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🏛Unpacking the Agenda: Feb 27th Norfolk City Council Meeting

Here's a preview of what's on the docket

Author

Paul Stetson Rice
February 27, 2024

Here’s what’s coming up in the City Council meetings today, Tuesday, February 27th.  

3:30 pm City Council Work Session

I. AGENDA OVERVIEW 

Presenter: Patrick Roberts, City Manager 

II. SCHOOL SPEED ZONE CAMERAS 

Presenter:Doug Beaver, Deputy City Manager
Background:
The city began rolling out 10 cameras in 2023, with expectations to finish by Q2 2024. 
HB 1442 in 2020 allowed this practice statewide.
HB 20 from the 2024 session would have allowed cameras in many more locations by was continued to 2025

III. SOUTHEASTERN PUBLIC SERVICE AUTHORITY UPDATE

Presenter: Dennis Bagley, Executive Director, SPSA
Background: Last summer there was a fire at the SPSA Transfer Station in Norfolk.

IV. RECYCLING UPDATE

Presenter: Richard Broad, Director of Public Works
Background:
TFC recycling’s contract ends this summer and, if renewed, is expected to be more expensive. VB & Chesapeake have seen rate increases recently as well.

6:00 pm City Council Formal Session Meeting

Public Hearing  Agenda

This ordinance is essentially a paperwork change for JANAF shops. Instead of the shopping center having its own zoning overlay for store signs, they’ll now just have a Conditional Use Permit covering the signs for the shops. This brings it in-line with current best practices for permitting. The special zoning overlay was originally granted in 2001. 

Short Term Rentals:

Items 1 through 5 are all Conditional Use Permits (CUP) for Short Term Rentals (STR). I’ve condensed the background information on that here:

C-1 

Short Term Rental at 9555 15th Bay Street. 

Civic League: Not enough people were present at the Civic League meeting to hold a vote supporting or opposing this project. 

C-2 

Short Term Rental at 9563 20th Bay Street.

Civic League: The East Ocean View Civic League voted 14-6 to support a STR CUP at this property. 

Short Term Rental at 1432 Norcova Avenue.

Civic League: No active civic league in Fox Hall. 

Short Term Rental at  1353 East Ocean View Avenue.

Civic League: Cottage Line Civic League voted unanimously to support a STR CUP at this property. 

C-5 

Short Term Rental at 1357 East Ocean View Avenue.

Civic League: Cottage Line Civic League voted unanimously to support a STR CUP at this property. 

This ordinance would allow the H.O.P.E. Foundation to hold a community event on City-owned property at 901 Church Street. The Foundation’s goal is to eradicate homelessness.  

Background:

This ordinance would allow the City of Norfolk’s historic Mace and the Police Honor Guard to be used in the 57th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade. 

Paperwork change. A correct property exhibition is added to an ordinance passed at the February 13th City Council meeting. The original ordinance designated part of the stie of the Chrysler Museum expansion as a public right of way. You can read the original ordinance here. 

C-9 

This ordinance allows several contractors to enter into the city-owned green space at 451 Bank Street to make emergency repairs to the Wells Fargo building. 

Regular Agenda

R-1 

This ordinance gives NRHA approval to issue bonds to a housing developer. The NRHA serves only as a conduit for the bond, with no liability or risk for the City of Norfolk or the NRHA. The NRHA is paid a fee for the management of this bond. The properties tied to this transaction are not co-located, instead they are spread across three locations. You can view the NRHA resolution on page 17 of this document. 

Background:

This ordinance would approve a cost-sharing agreement between the developers of the Metropolitan Apartments and the City of Norfolk for improvements to Wastewater Pump Station No. 120. 

The wastewater pump near the planned Metropolitan Apartments development at 5900 Northampton Blvd is not suited for the additional 176 dwelling units. The improvements needed would cost $4,000,000, and the developers are being asked to contribute $360,000 towards the bill. 

This docket item is an ordinance to accept, appropriate and authorize the expenditure of grant funds of $69,280 from the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services for Norfolk Community Services Board to provide problem gambling prevention services.

Background:

Under the terms of the Headwaters Resort and Casino deal, the tribe must make annual payments to local efforts dealing with gambling addiction. 

R-4 

This docket item is an ordinance to accept, appropriate and authorize the expenditure of grant funds of $149,937.80 from the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS) for Norfolk Community Services Board to provide substance use prevention and substance use disorder treatment services.

Background: 

R-5 

This docket item is an ordinance to accept Virginia Outdoors Foundation grant funds in the amount of $404,625 to fund Elizabeth River Trail improvements at the Larchmont trailhead. Improvements will include upgrade trail surfaces, kayak launches, and open space improvements. 

Background:
Trail future from the ERT referencing the Larchmont Trailhead. 
The Virginia Outdoors Foundation grant information. 

R-6 

This ordinance would allow the City to acquire property at 2400 Berkeley Avenue Extension from NRHA. 

Background: 
This purchase is related to the solar power facility planned by Community Power Group, which earned a lease from the City for this project. 

R-7 

This is an agenda item to provide compensation increases for state funded Elections and Constitutional Officers and their employees. The increase is provided by the updated state budget passed by the Virginia General Assembly. 

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