Harrisonburg City Council Meeting – April 28, 2026

The Harrisonburg City Council met at 7:00 p.m. on April 28, 2026, in Council Chambers. Mayor Deanna R. Reed participated remotely after Council unanimously authorized electronic participation because she was recovering from a medical procedure. Present were Mayor Reed, Vice-Mayor Dany Fleming, and Council Members Laura Dent, Nasser Alsaadun, and Monica Robinson. The meeting included approval of a consent agenda, a public hearing on the FY 2026-2027 budget, a lengthy public hearing and discussion on The Link Apartments rezoning, Virginia Municipal League nominations, and adoption of an opioid settlement resolution. The meeting adjourned at 12:18 a.m. on April 29, 2026.

Consent Calendar

• Council approved the consent agenda by a 5-0 roll-call vote. It included:
  • Harrisonburg City Public Schools End of Year Celebration on June 4, 2026 at Turner Pavilion.
  • Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance’s Best.Weekend.Ever on June 13, 2026.
  • Valley 4th Run on July 4, 2026.
  • Rezoning/proffer amendment for 361 Franklin Street requested by Katherine S Moran and Marcie E Harris, approved on second reading.
  • Rezoning for 851 Madison Street requested by the Center for Health and Human Development, approved on second reading.
  • Minutes of the April 14, 2026 City Council meeting.

Public Comments & Testimony

• FY 2026-2027 budget: Panayotis “Poti” Giannakouros criticized aspects of the proposed budget, including the school division’s voluntary return of $500,000, increased Community Development staffing, anticipated revenue of about $270,000 from photo-enforced speed limit citations, and a $2 million golf course investment, arguing the budget reflects misplaced values. Candy Phillips, executive director of First Step, thanked Council for the Civic and Community Organization grant and said the funding supports survivors of domestic violence; she reported that in 2025 First Step answered 678 hotline calls, served 219 individuals (192 adult survivors and 27 children), sheltered 36 adult survivors and 24 children, and that 61% of those served identified as Harrisonburg city residents.
• The Link Apartments rezoning public hearing: More than 40 residents, business owners, and other stakeholders testified. A majority of speakers opposed the rezoning. Opponents cited the project’s six-story scale, traffic and parking impacts, potential harm to the historic downtown district, inadequate community engagement, the possibility the property could later be sold or become a burden, and concerns that the unit mix would primarily serve students rather than families or workforce housing. Several opponents referenced a petition they said had gathered more than 1,600 signatures; one opponent said the support petition had about 92 signatures. Supporters, including downtown business owners and residents, said the project would add needed housing, support downtown businesses, improve walkability, increase density in a location called for by the Downtown 2040 Plan, and generate significant tax revenue. Some speakers, including Ryan Mornell, Steven Horn, and Panayotis Giannakouros, did not take a simple for/against position and instead recommended more study, better data, or a broader zoning and comprehensive plan review.
• Other public comment: Sarah Koontz asked whether the city will create a mockup of the Liberty Street redesign before construction.

Discussion Items

• FY 2026-2027 budget: City Manager Ande Banks said the proposed budget maintains the current real estate tax rate, maintains existing services, and meets capital needs. He said the budget would return for first reading at the first Council meeting in May and for second reading at the second meeting in May. No action was taken after the public hearing.
• The Link Apartments rezoning: Deputy Director of Community Development Thanh Dang presented the request by Trenton Inc. and Bernard LC to rezone 10 parcels totaling about 2.75 acres at 435-495 South Main Street and 282-298 South Liberty Street from R-3 to B-1C. The proposal is for a six-story apartment building with a proffered maximum of 250 units and 555 bedrooms, at least 110 studio/one-bedroom units (44%) and no more than 85 four-bedroom units (34%), 2,000 to 5,000 square feet of commercial space, and a 480-space parking garage with up to 65 spaces reserved for public/municipal use. Proffers included design stepbacks, an on-site management contact, a Paul Street extension, sidewalks, $60,000 for traffic calming, $30,000 for parking enforcement, and $93,738 for affordable housing. Staff and the Planning Commission recommended approval on a 5-1 vote. The updated Traffic Impact Analysis found minimal increases and no development-caused mitigation was warranted except for already-failing movements; a cut-through analysis found no significant expected cut-through traffic.
• Council members questioned the applicant’s representative, Todd Rhea, about unit mix, the sixth floor, parking, long-term ownership and management, JMU’s planned expansion of on-campus housing, and the mixed-use activation. Mayor Reed said she would vote against the project if forced to vote that night, wanting more workforce/family housing and a smaller scale; Council Member Robinson agreed that she could not vote yes; Council Member Dent said she favored the project but wanted a consensus; Council Member Alsaadun thanked the community and developer for engagement; Vice-Mayor Fleming said the project may be viable but questioned whether the location and scale were right. Attorney Chris Brown advised that Council could table the item to a date certain or indefinitely.
• VML Policy Committees: Vice-Mayor Fleming moved this item to the May 12, 2026 Council meeting, and it was tabled without action.
• National Opioid Settlement: City Attorney Chris Brown presented a resolution authorizing participation in the six remnant defendants National Opioid Settlement, the last of the opioid settlements. He stated the defendants agreed to pay $97,625,000 in restitution distributed to states, with the city’s share to be determined through the Virginia Opioid Settlement Authority. Council adopted the resolution.

Key Outcomes

• Council unanimously authorized Mayor Reed’s remote participation.
• Consent agenda approved 5-0.
• The FY 2026-2027 budget public hearing was held; no action was taken.
• The Link Apartments rezoning request was tabled until the June 23, 2026 City Council meeting by a 5-0 roll-call vote.
• VML Policy Committee nominations were tabled to May 12, 2026.
• The resolution authorizing participation in the six remnant defendants National Opioid Settlement was adopted by unanimous voice vote.
• Council Member Alsaadun announced his appointment to the executive committee of the Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission (CSPDC).
• The meeting adjourned at 12:18 a.m. on April 29, 2026.