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2026-09-15 - City Council

Summary

Built from the official minutes. No video is posted. Informal session in the Conference Room from 2:30 PM; formal session in Chamber at 6:00 PM, adjourned 7:40 PM.

  • Attendance: Mayor Dyer presided. Council Member Hutcheson arrived at 2:40 PM; Council Member Rouse was absent (illness), so votes were 10-0 unless noted.
  • Flood protection: $73.4M in grants and loans secured; program estimate $1,549M against a $1,489M baseline. See Flood Protection Program Update.
  • Flood insurance: the city moves to CRS Class 6 on October 1, 2026. See Community Rating System Update.
  • Small business: a $10,000 EDIP small business grant opens October 1. See Small Business Resources Briefing.
  • Animal cruelty registry: Council Member Berlucchi asked for an October briefing and budget analysis. See Animal Cruelty Registry.
  • Rezoning: the 251-unit Kempsville Road development passed 9-1. See Kempsville Road Farmhouse Rezoning.
  • Short-term rentals: the oceanfront overlay reduction was referred to the Planning Commission; one permit was deferred and three approved. See Short-Term Rental Overlay District.
  • Consent items: ten ordinances and resolutions (J1 to J10) and six planning items passed on consent; one planning item was deferred.
  • Appointments: four appointments made; ten boards rescheduled.

Briefings

Flood Protection Program Update

  • Jeff Waller and Leisha Pica presented the oversight board and program manager update; Mayor Dyer thanked them.
  • Windsor Woods, The Lakes and Princess Anne Plaza $747M versus $766M baseline; Eastern Shore Drive $118M versus $101M; Windsor Woods pump station groundbreaking September 23; Bow Creek Stormwater Park Phase 1 $43.9M under construction; USDOT PROTECT $19M for Pungo Ferry and FEMA BRIC $25.1M for Eastern Shore Drive.
  • See also Pungo Ferry Road Project (design 90% complete).

Community Rating System Update

  • Whitney McNamara presented: Class 7 (15% discount) to Class 6 (20%) on October 1, about 19,800 policies.

Small Business Resources Briefing

  • Emily Archer and Jerry Mathis: EDIP Part F grants up to $10,000 from a $150,000 budget, window October 1 for 30 days; first round 17 grants totalling $144,811; Facade Improvement Grant 50% match, applications open January 2027.

Council comments

  • Council Member Henley raised fall prevention and cracked sidewalks at The Villages at West Neck and asked staff to accompany her; Council Member Ross-Hammond raised senior crosswalk signage and transitional housing. See Sidewalk Safety Requests.
  • Council Member Berlucchi reported murals at Plaza Little League, a District 3 Town Hall September 23 and the Armed Services YMCA ribbon-cutting; the Mayor noted a waiting list of more than 600.
  • Council Member Berlucchi and Council Member Hutcheson are the council liaisons to the Animal Services Advisory Board; see below.
  • Council Member Jackson-Green holds a District 7 Town Hall September 18; Council Member Ross-Hammond reported the Blackstreet Boulevard signage unveiling September 19. Council Member Hutcheson and Council Member Jackson-Green reported on the Community Organization Grant review (more than 30 interviews).

Animal Cruelty Registry

  • Council Member Berlucchi distributed a letter from Animal Services Advisory Board member C. Kelly Copeland, asked for a briefing in October and budget analysis before budget season, and asked staff to research the judge-administered list of people banned from possessing animals.
  • The board recommends adding legislative agenda provisions to allow misdemeanor animal neglect and abuse convictions in the registry, as Chesapeake does.
  • City Manager Duhaney said it could be considered in the next budget cycle.

Agenda review and closed session

  • Consent by consensus: J1 to J10 and Planning K1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 10; K2 and K9 heard separately; K4 considered for deferral.
  • Closed session on motion of Council Member Berlucchi, seconded by Council Member Jackson-Green, 10-0, 4:14 PM (publicly held property in Districts 5 and 6, a public contract, personnel and appointments); ran 4:27 to 5:39 PM and was certified on motion of Council Member Berlucchi, seconded by Council Member Ross-Hammond, 10-0.

Formal session

  • Vice Mayor Wilson and Council Member Remick made their standing real estate disclosures.
  • Minutes of September 1 and September 8 approved on motion of Council Member Jackson-Green, seconded by Council Member Ross-Hammond, 10-0.
  • Recognitions: Virginia Beach Little League Softball (read by Vice Mayor Wilson); Filipino American History Month, October 2026, read by Mayor Dyer, with Naomi Estaris and George Alcaraz speaking (the 12th Fil Fest USA is October 2 to 4 at Rudee Loop); and Dieter Steinhoff, founder of Acoustical Sheetmetal, Inc.
  • Consent agenda adopted on motion of Vice Mayor Wilson, seconded by Council Member Remick, 10-0, with Planning item 3 and item 8 as amended and item 4 deferred.

Ordinances and resolutions

Charity Neck Road Agricultural Easement

  • J1: ARP easement on 31.98 acres, obligations up to $473,304, interest-only for 25 years. Wilson/Remick, 10-0.

Short-Term Rental Overlay District

  • J3: Resolution referring to the Planning Commission an amendment reducing the Oceanfront Resort Short Term Rental Overlay District (deferred indefinitely September 1). The Commission must report within 30 days. 10-0.

Historic District Signs

  • J4: Section 33-114.4.3, signs of no more than 5 square feet. 10-0.

Street Reconstruction Funding

  • J5: $7M from VDOT to Street Reconstruction III and the balance of Street Reconstruction II. 10-0.

Firearms Violence Intervention Grant

  • J6: $500,000 DCJS grant: Police $268,300, Parks and Recreation $38,000, Juvenile Probation $193,700. 10-0.

State Grant Acceptances

  • J7: $348,403.57 Department of Forestry; J8: $59,498 DBHDS; J9: $18,000 State Water Rescue. 10-0.

Black Diamond Weekend Sponsorship

  • J10: $25,000 transfer and sponsorship agreement with Black BRAND. 10-0.

Planning

Entrada Drive Subdivision Variance

  • K1: approved as conditioned by consent, 10-0.

Kempsville Road Farmhouse Rezoning

  • K2: motion Council Member Jackson-Green, second Council Member Hutcheson; approved as proffered and conditioned, 9-1 (Council Member Henley nay). $600,000 for pedestrian signalization, 7% attainable units for 10 years, 251 units maximum.
  • Support: Rob Beaman, Edward Hewitt, Shauna Firman, Ashley Malinowski, Chaneya White, Patricia OBrien, Ben Flood. Opposition: Danielle Swartz, Samantha Roaquin, Melanie Fitzgerrel, Kim Mayo.

Padel Facility Conditional Use Permit

  • K3: modified conditions approved by consent, 10-0 (hours 7 AM to 10 PM Monday to Saturday).

Potters Road Contractors Yard Rezoning

  • K4: deferred to October 20 by consent, 10-0.

Flanagans Lane Residential Kennel Permit

  • K5: approved, 10-0, maximum 12 dogs.

Shore Drive Marine Pilot Marina Permit

  • K6: marina and pilot dormitory permits approved, 10-0.

Resort Area Short-Term Rental Permits

  • K7, K8 and K10: approved, 10-0.

19th Street Short-Term Rental Permit

  • K9: motion Council Member Remick, second Vice Mayor Wilson, deferred to October 20, 10-0. Eddie Bourdon spoke in support; Jill Flood in opposition.

Appointments

Board Appointments September 2026

  • On nomination by Vice Mayor Wilson, 10-0: Minority Business Council (Eric Camacho, Micah Rivers), Public Library Board (Tiffany Jenkins), Wetlands Board (William Serge) and one student seat on the Clean Community Commission. Ten boards were rescheduled.

Sources