Chesapeake City Council Meeting Summary – August 13, 2024

The Chesapeake City Council met on August 13, 2024, at 6:30 p.m. in City Hall Council Chamber. The meeting included presentations, a public hearing, consent and regular agenda items, citizens' comments, and a closed session. All votes on open agenda items were unanimous (9-0) unless noted. The meeting adjourned after the closed session certification.

Presentations & Recognitions

• Proclamation – Mayor West proclaimed August as Family and Faith Month.
• Certificates of Recognition – Economic Development Director Steven Wright recognized three Chesapeake businesses honored by the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce: IDF Pensign (2024 Chesapeake Small Business of the Year), Pale Horse Coffee (2024 Veteran and Military Spouse Owned Small Business), and AVMAC/Bert Ortiz (2024 Small Business Champion Award).
• Special Presentation – Amy J. Stinnette, Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney, was recognized as the 2024 National Traffic Safety Prosecutor of the Year. Commonwealth’s Attorney Matt Hamel noted her 28 years of service and the city’s support for the prosecutor’s office.
• Golf Tournament Proceeds – The 24th Annual Chesapeake Business Appreciation Golf Classic raised $13,091 for the Chesapeake Public Schools Educational Foundation (J.A. Cotton Career Scholar Awards).
• Acknowledgment – The Great Bridge Woman’s Club was thanked for human trafficking awareness efforts; City Hall was illuminated with blue lights August 12–19.

Public Hearing

• Lease Extension – American Legion Great Bridge Post 280 – Kellog Sharp (adjutant) spoke in support. Council unanimously approved Resolution #24-R-045 authorizing the City Manager to execute a lease extension agreement.

Consent Calendar (All items approved 9-0)

• City Clerk Items: Refund of $11,418.66 to Webcollex Inc.; resignation of Daniel Wiggin from the Utility Review Board.
• City Manager Items:
  1. Authority to apply for a Virginia Trees for Clean Water Grant (Virginia Department of Forestry).
  2. Accept and transfer $25,000 from the Grant Contingency for the VTC Industry Advertising Co-op Program Grant, plus transfer $25,000 from the Conference Center Special Revenue Fund.
  3. Authority to apply for the FY 2024 Urban Area Security Initiative Grant (FEMA) to purchase Level A hazardous materials suits.
  4. Accept and transfer $25,000 from the Grant Contingency for the Witness Protection Grant (Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Vic Nicholls (self) – Raised concerns about inconsistent code enforcement for overgrowth, a solar farm (Bedford) with erosion control issues, lack of a volunteer app to report disabled parking violations, broadband connectivity (Chesapeake Connects and Southside Network Authority), and removal of a left-turn access on Nells Ridge Boulevard. He questioned city fees and requested data transparency.
• Brad Moore (self) – Thanked Planning Department staff (Jay Tate, Mr. McNamara) for attending a civic league meeting and praised the industrial waterfront study. Congratulated Grant Holloway (gold medal, 110m hurdles) and Quincy Wilson (gold medal, 4x400m relay). Recognized Police Officers A. Montrose and A. Newton for winning the canoe race at National Night Out and rescuing capsized firefighters.

Discussion Items

• School Deputy Resource Officer Program (Regular Agenda Item 5) – City Manager Price presented three requests: (A) establishment of six new full-time SRO positions, (B) appropriation of $334,000 for vehicles, and (C) transfer of $225,000 to the Jail Operations Program. All approved 9-0 without discussion.
• Amendments to FY 2025–2029 Capital Improvement Program (Regular Agenda Item 6) – Three modifications approved 9-0: (A) reappropriation of $750,000 lapsed funding to the Water Distribution project, (B) clarification of transfer between Royce Drive Stormwater Outfall Improvements Phase II and Washington Manor Outfall Improvements, (C) modification of amounts within Public Safety section for the Consolidated Public Safety Radio Replacement project.
• Trails & Connectivity Plan (New Business Item A) – Initiating Resolution #24-R-046 to have Planning Commission review amendments to the 2035 Comprehensive Plan to adopt the Trails & Connectivity Plan. Council Member Ritter asked about timeline; Planning Director McNamara stated the Planning Commission hearing was scheduled for August 14, 2024, with a work session for Council a month prior to October adoption. The list of recommendations (20 comments received) would be provided to Council in advance. Approved 9-0.
• Zoning Ordinance Amendment – Rural Overlay District (New Business Item B) – Initiating Resolution #24-R-047 to allow rezoning of parcels in the Rural Overlay District for residential use under certain conditions. Approved 9-0 without discussion.
• Council Member Comments –
  • Council Member Carey congratulated Grant Holloway and Quincy Wilson (both with ties to Chesapeake).
  • Council Member Ritter requested a staff report on broadband initiatives (Chesapeake Connects, Southside Network Authority), asked staff to explore options for addressing overgrowth from vacant lots, and thanked Virginia Task Force 2 for deployment to South Carolina for Hurricane Debby response.
  • Council Member Newins thanked Fire Chief Gulisano for allowing personnel to serve in disaster responses, and Congresswoman Jen Kiggans for a $500,000 grant to the Police Marine Patrol Unit for a new vessel.
  • Council Member Ward recognized the New Chesapeake Men for Progress for providing educational scholarships (over $250,000 total to date) and named four scholarship recipients.

Key Outcomes

• All open agenda items passed unanimously (9-0), including the public hearing, consent agenda, regular agenda items (5A–C, 6A–C), and two initiating resolutions.
• Closed Meeting – Council convened a closed meeting at 7:43 p.m. and reconvened at 8:21 p.m. Three topics were approved: (1) actual litigation (Recycled Properties, LLC v. City of Chesapeake) – Council Member Ritter abstained, Council Member Newins voted no; motion passed 7-1-1. (2) Probable litigation (risk management claim) and (3) real property acquisition/economic development opportunity – motion passed 7-2 (Council Members Newins and Ritter voted no). Certifications of the closed meetings were approved.
• Directives – Staff to provide Council with a report on broadband progress and to explore code amendments regarding overgrowth on vacant lots.