The Chesapeake Planning Commission held a public hearing on August 12, 2026, at 7:00 PM in the City Council Chamber, adjourning at 8:07 PM. The meeting included a pre-meeting with presentations on Level of Service (LOS) standards and Comprehensive Plan implementation, followed by the public hearing. Five applications were considered: a consent agenda item (Townes at Rivercrest) and four regular agenda items (Dominion West Senior Housing, Dominion West Height Exception, King's Tobacco & Hookah Lounge special exception and conditional use permit). Staff recommended denial for four of the five applications. The commission voted to approve the consent agenda item, deny the Dominion West items, and deny the King's Tobacco items after denying a continuance request.
Good evening. The planning commission pre-mitting meeting for August twelfth, twenty twenty-six is now in session. Welcome to our pre-meeting, and 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 five applications, of which none are for continuance or withdrawal. Since there are no applications for continuance or withdrawal, we will move on to the next section of our pre-mitting agenda. Miss Peebles, do you have any updates regarding this application? We have received one planning commission comment card in support of the application. Sorry, every time. There have been seven uh public comment forms that y'all have received in opposition, and the general theme of those comments uh were regarding traffic schools and the compatibility with T COD. Um I would also like to clarify a few items for this application that has been circulating around to get a little bit better understanding about the proposal. So there were some comments that staff had regarding the public hearing signs that are missing from the property. Um staff has received confirmation that both of the required signs are currently posted. Uh the proposed use. So Plan Commission has received public comment forms that reference the proposed development as an office use. To clarify, office development is not proposed as part of this application. Also, uh the existing Wickford town homes. So staff is also aware of concerns from the residents within Wickford subdivision that the existing townhomes could be demolished as a result of this application. Those town homes are not part of the subject property or this rezoning request, and their demolition is not proposed as part of this application. And then lastly, the transportation corridor overlay district. There's also been some concerns regarding the property's location within TCOD. So TCOD is intended to guide orderly development along major transportation corridors while preserving economic development opportunities in ensuring compatibility with surrounding areas. Specifically allows a mixed use, a mix of uses, including residential and the TCO encourages transitional uses as development moves toward surrounding lower intensity areas. For this particular site, staff found that the proposed townhomes provide an appropriate transition between the higher density Great Bridge Boulevard Corridor and the established residential development surrounding property. So just a few things to clarify. But here for any questions. Thank you, Ms. Aud. Do any commissioners have any conflicts with this application? Do any commissioners have any questions for staff? Is there any discussion? Hearing none, is there any objection to placing this on the consent agenda? Okay. Item three. We'll go on consent. Thank you. Next items are four and five, King's Tobacco and Hookah Lounge. Ms. Peebles. Do you have any updates regarding this application? Good evening again, Commissioners. Yes, I do. We staff has received three planning commission comment cards and one email. Some of the concerns noted in those comment cards that are uh in opposition to the applications are concerns about late night traffic, lighting, um disturbances, um, and life safety concerns, crime, noise, um, and littering are some of the general concerns that um uh people with the um submitted comment cards expressed. Um we will have police staff representation here tonight. Um, so if you have any questions, you can feel free to direct them to them. And finally, staff would recommend reordering the agenda to have the special exception ahead of the use permit. As without the special exception, the use does not have sufficient parking. And I will stand by to answer any questions you may have. Thank you, Miss Peebles.