2026-09-15 - City Council

00:04Please stand for a moment of silence and please remain

00:07standing for the Pledge of Allegiance to our flag.

00:11Allegiance to the United States of America and to the Republic

00:15for which it stands.

00:17One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and

00:20justice for all.

00:28Mr. clerk, please call the roll.

00:31Mr. Clanton.

00:32Present.

00:33Mrs.. Doyle.

00:35Mrs.. Johnson here.

00:36Mr. McGee.

00:37Here. Mr. page here.

00:39Mr. Smigel, here.

00:40Mr. Thomas here, doctor Alexander here.

00:43The motion is to dispense with the reading of the minutes of

00:46our previous meeting.

00:47Mr. Clanton.

00:48I.

00:49Mrs. Doyle,

00:52Mrs. Johnson, I Mr..

00:54Magee. Aye.

00:54Mr.. Page.

00:55Mr.. Smigel, Mr..

00:57Thomas I.

00:58Doctor. Alexander.

00:59Mr. Clark, please read the resolution.

01:00Certified in closed meeting.

01:02I have a resolution certifying a closed meeting of the Council

01:04of the City of Norfolk.

01:05In accordance with the provisions of the Virginia

01:07Freedom of Information Act.

01:09Adopt the resolution, Mr. Clinton.

01:11Aye. Mrs..

01:12Doyle.

01:14Mrs.. Johnson.

01:15Aye. Mr..

01:15McGee. Aye.

01:16Mr.. Page.

01:17Aye. Mr..

01:17Smigiel. Aye.

01:18Mr.. Thomas.

01:19Doctor. Alexander.

01:19Hi. Good evening, and welcome

01:21to the Norfolk City Council meeting.

01:23Tonight we will begin with public comments on consent and

01:26regular agenda items, followed by consent agenda, which will

01:30be voted on in a block following the consent agenda

01:33will take up regular agenda items, then conclude with new

01:36business to address the Council.

01:38You should have registered to

01:38speak with the clerk prior to 3 p.m..

01:41When your name is called, please come to the podium.

01:43State your name, home address.

01:44Please limit your comments to three minutes.

01:50Mr. clerk.

01:52Um. Consent agenda.

01:56A one speaker, but this is

01:58going to be moved into generally.

02:01So the motion will be to first

02:05move C six

02:07to a general calendar.

02:11Motion is to move C six to continue generally Mr. Clanton.

02:16I.

02:18Mrs. Doyle.

02:21Mrs. Johnson I Mr. McGee I Mr. page.

02:26I.

02:26Mr.. Smigel no.

02:28Mr.. Thomas abstain.

02:31Doctor Alexander I

02:34thank you.

02:37Miss Clark um we have the consent agenda.

02:42Consent agenda.

02:43Approve the consent agenda and dispense with the charter

02:45requirement for reading the ordinances twice and adopt with

02:48the effective date with the exception of C six.

02:51Mr. Clanton I,

02:54Mrs. Doyle,

02:57Mrs. Johnson, I.

02:58Mrs. McGee I.

02:59Mr.. Page, Mr..

03:00Smeagol. Mr..

03:01Thomas. Doctor.

03:02Alexander.

03:03Mr.. Clerk.

03:04R1

03:06r1 is an ordinance granted conditional use permit to

03:09authorize a short term rental vacation rental on property

03:12located at 5434 Tidewater Drive and by a five zero vote.

03:16Planning Commission recommends approval.

03:19Mr. clerk

03:22Martino, would you like to.

03:23Would you like to speak?

03:25Please come if you'd like to speak.

03:27Okay. We didn't have to vote on Courtney as a participant

03:29because we did.

03:36Good evening.

03:37Um, it's my pleasure to be

03:40here, and I thank you for your time.

03:42And I'm here to answer any questions.

03:45No questions.

03:46Sir. Thank you for being here.

03:48No questions.

03:49Okay, Mr. clerk, call the role.

03:50Dispense with the charter requirement for reading the

03:52ordinance twice and adopt with the effective date.

03:56Mr. Clanton.

03:57I. Mrs..

03:58Doyle.

04:00Mrs. Johnson.

04:01I. Mr. McGee, I.

04:03Mr.. Page.

04:04Mr.. Smigiel.

04:05Aye. Mr..

04:06Thomas, a doctor.

04:06Alexander.

04:07Aye.

04:08Mr.. Clerk R2.

04:09Thank you sir.

04:10Thank you.

04:10Thank you.

04:12R2 is an ordinance amending the opening clause of subsection A

04:15of section 41.1-25 of the Norfolk City Code to instruct

04:19Virginia Roads and Stormwater Management Program Authority

04:23permit applicants to pay the Virginia Department of

04:25Environmental Quality administrative fee directly to

04:28the State Department.

04:29Dismissed with the charter requirement for reading the

04:30ordinance twice and adopt with the effective date.

04:33Mr. Clanton.

04:34All right.

04:35Mrs. Doyle.

04:36Hi, Mrs. Johnson, I Mr. McGee I Mr. Page.

04:41Aye. Mr..

04:41Smigiel. Aye.

04:42Mr.. Thomas.

04:43Doctor. Alexander.

04:44Aye. Mr..

04:45Clark. R3.

04:46R3 is an ordinance amending the FY 2027 annual Appropriations

04:49ordinance number 50363 to appropriate $38,251

04:54from Harvard University for one part time data analyst for the

04:58Norfolk Commonwealth's Attorney's Office and amending

05:01the FY 2027 budget consistent with the same.

05:04Dispense with the charter requirement for reading the

05:06ordinance twice and adopted the effective date, Mr. Clanton, I.

05:11Mrs. Doyle,

05:13Mrs. Johnson I Mr..

05:15McGee I Mr..

05:16Page, Mr..

05:17Smigel I.

05:18Mr.. Thomas, doctor Alexander.

05:20I Mr..

05:20Clark r4

05:22r4 is a resolution approving a fourth amendment to a

05:25restatement of the current Norfolk Community Services

05:28Board's performance contract and supplemental documents for

05:31fiscal year 2027.

05:34Dispense with the charter requirement for reading the

05:35ordinance twice and adopt.

05:36With the effective date.

05:38Mr. Clanton.

05:39I.

05:39Mrs. Doyle, Mrs. Johnson.

05:42I.

05:43Mr. McGee I Mr..

05:44Page aye.

05:45Mr.. Smigiel aye.

05:47Mr.. Thomas a doctor.

05:48Alexander Clark r5.

05:50R5 is a resolution appointing and reappointing nonmembers to

05:53two authorities, two boards and

05:54one commission for certain terms.

05:56Adopt the resolution.

05:57Mr. Clanton.

05:59I.

06:00Mrs. Doyle.

06:02Mrs. Johnson.

06:03I.

06:03Mr. McGee I.

06:04Mr.. Page.

06:05Mr.. Smigiel.

06:06Aye. Mr..

06:07Thomas. Doctor.

06:08Alexander.

06:09Mr.. Clerk.

06:09Or. Six.

06:10R6 is an appointment of Amy Collin to the position of

06:13Deputy City Clerk.

06:14Assistant effective September 8th, 2026.

06:17Grade A zero for step ten of the city's compensation plan,

06:21subject to your confirmation to serve at the pleasure of the

06:23City Clerk, confirm the appointment, Mr. Clanton.

06:27I.

06:28Mrs. Doyle,

06:30Mrs. Johnson I Mr..

06:32McGee, Mr..

06:33Paige, Mr..

06:34Smigiel I Mr..

06:35Thomas, doctor Alexander.

06:36I.

06:38R7 is the appointment of Adam Savage to the position of

06:41records administrator effective September 8th, 2026 and plant

06:45Adam grade zero nine.

06:47Step eight of the compensation plan, subject to your

06:49confirmation to serve at the pleasure of the City Clerk,

06:52confirm the appointment.

06:53Mr. Clanton.

06:55Hi, Mrs. Doyle.

06:57Hi, Mrs. Johnson.

06:59Hi, Mr. McGee.

07:00Hi, Mr. page.

07:01A.

07:02Mr. Smigiel.

07:02Hi, Mr. Thomas.

07:03Hi, doctor.

07:03Alexander.

07:04Do you have another?

07:05That's all I have, sir.

07:06New speakers, new business.

07:07The first speaker is Bridget Toole.

07:09Welcome.

07:14Good evening,

07:16ladies and gentlemen of the Norfolk City Council.

07:19My name is Bridget Toole.

07:22I reside in zip code 23502.

07:27I am now the president of Criminal Justice Reformation

07:32Movement, LLC.

07:34And the last time I stood before you and spoke, I had a

07:38concern about genocide, dealing with African Americans, African

07:44Americans who were Marginalized.

07:46And it is.

07:47I recall that Congressman Scott presented an $800,000 check for

07:55the center for whatever it was allocated for.

07:58Then Senator Mark Warner allocated $1 million check for

08:04the homeless.

08:05So my question was the last time, who is responsible?

08:11Or is it the collective that was declared a state of

08:14emergency for the homeless situation?

08:18Now, there was a speaker that came out last year and she said

08:22that homelessness, chronic homelessness takes off ten

08:28years of a person's life.

08:30So what I did yesterday, I went to federal court and I filed a

08:37federal petition in federal court asking them, the judge,

08:43whoever the judge is going to preside over this,

08:46to send it to the Justice Department and figure out why

08:49y'all can't declare a state of

08:51emergency for the homeless situation.

08:54Good evening and take care.

08:57Thank you.

09:00Antonio Taylor.

09:05Followed by Diane Cabral.

09:12I give my condolences to Mr..

09:15One of your board members who passed away.

09:17But, um, my my issue today is about child support.

09:20I'm not against child support.

09:22It's just that when I I'm been incarcerated and when I'm

09:25incarcerated, I be still be liable for child support.

09:28But when I come home and try to build a citizen of the United

09:31States, a citizen, I cannot get my life together because I'm in

09:35the real by being incarcerated.

09:37And then I'm dealing with a baby mother that you know what

09:40I'm saying?

09:40Don't have no understanding.

09:42and and that's all she wanted to do was keep taking me to

09:44court to get money for my child.

09:46But really, it ain't money ain't going to the child.

09:48It's going to her getting her hair done and nails done and,

09:51and I'm in the rear.

09:52I'm trying to get my license together and trying to get my

09:54life together.

09:55And I'm basically speaking for myself, but I'm speaking for

09:58also women and men that's incarcerated.

10:00So

10:01you can't make no money in there.

10:02You're getting 25 or 35%.

10:04I would get $16 a month, you

10:06know, so you can barely live in there.

10:07Then when you come home, no matter how much money you have,

10:10when you come home, you got to start from the bottom.

10:11So and also I'm on disability and they still charging me for

10:16child support.

10:17My understanding, I thought when you're on disability, you

10:19ain't supposed to pay child support.

10:21But I still going to take care of my child regardless because

10:23it takes two to make a baby.

10:25But my point is, I'm in the rear of $8,000 because I was

10:28incarcerated, not because I wasn't taking care of my child.

10:32And I'm trying to, you know, have some kind of resort.

10:35I've been downtown to get a reduction.

10:37That ain't gonna work.

10:38The judge is not listen to my side.

10:40I just need some help.

10:42I'm trying to get my life together.

10:44I'm trying to do the right thing.

10:45Be a citizen of the world.

10:46But I can't do it because

10:49I. You know, I don't have no help.

10:52They don't have no resources for someone that is trying to

10:54come home and get their life

10:56together, or you know what I'm saying?

10:57But they, like I said, the other half of the pot is that's

11:01all they know is just to keep taking you to court.

11:02And that and that hinders me as well, because they got to stop

11:05me from working.

11:06And

11:08that's all it is.

11:09I'm just bringing it to the board.

11:10I apologize for anything if I

11:12disturb y'all or anything for this.

11:14I'm not against child support at all.

11:16Every man and woman should pay

11:18for their kids when they be out.

11:19They have resources to to do it.

11:22But when you get incarcerated and you come home, you trying

11:24to play catch up and trying to get your life together

11:28is impossible.

11:31That's all.

11:32Thank you.

11:33Thank you sir.

11:37Diane quebro, followed by Alton Robinson.

11:55Diane Cabral, 1540 Chell Avenue, Norfolk, Virginia.

11:59It's a beautiful day in the

12:00neighborhood and Willoughby Spit.

12:03If City Council supports the short term rental zoning

12:06overlay from the 4:00 work session today, you create

12:09exclusionary housing policy.

12:12Only those with a lease or property owners can enjoy.

12:16Willoughby spits beaches and beautiful coastline in the

12:18Ocean View Tourism District, and one of Norfolk's only state

12:22designated development zones for tourism.

12:24One of just 70 across the state of Virginia.

12:28No Planning Commission discussion addressed these two

12:31tourism zones and the impacts these restrictions would have

12:34on tourism and city revenue.

12:36has the Economic Development Authority or the Revenue

12:39Department been involved or consulted in the discussions?

12:42You'll see before you in these packets a demand letter from

12:45Attorney Matthew Moynihan of Bishop Martingale to the

12:47Willoughby Civic League Board regarding the procedural

12:49defects in the 2026 zoning overlay vote to recommend this

12:56regulation to the planning department in the first place

12:59and the May 2026 false election and demand for inspection of

13:03corporate records pursuant to Virginia Code section 13-9

13:08hundred 32 and 933.

13:11Also see the Norfolk Court case and bill of particulars where

13:14100 false complaints were thrown out as tortious business

13:17interference, all submitted through the city's short term

13:20rental complaint platform, which does not require

13:23complaints to be submitted under penalty of perjury.

13:26Yes, those same false complaints were submitted to

13:29the Planning Commission as

13:30evidence of the need for this regulation.

13:34Other info.

13:35Other data that I have from a FOIA request proves that the

13:38STR system for complaints is broken.

13:41Of 728 complaints, just one.

13:46One was from a single permitted STR for a trash can.

13:52Why is there such unequal enforcement in the same

13:55industry of lodging for the same strip of land?

13:59Numerous false complaints and violations appear.

14:02Appear on Norfolk Air, listing the false complaints and

14:05violations on our tax records, including my property defaming

14:09my property and my business.

14:10As posted by the City of

14:12Norfolk's Planning and Zoning Departments.

14:15I've spoken to several council members about this in the

14:17planning department, and they

14:18reported to me it wasn't even a violation.

14:21It was a notice of inspection that got filed to my Norfolk

14:24Air for the annual inspection.

14:26It had nothing to do with a complaint or a violation, yet

14:29it still sits on my tax record

14:31after six weeks of notifications.

14:34Show us the money.

14:35Please investigate through another FOIA request for the

14:38revenue earned from short term rentals.

14:40It remains unanswerable.

14:42No city officials can account for the taxes generated from

14:45STRs and how those monies are allocated.

14:48Airbnb alone reported that Norfolk receives 3.4 million on

14:52average annually, and STR taxes

14:55$17 million in the last 4.5 years.

15:00And Willoughby Spits only zoning inspector reported that

15:02he conducts no weekend enforcement.

15:05Thank you for your time.

15:06As you can see, there's lots of questions, but we really need

15:08some answers before we get more regulation.

15:10Thank you.

15:11Thank you.

15:12Auten Robinson.

15:14Followed by Tiara Lassiter.

15:19Greetings, Council.

15:20Um.

15:21My name is.

15:23I came here, um.

15:25The Tuesday following the August 22nd populist reunion.

15:31and during that time I came and said that I was happy that the

15:36city manager supported me and everything, but I'm here to

15:38apologize to the city manager.

15:40I'm here to apologize to you.

15:42And because I didn't know that Wednesday, a girl told me that

15:47we had got a citation because the park was dirty.

15:51And I promise you that it will be clean, because I saw that

15:54Friday and I said the park will look like.

15:56But it wasn't so.

15:57But what the problem was that Sunday, that Saturday

16:01afternoon, that next Sunday morning, I had a crew out there

16:04and we was cleaning up and the city had a team out the whole a

16:08whole team of people.

16:10And they say, oh, we got it, we got it.

16:11So they made us stop cleaning up and they cleaned up.

16:15So I was under the impression that the city came out and

16:17clean because I seen him out

16:18there cleaning up on a daily basis.

16:20So that Monday, I thought they was going to come out there and

16:22clean up as well.

16:23So we didn't do that.

16:25So I just want to apologize to you because there wasn't

16:27anything that we want to be maliciously and say, because

16:30for ten years we made sure that the park be cleaned.

16:32There'll be no complaints.

16:34And when the girl showed me that, that was to say.

16:36Allison, you know, there's a

16:37citation out here for the population.

16:39I said, for what?

16:40Because the park wasn't clean and I didn't know that.

16:42So I said, man.

16:43And I came here and I say, uh, pet is a man of his word.

16:47And I am too.

16:48And I really honor my word.

16:50So I'm here to apologize to you and to the mayor.

16:53If he wasn't here, if he was here and the whole council.

16:55Because I know that you guys bent over backwards to help us

17:00in our reunion, and I appreciate that.

17:02So I'm here to tell you right now, I do apologize.

17:06Okay. And, um, also, um, being that, you know, the country and

17:14a lot of the countries, we, we've been hit with a, what we

17:17have been hit with no tragic, but I just feel like, you know,

17:22something's going to happen to Norfolk that we're just not

17:25prepared for.

17:26And I'm going to and I'm going to talk to you.

17:29I'm going to call you because we need to start training our

17:33young people to help them out for what's going to come.

17:37Because when it comes, uh, Operation Blessing, they over

17:40in Nepal and all these other

17:42places helping these people out.

17:43But when something strike here,

17:46where, who, where our help going to come from?

17:48So we have to be prepared.

17:50And I'm only here to tell you this so that we can at least

17:53begin to start something, to be prepared, because our young

17:55people need to be trained and put in place just in case.

18:02Because I've been here before.

18:03You ever have an auction in your spirit, that something is

18:06going to happen.

18:07And I'm just telling the council, I'm not trying to make

18:10you all feel any kind of way, but we got to be right.

18:13You know, I'm stocking up on water and toilet paper to not,

18:17but I'm just saying something may happen, but I'm just saying

18:20let us be prepared for it.

18:22So you guys got got the money, you got the ticket.

18:24So let's make it happen.

18:26All right.

18:26Thank you.

18:27Sir. All right.

18:27Man, appreciate.

18:28You. I mean, what I say.

18:29You have my number.

18:30All right.

18:31Tierra Lassiter, followed by chosen Wilkins.

18:42Good evening, mayor and Council.

18:45I understand that the City of Norfolk operates as a business

18:48for profit.

18:50However, Norfolk has 15.3% of residents living and earning

18:54below $40,000 annually, with

18:57the average median income of $66,109.

19:01Our current minimum wage is $12.77

19:04per hour.

19:05The living wage is $24 per hour.

19:08Economic growth is not equitable.

19:10If every resident of Norfolk does not have equal access to

19:14economic opportunities offered or created by the city, we the

19:17people need inclusive, major redevelopment incentives made

19:21available to low class and working class and small

19:24business owners.

19:26When major developments received public incentives,

19:29they should be required to provide fair wages, contracting

19:33opportunities, hire locally and provide apprenticeships.

19:37Especially regarding black communities within the city.

19:41No longer will we be silently while the city gives our

19:45opportunities to outsource companies.

19:47Since home ownership creates generational wealth and allows

19:50residents the opportunity to develop equity, I think the

19:54city should pour more financial assistance into the residents

19:58of Norfolk.

19:59Simply put, the citizens of

20:00Norfolk need more money at this time.

20:03We need leaders who value and prioritize people over profits.

20:08We need leaders who will listen to their constituents and local

20:12community stakeholders of Norfolk.

20:14Let's not forget that it is the hands of the poor that help

20:16sustain the rich and the people.

20:19We are excluding from a lot of these meetings and

20:21conversations are the same people who work and help

20:25populate Norfolk and keep it running.

20:27We are the people who help you build Norfolk.

20:31So we need the department heads of the city to be willing to

20:36meet and listen to feedback from local residents.

20:38We need affordable housing.

20:40We need equivalent daycare.

20:42We need you to stand up and lead us appropriately at a time

20:48where democracy is fleeting within America, and it is not

20:52working well for the federal government, and it is also not

20:55working well for the local government.

20:57We need a change.

20:58It is time for a change.

21:01Our system is broken and that is a fact.

21:03I have said that several times.

21:05We are in need of a radical change in many different areas

21:08within the city.

21:10Beautification does not equate to city stabilization.

21:14We need more emergency services.

21:16We need fixed infrastructure.

21:18We need the flooding to stop, and I would rather be loud for

21:22a change than to be silent and broke and complicit and

21:26homeless and struggling and hurting, unable to survive in

21:30this current economy.

21:31We need you to help us to be able to make more money so that

21:34we can indeed help ourselves.

21:37And I understand that it is a business, the city, but also

21:41understand that the city needs its people.

21:44Thank you.

21:45Thank you.

21:49Chosen. Wilkins, followed by Carl Poole.

21:56Good evening, mayor, members of

21:58Council and the members of the community.

22:01I. I stand here tonight because transparency, accountability

22:05and equal protection under the

22:06law matter to every resident in Norfolk.

22:09First, I want to publicly extend my sincere gratitude to

22:12the city Manager's office when it felt.

22:15When I felt like my voice was being ignored.

22:17The city Manager office and their staff stepped up and

22:21actively attempted to assure that the Norfolk Police

22:23Department fulfilled its sworn duties to investigate claims

22:26brought before them.

22:28It is important for the community to know that the city

22:30manager's office has tried to intervene when procedures

22:33appear compromised, and that oversight deserves recognition.

22:38Um, so however, despite those efforts, the underlying problem

22:42still remains unresolved.

22:44It has become clear that elements within the police

22:47department continue to block my claims and others, and refuse

22:51to conduct fair investigations when official intake is

22:54restricted, when subpoenaed officers fail to appear in

22:57court and when calls for help go unanswered.

23:00The system fails the very people it sworn to protect.

23:04The pursuit of accountability is vital to me.

23:07Carrying the weight of Uninvestigated claims and

23:10feeling entirely unprotected by law enforcement takes a severe,

23:14life altering toll.

23:19On a person's physical and mental well-being.

23:23So citizens should never be pushed to bring to the brink of

23:27despair, simply trying to have their voice heard and their

23:31rights recognized.

23:32Sorry, this is not just about one individual.

23:35It's a fundamental community concern.

23:37If a department can selectively decide who gets protected and

23:41who gets ignored, it compromises the safety for

23:44everyone in Norfolk.

23:45I am.

23:47I ask this council to stand behind the city, their citizens

23:51and the city manager's oversight.

23:54Demand full departmental accountability and ensure that

23:58every resident receives equal protection under the law.

24:01Thank you.

24:03Thank you.

24:07Carl Poole.

24:10Followed by Sonia Johnson.

24:20Good evening, members of the Council.

24:21My name is Carl Poole and I live at 9424

24:24Peachtree Street, Norfolk.

24:26Um, on August 25th, uh, this council approved a measure, um,

24:31uh, approving the right of way agreement between them and the

24:34Virginia environmental.

24:35The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality for the

24:38installation of, um, air quality monitoring equipment at

24:41three different locations in and around Lambert's Point.

24:45Now, this equipment is being installed in support of what's

24:48called the Tidewater Air Monitoring and Evaluation

24:51Project, or detain project.

24:53And it's been a long time in coming.

24:55Um, DEQ has been reaching out to the community in and around

24:59Lambert's Point since at least 2021 to get this project

25:02started so that there would be definitive data on the effects

25:06of particulate matter coming from industrial sites, say,

25:10like coal dust coming from Norfolk Southern.

25:12Um, to which Lambert's point, the neighborhood is the closest

25:15community, uh, to that industrial site.

25:19Um, there have been studies in and around that facility on

25:23their property before, but never in the neighborhood and

25:25never in and around the neighborhood.

25:26So this is important because now if the questions that

25:30residents have had about whether or not coal dust is

25:33affecting their health or questions anybody's had about

25:36that can finally have some definitive data to give us on

25:40how that is working, also with other surrounding communities.

25:43And honestly, with Old Dominion University, which many of its

25:46playing fields and dormitories are just as close to Norfolk

25:49Southern as the Lambert's Point neighborhood.

25:52So I wanted to come here today

25:54to do one thing to say thank you.

25:57This is only one part of the Taim study.

25:59The other part is in Newport News.

26:01But to see that the city is willing to work with the DEQ on

26:04what they have to do in order to set up those three

26:06monitoring sites in Norfolk, I think one, it bodes well for

26:10wanting to deal with community response on what they think

26:14they have a problem with, versus what they've got the

26:15data to, what's going on with the problems in their area.

26:19And it also, I think it'll it'll settle some things.

26:23A lot of the when we've I've spoken to residents before in

26:26the neighborhood, a lot of the times they feel as if, well,

26:29there's nothing they can do against a big industrial

26:31company like Norfolk Southern that no matter what they want

26:34or what they think, that nobody's going to listen.

26:36And I'm glad that at least on

26:37the 25th of August, you all listened.

26:40So this is a two year study.

26:42So I don't expect anything immediate to come out for data.

26:46But the fact that they can begin to do their part from the

26:48DEQ and to install these monitors was, is a good start.

26:52Thank you.

26:54Thank you.

26:57Sonya Johnson

27:00followed by Eric Smith.

27:07Greetings all.

27:08Sonia Johnson, 1600 block of

27:10Corporate Avenue, Norfolk, Virginia.

27:13Uh, so I just wanted to touch

27:15on things that affect me in my neighborhood.

27:18Uh, when it comes to the NSU games, we like to not have

27:25outsiders cars come in our neighborhood because of all of

27:28the trash and potential violence.

27:32Um, I don't mind.

27:34Stop the violence and all that coming through and, uh, what's

27:38the word?

27:39Marching and holding rallies and stuff, but let's stop it

27:42before it even gets to that point.

27:44Um, and that can be done by what I said, stopping the

27:47vehicles from coming through

27:48unless you are a resident there.

27:50When it comes to the Norfolk Cares request, um, for us to

27:55have parking enforcement in zone seven, which is from

27:58Madison Avenue to, uh, covenant.

28:03Those requests stay open for days on end.

28:07Particularly today, I put in a request that stayed open for

28:10only four hours, and that was before the working day ended.

28:15Uh, every day there are at least 20 vehicles in violation

28:19of that one hour parking ordinance.

28:22And on average, the City of Norfolk parking only issues

28:26about five tickets, as I stated previously.

28:30Um,

28:31well, the last time I spoke here, there are at least 20.

28:34Well, I said what I should have said was the city loses $1,000

28:39a day in potential revenue

28:41because citations are not issued.

28:44So what is that, 15 weeks of

28:45instruction for the fall semester.

28:4815 weeks times what?

28:50Six days?

28:51Five days of the week.

28:53Day instruction.

28:54That's a lot of money.

28:56No enforcement is no revenue.

28:59Uh, when it comes to the parking around the green space,

29:03we like to have it where they park on one side of Madison

29:06Avenue, and that's to not be a

29:08hindrance to the emergency vehicles.

29:12Uh. What else?

29:15There are vehicles that park in and on the green space that's

29:19owned by NRHA uh, they do not hesitate to get somebody out

29:24there to.

29:26What is it?

29:28Tag those vehicles to let them know not to park there.

29:30But something else needs to be done because it is a daily

29:33occurrence and it's like they're just getting over on

29:36the system.

29:37Uh, when it comes to all the

29:38people out there, we just don't,

29:41we just don't want violence out there.

29:43And we do want the city's revenue to increase.

29:47And on top of that, we want convenience when it comes to

29:49us, uh, bringing groceries and donations down to donate to the

29:54Monarch Pantry, to the food Bank of southeastern Virginia,

29:57it's just easier to go straight

29:59to our car and drop off those donations.

30:01Thank you.

30:05Eric Smith.

30:08Followed by Christine Bonavita.

30:14Good evening, Eric Smith.

30:171648 Corporal Avenue.

30:20And just to piggyback on what was just said, the parking

30:24enforcement, the trash that's left out there on the weekends.

30:30I come home one day and it's an empty deuce.

30:35Bottle cracked in the middle of the street, where I had to get

30:39out of my car to go sweep it up, because they just leave the

30:43trash there.

30:44Um, since the last flooding that we had out there, some of

30:48the residents, they don't pull their trash cans.

30:50And when it does flood, it leaves trash out, which is not

30:56safe for the kids that do play outside.

31:00Um.

31:02yeah, the

31:04if we have visitors that come throughout the day, there's no

31:09parking for them because the students literally take up all

31:13the parking spots.

31:14Even if we have to give our visitors parking passes, they

31:18shouldn't have to park all the way across the street on the

31:24other side, when they could park closer to the residents

31:27that they're visiting and not have to walk all the way around

31:30because people that's violating the one hour rule is taking

31:34over the parking.

31:35And like she said, I sit out there.

31:38I've been out of work for the last couple of months, and I

31:41sit out there and I see the same cars every day come out

31:47there and park in the front, the back side streets.

31:53Some of them get tickets and they still out there.

31:57And obviously I don't know how many tickets it's going to take

32:00for somebody to realize that you're not supposed to park

32:03there, but the parking enforcement, you see them once

32:07or twice a day, if that.

32:09Some days you don't see them at all.

32:12I could, I could go out, come back two hours later.

32:15A car that's been parked there since 8:00 in the morning still

32:19doesn't have a ticket on there,

32:21and it's 12:00 in the afternoon.

32:25Like that's ridiculous.

32:27And, you know, as far as the the trash when, you know,

32:34we don't know when we're going to get a next pour down, you

32:37know, but we shouldn't have to.

32:40Some of the residents shouldn't have to be out there picking up

32:43other people's trash because they fail to leave their trash

32:46cans at the end of the street

32:49prior to a downpour.

32:51That's disgusting.

32:52You got sanitary napkins, you got diapers.

32:56You got residents that don't even have a lid on their

33:00garbage can, and they just throw the trash in there, don't

33:03tie it up or anything.

33:05And then you got trash flying in everybody else yard for them

33:08to pick up.

33:09That's not right.

33:12And that's pretty much all that I have to say.

33:15Thank you.

33:19Christine Bonavita

33:22followed by Gabe Harrell.

33:25Good evening.

33:26My name is Christine Bonavita.

33:28I'm a current resident of Pembroke Towers, located at 601

33:31Pembroke Avenue in Norfolk, Virginia, 2507.

33:35I'm here tonight to discuss deferred maintenance for

33:38Pembroke Towers.

33:39I have all of this paperwork to give to the city clerk, and

33:42this contains 38 months of deferred maintenance that

33:46Pembroke Towers has failed to properly maintain the building.

33:50I'm here tonight because on September 3rd, I had a flood in

33:54my home that came from the building's common Hvac riser.

33:57It's the structural plumbing that is inside the walls that

34:01runs Pembroke Towers is a 12 floor, 168 unit building on

34:06September 3rd for exactly 48 hours.

34:09I had to divert, collect and capture hundreds of gallons of

34:14water that drained from eight floors above me.

34:18My landlord failed to remedy this issue for 48 hours.

34:22They did not access and open the walls until September 5th.

34:26The fire department has been to my unit five times since

34:29September 3rd.

34:30The city code enforcement has

34:32been to my unit twice in the past

34:3611 days, and there are multiple code violations in my unit,

34:40along with several other units.

34:42So there are hundreds of units in Pembroke Towers that are

34:46experiencing same or similar issues.

34:49I have paperwork here documenting the past 38 months

34:52with photos and copies of work orders.

34:55Our building has experienced only one working elevator for

34:59the past several years.

35:00The other elevator has been out of service for years.

35:03The city has said that they are concerned with the structural

35:06integrity of the building, and that if these uncontrolled,

35:09unremedied, leaking waters reaches that only working

35:13elevator, the entire building stands to be condemned.

35:16I myself am currently living in a biohazard.

35:19This water was trapped in my ceiling for 48 hours.

35:23That makes it a category two or category three biohazard water

35:26that when you have a drain pipe down.

35:28Eight stories coming into my unit, my insurance company is

35:31involved and they are currently

35:33segregating against my landlord.

35:35All of this evidence that I would love to give to the city

35:37clerk shows that this issue has been gone going for 38 months.

35:41I have several hundred work orders for damage to my home,

35:45and I now have an insurance claim at close to $15,000 worth

35:50of damage in my home Because of this deferred maintenance.

35:53The building is original to 1965.

35:56The pipes are original to 1965.

35:58This is not a historical building.

36:00The landlord, Pembroke Towers, needs to be held accountable.

36:03And I am not just here speaking for myself.

36:06I am speaking as a neighbor to the hundreds of other tenants

36:09that are experiencing issues, including the baby's nursery

36:12across the hall from me that is currently leaking as we speak.

36:16So I also speak as a neighbor.

36:17I speak as a resident of Norfolk.

36:19I speak as a mother of two, and I speak as a licensed insurance

36:22agent of 22 years.

36:24This is a crisis and this is a risk.

36:26I think the city needs to be involved now.

36:28Thank you.

36:29Thank you.

36:34Gabe. Harold.

36:39Gabe. Harold.

36:42Samuel. Wallace.

36:49Followed by Alex O'Loughlin.

36:55Council.

36:56My name is Sam.

36:57I live in the Neon District.

36:59I think most of you know me by now.

37:02Uh, if you could give me your

37:04undivided attention for a moment.

37:08What I'm going to say today

37:09concerns you, and it involves you.

37:13I've had the privilege to meet with several of you over the

37:17past few months.

37:18Not as many as I'd like.

37:20Um, and what I have heard from you is that you don't like it

37:27when we come up here and talk to you about flock.

37:29You don't understand what we're saying, and you don't really

37:33listen to us.

37:35And what we should do instead is schedule individual meetings

37:38with you.

37:40And I can tell you that, uh, we don't feel listened to.

37:44Uh, we don't feel like you're

37:46considering what we have to say.

37:49And I think that that is evidence that this system is

37:55not working, not fit for purpose.

37:57Now, I know I have heard from you that it is a national model

38:03that you're following,

38:05and that doesn't mean that it

38:09is right for the city of Norfolk.

38:11I don't think that it works for the city of Norfolk.

38:14It's not one size fits all.

38:15I have heard from you that everybody does this.

38:17That's just not true.

38:19I've been to a Newport News School board meeting.

38:21At the end of it, every single member of the board was called

38:24upon to respond to the comments that people had given that day.

38:27I've attended virtually a

38:29Virginia Beach City Council meeting.

38:31The counselors there responded to the things that people had

38:33to say.

38:35I can give you video of both of these things.

38:37You have my email address, write down, follow up with Sam.

38:40I will send you the videos so that you can see for yourself.

38:43So it's not true that you can't change this.

38:47And it's not true that there is no alternative.

38:50But the buck stops with you all.

38:54And as for scheduling individual meetings, uh, one

39:00city council session takes maybe an hour.

39:0330 minutes.

39:04Say what you have to say.

39:0538 individual meetings with everybody who has a vote on

39:09city council would take 430 minute sessions or sorry, 830

39:15minute sessions.

39:16So four hours throughout the month, uh, during business

39:19hours during which I have to work.

39:21So I would have to take eight

39:22days off to speak to all of you.

39:25Now multiply that by the hundreds of people that I'm

39:28here to speak on behalf of today who can't even make it to

39:31City council this session.

39:33That's after business hours.

39:35So I'll tell you what I'm going to do about it.

39:37On October 13th, we are going to have a rally outside City

39:41Hall, and I'm going to do my best to bring all of the people

39:43there who have something to say about flock up here to this

39:47city council session so that they can voice their concerns

39:50to you, so that you can listen to your constituents and your

39:53voters, and not just the civic leagues, because I understand

39:56that's where you're getting most of your perspective from.

39:58Thank you.

40:02Alex O'Loughlin.

40:15Council. My name is Alex O'Loughlin.

40:17I was born and raised in Norfolk.

40:18I currently live in Park Place.

40:21Uh, honestly, the most eye opening part of committing to

40:24the flock movement has been sitting through the public

40:27comment section of the City Council since March.

40:30Uh, over the course of eight months, you kind of start to

40:31see a trend.

40:33And for eight months, I've heard Norfolk residents come

40:34before you and ask for help.

40:37I hear them ask for a better park access for help with

40:39exorbitant utility bills, for equitable action on housing, on

40:43climate resilience.

40:44They asked for funding for

40:45their school, their community center.

40:47They asked for help expanding their youth program.

40:50You know, but what I don't see them ask for is more cameras

40:53and more surveillance.

40:55So I really scratched my head after watching the informal

40:57council session from last month, where we saw the council

41:00sit through the police chief's presentation that showed a

41:02double digit increase in gun violence and vehicle theft.

41:06And then see it followed up with statements in support of

41:08Flock's efficacy.

41:10I'm not going to stand up here and act like I understand all

41:12the factors of criminology, but I will stand up here and raise

41:15issue with the fact that month in and month out, I hear

41:18Norfolk residents come to this podium and ask for their tax

41:20dollars to be allocated to

41:21programs that actually make a difference.

41:25There's a quote from this guy, James Fricke.

41:26He worked in development at Notre Dame.

41:29He said, don't tell me what your priorities are.

41:31Show me where you spend your money and I'll tell you what

41:33they are.

41:35I know appropriations is probably difficult, but I'm

41:38kind of sick of seeing half $1 million flow out of Norfolk to

41:41a party with zero stake in its success.

41:44I have so many issues with this platform which are obviously

41:46not shared by the council, but I hope you can agree that

41:49funding a private surveillance company with no ties to Norfolk

41:52in place of building real

41:53community equity is a huge mistake.

41:56Every dollar that flows to flock safety is a dollar that

41:58no longer contributes here.

42:00It doesn't employ violence interrupters.

42:02It doesn't build recreation centers.

42:03It doesn't fund jobs programs for the youth.

42:06It does tell residents that you'd rather the police watch a

42:09computer screen than take a walk in their neighborhood.

42:12You know, the adopted 20, 2050 or the 2050 Norfolk plan says

42:17that by 2050, Norfolk will be a resilient city, an equitable

42:21city, a regional city, a family city, and a growing city.

42:25And for the life of me, I fail to see where flock fits in.

42:29Thank you so much for your time.

42:31Thank you.