Hampton City Council Legislative Session – September 23, 2026

The Hampton City Council held a legislative session on September 23, 2026, at 6:30 PM in Council Chambers. The meeting addressed a consent agenda, public hearings, proclamations, and policy discussions. Key actions included affirming the revocation of a short-term rental permit due to multiple violations, approving a zoning ordinance amendment that changes appeal procedures for revoked permits, and authorizing a five-year lease with BayPort Credit Union. Public comments covered cottage bakeries, homelessness, a children's hospital, and housing repair waitlists.

Consent Calendar

• Resolution to amend the Fiscal Year 2027 budget by appropriating $175,000 from the Economic Development Fund Balance to Capital Contingency in the Capital Projects Fund.
• Resolution approving the issuance by the Hampton Redevelopment and Housing Authority of up to $12,000,000 Multifamily Housing Revenue Bonds (The Retreat at Trilogy) Series 2026.
• Resolution approving an encroachment agreement for a fence installation.
• Resolution initiating amendments to the Hampton City Zoning Ordinance to address the adult-use retail cannabis marketplace.
• Approval of minutes from the August 12, 2026 legislative session. All consent items were approved unanimously by roll call vote.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Terry Vandervenet (resident of 1 Millicent Court) urged council to uphold the revocation of the short-term rental permit for 4 Millicent Court, describing numerous parties, trash, and safety concerns. She requested a permanent revocation.
• Caroline Peabody (former active-duty spouse) spoke on the STR appeal, acknowledging the severity of the incident but noting it was a single documented case. She later spoke in support of a pilot program for regulated cottage food bake stands.
• Stephanie Roland (owner of Sinful Treats Bakery) expressed concerns about allowing cottage bakeries to operate in neighborhoods, citing competition, food safety, and enforcement challenges. She urged the city to protect brick-and-mortar businesses.
• Bianca Kern (owner of Kern and Crumb Bakehouse) advocated for a regulated pathway for temporary cottage food bake stands in residential neighborhoods. She noted a petition with over 400 signatures supporting the idea and proposed clear boundaries on hours, signage, and structures.
• Heather Russell (owner of Mama Doug’s Kitchen) presented specific regulatory ideas, including maximum stand size, operational limits, and a registration process to address traffic, appearance, and accountability concerns.
• Alan Tanner (Newport News property owner) spoke about opportunity zones and urged the city to consider developing a campus for sailors in downtown Newport News instead of building two 17-story towers on a football field.
• Sybil Belgrave (resident) asked why there is no children's hospital on the peninsula and requested council's support for one.
• Aaron Weaver (resident) requested updated numbers on the home repair waiting list (last reported 2,212 in September 2025), asked how many residents received completed repairs, and raised questions about enforcement of the homeless camping and storage ordinance, including authorization and documentation of property removals.
• Joan Weaver (resident) criticized council for not responding to citizen emails and asked for a documented process for addressing concerns.
• Teresa Roundy (resident and business owner) provided documents about the Barnes Cemetery disinterment, marking the 21st anniversary, and called for action.

City Manager Mary Bunting responded to several comments: noted staff is exploring cottage bakery regulations carefully to balance interests; confirmed the city applied for opportunity zone renewals; explained the typical service area for a children's hospital; clarified that enforcement of the homeless ordinance began on July 24, 2026, with a six-month council review expected in February 2027; and outlined protocols for property removal and storage. She apologized for any missed emails and encouraged follow-up.

Discussion Items

• Appeal of Revocation of Short-Term Rental Permit (Item 6): Zoning Administrator Melvin Fulgium presented that the permit for 4 Millicent Court was issued August 5, 2025, with conditions including maximum overnight occupancy of 10 persons (10 PM-7 AM), daytime occupancy of 20 persons (7 AM-10 PM), a prohibition on events, and a requirement for a responsible local person reachable within one hour. On July 5, 2026, police responded to a report of gunshots and observed 30-40 juveniles present, exceeding both occupancy limits. A party was occurring, and two juveniles suffered non-life-threatening injuries. The permit holder, Vincent Agyapong (a deployed active-duty service member), was listed as the sole responsible person but was unreachable. The Zoning Administrator revoked the permit on July 14, 2026. Despite revocation, a rental occurred on September 4, 2026, leading to further notification to cease operations. The appellant (via pre-recorded video) argued the incident was an isolated event caused by guests who deliberately violated safeguards, and he described improvements including adding a secondary alert recipient, a noise monitoring system, and a stricter policy. Neighbor Terry Vandervenet and the appellant's wife, Georgia Azia Pong, also spoke. Council discussed the four separate violations on July 5 (daytime occupancy, nighttime occupancy, prohibited event, and failure to have an available responsible local person). The revocation was affirmed by a 7-0 vote.
• Zoning Ordinance Amendment 26-0247 (Item 7): This ordinance amends the process for revocations of Zoning Administrator Permits (ZAPs), moving appeals of short-term rental ZAP revocations from City Council to the Board of Zoning Appeals, consistent with other ZAP appeals. It also establishes a one-year waiting period before a permit holder (defined as the natural person or business entity named on the permit, including members, managers, officers, or general partners) can reapply for substantially the same use on substantially the same land, replacing the current six-month waiting period. Council member Vice Mayor Brown inquired about requiring a secondary contact person; the zoning administrator noted the application already allows listing multiple responsible persons but that language could be reviewed to make it mandatory. The ordinance was approved 7-0.
• Lease Agreement with BayPort Credit Union (Item 8): The city authorized a five-year lease (September 1, 2026 to August 31, 2031) with BayPort Credit Union for approximately 1,200 square feet on the third floor of City Hall at 22 Lincoln Street. The first-year rent is $2,843, increasing 3% annually. The credit union has operated continuously since 2015. The resolution passed 7-0.
• Proclamations: Council recognized September 15 through October 15 as National Hispanic Heritage Month and honored retiring Police Chief Jimmy S. Wideman Jr., noting a 81% decrease in homicide rate, 66% decrease in non-fatal gun violence, and 70% decrease in total gun violence under his leadership. National Forensic Science Week (September 20-26) was also acknowledged.
• City Manager Report: Mary Bunting reported on the joint homelessness initiative with Newport News, showing a video from a visit to Salt Lake City's The Other Side Village, a transitional supportive housing community focused on behavioral change and wraparound services. The city manager noted the enforcement start date for the camping and storage ordinance was July 24, 2026, and a six-month review will be presented to council in February 2027. She also mentioned that a two-year review of short-term rental implementation was presented earlier in the day; council expressed no objection to beginning community outreach on possibly adjusting STR density in tourism zones vs. residential areas.

Key Outcomes

• Revocation Upheld: The City Council voted 7-0 to affirm the revocation of ZAP 2024-273 for the short-term rental at 4 Millicent Court, based on documented violations of permit conditions.
• Zoning Ordinance Adopted: Ordinance 26-0247 was adopted 7-0, changing appeal routes for STR permit revocations to the Board of Zoning Appeals and establishing a one-year waiting period for reapplication after revocation.
• Lease Authorized: The lease with BayPort Credit Union was approved 7-0, for five years with annual rent starting at $2,843 and 3% annual escalations.
• Appointment: Pride Harper was appointed on an interim basis as an alternate to the Community Policy and Management Team (CPMT), representing the health district, along with Leonard Sledge as the city manager's representative. Approved 7-0.
• Next Steps: The city manager will begin community engagement on potential changes to STR density caps in tourism zones. Staff will continue developing options for regulated cottage food bake stands, with input from brick-and-mortar businesses, cottage bakers, and residents. A follow-up on the homeless ordinance implementation and data is expected in February 2027.