Latest news with #ChesapeakeCityCouncil
Yahoo
30-05-2025
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Chesapeake wants to build a railroad crossing overpass in South Norfolk
CHESAPEAKE — City leaders are pursuing grant funding from the state to build an overpass bridge for the Norfolk Portsmouth Beltline Railroad on Freeman Avenue in South Norfolk. At its meeting this week, the Chesapeake City Council passed a resolution to apply for funding through Virginia Department of Transportation's Revenue Sharing Program for the project. The rail passing is nestled between Harris Street and Republic Road. The project would replace the existing at-grade railroad crossing with an overpass bridge and include associated roadway realignments and improvements. Local transportation experts have been studying traffic disruptions caused by trains across Hampton Roads in an effort to recommend solutions. The Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization collected data on more than 600 railway crossings across the region to prioritize improvements and new overpasses and underpasses projects to ease traffic congestion. The organization scored 307 public, at-grade crossings for prioritization based on several factors, including traffic and train volumes, delays, safety and roadway characteristics. The Freeman Avenue crossing came in at number 11 on the list. Norfolk railroad crossings occupied the top five spots on the list, including on Hampton Avenue at Terminal Boulevard and on Granby Street near Ward's Corner. Chesapeake has the most crossings in the region at 122, including 98 at-grade crossings, according to the HRTPO. The Freeman Avenue overpass project will feature two 12-foot lanes at a speed of 35 mph. Pedestrian and bicycle facilities won't be included, but 8-foot shoulders are proposed accommodations. Also at Tuesday's meeting, the council approved an action to acquire rights-of-way in the area required to construct the project. Construction is scheduled for the spring of 2028 and expected to span until late 2030. The city has prioritized the project as it currently has $22.5 million of funding in the city's multi-year Capital Improvement Plan in the fiscal budget, including $10.2 million from the Federal Rail Administration. An additional $24.5 million will be needed in future years, for a projected total of $47 million. The city's application for funding from VDOT requests $10 million, and if received, the city would match that — likely through bonds financed by the South Norfolk Tax Increment Financing district, according to a memo from city staff. Natalie Anderson, 757-732-1133,
Yahoo
23-04-2025
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Chesapeake approves $20M bond for Landmark Apartments' affordable housing renovations
CHESAPEAKE — Bond funding of up to $20 million approved this week will help fund the renovation of 120 units at Landmark Apartments in Campostella Square over the next several years. Once completed — hopefully by late 2027 — all units will be considered affordable housing. Half of the units will be set aside for project-based rental assistance, and the other half will be income-restricted for those who earn 50% to 60% of the area median income. Chesapeake City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to approve the issuing of $20 million in tax-exempt multifamily housing revenue bonds by the Chesapeake Redevelopment and Housing Authority for the project. Renovation projects are also underway at other housing communities in the area, including Peaceful Village and MacDonald Manor — formerly known as Foundation Park, an area of post-World War II housing for ship builders that was later acquired and converted into low-income and public housing. Though the CRHA owns some of those housing communities, Landmark Apartments is privately owned but working with CRHA on the renovation project. The apartments were renovated in 2005 using low-income housing tax credits. Through that transaction, the housing authority obtained a right that grants it the exclusive opportunity to consider acquiring the property at the end of the 15-year low-income housing tax credit agreement. CRHA Executive Director John Kownack said the authority is using that right and has been working to solicit a co-developer, ultimately landing on New York-based development firm Fairstead to work with it on the project. 'We're really doing this because we want to sustain the property in the community, and we wanted to make sure that the purchase price would be low enough to support comprehensive renovations,' Kownack said. Virginia Beach housing grant program aims to increase affordable options Norfolk considers loosening requirements for homeowners to add on rental units Why housing supply is such a problem in Hampton Roads The acquisition and renovations are estimated to cost $33 million, and will be covered by a combination of the bonds and low-income housing tax credits. Landmark II Limited Partnership, which owns the property, and the CRHA agreed to a negotiated purchase price of $8 million. Though the property is assessed at $9.7 million and could sell for more on the market, Kownack said the lowered purchase price will allow the developer to cover all the costs. He said renovations will amount to roughly $90,000 per unit and include new kitchens, appliances, bathrooms, fixtures, floors and repainted walls, as well as improvements to the community space and laundry room. No tenant displacements are expected as the approach will be to set aside a portion of vacant units to be renovated and then move tenants into the newly renovated units. Kownack said priority will be given to current tenants who qualify for the rental assistance. The project will also change the way low-income renters access units. Currently, a portion of apartments are set aside for tenants using housing choice vouchers, a subsidy that can be used at any rental property location that accepts them. By contrast, the completed renovation project will convert 60 units into project-based housing, meaning the subsidy stays with the units and is only offered to those who qualify for such assistance. Kownack said the mixed-income approach is a way to prevent overconcentration of poverty in one area. 'Our income-based housing serves people that, say, make $30,000 or less. And then the other 60 units will serve people that make $30,000 to $65,000,' Kownack said. 'So we're trying to do a kind of a mixed-income approach here, but still expand the number of units that are available to the people that we serve that have extremely low income.' Kownack said about 100 families in Chesapeake at this time have been granted housing choice vouchers, with 9,000 other families on the waitlist. Fairstead is also behind a project to acquire and renovate the 65 apartments at Peaceful Village in the Campostella Square area. On Wednesday, the company finalized a deal to invest $10 million into that project — $150,000 per unit — using low income housing tax credits and the U.S. Housing and Urban Development's rental assistance demonstration program in partnership with the CRHA. That project includes interior renovations like new flooring, bathrooms, cabinets, lighting and appliances. It also includes the construction of a 2,500-square-foot community center, leasing office and playground. 'Our philosophy is we go where we have an opportunity to make an impact on the local community, and our particular expertise is in affordable housing,' said Estelle Chan, senior director of development at Fairstead. Fairstead also worked on a project to revamp Atlantis Apartments in Virginia Beach, a government-subsidized apartment complex near the Oceanfront where Grammy-winning singer Pharrell Williams lived as a child. Natalie Anderson, 757-732-1133,
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Business
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Proposed Chesapeake budget could include real estate tax hike
CHESAPEAKE, Va. (WAVY) — Chesapeake City Council went over the city's proposed budget for FY 2026 and the proposed Capital Improvement Program for FY 2026-2030 on Tuesday. Norfolk prioritizes employee recruitment, tourism in $2B proposed budget VB budget proposal includes revived boat tax, meals tax and stormwater rate increase City Manager Chris Price and Budget Director Jonathan Hobbs both presented the proposed budget to the council, and it is now up to them to consider a .2 cent increase for the current real estate tax. Officials said the increase would help to pay for improved public safety. The proposed budget comes out to $1.6 billion. During Tuesday's presentation, the council discussed the desired outcomes of the proposed budget, including economic prosperity, connectivity, cultural diversity, environmental responsibility and safety and security. A breakdown of the desired outcomes can be found below: Encouraging redevelopment through $3.7 million to fully fund to South Norfolk Municipal Building Community and neighborhood revitalization — Indian River Strategic Acquisition of Property, Deep Creek Strategic Acquisition of Property and Western Branch Strategic Acquisition of property Incentivizing new and existing businesses with a Site Readiness and Economic Development Investment Program Enhanced signage and landscaping at entrances to the city Sidewalk and pedestrian improvements, such as a Bruin Drie and Gilmerton sidewalk connection Improving the customer experience Business development Hosting Sail 2026 Virginia at Battlefield Park to celebrate America's 250th anniversary Enhancing historical resources, such as the Great Bridge Battlefield and Waterways Museum Preservation of agriculture and open space Environmentla preservation Enhanced mowing requencies for medians Closing gap on minimum staffing with 12 new firefighter positions Expanding storage capacity for evicence Moving Public Safety System to the Cloud Improving survival rates for cardiac arrest Improving emergency response times Providing a safer work environment Improving outcomes/enhancing customer service Using data to improve decision making According to the recently released Old Dominion University Quality of Life Survey, Chesapeake consistently ranks as the highest citizen satisfaction in the region, while also having the lowest tax and fee burden, officials said. ODU survey shows declining quality of life and economic outlook in Hampton Roads While the .2 cent increase for the real estate tax was proposed, Price stated one of the guiding principles of the budget would have no increase on the real estate tax rate and was only discussed while addressing the council's strategic priorities. Price is instead proposing the revenue should come from the elimation of planned projects — including the South Central Water and Sewer Transmission and the George Washington Highway widening project — and increasing the hotel tax by $1 a night. Based on the Chesapeake Public School's Superintendent Dr. Jared Cotton's proposed budget, a 3% compensation increase for teachers and a pay increase to $56,012 for starting teacher pay was proposed. An increase in staffing was also proposed in order to meet the Standards of Quality requirements, academic programming and operations. The public has two opportunities to provide input on the proposed budget, one on April 8 during a public hearing for real estate assessments, and one on April 22 during a public hearing for the tax levy, operating budget and capital budget. The finalized budget will be considered for adoption on May 13. For more information on the proposed budget, click here. Continue to check for updates. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
26-03-2025
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Pleasure boat tax, increasing meals tax on Virginia Beach's proposed $2.8 billion budget
VIRGINIA BEACH — Pleasure boat owners in Virginia Beach could soon face a new tax to offset some of the city's dredging costs, and dinner out at a local restaurant could also cost slightly more to help pay for major projects in the city. The potential tax increases are part of Virginia Beach's fiscal year 2025-26 proposed budget presented to the City Council on Tuesday. The city's total proposed operating budget is $2.8 billion, a 4.7% increase over the previous year. The Capital Improvement Program budget, a six-year plan, is $5.6 billion. Education makes up 44% of the operating budget; the second largest segment is public safety at 13.6%, followed by planning, public works and public utilities, Budget Director Kevin Chatellier said at the meeting. Two public comment sessions will be held in April before the council votes on the final budget on May 13. 'The ball is in our court,' said Mayor Bobby Dyer. 'The big challenge that we have is finding that balance that satisfies many needs and constituents.' The real estate tax rate would remain at 97 cents per $100 of assessed value, the lowest of Hampton Roads' seven largest cities. However home assessments have increased by an average of 5.6%. Each penny of the real estate tax generates roughly $8.2 million. ___ Public safety workers and lowest classified employees including custodians will receive a pay increase based on a recent market salary survey. The budget would also allow for the step increase plan for public safety workers. The remainder of the city workforce would receive a 3% raise. Norfolk council asks School Board for plan to close at least 10 schools What to expect from Norfolk's proposed $1.6 billion operating budget Chesapeake City Council considering real estate tax increase to cover public safety needs Norfolk State women put a scare into No. 4 seed Maryland before falling in NCAA tourney opener Chesapeake is planning for the future of Greenbrier. Here's how to get involved. Employee pay increases will cost $34 million and come from the General Fund. The city plans to add 95 full time positions, including 30 firefighter recruits at a cost of $2.6 million. Public schools would add 44 positions including security personnel and English as a second language assistants. The operating budget anticipates a total of 7,738 full-time city employees and 10,669 full-time school employees. Employee contribution to health insurance would not increase, however the city will up its contribution by 3%. It's likely in the future that employees will have to contribute more, Chatellier said. Some of the cost for new city positions would be offset by fees, including $14 million in projected revenue from compassionate billing for ambulance services, which could fund 33 Emergency Medical Services personnel and help with equipment replacement. Virginia Beach is the only city in Hampton Roads that currently doesn't bill for ambulance service. Fees from speed enforcement cameras in school zones, to be implemented this year, will help fund six new police personnel positions. ___ A pleasure boat tax of $1.50 per $100 of assessed value for vessels 18 feet or longer would be enacted to help offset city dredging costs. 'The larger the boat, the more likely the boat draws more water and is need of a deeper channel,' Chatellier said. Other Hampton Roads' cities have a boat tax or charge a licensing fee. Projected revenue from the tax would be $4.3 million. ___ The city's current tax on meals at restaurants is 5.5%. The budget calls for increasing that tax by 0.5%, bringing the city tax up to 6%. It's projected to generate about $9.2 million for a new projects fund. ___ The proposed operating budget includes a partial redirection of money from dedicated funds to help finance the CIP. Three funds were identified as having extra capacity as a result of an increase in revenue and the retirement of debt obligations, Chatellier said. A new Major Projects Fund would be established with a projected revenue of $21 million, which would come from a portion of the meals tax, a percentage of the Town Center TIF and .3 cents of of the real estate tax (redirected from the Agricultural Reserve Program). The money would be used to help fund a $16 million gap in the Virginia Beach Trail project due to an increase in construction costs. It would also help pay for the design of a new Law Enforcement Training Academy, modernization of the courthouse and Indian River Road safety improvements. Several road projects would be deleted or delayed to free up borrowing capacity. Sign up for the Virginia Beach Today daily newsletter Stormwater bills would also increase by about $32 a year to help pay for rising costs and maintenance of new stormwater equipment being installed as part of the city's massive flood protection program. Several years ago, the City Council agreed to freeze stormwater rates until fiscal year 2028-29. ____ Community grants would not change in the new budget year. The city's Parks After Dark programs at Williams Farm, Level Green and Green Run would be renewed for another year at a cost of $600,000. The budget calls for moving $1 million from the Central Business District-South Tax Increment Finance fund, also known as the Town Center TIF, to the Town Center Special Service District to help cover the growing costs of parking garage maintenance and entertainment in the heart of Town Center. Money would be set aside in the operating budgets for additional cameras at the aquarium and in the city's public parks. Property owners in the TIF area don't pay additional taxes (unless they live in the Special Service District boundaries), but a portion of their real estate tax is dedicated to paying down public debt on development in Town Center. Dipping into the TIF revenue is not expected to jeopardize future projects in Town Center, City Manager Patrick Duhaney said. 'Even with redirection… it will allow capacity for council to do a $80 million or $90 million project,' he said. ____ Veterans tax relief, mandated by the state, is increasing by $8.4 million to $36 million, which equates to 4.4 cents of the real estate tax rate. Elderly and disabled tax relief is projected to be $15.6 million, which is equal to 1.9 cents of the real estate tax rate. Combined, the relief is $52 million or 6.3 cents on the tax rate. Stacy Parker, 757-222-5125,
Yahoo
13-02-2025
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Chesapeake backs effort to expand HRT's on-demand rideshare program
CHESAPEAKE — Leaders this week voted to support a grant application that, if awarded, would help the city establish an on-demand transit rideshare system currently being piloted in two Hampton Roads cities. Chesapeake City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to support Hampton Roads Transit's application for a state grant that would help establish what's been dubbed a 'microtransit' zone in Chesapeake in an effort to expand access to fixed bus routes for longer distance trips across the region. Chesapeake's microtransit zone would be similar to an on-demand rideshare system already available in Virginia Beach and Newport News. Called Hampton Roads Transit OnDemand, users can request a minivan ride in specific operational zones for $2 per person per ride. The microtransit area would span 11 square miles, serving the Great Bridge, Dove Acres, Fentress, Albemarle Farms and Albemarle Acres areas, connecting riders to places like Tidewater Community College, Chesapeake Municipal Center and Dominion Commons, according to a map provided by HRT in a memo to city staff. 'The microtransit service will be fully connected to the HRT bus network so that they provide a meaningful and useful connection as the first/last leg of a customer's trip, before and after utilizing a fixed route,' said HRT President William Harrell in a memo to city leaders. The vote on Tuesday was to receive the city's concurrence to apply for a $1.3 million grant from the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation, though HRT has already submitted the application to meet the Feb. 1 deadline, according to a memo from city staff. The vote Tuesday was approved unanimously, but the memo states council could choose not to allocate grant funding if they had been opposed to the move. Transportation | Newport News council allows shipyard parking garage project to progress Transportation | Private jets collide at Scottsdale Airport in Arizona, killing 1 person, authorities say Transportation | One nation, under watch: Bill would allow installation of Flock cameras on Virginia interstates, bridge-tunnels Transportation | Cruises to leave from Norfolk weekly, year-round starting next week Transportation | Trump official's directive tying transportation grants to birth rates could hinder blue states If awarded, the grant would cover Chesapeake's microtransit service for one year, with the city on the hook for a 20% local match of $260,400. City staff said in a memo that the city would be informed by April if they've received it, and it will still need approval from the Commonwealth Transportation Board. City Manager Chris Price called it a 'cost-effective and efficient way' to increase public transit ridership. '(It's) a very important service but it's incredibly expensive and oftentimes people see buses that aren't operating anywhere near peak capacity,' Price said at Tuesday's meeting. 'HRT recognizes that and has piloted some projects in Virginia Beach and Newport News to use a version of a ride share service that people can call and get quick transportation access to a transportation center, whether it's a bus stop or a larger transit center, so that they can get access to the larger fixed route network.' Hampton Roads Transit has been looking at cutting underused bus routes to save money and potentially replacing them with the on-demand rideshare service, including in Norfolk. Following a question posed by council member Debbie Ritter, Price said it's possible the microtransit zone could help improve the shuttling of the city's homeless population to a recently approved overnight shelter facility. Price said that issue would be addressed either way. Natalie Anderson, 757-732-1133,
