chesapeake’s economy. In 2023, visitor spending in Chesapeake totaled $525,691,968, supporting 5,040 jobs and generating $26,646,397 in local tax receipts and $15,793,204 in state tax receipts, according to data from the Virginia Tourism Corporation. This economic activity underscores tourism’s role as a key contributor to the City’s fiscal health, job creation, and overall economic development strategy.

As a year-round destination within the Coastal Virginia region, Chesapeake offers a diverse range of tourism assets. These include expansive outdoor recreation opportunities, water access to the Intracoastal Waterway and regional rivers, a growing agritourism sector, culinary and cultural experiences, and a robust network of trails and natural areas. Athletic programming and park-based recreation remain valuable components of Chesapeake’s visitor offerings.

Chesapeake’s tourism infrastructure is positioned for significant growth. New hotel properties are currently under development, representing more than 700 additional rooms — a 16% increase in inventory — anticipated to open by early 2027. This expansion will allow for more overnight visits and gives the City an opportunity to improve and create new visitor experiences.

There are a number of ways in which the City has considered distinguishing itself from its regional neighbors. For example, youth athletics are extremely popular in Chesapeake, with many regular participants. In 2024, Parks, Recreation and Tourism sponsored leagues with more than 4,200 youth participants. This does not include the large number of school and privately-administered community leagues that make use of City, school, and private facilities. Residents often call for more fields and courts as well as upgrades to existing ones. There is an opportunity for the City to create a greater niche for sports in the region. This could have positive economic benefits, as well as add to Chesapeake residents’ quality of life and pride in their city.

More tourism opportunities exist and can

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Placemaking and Design

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Historical reenactment of the Battle of Great Bridge.

be built upon, focusing on the City’s special attributes. This includes our historic resources, ample green space, and ability to observe wildlife. Birding is a particularly popular activity in Chesapeake, and draws visitors from outside the region (see more in the Wildlife section of the Environment and Resilience chapter). The implementation of the Historical Village at the Dismal Swamp is one such project already underway with the relocation of the historic Cornland School, one of the first places to educate Black and African American children after the Civil War. Once completed, the Historical Village at the Dismal Swamp will represent generations of residents who have lived, learned, worked, farmed, and played in Chesapeake. These efforts draw upon what is special about Chesapeake, and should continue to grow and be marketed to visitors.

The City should promote a diverse mix of tourism experiences—from outdoor recreation and agritourism to regional trails and cultural assets, exploring new opportunities to diversify the visitor experience and attract emerging markets. This includes the development of brick-and-mortar type attractions and enhanced infrastructure to support youth sports tourism. The City should continue to strengthen marketing strategies and regional partnerships to grow Chesapeake’s tourism footprint in Coastal Virginia and beyond.

The Zoning Ordinance should be reviewed for opportunities to create flexibility around requirements and support tourism opportunities. Tourist destinations, which may be in developed or undeveloped areas and experience different levels of traffic, are one of those unique uses that operate a bit differently from others in the City.

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Beyond formal structured tourism, the City can find opportunities for events, activities, and fun across the City. These can take the form of small placemaking projects and can include the installation of temporary artwork or interactive opportunities like the iconic “Before I Die” installation where passersby add their bucket list items to a community list, or sculptures that play sounds and change color when they are touched. These projects help inject vibrancy into the City’s public spaces, creating places where residents want to be.

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Placemaking should reflect all of our residents. Working with youth and youth organizations will help the City create places and amenities that are specifically appealing to a younger generation. Young people have a disproportionately small voice in their City and local government, in part because they don’t have the same understanding as to how public processes work and it can be difficult to reach out to them directly. The City can take the opportunity to go to them and build places that encourage young people to stay in Chesapeake.

PLC 25: Continue to explore opportunities to create a sports niche in the region that creates economic benefits as well as a source of community pride.

PLC 26: Continue to support tourism marketing strategies that highlight Chesapeake’s historic resources, birds and wildlife, green space, and other attractive attributes.

PLC 27: Review the Zoning Ordinance for opportunities to create flexibility around tourism opportunities which are typically unique uses in distinctive parts of the City.

PLC 28: Create opportunities for Chesapeake residents to have fun, including events, activities and spaces to improve quality of life across the City.

PLC 29: Work with youth organizations to create places, activities, and amenities that are specifically appealing to young people.

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