OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Harrisonburg City Council Meeting - February 24, 2026

City Council & Planning Commission — Tuesday, February 24, 2026
BodyHarrisonburg, Virginia
SessionCity Council & Planning Commission
DateTuesday, February 24, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:54:09

Transcript — Verbatim
0:21

The number of screens continues to increase, it seems like in the bull pit.

0:27

How do you do that?

0:41

Carl, our Tuesday, February 24th, 2026, City Council meeting to order.

0:46

Roll call, please pay.

0:48

Mayor Reek, President, City Manager Banks.

0:50

Here.

0:50

City Attorney Brown.

0:51

Here.

0:52

Vice Mayor Fleming.

0:53

Here.

0:53

Council Member Al Sadun.

0:55

Here.

0:55

Councilmember Gent.

0:56

Here.

0:57

Councilmember Robinson.

0:58

Here.

0:58

Chief Tucker.

0:59

Here.

1:00

Chief Tobia.

1:02

If you would please stand for a moment of silence or proper prayer, whatever you wish.

1:06

And remain standing for the Pledge of Allegiance.

1:23

Thank you.

1:25

A pledge of allegiance to the United States of America.

1:30

And to the Republic for which is a nation.

1:34

Under individual liberty and justice.

1:44

Hey, we have two uh special recognitions this evening, and I want to start with uh proclamation recognizing governmental purchasing month, March 2026.

1:59

And I think we have Nicole Robertson and Shane Smith.

2:03

So guess what?

2:04

Y'all gonna come forward and Vice Mayor Fleming is going to read the proclamation for you.

2:11

So I have a number of whereas I will be reading through here.

2:16

So uh you want you should I read the proclamation first?

2:19

Okay.

2:19

Yep.

2:20

All right, this is the governmental purchasing month proclamation for twenty twenty purchasing month proclamation for twenty twenty-six.

2:27

Whereas the purchasing and materials management profession with an aggregate purchasing power of billions of dollars has a tremendous impact on the economy.

2:36

And whereas purchasing and materials management professionals work diligently to establish and maintain ethical standards in buying and selling to increase their knowledge of efficient procurement methods, to disseminate useful information to its members, and to promote uh professionalism of in public purchasing.

2:55

And whereas purchasing professionals make important contributions to ensure the efficient use of taxpayer dollars by providing efficient service while maintaining the highest ethical standards, and whereas the Virginia Association of Government uh governmental procurement was established in 1958, is the largest chapter of the National Institute of Government Governmental Purchasing, with more than 1,000 professional public procurement members employed by nearly 350 public entities comprised of cities, counties, towns, state agencies, colleges, universities, public schools, hospitals, authorities, and community service boards throughout Virginia, pretty much everything.

3:36

And whereas professional purchasing associations such as the VAGP and the NIGP engage in special efforts during the month of March to inform the public about the importance of the role played by the purchasing profession in business, industry, and government.

3:52

And whereas governmental purchasing professionals contribute positive positively to the city of Harrisonburg and the Commonwealth of Virginia overall by improving purchasing methods and practices and by utilizing new technologies to increase efficiency and improve processes.

4:08

And last whereas whereas the Harrisburg City Council wishes to recognize these professionals and the role they play in fostering efficient, transparent, ethical, and accountable government.

4:32

Thank you.

4:33

Thank you.

4:34

So I want you to turn around so everybody can see you.

4:45

Okay, yep, go ahead.

4:46

Thank you so much.

4:47

Umor Plumbing and members of City Council tonight.

4:52

Um I wanted to sincerely thank you for recognizing March as purchasing month.

4:56

Public procurement is work that often happens behind the scenes, but it plays a vital role in keeping our city running smoothly.

5:02

Every contract awarded, every solicitation is issued, and every dollar spent represents our commitment to transparency, fairness, fiscal responsibility, and service to our community.

5:12

One of the most important things to understand about public procurement is that it is not the work of just one department alone.

5:17

It is a highly collaborative effort that brings together professionals from across the entire city.

5:22

Purchasing month serves as an opportunity to pause and recognize the dedication and professionalism of not only procurement staff, but also the various departmental accounts payable staff members, contract administrators, finance department staff, project managers, city attorneys, and departmental buyers.

5:38

Procurement is truly a collaborative effort that leads to operational success and cannot be executed as a silo function.

5:44

Thank you for your continued support of the procurement function and for acknowledging the important role it plays in advancing the city's strategic goals.

5:52

Thank you very much.

5:53

Thank you.

5:54

Thank you very much.

5:59

So our next proclamation is recognizing March 8th, 2026 as International Women's Day.

6:07

So I think we have some women here.

6:09

So come on up, please.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Zoning And Land Use█████████████████████████████████████37%
Budget Equity Analysis█████████9%
Public Engagement████████8%
Historic Preservation███████7%
Election Process███████7%
Procedural█████5%
Public Services█████5%
Public Safety█████5%
Affordable Housing████4%
Summary of Proceedings

Harrisonburg City Council Meeting - February 24, 2026

The Harrisonburg City Council met on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, at 7:00 PM in the Council Chambers. The meeting included special recognitions, consent agenda approvals, four public hearings, two regular items, public comments, council and staff reports, and a closed session. All votes were unanimous (5-0).

Special Recognition

  • Governmental Purchasing Month: Vice Mayor Fleming presented a proclamation recognizing March 2026 as Governmental Purchasing Month. Nicole Robinson and Shane Smith from the Purchasing Department accepted, thanking the Council.
  • International Women's Day: Mayor Reed presented a proclamation recognizing March 8, 2026, as International Women's Day. Council Member Robinson noted the committee's long effort over ten years to achieve equity for women.

Consent Calendar

  • Approved the minutes from the February 10, 2026 meeting.
  • Approved amendments to Section 2-3-23 (General Order of Business) and Section 2-2-6 (Special Meetings) on second reading.

Public Hearing: Special Use Permit at 660 Walnut Lane

  • Applicant: Craig D. and Sue W. Smith, represented by Matchbox Realty (Weston Bayes and Erin Bishop).
  • Request: Convert a single-family home into four three-bedroom dwelling units at 660 Walnut Lane, zoned R-3.
  • Discussion: Adam Fletcher, Director of Community Development, presented the history of the property (previously over-occupied, unfit for habitation in 2023). The applicant plans a $150–200,000 renovation including a sprinkler system, targeting completion by summer 2027. Parking requirements (10 spaces) must be met. Staff and Planning Commission (6-0) recommended approval.
  • Outcome: The Council approved the special use permit (motion by Vice Mayor Fleming, second by Council Member Dent), with a unanimous 5-0 vote.

Public Hearing: Rezoning at 2600 and 2580 South Main Street

  • Applicant: Todd B. Stone.
  • Request: Rezone a three-acre portion of the property from M-1 to R-3C (conditional medium-density residential) to allow the applicant to move back and renovate the historic 1805 home.
  • Discussion: The applicant, Todd Stone, shared family history and plans to preserve the original structure while adding a small addition. Three proffers were offered: limit of three dwelling units, prohibition of college/university buildings and cemeteries, and a traffic impact analysis trigger. Staff and Planning Commission (7-0) recommended approval, noting the property's history and suitability for residential use despite a commercial land-use designation.
  • Outcome: The Council approved the rezoning (motion by Council Member Dent, second by Council Member Alsaadun), with a unanimous 5-0 vote.

Public Hearing: FY2026-2027 through 2030-2031 Capital Improvement Program

  • Presenter: Adam Fletcher.
  • Summary: The five-year CIP totals $115.8 million in general fund requests, $34.6 million for water, and smaller funds. The largest projects include a municipal building and social services facility. Discussion focused on the gap between requested funding ($47M in FY27) and available resources, the importance of prioritizing needs vs. wants, and the need to account for operational costs. Staff and Planning Commission (7-0) recommended approval.
  • Outcome: The Council approved the CIP (motion by Council Member Alsaadun, second by Council Member Robinson), with a unanimous 5-0 vote.

Public Hearing: Special Use Permit at 380 Sunrise Avenue

  • Applicant: Jason Burch.
  • Request: Add a third story to an existing two-story house at 380 Sunrise Avenue, requiring a reduced side setback using a newly approved ordinance allowing non-operational windows on the first floor.
  • Discussion: The side setback for the third story would be less than the required 10 feet. The applicant offered a condition that the setback be no less than 5 feet. Staff and Planning Commission (6-0, with one recusal) recommended approval.
  • Outcome: The Council approved the special use permit with the 5-foot minimum condition (motion by Vice Mayor Fleming, second by Council Member Robinson), with a unanimous 5-0 vote.

Regular Item: Amendments to Fowl Ordinance (Section 15-2-24)

  • Proposal: Clarify permit requirements for chickens, including adding manufactured homes to eligible dwelling types, defining pens, exempting internal property lines from setback rules, updating administrative processes, and reducing the penalty from a Class 3 misdemeanor (max $500 fine) to a Class 4 (max $250).
  • Discussion: The changes were recommended by staff and Planning Commission (7-0) to reflect current practices and improve flexibility.
  • Outcome: The Council approved the ordinance amendment (motion by Council Member Alsaadun, second by Vice Mayor Fleming), with a unanimous 5-0 vote.

Regular Item: Temporary Change of Voting Precincts for Special Election

  • Presenter: City Attorney Chris Brown and Registrar Mark Finks.
  • Proposal: Due to a potential special election on April 21, 2026, and school scheduling conflicts, three precincts will be temporarily relocated: Thomas Harrison, Spotswood, and Keister elementary schools will move to Heritage Oaks Community Room, Pleasant Valley Fire Station, and other locations. Affected voters will receive mailed notices and public outreach.
  • Discussion: Early voting is expected to begin March 6, 2026. The Council expressed confidence in Registrar Finks' planning.
  • Outcome: The Council approved the temporary ordinance (motion by Council Member Robinson, second by Council Member Dent), with a unanimous 5-0 vote.

Public Comments

  • Tom Domonoske (461 Lee Ave.) thanked the Council for sending a letter regarding ICE activity to state representatives and expressed gratitude for the city's effective governance. He urged the Council to convene a community conversation about difficult national times.

Council and Staff Comments

  • Vice Mayor Fleming reported on the Harrisonburg Fire Department Awards Banquet, a National League of Cities racial equity meeting, and the Southern Cities Economic Initiative meeting in Birmingham, Alabama. He commended city staff for snow removal efforts.
  • Council Member Robinson discussed historical markers with Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance, an upcoming Community Connectors meeting, and the International Women's Day march on March 7, 2026.
  • Council Member Dent announced Virginia 250 events, including a Ken Burns film screening and a mobile museum at Harrisonburg High School.
  • Mayor Reed visited Keister Elementary kindergarteners and Boy/Girl Scouts, toured a new child care center at Park View, and noted Black History Month events. She congratulated Vice Mayor Fleming on his NLC board appointment and announced her own speaking engagement at the NLC Congressional City Conference. She also congratulated Dr. Sherry Darks-Johnson on receiving the Strong Men Strong Women award.
  • City Manager Ande Banks announced that the city has signed a contract for an undeveloped lot at Community Street and E. Gay Street to expand Fire Station 4.

Closed Session

  • At 8:53 PM, the Council entered closed session under Virginia Code § 2.2-3711(A)(5) to discuss the disposition of publicly held real property. The session ended at 9:24 PM, and the Council certified that only exempt matters were discussed. The meeting was then adjourned.

Key Outcomes

  • Consent agenda items approved (minutes, two ordinance amendments).
  • Special use permit at 660 Walnut Lane approved.
  • Rezoning at 2600/2580 S. Main Street approved.
  • Capital Improvement Program FY27-31 approved.
  • Special use permit at 380 Sunrise Avenue approved (with 5-foot side setback condition).
  • Fowl ordinance amendments approved.
  • Temporary voting precinct changes for April 21 special election approved.
  • Closed session held; real property acquisition for Fire Station 4 expansion noted. All votes were unanimous (5-0).

Meeting Transcript

The number of screens continues to increase, it seems like in the bull pit. How do you do that? Carl, our Tuesday, February 24th, 2026, City Council meeting to order. Roll call, please pay. Mayor Reek, President, City Manager Banks. Here. City Attorney Brown. Here. Vice Mayor Fleming. Here. Council Member Al Sadun. Here. Councilmember Gent. Here. Councilmember Robinson. Here. Chief Tucker. Here. Chief Tobia. If you would please stand for a moment of silence or proper prayer, whatever you wish. And remain standing for the Pledge of Allegiance. Thank you. A pledge of allegiance to the United States of America. And to the Republic for which is a nation. Under individual liberty and justice. Hey, we have two uh special recognitions this evening, and I want to start with uh proclamation recognizing governmental purchasing month, March 2026. And I think we have Nicole Robertson and Shane Smith. So guess what? Y'all gonna come forward and Vice Mayor Fleming is going to read the proclamation for you. So I have a number of whereas I will be reading through here. So uh you want you should I read the proclamation first? Okay. Yep. All right, this is the governmental purchasing month proclamation for twenty twenty purchasing month proclamation for twenty twenty-six. Whereas the purchasing and materials management profession with an aggregate purchasing power of billions of dollars has a tremendous impact on the economy. And whereas purchasing and materials management professionals work diligently to establish and maintain ethical standards in buying and selling to increase their knowledge of efficient procurement methods, to disseminate useful information to its members, and to promote uh professionalism of in public purchasing. And whereas purchasing professionals make important contributions to ensure the efficient use of taxpayer dollars by providing efficient service while maintaining the highest ethical standards, and whereas the Virginia Association of Government uh governmental procurement was established in 1958, is the largest chapter of the National Institute of Government Governmental Purchasing, with more than 1,000 professional public procurement members employed by nearly 350 public entities comprised of cities, counties, towns, state agencies, colleges, universities, public schools, hospitals, authorities, and community service boards throughout Virginia, pretty much everything. And whereas professional purchasing associations such as the VAGP and the NIGP engage in special efforts during the month of March to inform the public about the importance of the role played by the purchasing profession in business, industry, and government. And whereas governmental purchasing professionals contribute positive positively to the city of Harrisonburg and the Commonwealth of Virginia overall by improving purchasing methods and practices and by utilizing new technologies to increase efficiency and improve processes. And last whereas whereas the Harrisburg City Council wishes to recognize these professionals and the role they play in fostering efficient, transparent, ethical, and accountable government. Thank you. Thank you. So I want you to turn around so everybody can see you. Okay, yep, go ahead. Thank you so much. Umor Plumbing and members of City Council tonight. Um I wanted to sincerely thank you for recognizing March as purchasing month. Public procurement is work that often happens behind the scenes, but it plays a vital role in keeping our city running smoothly. Every contract awarded, every solicitation is issued, and every dollar spent represents our commitment to transparency, fairness, fiscal responsibility, and service to our community. One of the most important things to understand about public procurement is that it is not the work of just one department alone.

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