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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Hampton City Council Work Session – October 8, 2025

City Council — Wednesday, October 8, 2025

BodyHampton, Virginia

SessionCity Council

DateWednesday, October 8, 2025

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 1:45:39

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

0:42

Good afternoon and welcome to the Hampton City Council work session.

0:46

Madam Clerk, will you call the role, please?

0:48

Councilman Bowman.

0:49

Present.

0:50

Vice Mayor Brown.

0:51

Councilwoman Campbell.

0:52

Present.

0:52

Councilwoman Theraby.

0:54

Present.

0:54

Councilwoman Harper.

0:55

Present.

0:55

Councilwoman Muggler.

0:57

President and Mayor Gray.

0:58

President and Vice Mayor Brown had a speaking engagement during the lunch hour.

1:04

He will join us a little late for this meeting.

1:05

So with that, I'll ask the city manager to introduce the first item.

1:11

Yes, thank you, Mr.

1:12

Mayor.

1:12

We are very pleased to have with us today Dr.

1:15

Karen Ward, who is the chair of the Hampton Arts Commission, along with many members of her commission and specifically the subcommittee that worked on the public art program guidelines that you asked them to develop.

1:29

And I'm gonna have Miss Dr.

1:32

Karen Ward come up to lead the presentation.

1:34

And I know we all look forward to it.

1:37

I will say, as she's coming up, uh Councilwoman Muggler and I were part of the Hampton Roads delegation that recently went to Austin to learn from their Chamber of Commerce and their local government leaders about what makes Austin special.

1:49

And one of the things I believe we both took away, I certainly took away, was how much public art made an impact on the aesthetics of the community and just the vibrancy and the sense of community that you got in Austin.

2:01

And so we're really excited to hear from Dr.

2:04

Ward and the rest of the commission members.

2:07

Okay, thank you, and uh good afternoon, Dr.

2:09

Ward.

2:10

Good afternoon.

2:12

Members of City Council.

2:15

As chair of the Hampton Arts Commission, I'm extremely pleased to present an update on the public art program initiative.

2:22

Today, joining me are some of my fellow commissioners, and I wish they would want them to stand if they would, as well as members of the subcommittee for the public art initiative.

2:35

Assisting me, and today is Attorney Tiki Wallace, and you see her standing here beside me.

2:42

So she may be commenting as we go along.

2:44

First slide, please.

2:49

Well, as you're aware, the objective of the public art program is to cultivate a fun, vibrant, and creative community by supporting and expanding the creation of public art throughout the city.

3:07

Funding for the inaugural installment is 250,000.

3:12

In June of 2025, the commission subcommittee assumed the charge of first recommending a theme and then location for the first public art initiative.

3:24

Locations to be considered were Buckrow Beach, Phoebus Library, Downtown Hampton and Hampton University, the Virginia Peninsula Community College Corporate Area.

3:37

In addition, in July 2025, City Council forward their charge, which included select statement pieces, a dynamic piece of work for our inaugural piece.

3:53

And lastly, begin before winter if possible.

3:59

As the subcommittee began theme considerations.

4:09

Reflect, embrace, highlight, and showcase.

4:14

Reflect who we are as a city.

4:17

Embrace the beauty of our city, our waterfront, our history, our diversity of people, significance to uh of our landmarks, highlight our deep ties to the water, and showcase city, a city surrounded by water, fishing and boating traditions, our legacy of exploration and innovation.

4:40

Well, after much consideration, deliberation, and as Sisy Council, you will understand this one.

4:48

Much, much debate.

5:00

The committee agreed on what we should believe to be an all-encompassing theme that would first a theme that ensures cohesion and connectivity between the art that is commissioned, a theme that offers a broad yet unifying vision that artists can interpret, a theme that encourages storytelling throughout the art, and the proposed theme for you is from the sea to the stars, past, present, and possible.

5:20

You can apply there.

5:31

Locations that were considered included Buckwheel Beach, Phoebus, downtown Hampton, Downtown Hampton at Hampton University, and additional key gateways to that we included were the Neil Armstrong, Mercury Boulevard City Line at New Market, Mercury Boulevard's at Coliseum Drive, and I 64 Rip Rap Road.

5:59

The committee took a strategic and systemic approach to selecting their location.

6:05

Our approach included reviewing maps of city owned properties, receiving updates on upcoming initiatives from the staff, identifying opportunities to complement and support other improvements, focusing on sites that both foster community and connection, and foster an appealing aesthetic.

6:27

Lastly, evaluating sites in which public art would be or have the greatest impact.

6:40

Two locations were selected.

6:42

The first site was downtown Hampton, Settlers Landing Road Parking Garage.

6:48

Please note that this location offers opportunities for exterior murals and an extension into the stairwells.

7:03

Now this location offers opportunities for sculptures or installations that animate the space and invite visitors to what?

7:12

Interact.

7:14

Some other considerations were asphalt art at several locations.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Legislative Advocacy█████████████████17%

Arts And Culture████████████12%

Environmental Protection████████████12%

Procedural█████████9%

Affordable Housing████████8%

Tax Policy████████8%

Historic Preservation██████6%

Animal Welfare█████5%

Engineering And Infrastructure█████5%

Summary of Proceedings

Hampton City Council Work Session

October 8, 2025 | 6:00 PM

The Hampton City Council held a work session on October 8, 2025, to receive updates on the public art program, the infill housing plan book, the 2026 General Assembly legislative priorities, and the Living with Water strategic priority. No public comments were heard. The council also voted unanimously to enter closed session to discuss appointments, real property negotiations, and legal matters.

Discussion Items

Public Art Program Update

Dr. Karen Ward, Chair of the Hampton Arts Commission, presented the proposed theme "From the Sea to the Stars: Past, Present, and Possible" for the city’s first public art initiative.
The commission recommended the Settlers Landing Road Parking Garage in Downtown Hampton as the inaugural location, with funding of $250,000.
The subcommittee reviewed locations including Buckroe Beach, Phoebus Library, Downtown Hampton/Hampton University, and key gateways.
Councilwoman Campbell requested that long‑term maintenance costs be included in future budgets. Councilwoman Harper asked about temporary vs. permanent art and public submission opportunities; Dr. Ward confirmed the inaugural pieces will be permanent and that the public will be invited to submit proposals.
City Manager suggested the commission could partner with a nonprofit (Arts Foundation) to streamline the RFP process, which council supported.

Infill Housing Plan Book

Representatives from WPA (Work Program Architects) presented draft recommendations for a pre‑approved infill housing plan book for substandard lots in Buckroe, Phoebus, Downtown Hampton, and Olde Wythe.
Community engagement results (over 200 online responses) showed preference for Colonial Revival and Craftsman styles, a strong emphasis on front porches, and a desire for modern elements blended with traditional character.
Two example infill homes were shown for Locust Avenue in Wythe, demonstrating how different styles can fit existing neighborhoods.
The project timeline includes design development through early 2026, with a plan book rollout targeted for summer 2026.
Council had no questions; a consent agenda action to officially initiate next steps was noted for the evening meeting.

2026 General Assembly Legislative Priorities

Ed Reed, legislative liaison, presented draft policy positions, budget requests, and legislative requests for the upcoming 60‑day session beginning January 14, 2026.
Key new additions include: support for trap‑neuter‑release (TNR) for cats (later deferred), a request for authority to tax vaping products, expanded speed camera protections, and support for a regional aviation authority.
Budget requests include $770,000 recurring to restore the Hampton Health District, $2.5 million for the Safer Communities program, and $4.4 million for Fort Wool repairs.
Council discussed supporting a proposed sales tax increase (from 0.7% to 1%) for secondary road projects through HRTPO, though no formal vote was taken until the November 12 meeting.
Mayor Gray requested adding language to oppose restrictions on license plate readers and to address the telecommunications tax.
Councilwoman Muggler expressed concern that the TNR policy had not been vetted by the Animal Control Advisory Committee; the council agreed by consensus to remove TNR from this year’s legislative package and to revisit after proper community input.

Living with Water Strategic Priority Update

Scott Smith, Coastal Resilience Engineer, reported on the 2024‑2025 milestones: completion of Lake Hampton Resilience Park, Aberdeen Gardens Community Resilience Implementation Strategy, and Bluebird Gap Living Shoreline.
The team has leveraged over $56 million in grant funding in five years, with $12 million awarded in 2025 alone.
Projects in design or construction include Big Bethel Blueway, Mill Point Living Shoreline, Honor Park Resilience Park, and Butler Farm Wet Pond retrofit.
The city has initiated the third water plan for Fox Hill/Grandview/Harris Creek and is working on an Energy Assurance Plan and Climate Action Plan.
Vice Mayor Brown asked about Honor Park; Smith explained the design will include a storage meadow and boardwalk while preserving memorial solemnity.

Key Outcomes

TNR Deferred: Council agreed to remove the trap‑neuter‑release policy from the 2026 legislative package pending further community and committee review.
License Plate Readers: Council directed staff to add language to the legislative package opposing any restrictions on the use of license plate readers.
Transportation Funding: Council indicated support for including language endorsing a regional sales tax increase for secondary road projects, with final language to be refined by November 12.
Closed Session: Council voted unanimously (7‑0) to convene a closed session under Virginia Code sections 2.2‑3711(A)(1), (3), (7), and (8) to discuss appointments, real property disposition, and legal matters.
Next Steps: The infill housing plan book and public art program will proceed with further community engagement; the legislative package will be finalized for adoption at the November 12 meeting.

Meeting Transcript

Good afternoon and welcome to the Hampton City Council work session. Madam Clerk, will you call the role, please? Councilman Bowman. Present. Vice Mayor Brown. Councilwoman Campbell. Present. Councilwoman Theraby. Present. Councilwoman Harper. Present. Councilwoman Muggler. President and Mayor Gray. President and Vice Mayor Brown had a speaking engagement during the lunch hour. He will join us a little late for this meeting. So with that, I'll ask the city manager to introduce the first item. Yes, thank you, Mr. Mayor. We are very pleased to have with us today Dr. Karen Ward, who is the chair of the Hampton Arts Commission, along with many members of her commission and specifically the subcommittee that worked on the public art program guidelines that you asked them to develop. And I'm gonna have Miss Dr. Karen Ward come up to lead the presentation. And I know we all look forward to it. I will say, as she's coming up, uh Councilwoman Muggler and I were part of the Hampton Roads delegation that recently went to Austin to learn from their Chamber of Commerce and their local government leaders about what makes Austin special. And one of the things I believe we both took away, I certainly took away, was how much public art made an impact on the aesthetics of the community and just the vibrancy and the sense of community that you got in Austin. And so we're really excited to hear from Dr. Ward and the rest of the commission members. Okay, thank you, and uh good afternoon, Dr. Ward. Good afternoon. Members of City Council. As chair of the Hampton Arts Commission, I'm extremely pleased to present an update on the public art program initiative. Today, joining me are some of my fellow commissioners, and I wish they would want them to stand if they would, as well as members of the subcommittee for the public art initiative. Assisting me, and today is Attorney Tiki Wallace, and you see her standing here beside me. So she may be commenting as we go along. First slide, please. Well, as you're aware, the objective of the public art program is to cultivate a fun, vibrant, and creative community by supporting and expanding the creation of public art throughout the city. Funding for the inaugural installment is 250,000. In June of 2025, the commission subcommittee assumed the charge of first recommending a theme and then location for the first public art initiative. Locations to be considered were Buckrow Beach, Phoebus Library, Downtown Hampton and Hampton University, the Virginia Peninsula Community College Corporate Area. In addition, in July 2025, City Council forward their charge, which included select statement pieces, a dynamic piece of work for our inaugural piece. And lastly, begin before winter if possible. As the subcommittee began theme considerations. Reflect, embrace, highlight, and showcase. Reflect who we are as a city. Embrace the beauty of our city, our waterfront, our history, our diversity of people, significance to uh of our landmarks, highlight our deep ties to the water, and showcase city, a city surrounded by water, fishing and boating traditions, our legacy of exploration and innovation. Well, after much consideration, deliberation, and as Sisy Council, you will understand this one. Much, much debate. The committee agreed on what we should believe to be an all-encompassing theme that would first a theme that ensures cohesion and connectivity between the art that is commissioned, a theme that offers a broad yet unifying vision that artists can interpret, a theme that encourages storytelling throughout the art, and the proposed theme for you is from the sea to the stars, past, present, and possible. You can apply there.

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