The Hampton City Council held a legislative session on January 14, 2026, at 6:30 PM in Council Chambers. The meeting included a consent agenda, proclamations, three public hearings, and a public comment period, concluding at 7:45 PM. All votes were unanimous except one abstention.
Mayor Gray read a proclamation recognizing January 19, 2026, as Martin Luther King Jr. Day in Hampton. He also announced the Hampton Heroes Awards program honoring 10 trailblazers in NACA/NASA and public service (e.g., James Williams, Clayton Turner, Judge Bonnie Jones). Proclamations were presented for National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day (January 9, 2026) to Police Chief Jimmie Wideman, and for Community Risk Reduction Week (January 19–25, 2026) to Fire Marshal Trevor Gruchow.
Item 25-0337 – Smoke or Vape Shop Zoning Amendment Zoning Administrator Melvion Fulgham presented the proposed ordinance to define and regulate smoke/vape shops, restricting them to the General Commercial (C-3) District, requiring a use permit, and imposing separation distances. The Planning Commission recommended increasing the buffer between shops from one-half mile to one mile. Public speaker Aaron Weaver expressed support for the intent but raised concerns about the buffer’s equitable application, the status of existing non-conforming shops, incomplete mapping of current vape shops, and whether the 1,000-foot school buffer is a legal maximum or a policy choice. Council adopted the ordinance as amended by the Planning Commission (one-mile buffer) on a 7-0 vote.
Item 26-0008 – Acquisition of Land at 2 Little Oak Lane City Manager Mary Bunting explained that the city needs to acquire a portion (approx. 985 sq. ft.) of property at 2 Little Oak Lane for the Little Back River Road Bike and Pedestrian Accommodation Project. The owner, Valerie J. Hall, died in June 2025, and heirs are unknown, so condemnation is necessary. No public speakers. Council approved the resolution authorizing acquisition by negotiation or condemnation on a 7-0 vote.
Item 26-0006 – Lease Agreement with Community Baseball, LLC (War Memorial Stadium) The city proposes a five-year lease (renewable) for 10.45 acres of War Memorial Stadium to the Peninsula Pilots at $1 per year, with the tenant responsible for taxes, insurance, and maintenance. Councilwoman Mugler recused herself from discussion and voting under the Virginia Conflict of Interest Act because her spouse is a paid consultant for Community Baseball, LLC. No public speakers. Council approved the lease 6-0, with one abstention (Mugler).
Good evening and welcome to the Hampton City Council legislative session. I'd like to ask the clerk to call the role, please. Councilman Bowman. Present. Vice Mayor Brown. Here. Councilwoman Campbell. Present. Councilwoman Fairby. Present. Councilwoman Harper. Present. Councilwoman Mugler. Present. And Mayor Gray. Present. Heavenly Father, I invite you to this moment. I ask for your guidance as well as lift our hearts to you in prayer, knowing we need you more than ever before. We pray our nation and its leaders during this difficult time for those who are seeking him, bring peace and justice to our dangerous and troubled world. We pray for our first responders, our armed forces, and we thank them for their commitment to defend our freedom. Bring our divided nation together and give us a greater vision of what you would have us to be. Your words remind us, bless is a nation whose God is Lord. And so, our father, we thank you for promise and hope of this new year, and we look forward to the expectation and faith. Let us look back over the future and the past year and thank you for your goodness to us far beyond what we deserve. But may they instead lead us in the presence of new commitment to our foundation center of our lives. As I take my seat, I encourage my constituents, family, friends, and community to study God's word. Live by it, stick together, and don't give up. It's with this prayer we pray in God's name we say amen. This evening I had one item on the mayor's comments. He has been named as the Virginia Secretary of Education. He brings more than 32 years of experience in public education to the role, along with a proven record of leadership in K-12 education, workforce development, and in community engagement. Dr. Smith served as superintendent of Hampton City Schools from 2015 to 2023, leading the division to its highest levels of academic achievement in decades. During his tenure, the on-time graduation rate increased from 88% for the class of 2015 to 97.6% for the class of 2022, while the dropout rate decreased from 5.1% to 0.6% in 2022. The division also expanded during its dual enrollment opportunities through a strengthened partnership with Virginia Peninsula Community College with students earning more than 25,000 college credits since 2015. Under Dr. Smith's leadership, Hampton City Schools transformed its four high schools through the through the academies of Hampton, expanding career pathways from 18 to 44 and moving from a school within a school academy model to one in which all high school students now participate in an academy that is aligned with the high-demand high-wage careers. This work earned Hampton this the distinction of being the first and only four next generation learning community in the common with the Virginia, along with state and national recognition as models for innovative future-focused learning. Since 2023, Dr. Smith has served as Chief Executive Officer of the Virginia Air and Space Science Center in Hampton, where he has continued to advance the educational access, STEM engagement, and community partnerships. Dr. Smith's contributions to public education have been widely recognized. He was named the 2020 Virginia Superintendent of the Year and was a finalist for the AASA, the second Superintendent's Association, the National Superintendent of the Year Award. His additional honors include the Mary Peak Award for Excellence in Education Equity and the Peninsula Humanitarian Award. Hampton City School Superintendent Dr. Raymond Haynes praises appointment, stating that Dr. Smith has been and continues to be a trusted mentor to me and to his leadership dedication to students and commitment to equity and excellence and have a lasting impact on Hampton City schools. His depth of experience and student centered approach will serve the Commonwealth well as Virginia's Secretary of Education. As Secretary of Education, Dr. Smith will continue his lifelong commitment to ensuring academic excellence and opportunity for every child every day across the Commonwealth of Virginia.