Chesapeake City Council Work Session and Regular Meeting – November 14, 2023
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Chesapeake City Council Work Session and Regular Meeting – November 14, 2023
On November 14, 2023, the Chesapeake City Council held a work session from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. and a regular meeting from 6:30 p.m. at City Hall, 306 Cedar Road. The work session focused on transportation updates from VDOT and local projects. The regular meeting included a public hearing on a Dominion Energy easement, approval of multiple resolutions and appropriations, citizen comments, and a closed meeting.
Work Session – Transportation Update
Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) Update
- Christopher Hall, VDOT District Engineer, presented on the I-64 Express Lanes Network, a 45-mile continuous system expected to be fully operational by calendar year 2028. The high-rise bridge project (HREL Chesapeake segment) paving is expected to complete by early December 2023, with a phased opening to traffic in December and tolling starting mid-to-late February 2024. The 464 interchange reconfiguration (new flyover bridge) will be awarded after the new year. The Bowers Hill interchange environmental impact statement (EIS) record of decision is expected early 2024, with design to start by summer 2027. A regional traffic management plan with 12 priority strategies was outlined.
Local Transportation Projects
- Director of Public Works Earl Sorey provided an update on 46 active projects. Key projects include:
- Elbow Road Widening Phase 2: Two lanes each direction, right-of-way acquisition early 2024, environmental permitting a schedule risk.
- Mount Pleasant Road Widening: Construction to start later in November 2023, completion mid-2024, budget $10.4 million.
- Rural Road Safety Improvement Program: Shillalee Road drainage and shoulder improvements underway; future projects include Land of Promise Road and Parker Road.
- Portsmouth Boulevard Gateway Streetscaping: 60% design under review, construction spring 2024, original budget $2.6 million expected to increase.
- Triple Decker Bridge Repairs: 40% complete, completion March 2025, budget $11.5 million; Military Highway reduced to one lane each direction for 16 months.
- Deep Creek Bridge Replacement: Army Corps of Engineers project, two new bridges, completion fall 2026, total cost $86 million; severe congestion noted, signal timing adjustments ongoing, message boards under consideration.
- Councilmember Newins raised concerns about Deep Creek congestion and requested message boards. Councilmember Ward noted a non-functional VDOT message board near the high-rise bridge. Staff will follow up with VDOT.
- Councilmember Bunn asked about Virginia Beach's plans for Elbow Road; Sorey reported bids came in $40 million over estimate, delaying their project.
Centerville Turnpike Bridge Replacement Study
- WSP Consultants presented a feasibility study for replacing the 1955 functionally obsolete bridge carrying 17,000 vehicles per day. Nine alternatives were considered; alternatives 2 (west high-level fixed) and 8 (east high-level fixed) were recommended by public works to minimize property impacts and allow construction without closing the existing bridge. Alternative 8 is the preferred alignment due to least property impacts, best geometry, low utility impacts, and ability to keep the bridge operational during construction. Councilmember Newins requested more information on traffic flow differences between alternative 8 and the no-build alternative. The next steps include a council resolution to approve a preferred alignment and applications for grant funding.
Consent Calendar
- Approved unanimously (9-0) with the exception of City Manager Item (4) (Verizon franchise extension):
- Acknowledgements for rezoning applications: Luray Mini-Storage (2.6 acres, B-1 to B-2) and Joseph’s Meadow (5.5 acres, R-15s to R-MF-1).
- Resignations: Michele Catalano (Fine Arts Commission), Adrianna Rivera (Public Art Committee).
- Grant acceptance: $166,250 from VDEM for PSAP Staff Recognition Grant; $4,532 from DOJ for Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Grant (both Police).
- Resolution authorizing FY24–FY25 Community Services Performance Contract with DBHDS (Chesapeake Integrated Behavioral Healthcare).
Public Hearing
- Public Hearing Item (Ordinance 23-O-104) – Dominion Energy Compensation Agreement & Easement Expansion
- The ordinance authorized a $100,000 compensation agreement with Dominion Energy and expansion of easements on four city-owned properties for the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Project.
- Speakers in support: Troy Lindsay (Dominion Energy) emphasized environmental benefits (powering 25% of residential customers with no emissions), job creation (over 750 Virginians employed, 500 from Hampton Roads), and the creation of an offshore wind hub. Max Bartholomew and Kyle Keno were available for questions.
- Speakers in opposition: Robert Yarborough and Rosalie Yarborough (self) expressed concerns that the easement would infringe on their Elbow Road property, taking front porches and affecting quality of life. They stated they were not notified in advance.
- Speaker for comments: Brad Moore (self) expressed displeasure with Dominion Energy and questioned the timing of communications.
- Council discussion: Project Manager Kyle Keno clarified that the easement expansion is on city-owned property, approximately a mile from Elbow Road, and does not affect private homes. Director of Public Works Sorey offered to meet with the Yarboroughs to discuss confusion with the road widening project. Councilmember Newins confirmed through questions that the easement is entirely on city property and does not front Elbow Road.
- Outcome: Motion to approve (Carey/Ike) passed 9-0.
Public Comments & Testimony
Citizens’ Comments on Agenda Items
- Vic Nicholls (self): Spoke on City Manager Item (4) (Verizon franchise extension), expressing desire for a board or commission to handle cable franchise complaints and feedback.
Citizens’ Comments on Services, Policies, and Affairs (Non-Agenda)
- Brad Moore (self): Raised streetlight outages in South Norfolk, criticized Dominion Energy’s responsiveness, and asked what the city is doing to hold Dominion accountable. City Manager Price responded that the issue has been elevated to a deputy city manager and a meeting with Dominion is scheduled for Thursday (November 16, 2023). Councilmember Ward inquired about city control over lights; Price noted most are maintained by Dominion and the city relies on relationships.
- Cindy Beall (self): Requested a traffic light at Butts Station Road and Clearfield Avenue due to dangerous conditions and cut-through traffic in Clearfield Estates.
- Gene Waters (Clearfield Community Steering Committee): Supported the Virginia Natural Gas (VNG) project (estimated $50 million, $400,000+ annual tax revenue) but requested inclusion of a traffic light at Butts Station and Clearfield in the Capital Improvement Budget. He noted 700 flyers distributed and a public meeting with VNG.
- Vic Nicholls (self): Commented on various city issues including alleged First Amendment violations, discrimination not recognized in October, recycling dumpster problems in Great Bridge versus Greenbrier, streetlight issues in Greenbrier, and concerns about red-light cameras and school zone cameras. He urged council to address issues in all areas.
- Mayor West asked staff to look into remedies for the Clearfield/Butts Station intersection.
Regular Agenda Items
City Manager Items
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Item (4) – Verizon Cable Franchise Extension (23-O-105)
- Extended the franchise agreement with Verizon South, Inc. until March 31, 2024, to allow continued negotiations.
- Councilmember Ritter asked about incorporating provisions requiring contractors to repair damage and be penalized; City Attorney Lindley agreed to look into it.
- Outcome: Motion to approve (Ritter/Newins) passed 9-0.
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Items (5), (6), (7) – Multifamily Housing Revenue Bonds for Standard Forest Cove I, II, III
- Resolutions approving CRHA issuance of up to $20,200,000 (Forest Cove I), $21,000,000 (Forest Cove II), and $22,500,000 (Forest Cove III) for multifamily housing revenue bonds.
- Outcomes: Each passed 9-0 (motions by de Triquet/Whitaker, Ward/Whitaker, Whitaker/Ward respectively).
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Item (8) – School Operating Fund and Capital Improvement Program Amendments
- Sub-item A: Appropriation of $4,899,673 in state revenue to Chesapeake Public Schools Operating Fund. Approved 9-0.
- Sub-item B: Appropriation of $14,678,070 in state grant revenue to School Grant Fund. Approved 9-0.
- Sub-item C: Appropriation of $3,000,000 in state funding to Chesapeake Career Center Capital Improvement Project. Approved 9-0.
Key Outcomes
- Public Hearing Ordinance approved 9-0 to authorize compensation agreement and easements for Dominion Energy’s offshore wind project.
- Consent Agenda approved 9-0 except Item (4) which was considered separately.
- Verizon franchise extension approved 9-0, with staff to investigate contractor repair provisions.
- Three bond resolutions for Standard Forest Cove housing projects (I, II, III) approved 9-0.
- School funding appropriations (total $22,577,743) approved 9-0.
- Appointment: Jameka Jackson appointed to Chesapeake Interagency Consortium (Juvenile Services representative); one vacancy continued with request to Health Department for a recommendation.
- Directives: Staff to meet with Dominion Energy regarding streetlights and report summary to council. Staff to evaluate traffic remedies for Clearfield Avenue/Butts Station Road intersection. A Campostella Square update (including police, community advocates, fly ash status) to be scheduled for a future work session. Councilmember Carey requested a work session on reassessing council priorities.
- Closed Meeting: Two closed meetings held: one on litigation (Recycled Properties LLC) with Councilmember Ritter abstaining; one on real property acquisition. Motions to certify both passed 8-0 and 9-0 respectively.
Meeting Transcript
I'll turn the uh mic over to our city manager. Mr. Price. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. We have a transportation extravaganza for you this evening, and uh, since we have several topics uh to to go over with you, I'll turn it over to our director of public works, Mr. Earl Sorry. Uh thank you, Mr. Manager. And yeah, we we do have a number of projects that we'll go through tonight. Uh first up will be our um our V dot partners, and that uh presentation will be led by Mr. Uh Christopher Hall, the V DOT district engineer for the Hampton Roads District. Well, good evening uh mayor and council members. Uh it's certainly a uh an honor to be here and provide uh have the opportunity to provide you guys an update on the work that's going on in your area. But I'd also like to take this opportunity to uh recognize your city staff and uh the guy sitting next to me and some of the other folks behind me that have been really tremendous partners uh with all of the work that we have going on uh here in your area. Uh just a great great partnership working through some pretty complex issues. Um, great team, good leaders, and uh just wanted to recognize them, all the great work that they're doing. A couple of things that uh want to cover tonight, and I'll be uh conscious of your time is uh provide just sort of an overall refresher of what we talk about in terms of our I-64 Express Lanes Network, and then dive into some more details on specific projects that we have ongoing, and we have planned in the not too distant future uh in the city of Chesapeake. This is sort of the big picture, and uh when you when you look at the Hampton Roads Express lanes network, this uh when it is complete, uh we will have a 45-mile continuous network that will run uh from the I-64 Denby Boulevard overpass area up on the peninsula all the way around across the Hampton Roads uh bridge tunnel expansion project down through this the uh Norfolk area and then uh terminate right here in the city of Chesapeake in the Bowers Hill Interchange. Uh, it'll be delivered in seven different projects and fully operational right now. We project in calendar year 28. Now that doesn't mean you know we we anticipate uh delivering pieces of this project over time, so uh not that we'll we'll have full full operational uh connectivity along that 45 mile network uh in uh 28, but we will have portions of that network coming online sooner than that. Uh it will be a high occupancy toll two system. So if you're riding with somebody, you will be riding for free if you have the flex pass transponder, and I'll talk a little bit more about that. And it'll be using the dynamic tolling system. So if you're familiar with how the tolls are managed on our current reversible lane, we call congestion tolling. So the more traffic that gets in the system, the higher the higher the rate goes up. It's really to make sure that we have a reliable trip in that lane. Next is a short video that that sort of walks you through what uh this system will look like from a drive-through perspective. Spanning an impressive 50 miles once completed. The Hampton Roads Express Lanes Network along I-64 will help to relieve congestion in the general purpose lanes by providing additional choices for commuters. This results in more reliable travel times. The pursuit to relieve traffic congestion along I-64 in the Hampton Roads area is ongoing. And VDOT, in regional partnership with the Hampton Roads Transportation Accountability Commission and the Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization is continuously working to make your commute better. With the integration of the I-64 Express lanes, VDOT brings this tried and true strategy that has been successfully implemented in other parts of the state. It provides a reliable and seamless alternative to the general purpose lanes. The general purpose lanes are always available and free. The express lanes are free for high occupancy vehicles with easy pass flex transponders and motorcycles. Single occupancy vehicles can ride in the express lanes by paying a toll. The toll price is dynamic and fluctuates depending upon the amount of traffic in the express lanes. The dynamic toll price ensures reliable speeds and travel times in the express lanes. As you enter onto I-64, merge into the general purpose lanes, and then safely transition to the inside general purpose lane. Before entering the express lanes, overhead signs will indicate the current toll rate. The price you see on the electric toll sign is the amount you'll be charged and will not change throughout the duration of your trip. Flexible barrier post and pavement markings separate the express lanes from the general purpose lanes. Now that you have arrived at the entrance, safely enter the express lane. And follow the same easy pass and easy pass flex rules already implemented across the network. Remember, other drivers will be entering and exiting at these openings. So be careful, yield and drive safely. After you depart the managed lanes, you will have ample time to safely move across the general purpose lanes to reach your desired exit.
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