OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Chesapeake City Council Meeting - July 21, 2026

City Council — Tuesday, July 21, 2026
BodyChesapeake, Virginia
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, July 21, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 3:05:57

Transcript — Verbatim
0:06

Oh that would be quite a good letter.

0:45

So remember how to add it like we want to go out for it.

1:46

Yeah, but then you can do any more stuff now.

1:56

I don't know what we're there and we're going to go.

2:57

I don't want to look at it for the right class in the app.

3:03

All the approach.

3:22

Yeah, I'd find out right as well.

3:25

Yeah.

3:26

So I would sign into my toxic.

3:31

I don't have time to go to the channel.

3:46

So the black rule is that we're just going to go to the back.

3:53

So we do not have a half.

4:13

Yep.

6:21

I have the back one.

6:59

I thought that way is that.

32:17

Mayor, we have a quorum.

32:19

Thank you, Miss Vice Mayor.

32:20

Council is now in session.

32:22

I'd like to recognize Councilmember Ward.

32:26

Excuse me, I'd like to recognize Councilmember Ward at this time for the invitation and to lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance.

32:34

Thank you.

32:35

Yes, great.

32:37

Dear God, we ask a special blessing on this city council meeting tonight as we make the decisions that will be in the best interest of our great city and our more than two hundred fifty thousand citizens.

32:48

We celebrated two hundred and fifty years of freedom, and with so many beautiful events from Memorial Day through July fourth and near the end of July.

32:57

We tackled the city's budget, and we continue to make decisions that have a positive impact on all of our citizens.

33:04

We are thankful for budgets that support our schools, public safety, infrastructure, and families in general.

33:11

Bless our military and our veterans.

33:14

And God, in times such as these, where there is any hatred, replace it with love.

33:19

If there's any business, replace it with kindness.

33:21

And there is division, replace it with unity.

33:24

Bless this council and protect all those who continue to serve your people with dignity, respect, understanding, honesty, and love.

33:38

These three, but the greatest of these is love.

33:41

These and other blessings we ask in your precious and holy name.

34:13

Councilmember Bond?

34:14

Here.

34:15

Councilmember Jeffrey.

34:17

Councilmember King, here.

34:18

Councilmember Newman.

34:19

Here.

34:20

Councilmember Smith.

34:21

Councilmember Ward.

34:22

Present.

34:23

Councilmember Whitaker?

34:24

Present.

34:24

Vice Mayor Ritter.

34:26

Here.

34:26

Mayor West.

34:27

Here.

34:30

First is the approval of the proposed agenda.

34:33

And before we go to that, I would like to uh acknowledge that the applicants for item E and uh City Manager One, Miles Millstone, uh, energy has asked for a withdrawal on these issues or on this matter.

35:00

And I would like to call on our city attorney to explain what should we withdraw this item, what that difference, is there a difference between that and if the council were to deny this item?

35:09

This application is a conditional use permit.

35:12

And under Virginia law, an applicant has a right to refile a conditional use permit.

35:16

There's no barrier like there is with the rezoning.

35:18

Um, because for a rezoning, you cannot file a similar application for a year after it is denied.

35:23

And so in this case, it is not a rezoning, it is a conditional use permit.

35:27

So that means if it is withdrawn tonight, it is removed, it's no longer an active application, but they can come back and file another application any time starting tomorrow or two years from now.

35:37

Same as if you were to deny it tonight.

35:40

It again could be refiled tomorrow or two years from now.

35:44

Thank you, Madam Attorney.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural███████████████████████████████████35%
Data Centers█████████████████████21%
Land Use and Zoning██████████████14%
Technology and Innovation████████8%
Miscellaneous████4%
Community Engagement████4%
Public Safety████4%
Environmental Protection████4%
Agricultural Conservation███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Chesapeake City Council Meeting - July 21, 2026

The Chesapeake City Council met on July 21, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall. The meeting began with an invocation, pledge of allegiance, and roll call. Council approved several land-use items, debated a last-minute withdrawal of a battery energy storage application, heard public comments on data centers, and approved an 8-month deferral of data center applications. The meeting adjourned at 8:28 p.m.

Agenda Amendments & Withdrawals

  • Council approved withdrawal of Public Hearing Item E (Mill Stone Energy Center - Battery Energy Storage System), removal of Non-Planning Public Hearing Item F (Siting Agreement), and removal of City Manager Item 1 (Decommissioning Agreement) by a 7-2 vote (Councilmembers Newins and Ritter voted no). The applicant requested withdrawal after learning additional studies were needed. Vice Mayor Ritter expressed concern about last-minute withdrawals and committed to bringing forward a new policy for continuances and withdrawals. Council then approved the amended agenda 9-0.

Public Hearings

  • Charlton Woods (PLN-REZ-2025-019): A conditional rezoning of 1.1 acres from R-15s to R-10 for up to 4 single-family homes on Charlton Drive. Staff and Planning Commission recommended approval. A resident spoke in support, requesting a traffic light at the intersection of Bonswallow Drive and Charlton Drive. Council approved with proffers (9-0).
  • Empowerment Inc 757 (PLN-USE-2025-045): A conditional use permit for a banquet hall at 2709 Campostella Road, Suite G. Staff and Planning Commission recommended approval with 8 stipulations, including an 8-month initial permit term subject to review after 6 months. Multiple speakers spoke in support. Council approved with stipulations (9-0).
  • 1715 Park Avenue Storage Yard (PLN-USE-2026-007): A conditional use permit for outdoor storage for a general contractor at 1715 Park Avenue. Staff and Planning Commission recommended approval with stipulations regarding landscaping and fencing. Council approved (9-0).
  • Cornland Park City Communications Tower (PLN-USE-CT-2025-002): A conditional use permit for a 199-foot communications tower at 2908 Benefit Road to support the city's private LTE network. Staff recommended approval. Three residents spoke in opposition, raising concerns about surveillance equipment, crop duster operations, and airport impact area. Council approved with stipulations (9-0).

Public Comments on Agenda Items

  • 11 speakers addressed the council, most opposing data center development in Chesapeake. Speakers urged council to adopt strong restrictions or a moratorium, questioned the purpose of data centers, raised environmental and health concerns, and requested that any tax revenue be locked into specific funds for education, public safety, and infrastructure. Several speakers advocated for a comprehensive public input process before making policy decisions.

New Business

  • Ad Hoc Committee on Agritourism: Council approved (9-0) a request to establish a citizen-driven ad hoc committee to evaluate current agritourism activity, identify opportunities to strengthen local agricultural enterprises, and provide recommendations to council. The committee will be formed with staff support; councilmembers will submit nominations.
  • Deferral of Data Center Applications: Council approved (9-0) a resolution temporarily deferring Planning Commission recommendations and City Council consideration of discretionary land use applications for any proposed data center for 8 months, or until final action on the pending Comprehensive Plan amendment, whichever occurs first. The city attorney clarified that a separate ordinance to close the "by-right" loophole for data centers will still be brought forward in August 2026. The city will hold community meetings to gather input during the deferral period.

Key Outcomes

  • Mill Stone Energy Center: Withdrawn (7-2).
  • Charlton Woods rezoning: Approved (9-0).
  • Empowerment Inc 757 banquet hall: Approved with stipulations (9-0).
  • 1715 Park Avenue storage yard: Approved with stipulations (9-0).
  • Cornland Park communications tower: Approved with stipulations (9-0).
  • Agritourism Committee: Approved (9-0).
  • Data center deferral resolution: Approved (9-0).
  • Closed Meeting: Council approved a closed meeting on August 11, 2026, at 4:30 p.m. to discuss appointments to city boards and authorities (9-0).

Meeting Transcript

Oh that would be quite a good letter. So remember how to add it like we want to go out for it. Yeah, but then you can do any more stuff now. I don't know what we're there and we're going to go. I don't want to look at it for the right class in the app. All the approach. Yeah, I'd find out right as well. Yeah. So I would sign into my toxic. I don't have time to go to the channel. So the black rule is that we're just going to go to the back. So we do not have a half. Yep. I have the back one. I thought that way is that. Mayor, we have a quorum. Thank you, Miss Vice Mayor. Council is now in session. I'd like to recognize Councilmember Ward. Excuse me, I'd like to recognize Councilmember Ward at this time for the invitation and to lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance. Thank you. Yes, great. Dear God, we ask a special blessing on this city council meeting tonight as we make the decisions that will be in the best interest of our great city and our more than two hundred fifty thousand citizens. We celebrated two hundred and fifty years of freedom, and with so many beautiful events from Memorial Day through July fourth and near the end of July. We tackled the city's budget, and we continue to make decisions that have a positive impact on all of our citizens. We are thankful for budgets that support our schools, public safety, infrastructure, and families in general. Bless our military and our veterans. And God, in times such as these, where there is any hatred, replace it with love. If there's any business, replace it with kindness. And there is division, replace it with unity. Bless this council and protect all those who continue to serve your people with dignity, respect, understanding, honesty, and love. These three, but the greatest of these is love. These and other blessings we ask in your precious and holy name. Councilmember Bond? Here. Councilmember Jeffrey. Councilmember King, here. Councilmember Newman. Here. Councilmember Smith. Councilmember Ward. Present. Councilmember Whitaker? Present. Vice Mayor Ritter. Here. Mayor West. Here. First is the approval of the proposed agenda. And before we go to that, I would like to uh acknowledge that the applicants for item E and uh City Manager One, Miles Millstone, uh, energy has asked for a withdrawal on these issues or on this matter.

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