Chesapeake Planning Commission Pre-Meeting and Public Hearing: April 8, 2026

On April 8, 2026, the Chesapeake Planning Commission held a pre-meeting at 11:00 AM and a subsequent public hearing at 7:00 PM. The meeting included agenda organization, a continuance request for a data center text amendment, consent agenda approval, a presentation on comprehensive plan updates and 2232 review processes, and adoption of bylaw changes.

Consent Calendar

• Item 1: Bainbridge Boulevard Infill LOTS – Placed on consent after staff confirmed the application includes turnaround space to avoid backing onto Bainbridge Boulevard. No updates from staff. (Speaker John Harbin indicated he was available for questions only.)
• Item 2: Beneath Crawl Space Service – Placed on consent with no updates or public comment. (Speaker Mark Brown indicated he was available for questions only.)
• Both items were approved unanimously as part of the consent agenda motion (7-0).

Public Comments & Testimony

• No public testimony was given during the public hearing. Two individuals (John Harbin and Mark Brown) indicated they were available for questions only on consent items but did not speak.

Discussion Items

• Agenda Overview and Placement (Pre-meeting): The commission reviewed three applications. One application (PLN-TXT-2026-001 regarding data centers) was placed on the continuance/withdrawal portion per staff request. The remaining two items were placed on the consent agenda.
• Comprehensive Plan and 2232 Review Presentation (Pre-meeting): Planner Enzo Lundy presented updates on the Chesapeake 2045 Comprehensive Plan, including new web pages, a dashboard for implementation tracking, the Deep Creek Area Plan (presented to City Council on March 17, 2026; traffic analysis to be provided, adoption anticipated May 19, 2026), and the Western Branch Area Plan (consultant contract execution within a week, kickoff within a month, completion in 16–18 months). He explained 2232 reviews per Virginia Code Section 15.2-2232, where the planning commission determines if unmapped public improvements conform to the comprehensive plan, and the annual Capital Improvement Program (CIP) review process.
• Bylaw Discussion and Vote (Pre-meeting): Two proposed bylaw changes were discussed: (1) In the event of a tie vote, a commissioner must make a motion on whether to send the item to City Council or retain it at the commission. (2) Speaker time limits were standardized to three minutes across all agenda items (previously varied by item type). A motion to approve the previously circulated bylaw changes was made by Vice Chair Squelia, seconded by Secretary Malone. The motion passed 7-0, and the changes took effect immediately.
• Data Centers Text Amendment Continuance: Application PLN-TXT-2026-001 – a text amendment to regulate where data centers can be located within the city. Staff requested a continuance indefinitely to refine control over data center placement. The motion to continue passed 7-0.

Key Outcomes

• Continuance: PLN-TXT-2026-001 (Data Centers) continued indefinitely (7-0).
• Consent Agenda Approved: Items 1 and 2 approved unanimously (7-0).
• Bylaw Changes Approved: Tie vote procedure and uniform three-minute speaker time limit adopted (7-0).
• Minutes Approved: Minutes of the March 11, 2026 public hearing approved by unanimous consent.
• Meeting Cancellation: The April 22, 2026 meeting was canceled due to no business (unanimous consent).
• Adjournment: The pre-meeting adjourned at 6:13 PM; the public hearing adjourned at 7:08 PM.