The Harrisonburg City Council met on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. in Council Chambers, with Mayor Deanna R. Reed presiding and all five council members present. The meeting included a Police Week proclamation, a consent agenda, four public hearings, regular reports, two supplemental appropriations, public comments, and a closed session. The meeting adjourned at 11:28 p.m.
Adam Fletcher, Director of Community Development, presented a request from Miranda Ebersold to amend the Zoning Ordinance to reduce the minimum setback of accessory buildings on through lots in the UR, Urban Residential District. The applicant requested a five-foot setback from the public street right-of-way; staff and the Planning Commission (5-0) recommended a ten-foot setback instead, citing utility locations, future street widening, sight lines, and consistency with other districts. The amendment would affect about 49 parcels; 26 already have accessory buildings within ten feet and 22 within five feet of the rear property line.
Quinton Callahan, representing the applicant, supported the five-foot setback, arguing that more existing structures would come into conformity, that ten feet can encourage parking of vehicles, trailers, and campers between the accessory building and the street, and that five feet better serves sight lines and usable yard space. Council Member Dent supported the ten-foot staff recommendation as a safety measure; Council Members Robinson and Alsaadun expressed support for five feet, with Alsaadun saying the applicant’s immediate need and existing neighborhood conditions justified it.
A motion to approve the staff-recommended ten-foot setback failed 2-3 (Fleming and Dent yes; Reed, Alsaadun, and Robinson no). A subsequent motion to approve the applicant’s five-foot setback carried 5-0.
Mr. Fletcher presented a request from KP’S CARS LLC for a special use permit in the B-2 General Business District to allow multiple-family dwellings and/or mixed-use buildings at 1812 Erickson Avenue. The proposed development plan includes two 20-unit buildings for a total of 40 units, 20 parking spaces, one-bedroom units, a pedestrian connection to Erickson Avenue, and a requested 12-month extension for a total of 48 months to begin construction. Staff and the Planning Commission recommended approval with an additional condition requiring a sidewalk or shared-use path from Erickson Avenue toward the Walmart property; the applicant requested that condition be removed.
Frank Gordon, applicant, said the project is planned as permanent supportive housing for chronically homeless individuals, described the need for low-barrier housing with wraparound services, noted the Community Services Board waiting list, and explained that the project’s financing margins are extremely tight. He said he was negotiating with Walmart about completing the path and asked Council to omit the sidewalk condition. Amber Robinson, permanent supportive housing supervisor for the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Community Services Board, expressed full support for the project, cited the urgent need, and noted that of 40 individuals currently served, only three own vehicles. She said the 20-space parking plan reflects actual tenant needs.
Council members praised the project as meeting a need for the city’s most vulnerable residents. The motion to approve the special use permit omitted staff condition 6 and included the additional 12 months for a total of 48 months to begin construction; it carried 5-0.
Mr. Fletcher presented a request from Jason Burch to rezone two parcels at 380 Sunrise Avenue, approximately 13,300 square feet, from R-1 to R-8C conditional. The rezoning would bring the property closer to conformance with setback requirements for a planned home addition; a proffer prohibits more than one dwelling on the property. Staff and the Planning Commission (5-0) recommended approval. No one spoke at the public hearing. The rezoning request was approved 5-0.
City Manager Ande Banks said the FY 2025-2026 budget was presented on April 8, 2025, and noted one requested amendment: because of increased Rockingham County landfill fees, the proposed sanitation fee reduction would be decreased from $3.00 to $2.00, with the extra $1.00 covering the fee increase. The additional cost to the city was estimated at about $170,000.
Public speakers:
Council discussed uncertainties in federal funding, including school nutrition funding and public transportation funding; the need for conversations with JMU if transportation funds are cut; the city’s healthy contingency fund; the decision not to raise real estate taxes in FY 2025-2026; previous use of $2 million in ARPA funds toward housing; the structure needed for a Housing Trust Fund; and decreases in court-appointed attorney costs (44%) and Middle River Jail costs (about 30-31%, or $1.85 million) after the city’s final buy-in payment. No vote was taken on the budget at this hearing.
Adam Fletcher presented the Planning Commission’s annual activity report for 2024 and a 2015-2024 comparison. Council accepted the report by unanimous voice vote.
Zach Jackson, researcher with the Weldon Cooper Center’s Demographics Research Group, presented population, housing, and K-12 enrollment projections, joined virtually by Quin Cai and Sol Baik. Key data included: annual city population growth has slowed to about 0.5%, with population approaching 60,000 by 2030; K-12 enrollment grew 41% from 2010 to 2024, compared with 3% statewide; 60% fewer residential units were built in the 2010s than in the previous decade; older housing, built before 2010, accommodated a larger share of enrollment growth; a housing scenario of 1,332 units was modeled; and student generation rates ranged from 42 K-12 students per 100 single-family homes to 83 per 100 mobile homes, with 75 per 100 townhouses built in the 1980s. The standard projection showed enrollment growing by 4% (262 students) over 10 years, peaking at 6,839 students in 2028, while housing development alone was not expected to maintain enrollment without continued migration and births. Council discussed the reliability of student records versus census data, the role of international migration, and implications for school planning. The presentation was received and filed.
James Sheets, 265 North Main Street, spoke about difficulties using Harrisonburg Public Transit in his wheelchair, including drivers not properly securing his wheelchair, stops located in grass and inaccessible curbs, a driver closing the door on his arm, unanswered complaints to city staff, a trespass notice after he was told not to ride, and needing a FOIA request to obtain a driver’s name. He asked for help and provided contact information.
Quinton Callahan spoke as a partner in the Northside Village Project at Mount Clinton Pike and North 11, saying 58 townhomes are planned, six units under construction are already under contract, all are intended to be owner-occupied, and local contractors are being used. He thanked staff for the process.
Vice Mayor Fleming reported on the Southern Cities Economic Initiative planning grant, the Safe Routes to School event, a Virginia Municipal League legislative update, the Virginia First Cities meeting, his election as Vice Chair, and warnings about federal workforce cuts in Virginia. Council Member Robinson thanked public works staff member Andrea Troyer, highlighted the Shenandoah Valley Small Business Development Center, and announced the Resilient Amid Resistance marker dedication on May 17, 2025. Council Member Dent reported on an energy summit, a meeting with Congressman Ben Cline, and a National League of Cities letter concerning the Inflation Reduction Act. Council Member Alsaadun reported on a meeting with Valley Early Education Reimagined (VEER) about child care needs. Mayor Reed noted Eastern Mennonite University’s commencement.
At 10:48 p.m., Council moved to enter closed session under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act for discussion of the disposition of publicly held real property and consultation with legal counsel. The agenda and live transcript listed both Subsection 3 and Subsection 7; the adopted minutes record the motion as citing Subsection 3 only. Council reconvened at 11:27 p.m., unanimously certified that only lawful public business matters were discussed, and adjourned at 11:28 p.m.
I'll call our Tuesday, May 13th City Council meeting to order. Royal Call Police Cain. Mayor Reed. President. City Manager Banks. Here. City Attorney Brown. Here. Vice Mayor Fleming. Here. Councilmember Alice Dune. Here. Councilmember Dent. Here. Councilmember Robinson. Here. Interim Chief Pollard. He was here. He's there. He has that. Say it again. Interim Chief Pollard. Here. If you would uh please stand for a moment of silence or private prayer, whatever you wish, and remain standing for the Pledge of Allegiance. Thank you. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. And to the Republic for which it stands my nation under God. Sounds good. Sound really good. So we have a special recognition tonight, a proclamation recognizing May 11th, 2025 through May 17th, 2025 as police week. Come on up. So my Vice May, our vice mayor is gonna read on my behalf. I will be your eyes. Thank you. He's been here. Okay, this is a proclamation recognizing the week of May 11th through May 17th, 2025 as police week. Whereas the men and women of the Harrisburg Police Department unceasingly provide a vital public service and report for duty every day with knowledge of the dangers they may be they may face and the sacrifices they may be called upon to make to safeguard the public and enforce the laws of the commonwealth. And whereas it is important that all citizens know and understand the duties, responsibilities, hazards, and sacrifices of the law enforcement agency, and that members of the Harrisburg Police Department recognize their duty to serve the people by safeguarding life and property by protecting them against violence and disorder. And whereas it is vital that we pay tribute to the law enforcement offers officers who have fallen in the line of duty and recognize their sacrifices as well as the hardship and loss suffered by the families of those fallen officers. And whereas the Congress and President of the United States have designated May 15 as Peace Officers Memorial Day, and the week in which May 15th falls as National Police Week. Now therefore, we uh the members of the Harrisburg City Council call upon all citizens of Harrisonburg and upon all patriotic civic and educational uh organizations to observe the week of May 11th through 17, 2025 as police week with appropriate ceremonies and observances in which all of our people may join in commemorating law enforcement officers, past and present, who by their faithful and loyal devotion to the responsibilities have rendered a dedicated service to their communities. Thank you. Thank you, Chief. Appreciate you. Thank you. Thank you. Alright, we will now go to our consent agenda. Any items placed on the consent agenda shall be removed and taken up as a separate matter. If so requested by any member of council, otherwise, all items will be voted on with one motion. So moved.