Portsmouth City Council Work Session and Regular Meeting - July 8, 2025

The meeting was held on July 8, 2025, and included a work session (4:00 PM) with presentations on the Global Links data center, summer recreation programs, and the City Park reimagining plan, followed by the regular city council meeting. The council voted on two use permits, approved several ordinances, and heard public comments on a range of topics.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Minutes: The council approved the minutes from the June 24, 2025, called and regular meetings by a unanimous roll call vote (7-0).
• Ordinances (City Manager's Report): All six ordinances were adopted unanimously (7-0):
  • Accepting a $676,663 grant from the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services for probation and pretrial services.
  • Accepting $9,234.99 from VDEM for hazmat team response costs.
  • Accepting $152,591 in state shared expense revenue for 1.5% bonuses to constitutional officers and staff.
  • Amending procurement code to align with state law on IT contracts (Section 12-188).
  • Appropriating $625,000 from the behavioral health care services fund balance for software and office technologies.
  • Accepting $24,733 in opioid settlement funds for abatement purposes.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Public Hearing UP-25-02 (Townhouses, 430-442 Douglas Avenue):
  • Erica Nessler (Port Norfolk Civic League president) and John Lifsey (vice president) spoke in opposition, arguing the five attached townhouses disrupt the historic fabric of the neighborhood and that single-family homes were promised in a 2010 memorandum of intent. They requested the council adhere to the original plan for detached homes.
• Public Hearing UP-25-05 (Entertainment Establishment, 1805 Hodges Ferry Road):
  • Fred Porter (800 Arnold Palmer Drive) spoke in opposition, citing numerous code violations (parking, ADA, egress) and argued the city is ignoring its own codes, warning of potential lawsuits.
• Non-Agenda Speakers:
  • Aaron Cody (2908 Tambark Lane) advocated for ranked choice voting, addressing two criticisms and presenting data from New York City's recent election.
  • Michael Smith (Mission led by Love Services) described his new nonprofit to help with rent and utilities, seeking guidance on state grants and funding.
  • Frances Olson (18 Park View Avenue) complained about the inoperable garage elevator (not working on July 7) and council-reserved parking spaces blocking handicap spots at 10 AM for a 5 PM meeting.
  • Norman McAllister (1709 Charleston) expressed frustration with rising real estate taxes each year since 2011 and a car tax bill of $800 due within 10 days of purchase, with a penalty threat.
  • Daniel House (114 Gillis Road) detailed issues with a vacant property at 54 Prospect Parkway (vacant for 22 years), alleging the city misapplied its vacant building registration code and urging an audit.
  • James Copeland (131 Afton Parkway) requested a traffic light at Victory Boulevard and Afton Parkway, citing eight major crashes in recent years.
  • Sheila Joseph (139 Grand Street) raised questions about the new water billing system, including a 24-day billing period and a $10 meter fee, seeking clarity.

Discussion Items

• Global Links Data Center Presentation:
  • Mr. Mitchell (Global Links) presented on the company's Virginia Beach data center and subsea cable landing station, the only one on the Eastern Seaboard. They are expanding to bring in four new subsea cables for a total of seven, offering speeds over 2,000 terabits per second. Benefits for Portsmouth include co-location for redundant disaster recovery, CAD-to-CAD capabilities for multi-jurisdictional public safety (e.g., car chases, mass casualty events), and potential cost savings on internet (from $40,000/month to $7,000/month). Global Links is exploring a second data center in Portsmouth at 700 Port Center Parkway. City staff and council discussed economic development, residential ISP competition, and military connections. The city's local ring is not yet connected to Global Links, but staff committed to making connections within days or weeks if a business requires it.
• Summer Recreation Programs Presentation:
  • Mark Palmachuk (Parks and Recreation) presented an overview of summer programs: Summer Rise camp (themed "Space Invaders") at multiple locations, senior programs, USDA summer meals (23,000 meals served from June 16–30 at 42 sites, up from 37 last year), nature programs at Paradise Creek and Hoffler Creek, golf programs (PGA Hope for veterans, Bank of America's Golf with Us program with 60 kids), and drop-in centers. Council discussed marketing (website, program guide mailed to 40,000 residences), capacity issues (700 children on waitlist), need for more staff, and the potential for an app to aggregate all youth activities. A new archery program was noted.
• City Park Reimagining Plan:
  • Mr. Palmachuk presented the history (since 2020) and three concepts: retain golf course ($10–13.4 million), repurpose golf course ($12.5–16.9 million), or hybrid (retain driving range). Survey results (2,000 respondents, 80% did not play golf) contrasted with public meeting feedback (mostly elderly golfers). The golf course is subsidized $17–20 per round. Council discussion indicated a preference for minor improvements (boat ramp, restrooms, shelters) and focusing major investment on the Sportsplex and a potential aquatic center, rather than a full park overhaul. The council directed staff to shift focus to the Sportsplex and consider fee increases for the golf course.

Key Outcomes

• Use Permit UP-25-02 (Townhouses, 430-442 Douglas Avenue): Approved by a vote of 5-2, with Councilmembers Tillage and Thomas dissenting. The council noted the Historic Preservation Commission's unanimous approval and the need for attainable housing, despite neighborhood opposition.
• Use Permit UP-25-05 (Entertainment Establishment, 1805 Hodges Ferry Road): Deferred by a unanimous vote (7-0) to allow time for the city to update code on parking and other requirements, and for the applicant to secure a written parking agreement with the adjacent property owner.
• City Park Direction: The council directed staff to prioritize minor improvements at City Park (e.g., bathrooms, boat ramp, shelters) and focus major capital investment on the Sportsplex and a future aquatic center, while considering raising golf fees to reduce subsidies.
• Utility Billing Issues: The city manager reported that a new utility billing system implemented on June 23 had misrouted payments, causing delays. No late fees will be assessed, and staff are personally contacting affected customers. The council received the update.
• Elevator Repairs: The city manager stated a contract has been awarded to replace all three elevators in the parking garage, with parts expected in about six months.
• Vacant Property Audit: The city manager agreed to investigate the vacant property at 54 Prospect Parkway and report back on the city's process for vacant and derelict structures.