Hampton City Council Work Session – May 22, 2024

The Hampton City Council held a work session on May 22, 2024, at 6:00 p.m. Vice Mayor Gray presided in the absence of Mayor Tuck, who was out of town on city business. The session included three presentations: an update from Virginia Peninsula Community College, a branding study for the Hampton Coliseum and Convention Center campus, and a natural infrastructure resilience plan. Council heard reports, asked questions, and provided direction but took no formal votes except to enter closed session.

Discussion Items

Community College Update (Virginia Peninsula Community College)

• Dr. Porter Brannan, college president, and Steve Carpenter, vice president for finance and administration, presented enrollment and workforce data.
• Credit enrollment stands at 8,676 students; workforce programs have 1,530 students.
• Hampton leads dual enrollment with 36% of the college's dual-enrollment students; dual enrollment increased 27% from the 2019–20 to 2022–23 school year.
• Workforce student enrollment increased 24%, and the number of workforce courses taken increased 32%. The college ranks approximately fourth in workforce enrollment among Virginia's 23 community colleges.
• Spring-to-spring enrollment increased 7%, the first positive gain in over a decade.
• Fall-to-spring retention improved by 2%; the three-year graduation rate improved by 3%; and workforce credentials earned increased by 18%.
• 78% of VPCC graduates remain in Virginia, compared with 57% for four-year institutions; 75% of transfer graduates are employed within 18 months, 83% of career/technical education graduates are employed within 18 months, and nearly 85% of workforce credential completers gain employment within six months.
• The college's economic impact includes $29 million from its presence in the region and $211 million in alumni impact over their careers. Students see a $7.50 return on every dollar invested; taxpayers see a $3.40 return.
• Construction plans include demolishing the original campus buildings, building a new three-story student success and administration building, reopening a collapsed theater, and expanding to Newport News with a skilled trades center and healthcare training center.
• The dental hygiene program is paused for redesign, not eliminated; the college hopes to reopen it within two years in partnership with an independent dentist serving Medicaid patients.
• Councilman Brown asked about popular programs; Dr. Brannan cited CDL and phlebotomy/EKG as the most popular statewide. Councilman Brown also asked about tuition; Dr. Brannan said the state board approved a 3% tuition increase for all community colleges. Councilman Hobbs asked about union labor on construction; Dr. Brannan noted it is a state project and the college does not control contractor labor choices. Councilwoman Muggler asked about peer comparisons and offshore wind training; Dr. Brannan said the college is working with Dominion Energy to align training with demand.

Hampton Coliseum & Convention Center Campus Branding

• Mary Fugier, director of the Convention & Visitor Bureau, introduced Fuse Ideas consultants Justin Voges, Samantha Vogel, Kevin Redman, and Sam Ellison.
• The project, funded by an ARPA grant, aims to address the lack of business-class hotels, dining, and amenities near the venues and to market the campus to corporate audiences and developers.
• Consultant Kevin Redman presented findings from qualitative interviews: stakeholders consistently said the venues are excellent but lack hotel capacity and nearby restaurants. One statistic noted 40% leakage of event visitors to Newport News hotels.
• Venue capacities: Convention Center 14,000, Coliseum 10,000, Aquaplex 2,500; current nearby hotels total about 568 rooms.
• The team proposed creating a master brand to unify the Coliseum, Convention Center, and Aquaplex while preserving individual identities, similar to the Greensboro Coliseum Complex.
• Ten naming options were presented: Hampton Crossing, Hampton Landing, Hampton Central, Coliseum Park, Constellation Point, Freedom Park, Liberty Place, Epicenter, Nexus, and The Pulse.
• Consultants favored Constellation Point, citing Hampton's aerospace heritage and the idea of the three venues as stars in Orion's Belt. Councilman Brown noted Coliseum Park is also a nursing home; Councilman Bowman noted The Pulse is a local bar. Councilman Hobbs said the presentation felt too negative and omitted positive feedback; consultants clarified that stakeholders love the venues and want more hotels to host national events.
• Council did not select a name; staff will conduct name checks and follow up with council members for further input.

Natural Infrastructure Resilience Plan

• Olivia Askew, city resiliency specialist, presented the draft plan with consultants from the Green Infrastructure Center (Karen Firehawk and Lauren Doran).
• The plan, funded by a FEMA flood mitigation assistance grant, also includes an energy assurance plan and adoption of the CPACE program.
• Current tree canopy covers 32% of the city (excluding Langley Air Force Base); potential canopy could reach 44%, with nearly 2,000 acres suitable for planting.
• The tree canopy captures nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment, contributing to Chesapeake Bay TMDL goals, and captures millions of gallons of stormwater per one-year storm.
• Urban heat data show an average of 9 days per year above 100°F, projected to rise to 40 days mid-term and 71 days long-term. Heat is concentrated in areas with more pavement and less canopy, and disadvantaged and historically redlined communities have lower canopy coverage.
• Draft strategies include creating an urban forestry program (estimated at $280,000 per year), increasing canopy by 1% to 33% (costing about $1 million over 10 years plus forester costs), updating codes and ordinances, promoting native plants and living shorelines, expanding green infrastructure, and improving equitable access to green spaces.
• Staff recommends increasing tree canopy by 1% (to 33%) as a realistic target.
• Council member comments: Councilman Bowman noted the Virginia Department of Forestry provides free or low-cost seedlings; Councilman Hobbs praised the report; Councilwoman Mugler questioned the modest 1% increase but acknowledged the need to build the program from scratch; Vice Mayor Gray highlighted the new state BMP credit for trees as a benefit to developers and the opportunity to plant fruit trees in food deserts.
• Council gave concurrence to move forward; the final plan is expected for formal adoption in August 2024.

Key Outcomes

• No formal votes were taken on the presentations; council provided direction and concurrence.
• Council agreed to continue pursuing the natural infrastructure resilience plan, with final adoption scheduled for August 2024.
• Council asked staff to complete name checks on the proposed campus names and to reconvene for further discussion.
• Council unanimously approved a motion to enter closed session pursuant to Virginia Code § 2.2-3711(A)(8) to consult with legal counsel regarding short-term rentals. The motion passed with all members present voting aye.

Closed Session

• The council moved into closed session at approximately 6:00 p.m. to discuss legal advice on short-term rentals. No action was taken in open session after reconvening (per the transcript).