OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Chesapeake City Council Legislative Priorities & Regular Meetings (Oct 28, 2025)

City Council — Tuesday, October 28, 2025
BodyChesapeake, Virginia
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, October 28, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 8:00:01

Transcript — Verbatim
1:33

Good evening, everyone.

1:34

Welcome to our uh works session tonight, which is uh on our legislative priorities, Mr.

1:42

Manager.

1:42

Thank you, Mr.

1:43

Mayor.

1:43

Yes, it's that time of year uh where we're talking about our legislative priorities both at the um state and federal level, and so I'll turn it over to our legislative affairs director, David Westcott.

1:54

Thank you.

1:55

Thank you, Mr.

1:55

Manager, and I know this is everybody's favorite time of the year to hear my once a year legislative priorities for the city of Chesapeake.

2:03

Uh Mayor West, Vice Mayor Ritter, and members of council, it's a privilege to speak with you tonight as we introduce the FY26 legislative package.

2:11

This presentation also marks a personal milestone in my life.

2:14

It is my five-year anniversary with the City of Chesapeake in my sixth General Assembly session representing our community.

2:20

I'm truly thankful for the opportunity to serve the city and for all that we have accomplished over the years together.

2:26

In a period of five years, we have won five Virginia Municipal League Innovation Awards, had almost 20 pieces of legislation that have been signed into law, received almost 47 million dollars through federal earmarks and state budget request, with five point six million dollars awaiting congressional approval for FY25.

2:45

With the help of our Chesapeake delegation and your direction, we have positioned this community to grow and succeed.

2:52

These actions continue to strengthen service, support economic opportunities, and ensure Chesapeake is an exceptional place to live, work, farm, and play.

3:04

Their work is critical when I am in Richmond reviewing and tracking more than 3,000 bills and attending 24 full Senate and House committees, accompanied by 64 subcommittees, many of which have legislation assigned to them that affects either the local government or things that uh could it possibly affect the city of Chesapeake.

3:24

We are fortunate to have a city manager who understands Richmond's political landscape and policies that it produces, which has been an essential in advancing our priorities.

5:03

And the last day of session, which is the best day of session of the well, it's the best day of the year because it's March 14th and that's my birthday.

5:10

So our legislative package formulations.

5:14

So we've got a couple new members on council since I presented this legislative pack or the legislative package last year.

5:22

But it's always good to go over exactly how this all comes together.

5:26

First and foremost, we seek the input of council in our city departments.

5:30

We also seek the city council's direction.

5:33

Most importantly, we also work with members of our General Assembly.

5:38

We listen to different items and different concerns that they have, but also we participate in our city memberships, such as Virginia Municipal League, Virginia Association of Counties, which they also come out with their own legislative packages that deals with local government.

5:53

So that's really helpful to us.

5:55

Just to really know like where they're coming from.

5:58

Also participating in VA focused groups, committees, subcommittees that meet throughout the year.

6:03

So even when we're not in session, I'm usually in Richmond about two to three days a week throughout the entire year.

6:12

So there's always something going on.

6:13

If there's a bill that's been passed by or it's been killed or it's been referred to a committee or a study, usually I'm there 99% of the time, unless I'm sick, hopefully I'm not sick, but usually I'm there.

6:26

And a lot of those pieces of legislation that get referred to those committees and subcommittees often become bills next year.

6:32

Last but not least, but working with our other legislative directors.

6:36

There's 12 of us in the entire state.

6:38

They're either in Northern Virginia or in Hampton Roads.

6:41

So we work together as a cohesive team to figure out exactly what legislative items, you know, they're hearing in their neck of the woods and what things they think that members of their delegation are going to be bring forward the following session.

6:55

So here's our partners kind of already discussed this, but many of y'all are very familiar with Hampton Roads Planet District Commission, HRTPO, HR TAC, VML, VACO, Hampton Roads Military and Federal Facilities Alliance.

7:07

We work with them, we look at their legislative packages both at a state level and at a federal level and see where we can work together on shared initiatives.

7:16

So our top legislative priorities.

7:18

So this year we have four legislative priorities.

7:35

Unauthorized entry of emergency vehicles, and that's a really interesting one.

7:39

And then also conveyance of easement via plat.

7:43

Chesapeake, hold on, let me just go back.

7:46

Okay.

7:47

Currently, agencies across Virginia are facing critical staffing shortages, especially in specialized civilian and technical positions.

7:55

Hold on, let me get, I thought I clicked it.

7:58

Many retired retired officers have the skills and institutional knowledge we need, but current law discourages their return.

8:07

What this initiative does is it allows retired sworn officers to work in civilian non-sworn positions.

8:13

An example, fingerprint examiners, forensic specialist, background investigators, retirees keep their VRS retirement benefits while working in these roles.

8:22

So what are the qualifications for re employment?

8:25

There has to be a six-month break after retirement, must retire in good standing.

8:29

Positions don't require law enforcement certification.

8:33

So really, why does this matter?

8:35

Well, it addresses staffing shortages and keeps experienced talent in the system, which is super important, saves training and overtime costs, which that's a key, and then expands the hiring pool for hard-to-fill positions and maintains operational continuity and strengthens public safety statewide.

8:52

And finally, this is a practical, cost-effective solution that benefits localities and taxpayers as well as public safety.

9:00

And it assures we retain valuable experience of those who have already dedicated their careers to serving not only the city but the Commonwealth of Virginia.

9:11

Authorities for localities to use development agreements.

9:14

Chesapeake is one of the few localities in the region that is expanding.

9:18

And our ability to coordinate infrastructure with development must expand with it.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural█████████████████████████████████████████████64%
Public Safety██████9%
Environmental Protection█████7%
Transportation Safety████5%
Legislative Priorities█2%
Animal Welfare█2%
Land Use and Zoning█2%
Water And Wastewater Management█2%
Engineering And Infrastructure█1%
Summary of Proceedings

Chesapeake City Council: Legislative Priorities and Regular Meetings (Oct 28, 2025)

This transcript covers a dual-session of the Chesapeake City Council, beginning with a Works Session focused on FY26 Legislative Priorities for the Virginia General Assembly and Federal levels, followed by a Regular Monthly Meeting addressing ordinances, bond authorities, consent agendas, board appointments, and public testimony. During the Works Session, Legislative Affairs Director David Westcott presented four primary legislative initiatives, several supportive initiatives, and requests for funding, while Council members engaged in discussion regarding land use tools, public safety protections, and transportation funding gaps.

Consent Calendar

  • The Consent Agenda was adopted by an 8-0 vote, including:
    • Resignation of Barbara Harrington from the Fine Arts Commission.
    • Authorization to apply for a $25,000 Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services grant for drone trade and replacement (Police Dept).
    • Resolution designating the City Manager as the designated agent for reviewing subdivision plats, site plans, and plans of development.
    • Authorization for the Capital Improvement Project (CIP) for SWAT vehicle replacement ($1,245,000).

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Boundary Line Agreement (Chesapeake/Suffolk): Residents Pamela Brandy and Vic Nichols expressed strong opposition to the proposed boundary line adjustment in the Pewesville area. Brandy argued that residents were not adequately consulted, that promises regarding funding and GIS mapping made by the cities were unfulfilled, and that the process disregarded residents' right to choose their municipality. Council members clarified that no existing residents or homes were being transferred between the cities, and issues regarding erroneous Dominion Power utility tax charges were attributed to utility company error, not city action.
  • Water and Sewer Mandatory Hookups (West Road): Residents Linda Tyndale, Vanessa Butler, and others voiced concern that they were misled into believing water and sewer connections were optional, only to be informed of mandatory requirements later. They argued that forced connections rendered their existing well and septic investments obsolete and that they do not trust city water. Council and Staff agreed to review the project to explore making the connection optional for existing rural properties.
  • Gilmerton Bridge Traffic: Multiple speakers (including Road Guard Ross) requested the installation of signage warning drivers of bridge openings to alleviate traffic congestion and allow for route diversion.
  • Police Department Allegations: Former police officer Tommy Hart alleged that a former detective bureau head committed crimes and received preferential treatment through exam cheat sheets, calling for an oversight commission. The Mayor curtailed his time for using specific names, allowing him to discuss the situation generally.
  • Legislative Priorities Support: Road Guard Ross (Friends of Indian River) expressed support for increased funding for VCAP/VAX programs and requested additional state legislative support for tree protection, restricting data center cost impacts on residents, and PFAS management.
  • Election Conduct: Sandra Lewis addressed concerns regarding the conduct of Council Members during the election cycle, alleging verbal attacks, though this was deemed out of order for the agenda.

Discussion Items

  • Legislative Priorities (FY26): Director Westcott outlined four primary priorities: (1) Allowing retired sworn officers to work in civilian non-sworn positions with full benefits; (2) Authorizing large localities (pop >250k) to use 15-year binding development agreements with Transfer of Development Rights (TDR); (3) Criminalizing unauthorized entry into emergency vehicles (Class IV misdemeanor); and (4) Streamlining utility easement conveyance via plat. Supportive initiatives included defining dispatchers as public safety officers, restoring locality share of excess clerk fees, and granting powers to manage pop-up events. Requests were also made for continued funding for VCAP/VAX.
  • Board and Commission Appointments: The Council reviewed appointments for the Natural Event Mitigation Advisory Committee, Parks Recreation and Tourism Advisory Board, Southeastern Public Service Authority, and Stormwater Committee. Audrey E. Doan and Milton L. Johnson were appointed to the Stormwater Committee.
  • Bond Authority: An ordinance authorizing the issuance of up to $39,315,000 in general obligation public improvement bonds for future capital projects was discussed and approved.
  • Human Resources: An ordinance amending the Classification and Compensation Plan to change half-days of leave to full days for city employees was adopted.
  • West Road Water/Sewer Project: Staff confirmed that while the sewer line is a force main for the airport, the water line involves a unique "island" scenario. Mayor West and Council members directed staff to research and report on making connections optional for existing residents with functioning wells/septic systems.

Key Outcomes

  • Adopted Resolutions and Ordinances (8-0 votes):
    • Boundary line agreement resolution between Chesapeake and Suffolk.
    • Ordinance authorizing general obligation public improvement bonds ($39,315,000 max).
    • Resolution approving the Consent Agenda.
    • Ordinance amending Chesapeake City Code to reflect Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area Act changes.
    • Initiating resolution for the Planning Commission regarding involuntary billboard removal.
    • Ordinance ampling leave benefits for city employees.
  • Adopted Resolution (7-1 vote):
    • Resolution authorizing the First Amendment to the agreement for use in support of the Southeastern Public Service Authority (SIPSA) solid waste disposal system.
  • Adopted Board Appointments (8-0 vote):
    • New and continued appointments for Natural Event Mitigation Advisory Committee, Parks Recreation and Tourism Advisory Board, Southeastern Public Service Authority, and Stormwater Committee.
  • Agenda Amendment:
    • The meeting agenda was amended to move the discussion of "SPSA and board and commission appointments" to follow the closed session.
  • Closed Session:
    • The Council convened in closed session to discuss prospective board appointments, real property disposition (Great Bridge Planning Area), investment of public funds, and contract awarding related to SIPSA, as well as the impact of the federal shutdown.
  • Next Steps:
    • Staff to report back on the feasibility of making West Road water/sewer hookups optional.
    • Staff to investigate and report on Gilmerton Bridge signage and opening notification processes.
    • Council to consider supporting additional legislative requests for the upcoming session based on partner organizations' needs.

Meeting Transcript

Good evening, everyone. Welcome to our uh works session tonight, which is uh on our legislative priorities, Mr. Manager. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Yes, it's that time of year uh where we're talking about our legislative priorities both at the um state and federal level, and so I'll turn it over to our legislative affairs director, David Westcott. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Manager, and I know this is everybody's favorite time of the year to hear my once a year legislative priorities for the city of Chesapeake. Uh Mayor West, Vice Mayor Ritter, and members of council, it's a privilege to speak with you tonight as we introduce the FY26 legislative package. This presentation also marks a personal milestone in my life. It is my five-year anniversary with the City of Chesapeake in my sixth General Assembly session representing our community. I'm truly thankful for the opportunity to serve the city and for all that we have accomplished over the years together. In a period of five years, we have won five Virginia Municipal League Innovation Awards, had almost 20 pieces of legislation that have been signed into law, received almost 47 million dollars through federal earmarks and state budget request, with five point six million dollars awaiting congressional approval for FY25. With the help of our Chesapeake delegation and your direction, we have positioned this community to grow and succeed. These actions continue to strengthen service, support economic opportunities, and ensure Chesapeake is an exceptional place to live, work, farm, and play. Their work is critical when I am in Richmond reviewing and tracking more than 3,000 bills and attending 24 full Senate and House committees, accompanied by 64 subcommittees, many of which have legislation assigned to them that affects either the local government or things that uh could it possibly affect the city of Chesapeake. We are fortunate to have a city manager who understands Richmond's political landscape and policies that it produces, which has been an essential in advancing our priorities. And the last day of session, which is the best day of session of the well, it's the best day of the year because it's March 14th and that's my birthday. So our legislative package formulations. So we've got a couple new members on council since I presented this legislative pack or the legislative package last year. But it's always good to go over exactly how this all comes together. First and foremost, we seek the input of council in our city departments. We also seek the city council's direction. Most importantly, we also work with members of our General Assembly. We listen to different items and different concerns that they have, but also we participate in our city memberships, such as Virginia Municipal League, Virginia Association of Counties, which they also come out with their own legislative packages that deals with local government. So that's really helpful to us. Just to really know like where they're coming from. Also participating in VA focused groups, committees, subcommittees that meet throughout the year. So even when we're not in session, I'm usually in Richmond about two to three days a week throughout the entire year. So there's always something going on. If there's a bill that's been passed by or it's been killed or it's been referred to a committee or a study, usually I'm there 99% of the time, unless I'm sick, hopefully I'm not sick, but usually I'm there. And a lot of those pieces of legislation that get referred to those committees and subcommittees often become bills next year. Last but not least, but working with our other legislative directors. There's 12 of us in the entire state. They're either in Northern Virginia or in Hampton Roads. So we work together as a cohesive team to figure out exactly what legislative items, you know, they're hearing in their neck of the woods and what things they think that members of their delegation are going to be bring forward the following session. So here's our partners kind of already discussed this, but many of y'all are very familiar with Hampton Roads Planet District Commission, HRTPO, HR TAC, VML, VACO, Hampton Roads Military and Federal Facilities Alliance. We work with them, we look at their legislative packages both at a state level and at a federal level and see where we can work together on shared initiatives. So our top legislative priorities. So this year we have four legislative priorities. Unauthorized entry of emergency vehicles, and that's a really interesting one. And then also conveyance of easement via plat. Chesapeake, hold on, let me just go back. Okay. Currently, agencies across Virginia are facing critical staffing shortages, especially in specialized civilian and technical positions. Hold on, let me get, I thought I clicked it. Many retired retired officers have the skills and institutional knowledge we need, but current law discourages their return. What this initiative does is it allows retired sworn officers to work in civilian non-sworn positions. An example, fingerprint examiners, forensic specialist, background investigators, retirees keep their VRS retirement benefits while working in these roles.

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