Harrisonburg City Council Meeting Summary - December 9, 2025

The Harrisonburg City Council met on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, at 7:00 PM in Council Chambers. The Council approved a consent agenda, held four public hearings, and acted on street, land, public safety, and solid waste items. Most votes were unanimous; the solid waste ordinance passed 4-1. Public comment touched on affordable housing, immigration enforcement, and neighborhood walkability.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the November 25, 2025 City Council meeting minutes.
• Approved a Zoning Ordinance amendment adding the term "Inpatient Substance Use Disorder Treatment Facility" and related changes.
• Approved a $500,000 supplemental appropriation for the Economic Development Department from the Virginia Commonwealth Opportunity Fund.
• The consent agenda was approved by a unanimous roll-call vote.

Public Hearings & Testimony

• CDBG Action Plan Amendments (6A): Kristen McComb, CDBG Program Manager, presented amendments to the 2023, 2024, and 2025 CDBG Action Plans. The amendments move $80,000 from Hillendale sidewalks and $119,500 from the Hillendale Playground project into the Camanas Playground project, and move $76,867.71 from a Habitat for Humanity project into the Ralph Sampson Walking Path and Wolf Street Waterline projects. Comments were accepted through 9 a.m. on January 12, 2026, with Council consideration scheduled for January 13, 2026. No vote was taken.
• Reservoir Street Sale to Habitat for Humanity (6B): Liz Webb, Housing Coordinator, presented the sale of 2421 and 2425 Reservoir Street to Central Valley Habitat for Humanity. The 1.15-acre parcel is zoned R-3, assessed at $308,800, with a proposed purchase price of $10,000. Habitat proposed at least 10 townhomes, with at least 80% sold to Habitat-qualified buyers. Shannon Porter, Habitat's Executive Director, expressed support, citing the 22 permanently affordable homes at Suter Street and planning 11-13 permanently affordable units for families earning 60-80% of area median income, with solar panels. One caller opposed the sale, arguing the city should not give up public land or subsidize developers, and raised concerns about nuisance enforcement and green gentrification. Council members praised the project; the sale and authorizing resolution were approved unanimously.
• JMU Foundation Quitclaim Deed (6C): City Attorney Brown explained that the City would approve an ordinance authorizing a quitclaim deed transferring a 1,278-square-foot strip of city-owned property to JMU Foundation - Virginia Avenue LLC to clear a title issue. No public speakers commented; the ordinance was approved unanimously.
• Safe Routes to School Sidewalk Project (6D): Tom Hartman presented a VDOT-funded public hearing for sidewalks at Waterman and Keister Elementary Schools. The project is funded through VDOT's Transportation Alternatives Program at an 80/20 match, with federal funds of just over $500,000 and city funds around $137,000. Sidewalk segments would connect bus loops along Gay Street, fill gaps on First Street, and add a crossing island connection at Central Avenue. This was a public hearing only; no vote was taken.

Discussion Items

• Chief Public Defender Introduction (7A): Abby Tebow introduced the new Harrisonburg/Rockingham County Public Defender's Office. She reported 18 employees, more than 1,817 cases opened, over 950 cases closed, at least one-third of closed cases dismissed or nolle prosequi, and five jury trials ending in not guilty verdicts or dismissal. She described the office's counsel-at-first-appearance practice and efforts to connect clients with treatment and alternatives to incarceration. No action was taken.
• FY 2025 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (7B): Matthew Heepwell of Brown Edwards presented an unmodified, clean audit opinion with no internal control or compliance deficiencies. Council noted the City's strong unassigned fund balance and 30th consecutive GFOA Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting, and discussed budgeting challenges from federal funding uncertainty and new operational costs. No action was taken.
• East Kaylor Park Drive Dedication (7C): Council adopted a resolution dedicating East Kaylor Park Drive as a public street to formalize its common-law dedication from June 2024. The resolution was approved unanimously.
• VDOT Urban Maintenance Inventory (7D): Tom Hartman presented annual additions and deletions to the VDOT urban maintenance inventory. Three street segments were added and 0.3 lane miles were deleted on East Market Street due to a center turn lane conversion, bringing the inventory from just over 333 to just over 335 moving lane miles and annual maintenance payments from just over $7 million to just over $7.1 million. The resolution was approved unanimously.
• VDOT Urban Maintenance Bicycle Lane Conversion (7E): Staff presented conversion of bike lanes on Garbers Church Road and Mount Clinton Pike. Virginia law allows up to 3% of moving lane miles to be converted without losing maintenance payments. The resolution was approved unanimously.
• Solid Waste Ordinance Amendment (7F): Staff presented amendments to solid waste ordinance sections 6-2-2, 6-2-6, and 6-2-37(A), including shortening the cleanup window for refuse and solid waste in public view from 10 days to 24 hours, and aligning bulk refuse collection with scheduled trash pickup beginning January 5. Council discussion included concerns about broad definitions and impacts on students, with Councilmember Alsedun voting no. The ordinance passed 4-1.
• North Mason Street Demonstration Project (7G): Jacob Zumfaldi presented results from the one-month demonstration project and the upcoming corridor study. Over 1,500 survey responses were received; data showed lower speeds and improved travel time during the demonstration. Public feedback varied, with support for the Gay Street roundabout, concerns about the tight Elizabeth Street roundabout, and concerns about emergency vehicle and truck access. A permanent project would be redesigned based on feedback, and a study is beginning with the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Metropolitan Planning Organization. No action was taken.
• Public Safety Building Roof Replacement Contract Amendment (7H): Staff requested approval of a contract amendment for the Public Safety Building roof replacement. The original contract was $234,400, with amendments of $77,892.62 and $6,950 needed after demolition revealed conditions different from original plans. Because the increases exceeded both $50,000 and 25% of the original contract, Council approval was required. The amendment was approved unanimously.

Other Matters

• A public commenter expressed gratitude for the City's walkability efforts and urged Council to speak out against federal immigration enforcement actions, encouraging prompt issuance of a letter to elected officials.
• Another caller criticized the Farmers Focus jobs grant as unplanned growth contributing to housing stress, praised the MLK Coalition's Winter Wonder Fest participation, and opposed enforcement actions against what he called valuable habitat and green space.
• Council reviewed and finalized a draft letter to the governor-elect, lieutenant governor-elect, attorney general-elect, U.S. Senators, and U.S. Representative regarding immigration enforcement, including a request to restore federal protections against enforcement in sensitive locations such as schools, hospitals, places of worship, and courts. The City Manager was directed to finalize and send the letter, with Mayor Reid planning to deliver it to Richmond.

Key Outcomes

• Approved consent agenda; Reservoir Street sale to Habitat for Humanity; JMU Foundation quitclaim deed; East Kaylor Park Drive dedication; VDOT inventory additions/deletions; bicycle lane conversion; and Public Safety Building roof contract amendment, all unanimously.
• Approved the solid waste ordinance 4-1, with Councilmember Alsedun opposed.
• Authorized closed session for real estate acquisition discussion; the motion passed unanimously.
• No action was taken on the CDBG amendments, the Safe Routes to School project, the Public Defender introduction, the ACFR presentation, or the North Mason Street study.