OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Harrisonburg City Council Meeting – September 8, 2026: Rail, ALPR, Zoning, and Budget Actions

City Council & Planning Commission — Tuesday, September 8, 2026
BodyHarrisonburg, Virginia
SessionCity Council & Planning Commission
DateTuesday, September 8, 2026
StatusNEW · FILED
Video Record
0:00 / 2:39:34

Transcript — Verbatim
2:38

I call our Tuesday September eighth, twenty twenty six, City Council Council meeting to order.

2:45

Roll call, please pan.

2:46

Mayor Reed.

2:47

Present.

2:48

City Manager Banks.

2:49

Here.

2:50

City Attorney Brown.

2:51

Here.

2:51

Vice Mayor Fleming.

2:52

Here.

2:53

Councilmember Alcember Member Dent.

2:56

Here.

2:56

Councilmember Robinson.

2:57

Here.

2:58

Chief Tobia.

2:59

Captain Kears.

3:01

Thank you.

3:02

If you would please stand for a moment of silence or private prayer wherever you wish.

5:01

I'm here tonight to bring to you our CAPER, which is the consolidated annual performance and evaluation report for the CDBG program that's due annually each year in September.

5:12

And I'm going to ask that you hold a public hearing and 15-day public comment period for this.

5:19

This slide shows you what the current status of all of the projects that were either they were all newly funded during the program year that just came to an end at the end of June.

5:31

Either a year and a half ago you had approved them or they're had approved some sort of amendment during the year that followed to move things, move funding into these projects so you can see the balance that remains.

5:49

We do have three roof repairs that are underway.

5:52

One has been completed, and there are two that are going through the process right now.

5:58

So that is starting to be touched as usual.

6:01

We have some leftover administration funding, and the ARC is intending to be spending that funding very soon.

6:12

If anyone in the public has comments, those are due to me at the information that's shown on these slides by September 24th at 9 a.m.

6:21

Does anyone have any questions?

6:23

Any questions?

6:24

No.

6:25

Thank you.

6:27

I will open this item up for public hearing.

6:29

If anyone wishes to speak, please state your name and address.

6:31

You'll have five minutes.

6:36

Seeing none in person, Pam, do we have any callers?

6:39

Oh no, please.

7:04

May I read there are no dollars?

7:06

Thank you.

7:08

I will close this item up a hearing.

7:11

And there's no action on this item, so we can go to 6B.

7:14

Adam.

7:17

Thank you, Chris.

7:19

Good evening, Adam Fletcher, Director of Community Development.

7:23

I have an item here for you, which is a special use permit.

7:26

The site address here is 387 Monticello Avenue, and the application that is being requested is a special use permit to allow for a short-term rental per section 10334 subsection 7 of the zoning ordinance, and it's within an R1 single family residential district.

7:42

Zoning classification.

7:43

On the screen before you, you can see all properties in the surrounding area are zoned R1.

7:49

You start to pick up our urban residential district there to top left corner, northwest area of this image, which is zoned UR, and then R2 in the far right image.

8:13

So in the old town area, you you really pick up all different types of residential uh types.

8:18

You have single family detached duplex, townhomes, multifamily, uh all in uh a relatively short uh you know, short uh blocks here in this area.

8:27

So just a continuation of that area is what we're anticipating.

8:30

And then an aerial photograph of the site, the property has an existing uh principal dwelling, and then an accessory building to the rear of the property, in which is where they hope to operate their short-term rental.

8:42

So this is just a photograph taken from Monticello of the principal dwelling.

8:47

And then the accessory dwelling, uh, excuse me, accessory building for where they are hoping to utilize the space for short-term rental.

8:57

Uh as is typically the case, I always like to give the breakdown between the two different types of transient lodging we have in the city, uh, being that you know we always don't talk about it every day, but we have two different categories.

9:08

We have the home stay use and we have the short-term rental.

9:11

Homestay is by right, so long as you meet all of the requirements in the left image on the left side of the image here, you can be a buy right homestay in almost all of our residential districts.

9:22

If you want to outwork outside of the parameters of everything on the left-hand side, then you can apply for a special use permit, which is what the applicants are doing this evening.

9:31

They're hoping to open up their space for most weekends.

9:35

Of course, if you allow for this operation, they would be uh much over the 90 nights per year, or yeah, 90 nights per year that they would be able to be accommodated.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Planning And Zoning█████████████████17%
Public Engagement████████████12%
Public Transportation███████████11%
Zoning And Land Use█████████9%
Community Engagement█████████9%
Public Safety████████8%
Energy Policy█████5%
Procedural████4%
Zoning████4%
Summary of Proceedings

Harrisonburg City Council Meeting – September 8, 2026

The Harrisonburg City Council met on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, at 7:00 PM in the Council Chambers. The meeting included six public hearings, several regular agenda items, and discussions on passenger rail, utility merger participation, and a city ordinance on automatic license plate readers (ALPR). Key outcomes included approval of a special use permit for a recreational facility in a former industrial building, adoption of the Northeast Neighborhood Small Area Plan, a supplemental appropriation of $22.1 million, and direction to draft an ALPR ordinance prohibiting city use of the technology.

Consent Calendar

  • Approved the minutes from the August 25, 2026 City Council meeting (no separate discussion).

Public Hearings & Testimony

  • 6a – CDBG CAPER: Staff presented the Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report. No public comments. No action required.
  • 6b – Short-Term Rental at 387 Monticello Ave.: Applicant Caitlin Denbigh requested a special use permit to operate a short-term rental in an accessory building. Staff and Planning Commission recommended approval with conditions. No public testimony. Council approved unanimously.
  • 6c – Recreational Facility at 291 W Wolfe St & 336 W Market St.: Applicant VG Harrisonburg Storage LLC proposed indoor recreation (rock climbing, pickleball). Several neighbors spoke: Mary Boynott (55 N Brook Ave) expressed concerns about parking and speeding on Brook Avenue; Manda Presgraves (260 W Wolfe St) supported the project and requested traffic calming; Neil Dentweiler and Kristen Grimshaw, co-founders of a climbing gym, outlined plans for a climbing and soccer facility. Council approved with amended conditions, including staff’s added condition for a traffic impact analysis if uses generate over 100 vehicle trips per peak hour. Vote: 5-0.
  • 6d – Northeast Neighborhood Small Area Plan: Staff presented the plan to amend the Comprehensive Plan. One public commenter (Harrisonburg MLK Jr. Way Coalition secretary) cautioned about code enforcement language in Strategy 8.5. Council approved unanimously.
  • 6e – Poultry Hatchery Zoning Amendment: Staff proposed adding a definition for “poultry hatchery” to clarify it is a permitted use in M1. No public testimony. Council approved unanimously.
  • 6f – Supplemental Appropriation ($22.1 million): Finance Director Larry Props presented the carryover of encumbrances ($12 million), unexpended grants ($8.8 million), and a new VHDA grant ($1.2 million). Public hearing held, no testimony. Council approved unanimously.

Discussion Items

  • 7a – Subdivision Variance at 704 N Liberty St.: Applicant Jose Antonio Lopez Montiel requested a variance to avoid constructing a sidewalk along North Liberty Street. Staff recommended denial; Planning Commission recommended approval (4-2). A lengthy debate ensued about equity, precedent, and the ordinance’s hardship criteria. Council denied the variance on a 4-1 vote (Councilmember Dent dissenting).
  • 7b – Personal Property Tax Relief Rate: Staff presented the annual resolution setting the relief percentage at 18.2% for Tax Year 2026, based on state funding of $1,522,583. Council approved unanimously.
  • 7c – Mosaic Design for Spraygrounds Pump House: Deputy City Manager Amy Snyder and donor representative Steve presented the final design by Scott Supraner, inspired by historic Harris Pool photos. After community feedback, the design shows a diver in a simplified style. Council approved unanimously.
  • 7d – Police Tow Policies: Postponed to next meeting by consensus.
  • 7e – Passenger Rail Discussion: Casey Kettler of Blue Ridge Rail presented on bringing Amtrak service to Harrisonburg, noting 680 public comments already submitted to DRPT and a goal of 1,000 by September 30. Council directed the city attorney to draft a resolution or formal letter requesting DRPT include Harrisonburg in the 2026 rail plan. Motion passed by voice vote.
  • 7f – Dominion/NextEra Energy Merger: Council discussed filing to participate in State Corporation Commission proceedings. City Attorney Brown noted the deadline of September 11. Council directed the city attorney to file a notice of participation to stay informed and express the city’s climate goals. Motion passed by voice vote.
  • 7g – ALPR Ordinance: Council directed the city attorney to draft an ordinance prohibiting the city from procuring, installing, maintaining, or operating automatic license plate readers. Motion passed by voice vote.

Key Outcomes

  • Approved special use permit for short-term rental at 387 Monticello Ave (unanimous).
  • Approved special use permit for recreational facility at 291 W Wolfe St/336 W Market St with added traffic impact condition (unanimous).
  • Approved Comprehensive Plan amendment incorporating Northeast Neighborhood Small Area Plan (unanimous).
  • Approved zoning ordinance amendment defining “poultry hatchery” (unanimous).
  • Approved supplemental appropriation of $22.1 million (unanimous).
  • Denied subdivision variance for sidewalk at 704 N Liberty St (4-1).
  • Approved personal property tax relief rate of 18.2% for 2026 (unanimous).
  • Approved mosaic design for Ralph Sampson Park spraygrounds (unanimous).
  • Directed city attorney to draft a resolution/letter supporting passenger rail (voice vote).
  • Directed city attorney to file participation in Dominion/NextEra SCC proceedings (voice vote).
  • Directed city attorney to draft an ALPR ordinance (voice vote, with ordinance expected at next meeting).

Meeting Transcript

I call our Tuesday September eighth, twenty twenty six, City Council Council meeting to order. Roll call, please pan. Mayor Reed. Present. City Manager Banks. Here. City Attorney Brown. Here. Vice Mayor Fleming. Here. Councilmember Alcember Member Dent. Here. Councilmember Robinson. Here. Chief Tobia. Captain Kears. Thank you. If you would please stand for a moment of silence or private prayer wherever you wish. I'm here tonight to bring to you our CAPER, which is the consolidated annual performance and evaluation report for the CDBG program that's due annually each year in September. And I'm going to ask that you hold a public hearing and 15-day public comment period for this. This slide shows you what the current status of all of the projects that were either they were all newly funded during the program year that just came to an end at the end of June. Either a year and a half ago you had approved them or they're had approved some sort of amendment during the year that followed to move things, move funding into these projects so you can see the balance that remains. We do have three roof repairs that are underway. One has been completed, and there are two that are going through the process right now. So that is starting to be touched as usual. We have some leftover administration funding, and the ARC is intending to be spending that funding very soon. If anyone in the public has comments, those are due to me at the information that's shown on these slides by September 24th at 9 a.m. Does anyone have any questions? Any questions? No. Thank you. I will open this item up for public hearing. If anyone wishes to speak, please state your name and address. You'll have five minutes. Seeing none in person, Pam, do we have any callers? Oh no, please. May I read there are no dollars? Thank you. I will close this item up a hearing. And there's no action on this item, so we can go to 6B. Adam. Thank you, Chris. Good evening, Adam Fletcher, Director of Community Development. I have an item here for you, which is a special use permit. The site address here is 387 Monticello Avenue, and the application that is being requested is a special use permit to allow for a short-term rental per section 10334 subsection 7 of the zoning ordinance, and it's within an R1 single family residential district. Zoning classification. On the screen before you, you can see all properties in the surrounding area are zoned R1. You start to pick up our urban residential district there to top left corner, northwest area of this image, which is zoned UR, and then R2 in the far right image. So in the old town area, you you really pick up all different types of residential uh types. You have single family detached duplex, townhomes, multifamily, uh all in uh a relatively short uh you know, short uh blocks here in this area.

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