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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Chesapeake City Council Meeting October 10, 2023

City Council — Tuesday, October 10, 2023

BodyChesapeake, Virginia

SessionCity Council

DateTuesday, October 10, 2023

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 28:07

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

1:47

Mayor West, we have a quorum.

1:52

Thank you, Mr.

1:53

Vice Mayor.

1:54

Council is now in session.

1:55

I would like to recognize Councilmember Bunn at this time for the invocation.

2:07

Holy one, we ask for your blessings as we start the City Council meeting.

2:11

We also ask for your blessings on the people who we have been called to lead in our community.

2:19

Please be with and bless over our management team, the citizens we have been elected to serve.

2:24

In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.

2:27

Also, please join me as we introduce Pac 57 Arrow Light Cove Scouts, hosted by Great Bridge Presbyterian Church, that are here tonight to lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance.

2:40

The scouts are accompanied by their den leader Jason Krause.

2:45

Today this visit is a step to helping them to achieve their building a better world badge.

5:01

Uh I just want to shout out to Matt with the uh Hickory Towing and uh Kent Bass Knight at uh at the uh Greenbar Farms and other businesses in that area that raised money for this family and and on the behalf of this city council and the 265 thousand people that we represent.

5:23

Our heartfelt condolences, our prayers are with you and your family.

5:29

And while we're on that, we'd also like to uh just acknowledge the tragedy that's happening in Israel and know that uh our prayers and our thoughts are with uh those who have been who are suffering in Israel even as we speak.

5:45

Madam Clerk, would you please call the roll?

5:47

Councilmember Bunn here, Councilmember Carey, here council member Ike is excused.

5:52

Councilmember Newens here.

5:54

Councilmember Ritter here.

5:56

Councilmember Ward, present.

5:58

Councilmember Whittaker.

5:59

Present.

6:00

Vice Mayor Dietrich?

6:01

Here.

6:01

And Mayor West.

6:03

Here.

6:05

Are there any changes to the proposed agenda?

6:08

Motion to approve the proposed agenda as presented.

6:12

Vice Mayor, thank you.

6:13

Dr.

6:13

Ward.

6:14

Please prepare to vote.

6:15

Please vote.

6:16

Madam Clerk, would you please record the vote?

6:19

Motion to approve the agenda as presented is adopted by an 8-0 vote.

6:23

Next item on the agenda is public hearing.

6:26

Citizens' comments on public hearing items.

6:28

And Madam Clerk, do we have any speakers who wish to speak?

6:32

Not at this time.

6:33

Thank you.

6:34

Next is consideration council's consideration for public hearing items.

6:38

Would you please present the items, Madam Clerk?

6:42

Item A, a resolution authorizing the city manager to execute a lease with Glenn Weatherly Farms, LLC for 36 acres more or less of farmland owned by the City of Chesapeake, located at 437 George Washington Highway, South, adjacent to Deep Creek Park in the City of Chesapeake, Virginia.

7:02

This was requested by Parks Recreation and Tourism.

7:05

Thank you.

7:05

Do we have any speakers?

7:07

No, sir.

7:08

Motion, please.

7:10

Second.

7:11

Thank you, Ms.

7:11

Ritter.

7:12

Thank you, Dr.

7:13

Waters.

7:13

Any discussion?

7:15

Seeing none, please prepare to vote.

7:17

Please vote.

7:19

Madam Clerk, please record.

7:21

Motion to approve the resolution as presented is adopted by an 8-0 vote.

7:26

Item B, please.

7:27

An ordinance authorizing the city manager to execute a deed of vacation of the city of Chesapeake's interest in a certain public utility easement located at 700 Rosemont Avenue.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Procedural████████████████████████████████32%

Public Safety███████████████████████████27%

Public Engagement███████████████████████████27%

Land Use and Zoning███████7%

Personnel Matters███████7%

Summary of Proceedings

Chesapeake City Council Meeting Summary – October 10, 2023

The Chesapeake City Council met on October 10, 2023, at 6:30 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chamber. Mayor Richard W. "Rick" West presided; Council Member Robert C. Ike, Jr. was excused. The meeting opened with an invocation by Council Member C. Jeff Bunn, the Pledge of Allegiance led by Pack 57 Arrow of Light Cub Scouts, and remarks from Mayor West extending condolences to the Hooper family and acknowledging the attacks in Israel. The council approved the agenda, handled public hearings, adopted the consent agenda, heard citizen comments, and addressed new business, all with 8-0 votes.

Consent Calendar

Approved resignations: Pamela Brandy (South Norfolk Revitalization Commission) and George Hoddinott (Natural Event Mitigation Advisory Committee).
Approved refunds: Rose & Womble Realty Co. LLC, $17,839.36 for 628 Cedar Road and $10,174.36 for 1215 Volvo Parkway.
Acknowledged four rezoning applications tentatively scheduled for Planning Commission on November 8, 2023: Elizabeth Harbor Drive (4 acres, R-15s to R-MF-1, 7.2 du/ac), Kaiser Professional Office (2 acres, amend B-1 proffers), Clearfield Regional Office (~30 acres to M-1), and Ashburn Meadows (131.8 acres to PUD).
Authorized grant applications and fund transfers: $168,816 for the Behavioral Health Docket, $393,462 for FUSUS Platform, $71,712 for Rapid SOS, $166,250 for Staff Recognition, $71,994 for UASI, and $21,780 for Trees for Clean Water.

Public Comments & Testimony

Randy Royal (Kimley-Horn) requested concurrent advertising for PLN-REZ-2023-020 (Virginia Natural Gas Regional Office) to allow for rezoning, plat recording, and property closing by year-end; noted risk of losing funding otherwise.
Vic Nicholls (self) raised multiple concerns: disabled parking enforcement, water meter errors, traffic signal issues, recycling dumpsters, transparency on red light cameras, solar grazing proposals, board meeting transparency, and a safety ranking (Chesapeake 19th overall, but 97th on financial safety).
Gwen Carr (Cedar Lakes residents) requested confirmation that the traffic signal at Cedar Lakes Drive and Cedar Road would remain in the 2025 budget, citing recent serious accidents.

Discussion Items

Public Hearing – Lease with Glenn Weatherly Farms, LLC (resolution 23-R-048): Approved 8-0 to lease 36.0 acres of city-owned farmland at 437 George Washington Highway South, adjacent to Deep Creek Park.
Public Hearing – Utility Easement Vacation (ordinance 23-O-097): Approved 8-0 to vacate the city's interest in a public utility easement at 700 Rosemont Avenue, with waiver of estimated easement value. Applicant Kevin Cowgill was present for questions.
Citizen Comments Response: City Manager Price confirmed the Cedar Lakes traffic signal is under evaluation for the 2025 budget, but no guarantee was given.
Renaming Portsmouth Boulevard: Council approved a request directing the City Manager to research and report on actions needed to rename Portsmouth Boulevard from Hodges Ferry to the Suffolk city line (8-0).

Key Outcomes

All motions passed 8-0 (all present members voted yes; none opposed).
Approved concurrent advertising for PLN-REZ-2023-020; item to be heard by Planning Commission on November 8, 2023, and City Council on November 28, 2023.
Deputy Chief Sam Gulisano announced as new Fire Chief effective January 1, 2024, upon retirement of Chief Ed Elliott.
Council Member Ritter requested exploration of crosswalk activation cameras with blinking lights.
Council discussed potential organization of a canned food drive for Buffalow Family and Friends; City Clerk explained procedure.

Note: Meeting began at 6:30 p.m. and adjourned at 6:56 p.m.

Meeting Transcript

Mayor West, we have a quorum. Thank you, Mr. Vice Mayor. Council is now in session. I would like to recognize Councilmember Bunn at this time for the invocation. Holy one, we ask for your blessings as we start the City Council meeting. We also ask for your blessings on the people who we have been called to lead in our community. Please be with and bless over our management team, the citizens we have been elected to serve. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Also, please join me as we introduce Pac 57 Arrow Light Cove Scouts, hosted by Great Bridge Presbyterian Church, that are here tonight to lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance. The scouts are accompanied by their den leader Jason Krause. Today this visit is a step to helping them to achieve their building a better world badge. Uh I just want to shout out to Matt with the uh Hickory Towing and uh Kent Bass Knight at uh at the uh Greenbar Farms and other businesses in that area that raised money for this family and and on the behalf of this city council and the 265 thousand people that we represent. Our heartfelt condolences, our prayers are with you and your family. And while we're on that, we'd also like to uh just acknowledge the tragedy that's happening in Israel and know that uh our prayers and our thoughts are with uh those who have been who are suffering in Israel even as we speak. Madam Clerk, would you please call the roll? Councilmember Bunn here, Councilmember Carey, here council member Ike is excused. Councilmember Newens here. Councilmember Ritter here. Councilmember Ward, present. Councilmember Whittaker. Present. Vice Mayor Dietrich? Here. And Mayor West. Here. Are there any changes to the proposed agenda? Motion to approve the proposed agenda as presented. Vice Mayor, thank you. Dr. Ward. Please prepare to vote. Please vote. Madam Clerk, would you please record the vote? Motion to approve the agenda as presented is adopted by an 8-0 vote. Next item on the agenda is public hearing. Citizens' comments on public hearing items. And Madam Clerk, do we have any speakers who wish to speak? Not at this time. Thank you. Next is consideration council's consideration for public hearing items. Would you please present the items, Madam Clerk? Item A, a resolution authorizing the city manager to execute a lease with Glenn Weatherly Farms, LLC for 36 acres more or less of farmland owned by the City of Chesapeake, located at 437 George Washington Highway, South, adjacent to Deep Creek Park in the City of Chesapeake, Virginia. This was requested by Parks Recreation and Tourism. Thank you. Do we have any speakers? No, sir. Motion, please. Second. Thank you, Ms.

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