Chesapeake Planning Commission Public Hearing, June 10, 2026
Chesapeake Planning Commission Public Hearing, June 10, 2026
The Chesapeake Planning Commission held a pre-meeting and public hearing on June 10, 2026, beginning at approximately 11:00 AM (pre-meeting) and resuming at 6:26 PM for the public hearing. The meeting addressed eight applications, including continuances, a consent agenda, and one contested regular agenda item. A special presentation on smart growth was also delivered. The commission voted to deny the Millstone Energy Center battery storage facility after extensive public comment and deliberation.
Consent Calendar
- PLN-REZ-2025-019 (Charlton Woods): Approved unanimously. Conditional zoning reclassification of 1.1 acres from R15S to R10 residential district, with proffers.
- PLN-USC-2025-045 (Empowerment Inc 757): Approved unanimously. Conditional use permit to operate a banquet hall in a shopping center, with stipulations. One speaker expressed support but raised concerns about occupancy limits requiring a new CUP for future changes.
- PLN-USC-2026-007 (1715 Park Avenue Storage Yard): Approved unanimously. Conditional use permit for outdoor storage for a general contractor, with fencing and landscaping screening.
- PLN-USC-CT-2025-002 (Cornland Park City Communication Tower): Approved unanimously. Conditional use permit for a 199-foot communications tower, with stipulations including FAA compliance. Adjacent property owners expressed support contingent on preserving vegetation buffer and mitigating noise, lighting, and future carrier equipment.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Continuance Requests: Multiple speakers addressed continuance items. For agenda item #1 (Mirrors Creek), a speaker was available for questions. For agenda item #3 (Chesapeake Waterfront Concrete), six letters of opposition were received from residents of Reunion at South Norfolk; several speakers spoke in opposition, and the applicant requested and was granted a continuance to July 8, 2026. Speakers on continuances were limited to the continuance request only.
- Regular Agenda – Millstone Energy Center:
- Supporters (18 speakers): Included residents, trade association representatives, union business manager, fire safety engineer (Brian Fink, from New York), East Point Energy staff, and project consultants. Key arguments: project enhances grid reliability, supports clean energy (offshore wind, solar), provides tax revenue (60-fold increase on the site), preserves 75% of tree canopy, uses safer LFP batteries, includes robust safety measures (NFPA 855 compliance, fire department training), and is not a data center. Several supporters noted the applicant agreed to restrict the site from ever becoming a data center and offered a conservation easement for the remaining 80 acres.
- Opponents (20+ speakers): Residents of Woodards Mill and Hickory areas (e.g., Thomas Moore, Brian Baker, Tina Rodrigue, Justin Smith, Eileen Horowitz, Eric Minden, John Boyd, Jonathan Boring, Nathan Diaz, Cecil Bomber, Dr. Stephen Restino). Key concerns: industrial use incompatible with rural/agricultural zoning and character of Hickory; proximity to three schools (Southeastern Elementary, Hickory Middle, Hickory High); risk of thermal runaway, toxic gas release (hydrogen fluoride, hydrogen cyanide), and groundwater/well contamination; inadequate firefighting resources (no hydrants, narrow roads, reliance on tanker shuttles); lack of on-site personnel; emergency response time of four hours; potential property value decline; security vulnerabilities (cyber and physical); and that the project benefits outside investors, not local residents. Several opponents cited the January 2025 Moss Landing facility fire and its aftermath.
Discussion Items
- Pre-Meeting – Smart Growth Presentation: Mr. McNamara presented on smart growth principles adopted in Chesapeake 2045, covering 10 elements: attractive communities, mixing land uses, compact conservation design, stakeholder collaboration, preservation of rural/wetland areas, redevelopment, walkability, diverse housing options, transportation choices, and predictable/fair decisions. He discussed the transfer of development rights (TDR) program, Greenbrier and Deep Creek area plans, and upcoming Western Branch plan. Commissioners asked about restrictive ordinances and the need for code changes and development agreements. A new state law (effective July 1, 2026) will allow such agreements.
- Millstone Energy Center Deliberation: Commissioners questioned the applicant extensively about remote monitoring, battery safety, fire response protocols, emergency plans, and site selection. Fire Marshal Chris Brown confirmed the proposal meets or exceeds NFPA 855 standards and that risks are lower than indoor facilities. Commissioner Fink (fire safety expert) noted fire incidents have dropped 90% since 2018 and that LFP batteries rarely spread beyond one module outdoors. Commissioner Howard expressed concerns about lack of plume modeling, conservation easement not initially included, and response times. Commissioner Williams questioned the statistical probability of thermal runaway. Vice Chair Squelia stated the applicant did not demonstrate why this industrial use belongs in a rural residential area near schools. Commissioner Gilman cited well water contamination, lack of fire suppression, distance to hydrants (2.5 miles), and four-hour SLA as reasons for denial.
Key Outcomes
- Continuances Granted:
- PLN-REZ-2025-021 (Mirrors Creek) – continued to July 8, 2026, by unanimous vote (8-0).
- PLN-USC-2025-049 (1500 Steel Street container stacking) – continued indefinitely by unanimous vote (8-0).
- PLN-USC-2025-009 (Chesapeake Waterfront Concrete) – continued to July 8, 2026, by vote of 8-0.
- Consent Agenda: Approved unanimously (8-0) as listed.
- Regular Agenda – Millstone Energy Center (PLN-USC-2026-002): Motion to deny by Commissioner Gilman, seconded by Vice Chair Squelia. Denied by vote of 7-1. Reasons cited: incompatible with surrounding agricultural uses and rural character; inadequate safety measures for nearby schools and residents; adverse impacts on wells and environment; and lack of demonstrated compatibility with the comprehensive plan's resilience policies.
- Meeting Cancellation: The June 24, 2026 regular meeting was canceled by unanimous consent due to lack of business.
- Adjournment: The public hearing was adjourned at 10:02 PM.
Meeting Transcript
The Planning Commission pre-meeting for June 10th, 2026 is now in session. Welcome to our pre-meeting. Thank you for taking part in the business of our city. The first order of business is the agenda overview discussion. We have a total of eight applications, of which two applications are for continuance or withdrawal. Mr. Boswick, would you please provide the commission with an overview of the applications? Yes. Good evening. We have two requests for continuance. PLN-REZ-2025-021. Mirrors Creek is requesting a continuance to the July eighth, twenty twenty-six meeting. Next we have PLN-UFC-2025-049. Thank you. Do any commissioners have any comments or questions regarding these items? Without any objection, the items will be placed on the continuance withdrawal portion of the agenda. Next, we will review the remaining items and determine placement on either the consent or regular agenda. Any updates regarding this application? Good evening, commissioners. Thank you. Do any commissioners have any conflicts with this application? Do any commissioners have any questions for staff? Is there any discussion? Here, none, is there any objection of placing this item on the consent agenda? All right. Next item is item number three, Chesapeake waterfront concrete. Mr. Hannigan, do you have any updates regarding this item? Good evening, commissioners. Um, I did want to let the planning commission know that we did receive six letters of opposition to this um request from the residents at um reunion at South Norfolk. And I also wanted to let the commission know that the applicant's agent will be here tonight to request a continuance to the July uh planning commission meeting. Thank you. Do any commissioners have any conflicts with this application? Do any commissioners have any questions for staff? Any discussion? Alright, because they are uh putting this on, or they're gonna ask for a continuance just to let you know that there wasn't enough notice to put this in in the pre-meeting, so this will go uh as we go through the meeting. Uh the applicant will come forward request um the continuance as long as city staff, and I've talked to Mr. McNamara. There's no issue. Regularly we do allow the applicant on the first time that continuance. Uh so once that is done, and Mr. McNamara, we'll make sure that there's no problems with staff, it will require a motion and a second, and then we'll vote on placing that for continuance and then we'll move forward. Um so right as of now we'll keep that on uh just for the regular. And just so you know, if the continuance does uh pass on this item, speakers uh will be allowed to speak on the continuance, not so much the merit of the of the application itself. All right, uh next item is item number four, empowerment inc 757. Ms. Neal, do you have any updates regarding this item? Good evening, commissioners. I have no updates on this item, and we've received no public comment since it was most recently scheduled for uh public hearing. Thank you.
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