Virginia Beach Planning Commission Meeting - March 12, 2026
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Virginia Beach Planning Commission Meeting - March 12, 2026
The Virginia Beach Planning Commission held a formal session on March 12, 2026, following an informal session on March 11. Key actions included recommendations on the Imagine VB 2040 Comprehensive Plan, an ordinance regulating roll-off containers, removal of the Nemo Church Historic and Cultural District, and a major VA outpatient facility. The commission also approved a consent agenda of nine items and an alternative compliance request for a mixed-use building at the Oceanfront.
Consent Calendar
- Approved minutes from the February 11, 2026 informal/formal hearings and March 5, 2026 site visit.
- Items 9 & 10 (Jeff Berkowitz): Rezoning and conditional use permit for bulk storage yard at London Bridge Road and Hornet Drive – approved by consent.
- Items 11 & 12 (Runny Mead Corp.): Conditional rezoning and use permit for 160-unit multifamily apartments at North Witchduck Road and Cleveland Street – approved by consent with added condition to relocate pedestrian access to the east side of the parking lot.
- Items 14 & 15 (South Rosemont Storage LLC): Rezoning and conditional use permit for a three-story climate-controlled self-storage facility at 1756 South Rosemont Road – approved by consent.
- Item 16 (Anne Sagel): Conditional use permit for a home-based wildlife rehabilitation facility at 1212 Candlewood Drive – approved by consent.
- Item 17 (Runny Mead Corp.): Conditional use permit for a 160-unit multifamily apartment community at 5644 Parliament Drive – approved by consent (Commissioner Plumley abstained; reasons on file).
- Item 18 (Low-speed vehicle sales): Conditional use permit for motor vehicle sales and rentals of low-speed vehicles at 600 block of Laskin Road – approved by consent.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Nemo Church Historic District (Item 5): Eight speakers testified. Church leadership (Daniel Lear, Mary Lou Barnes, Robin Nelson, James Jeffrey) argued the district imposes unsustainable financial burdens ($637,500 for wood siding vs. $107,050 for vinyl), and the Historic Review Board has been inflexible. Opponents (Julian Sawyer, Christy Lyons, Gillian Peoples, Beverly Sawyer) emphasized the church's historical significance, the lack of a formal HRB application, and the risk to the city's Certified Local Government status.
- Comprehensive Plan (Items 1-4): Phil Kazmirzak (Hampton Roads Realtors Association) expressed support for ADUs, housing diversity, and balanced short-term rental policies. Lisa Murphy (Virginia Beach Development Authority) requested renaming the Green Line Context Area to "Courthouse Context Area" and the Blue Line to "Rural Area Boundary" for clarity.
Discussion Items
- Attendance Policy Change: Planning Administrator Aileen Lalcock reviewed a new city policy allowing board appointees to miss up to 50% of scheduled meetings per year, but state code still applies to the Planning Commission (removal after 3 consecutive absences or 4 per year).
- Imagine VB 2040 Comprehensive Plan (Items 1-4): Comprehensive Planning Administrator Hank Morrison presented the final draft, developed from thousands of survey responses, dozens of public meetings, and over 600 public comments. The plan promotes infill and redevelopment in eight Strategic Growth Areas (SGAs), protects single-family neighborhoods with buffers, maintains the Green Line, and formally recognizes the Blue Line (rural area boundary). A master transportation plan (MTP) update is included with a commitment to a fuller update pending regional data. Commissioner Camp noted the MTP is not fully complete. City Council requested two name changes: Green Line Context Area to Courthouse Context Area, and Blue Line to Rural Area Boundary.
- Roll-Off Containers Ordinance (Item 6): The ordinance limits roll-off containers on residential properties to 30 days in any six-month period, except during permitted construction. The Coastal Virginia Building Industry Association (CVBIA) expressed support. Violations are civil, not criminal. Approved 11-0.
- Nemo Church Historic and Cultural District Removal (Item 5): The church sought removal to use modern, cost-effective materials (vinyl siding, energy-efficient windows) for urgent repairs. Staff recommended approval, but the Historic Review Board and Preservation Commission opposed, citing loss of historic integrity, potential negative impact on the city's Certified Local Government status, and lack of a formal HRB application. The commission denied the request 8-3 (Commissioners Anderson, Schoonover, and Vice Chair Biler dissented).
- VA Outpatient Treatment Facility (Items 7 & 8): The applicant proposed a 243,000 sq ft VA facility (622 employees) on 20 acres and an 81,000 sq ft shopping center on the remaining 10 acres at Northampton Boulevard and Premium Outlet Boulevard. A 15-foot buffer, 8-foot multi-use paths, and 10-foot path along Tolliver Road extension are proposed. Parking exceeds requirements (1,250 spaces vs. 903 required). A height deviation to 64.5 feet (vs. 35 feet) was supported due to 325-foot setback from residences. Traffic impacts: ~11,000 daily trips (down from 13,000 for retail-only), with a new signal at Tolliver Road and Northampton Boulevard and corridor retiming with Norfolk. The commission approved both items 11-0.
- Oceanfront Alternative Compliance (Item 19): A nine-story mixed-use building (131 condos) at Pacific Avenue and 21st/22nd Streets requested a 110-foot height (35 feet over the form-based code maximum) and ground-floor dwelling on 22nd Street. The applicant will dedicate 15 feet along Pacific Avenue for a turn lane and 12-foot sidewalk. A prohibition on short-term rentals will be included in condo declarations. Approved 11-0.
Key Outcomes
- Comprehensive Plan (Items 1-4): Approved 8-3 with amendments: Green Line Context Area renamed to Courthouse Context Area, Blue Line renamed to Rural Area Boundary; broadband, Southside Network Authority, and manufactured housing references added. The resolution certifying the plan was approved 8-3. Zoning ordinance and city code text amendments (items 3-4) passed 11-0.
- Roll-Off Container Ordinance (Item 6): Approved 11-0, with a typographical correction referencing civil penalty section 104B.
- Nemo Church Historic District Removal (Item 5): Denied 8-3. The church may still apply to the Historic Review Board for materials or seek funding.
- VA Facility and Retail (Items 7 & 8): Approved 11-0 with conditions including ADA-compliant paths.
- Oceanfront Mixed-Use (Item 19): Approved 11-0 with condition prohibiting short-term rentals.
- Deferral: Item 13 (REMA TC LLC) deferred 30 days to the April meeting.
- Consent Calendar: Nine items approved 11-0, including minutes.
Meeting Transcript
Good gap. Good morning, everyone. Good morning. Good morning. Thank you, Planning Commissioners of City Staff for your participation today. My name is John Coston. I'm the chair of the Virginia Beach Planning Commission. Welcome to the March 11th informal session of the Linux Beach Planning Commission. Call this meeting to or first off, I want to thank everybody for last month's planning commission hearing. Especially to members of staff. I appreciate you. Thank you. All of you. I would now ask the planning administrator, Ms. Aileen Lalcock for comments and to review our procedures. And just one quick comment for those of you who are not aware. Did change the attendance policy for all city council council appointed boards and commissions. And so I've got a copy. I can provide a copy to any of you, but essentially what it does is allow any board appointee to miss up to 50% of any of the scheduled meetings for a calendar year. It gets rid of the excused and unexcused absences. So we can provide a copy to you if you want this, but they're also, Tori's gonna go over because the state code provisions specific to planning commission will still apply. So she'll do a refresher on that. I know it's been a while since we've talked about it. Yes, so just for clarification, for almost all of the other boards and commissions, they serve at the pleasure of council, but for planning commission, council um could remove a commissioner if they miss three consecutive meetings or four meetings per year under the state code. So the city council attendance policy provides for automatic removal after missing half of the meetings. The council remains that retains the discretion to act based on the state law provisions when applicable. The only other quick comment that I will make is we will have a closed session following formal. I know the chair already has the language for that, just to cover a security briefing for the commission. And it is my understanding that Commissioner Hipon will not be here for informal, but it is her intent to participate virtually during the formal hearing. Oh, can we move on to the reverent good morning, planning commissioners? Morning. Morning. Morning. All right. So very excited to be here this morning. Um this project is the culmination of thousands of survey responses, dozens of public meetings, and over 100 public input opportunities. Uh the staff final draft was presented to the public at two public meetings in September of 2025, and public comment was accepted until October 30th. After the comment window closed, staff reviewed the 600 plus comments that were received and updated the plan accordingly. Uh the a workshop was held in January where the planning commission finalized guidance for staff to make final edits to the draft of the plan. So staff and the consultant implemented those commission's comments and posted the draft on February 18th. The plan consists of seven chapters, which provide guidance for the four different context areas, as well as design guidelines for the different place types throughout the city. The plan promotes infill and redevelopment as a practice, focusing on the eight SGAs, aging strip shopping centers, and along major transportation corridors north of the green line. This provides the opportunity for more attainable housing, reduces sprawl, and promotes responsible growth by utilizing existing infrastructure. Single family neighborhoods are protected with buffer requirements for new developments adjacent to existing neighborhoods. The plan proposes to maintain the green line in its original position and location, excuse me. Um marking the beginning of the transition from suburban to rural land uses and character, protecting the agricultural land south of the blue line or the rural area boundary. The blue line has has historically been used by the public utilities department to indicate where water and sewer infrastructure end and the use of wells and septic systems begin and has been formally recognized in this plan to better differentiate the green line context area and the rural context area. The plan increases mobility options for residents of Virginia Beach, including public transit. However, public transit is not a requirement of the system to function. Transit-oriented development only refers to the integration of transportation and land use to make areas more walkable and accessible.
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