Please stand for a moment of silence. And please remain standing for the Pledge of Allegiance to our flag. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands. A nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. That it may be. Thank you. Yeah. Clerk. Please call the roll. Mr. Clanton. Present. Mrs. Doyle. Hi, Mrs. Johnson. I. Mr. McGee, present, Mr. page. Here, Mr.. Smithville. Here, Mr.. Thomas. Here, doctor. Alexander. Here. The motion is to dispense with the reading of the minutes of our previous meeting. Mr. Clanton. Hi, Mrs. Doyle. Hi, Mrs. Johnson. Hi, Mr. McGee. Hi, Mr. Page. Hi, Mr. Miguel. Hi, Mr. Thomas. Hi. Doctor. Alexander. Hi. Mr. Clark, please read the resolution certifying the closed meeting. A resolution certifying the close me of the Council of the City of Norfolk. In accordance with the provisions of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act. Adopt the resolution. Mr. Clanton, a mrs. Doyle. Mrs. Johnson. A. Mr. McGee. Hi, Mr.. Paige. Hi, Mr.. Thomas. Hi, doctor. Alexander. Hi. Good evening, and welcome to the Norfolk City Council meeting. Tonight, we will begin with public comments on the consent and regular agenda items, followed by public hearings. Then the consent agenda, which will be voted on in a block following the consent agenda. We will take up regular agenda items to address the council. You should have registered. Speak with the clerk prior to 3 p.m. when your name is called, please come to the podium, state your name, your home address and please limit your comments to three minutes. Mr. Clark, before we begin, can you please read the rules governing tonight's meeting? Certainly. City Council rules permit each speaker three minutes in total to speak on any and or all consent and agenda docket items at each monthly meeting in advance of tonight's meeting. If you've registered with the clerk in advance to speak on a public hearing matter, you will be granted an additional three minutes as well. As you approach the council, you'll notice a timer on the lectern. At the beginning of your three minutes. The green light will activate. 2.5 minutes into your remarks, you'll notice a yellow light indicating that you have 30s to finish your comments. At the end of three minutes, you'll see a red light and hear a beep. We ask that you conclude your comments at that time. While speakers have the opportunity to address council on docket matters. All comments should be made in a manner that respects the seriousness of the forum and should not be made in a profane, disruptive, sarcastic or demeaning fashion. All remarks shall be directed to the City Council as a body, rather than to any particular member of the city council staff or the audience. Comments on an agenda item should be germane to that item. A speaker who fails to comply with the basic rules of decorum will be deemed out of order and not allowed to conclude his or her comments. And as a reminder, no sign, placard, poster or like material which may be carried by hand shall be permitted in the city council chamber or adjoining areas. Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Um, speaking on R1. Um, we have Kyler Walters. Walters. Walters. Liz Albert on R5. Yes. Followed by Kathy O'Hara. Mayor. Alexander. City council members and city manager Roberts. My name is Liz Albert and I live at 5905 Appleton Drive in Norfolk. R-5 is an ordinance designed to allocate operating funds to maintain the long vacant and neglected Military Circle Mall. But what about the funds for redevelopment? By now, we hope the equity for the Eastside Coalition has made one point unmistakably clear. It is unacceptable that the proposed capital improvement plan includes $72 million for MacArthur center redevelopment, and not $1 for Military Circle or the promised Eastside Recreation Center. This is revealing that downtown investment moves forward while the Eastside waits and weights and weights. Our analysis of the current CIP budget, which is going to be handed to you. So illustrates the inequality and capital spending between different areas of the city of name projects found in the CIP, 209 million, or 62% of the entire CIP budget will be spent on named projects located in the downtown or west side. The entire rest of the city, which includes Ocean View, the central part of the city, the south side, and the east side, is allocated just $11 million for name projects, or just 3% of the total CIP budget. So based on these numbers, downtown in the West side projects will receive 19 times the amount that will be spent in all other areas combined for name project projects. This is not equitable treatment, especially if you consider Ward four, in which military circle resides produces an estimated 32% of the revenue for the City of Norfolk. We demand the east side of the city be treated with the same consideration given to the downtown and west side in all matters, capital projects and services. Words and pictures are nice, but reality is that nothing is guaranteed until it is in the budget and approved by City Council as a show of good faith, just as you did with the downtown developers. We request that at least $72 million be added and approved in the FY 2027 budget for Military Circle Mall redevelopment. You say you plan to continue redevelopment at Military Circle, so make it a reality and put it in the budget. We ask you to show us the money. Thank you. Thank you. Cathy O'Hara. It's followed by Nick Marsala. Mayor Alexander, city council members, and Mr. Roberts. My name is Kathy O'Hara. I live at 5915 Ocean Boulevard. I'm here tonight to address agenda item R5 and what it represents. Approving the ordinance would authorize spending up to $600,000 to maintain the dead military Circle Mall, a property which has been shuttered for more than three years. A property with no active redevelopment funding. In your proposed capital improvement budget. Let me repeat that. We are funding maintenance, but not progress. East Side Norfolk residents see this clearly. Members of the equity for the Eastside Coalition are here tonight, and I ask them to stand. We are wearing black because we are asking that military circle redevelopment be put in black and white in the CIP where it belongs. Instead, what we see is drift, delay, excuses. It has been reported publicly that the Ross lease is the problem because it would require a $16 million buyout. Yes, that is a high number, but what is the cost of doing nothing? It has been. Three years ago, a team led by Pharrell Williams brought forward a $1.1 billion vision for this site housing, jobs, a hotel and arena of future. Today, that same vision would cost hundreds of millions of dollars more. Construction costs have risen dramatically by 4 to 7% annually, at a minimum. Another three year delay will not be neutral. It will not be harmless. It will add 120 million to 300 million to the cost of redevelopment if a large mixed use project remains the vision. So let's be honest, refusing to act on a $16 million obstacle while allowing $3,300 million in additional cost to accumulate is not fiscal discipline. It is not prudence. It is failure to lead council members. This is not an unsolvable problem. It is an unresolved problem. And there is a difference. While there is urgency, there are solutions, negotiation, legal strategies, redevelopment, alternatives. What has been missing is not options. What has been missing is the decisive action. Every year of delay sends a message to residents, to developers, to investors that Norfolk is not serious about this project and that. And if that message continues, the opportunity will not just become more expensive, it will disappear. The time for patience has passed. As my grandmother often said, where there is a will, there is a way. Direct staff to act. Put this project in the CIP. Remove the obstacles one way or another, because another three years, like the last three, is not just costly, it is unacceptable. Thank you. Thank you. Nick. Marcella. Followed by Marsha. Mark. Good evening. Mayor, vice mayor, council members, and Mr. Roberts. My name is Nick. Marcella and I live at 5918 Appleton Drive in Norfolk. I'm an East Side resident, a husband and a father of two beautiful young children. I'm here tonight to speak in support of meaningful, family centered development in the Military Circle Mall area. In the last few years, my wife and I have desired to get more involved in our community. We joined our River Forest Shores Civic League and became NFCa 2050 champions. Throughout the last few years, we have seen and heard firsthand that residents cared deeply about the future of this city. People want Norfolk to grow, but they wanted to grow in a way that is thoughtful, connected and livable. That is why this moment matters. As a young family, we want to believe that Norfolk is a city where families can stay, grow and thrive. But if the city continues to walk away from the promise of a recreation center and library in this area, it sends the opposite message. These amenities are core pieces of a healthy neighborhood. They are places where children learn. Teenagers have somewhere constructive to go. Parents find community and residents from different backgrounds actually interact with one another. At the same time, I'm not here to say that military circle area should only become public facilities. I understand the need for housing. I understand the value of density when it is done well, but I do not want to see the area become only high density development without the civic, cultural and recreational infrastructure to support it. Density without community assets. It's not vision, it's just building. This area is also uniquely positioned. It is close to the airport, close to major roads, and it's already been identified by the city as a future regional activity center, with Norfolk International Airport expanding its role as a broader regional and international hub. The Military Circle corridor should not be treated like an afterthought. It should be treated like one of the city's best opportunities for a return on investment. If we are serious about economic development, this is where investment makes sense. If we are serious about regional connectivity, this is where investment makes sense. If we are serious about giving families a reason to stay in Norfolk, this is where investment makes sense. The city can keep spending money in ways that maintain the status quo, or it can invest in an area that has the potential to generate long term public value housing, jobs, recreation, education, transportation, commerce and civic life all working together. So my ask is simple please do not reduce the vision for military circle. Do not remove the family centered public amenities that made many residents hopeful in the first place. Keep the recreation center and the library as part of the plan and pursue development that is balanced, mixed use, connected and worthy of this opportunity. This site represents as a young family, we want to stay here. We want to raise our children here. We want to believe Norfolk is building a future for families like ours. Please make Military Circle a place that proves that. Thank you. Marsha. Mock. Marsha. Mock. Terry. Terry. White. Terry. White. Terry. White. Good evening, mayor and city council members. My name is Terry White. I'm a resident of Norfolk. I'm also a member of the Virginia Organizing. Um, I'm here on our seven, uh, which basically is on. I'm also a I'm also disabled. I rely on, uh, safe, accessible transportation just to live and and and get around. So when I walk around this ordinance, this is, uh, 1.3 million for Bremerton and Park Avenue intersection. Please understand, this is just not a budget line. This is about whether people like me can move through or on our own street, safely or not at all. There's been times I've stood at the intersection, watching the lights change and knowing that I do. I have enough time, you know, to make it through. Because if I don't, I'm gonna get hurt. And I'm afraid right now, too many intersections in Norfolk are dangerous for people with disabilities. Crosswalks are too short. Sidewalks are uneven. Signals don't give us enough time and have to cross the street like that. I have to ask myself, is this that where I get hurt? You know, and also, we should not have to risk our safety just to get to a doctor's appointment. Grocery stores or bus stops. That's not safe, accessible to survive. So yes, I support this funding. But I need more than a yes vote, I need accountability, I need you to make sure these improvements actually, Senator Center are accessible. Not as an afterthought, not as a checkbox, but as a priority because disability residents in Norfolk deserve more than being overlooked. We deserve to be protected. Pass this ordinance and do it in a way that shows actual value of our lives. Thank y'all y'all. Blessed day. Dale. Dale. White. Dale. White. Good evening. Good evening. Dale white, 4700 Kyle Avenue. And thank you, council members, for having this time to hear my voice and other voices on those who want the best for Norfolk. Um, I'm speaking on the matter of Newport Gardens. And this is the time I'm supposed to speak. Okay. Um, it's more than a development. It's a place where people are building their lives. Today, it's 100% occupied. Filled with individuals who serve this city every day. Teachers, military families, young professionals just starting out, and retirees choosing to remain rooted there. Um, for many of them, it's not just housing, it's stability, dignity and opportunity. This project was built with a shared vision, with a commitment from the city to support it once it was complete. Today, that promise stands at the finish line with the residents already living there. We are here and hope, hope that we can finish what was started together. I hope that we can continue creating places like this for the people who need and depend on them. So in closing, when we follow through, we don't just fund the project. We strengthen trust, community and the future of workplace housing here in Norfolk. We respectfully ask for your support and fulfilling that commitment and continuing this momentum together. Thank you. Thank you. Ishmael shilling. Thank you. Marsha mock. Um. Kyler waters. Mr. bull, page one. Public hearing one scheduled to stay pursuant to state law. To hear comments on an ordinance approving a Fifth Amendment to the lease between the City of Norfolk lessor and the National Railroad Passenger Corporation is lessee for a portion of the property located at 280 Park Avenue in the city of Norfolk, Virginia, and authorizing the city manager to execute the Fifth Amendment to lease. An ordinance approving a Fifth Amendment to lease between the City of Norfolk lessor and the National Railroad Passenger Corporation as lessee for a portion of the property located at 280 Park Avenue. Dispense with the charter requirement for the ordinance twice and adopt with the effective date. Mr. Clanton, Mrs. Doyle, Mrs. Johnson, I Mr.. McGee, I. Mr.. Page, Mr.. Smeagol. Mr.. Thomas, doctor. Alexander. Page two public hearing to schedule this day pursuant to state law to hear comments on an ordinance authorizing t p the youth movement to use city property known as 801 and 901 Church Street when June 6th, 2026 for the 2026 fuse Fest of an ordinance authorizing PWP the Youth movement to use city property known as 801 901 Church Street on June 6th, 2026 for the 2026 fuse Festival dismissed the charter requirement for reading the ordinance twice and adopt with the effective date. Mr. Clanton, Mrs. Doyle, Mrs. Johnson, I Mr. McGee I Mr. page, a mr. Samuel. Mr.. Thomas. Doctor. Alexander. Mr.. Clark. The consent agenda will be considered in a block. Yes, sir. I approve the consent agenda and dispense with the charter requirement for reading the ordinances twice. And adopt with the effective date. Mr. Clanton. Thank you, sir. Mrs. Doyle. Aye. Mrs. Johnson. Aye. Mr. McGee. Aye. Mr. page. Aye. Mr.. Smeagol. Aye. Mr.. Thomas. Doctor Alexander, our one one is the resolution approving and authorizing the city manager to enter into a design build contract for the Norfolk Coastal Storm risk management. Nonstructural flood mitigation program. Adopt the resolution, Mr. Clanton. Hi, Mrs. Doyle. Hi, Mrs.. Johnson, I. Mr. McGee, I Mr.. Page, Mr.. Samuel. Mr.. Thomas. Hi, doctor. Alexander. Hi, Mr.. Clark. All right. I have a motion to continue this item generally, sir. Mr. Clanton, Mrs. Doyle. Hi, Mrs. Johnson. Hi, Mr. McGee. Hi, Mr. page. Hi, Mr.. Smithville. Hi, Mr.. Thomas I doctor Alexander. I r-3. R-3 is an ordinance amending the city of Norfolk stormwater Design and Construction manual, codified in the city code section 4241.2-1, dismissed with the charter requirement for reading the ordinance twice and adopt with the effective date. Mr. Clanton. Hi, Mrs. Doyle. Hi, Mrs. Johnson. Hi, Mr. McGee. Hi, Mr.. Page. Hi, Mr.. Smigel. Hi, Mr.. Thomas. Doctor Alexander. I. Work for. Our fourth ordinance to amend We ordained section 41.1 through 25 of the Norfolk City Code, 1979, so as to amend subsections A through C to increase the construction general permit fee, modification of transfer fees and maintenance fees, and to amend the fee types to conform with the Virginia Erosion and Stormwater Management Regulation. Statewide permit fee schedule affected July 1st, 2026, to correct grammatical errors and to clarify the permit types dispensed with the charter requirement for reading the ordinance twice with the effective date. Mr. Clanton. Hi, Mrs. Doyle. Hi, Mrs. Johnson. Hi, Mr. McGee. Hi, Mr. Page. Hi, Mr.. Smeagol. Hi, Mr. Thomas. Doctor Alexander. A. 5. Or 5 is an ordinance amending the FY 2026 annual Appropriations Ordinance number 4966, to appropriate funds up to the sum of $600,000 from the Economic Development Authority of the City of Norfolk for Military Circle Mall, and amending the annual budget to add this Procreation dispensed with the charter requirement for reading the ordinance twice, and yet not with the effective date. Mr. Clanton. Mr. Mayor, I'd like to make a brief comment on this particular day here. I know that we're amending the current operations to support what we need to do at military, but I also just want to say to those who've come in and spoke to us that you've been heard loud and clear, and I know that many of us, including my colleague here, are very much working towards to ensure that those things which have been brought forth will continue. I would also like to say that I will continue to work to ensure that whatever decision we make is fiscally prudent, and that whatever numbers are there, that we'll continue to work to hear the voice of the community as we move forward. But in that respect, I will say my vote, I to continue this and to make sure that we do what we need to do. Thank you, Mrs. Doyle. Hi, Mrs. Johnson. Hi, Mr. McGee. Hi, Mr. Page. Thank you. Super Ward seven. I'm with you. I appreciate the knowledge and information that you have brought forward, not just for the east side of Ward pool, but for our entire east side of our city, more specifically, all of Ward four. Thank you for your hard work. This is just a little step there. We still have some work to do over the next few weeks before this hearing, but your representative is with you. I vote aye. Thank you sir. Mr. Smigel. Hi, Mr. Thomas. Hi. Doctor. Alexander. Hi, squirt. R6 R6 is an ordinance amending and re ordaining the FY 2026 Annual Appropriations Ordinance Number 4966, so as to accept a gift of $25,000 from the Chesapeake Bay ENT Holdings, LLC if and when received towards the cost of the design and fabrication of his city own work of public art to be installed at real property located at 130 York Street in Norfolk to amend the FY 2026 budget to add the same and to appropriate said funds for said purpose. Dispense with the charter requirement for reading the ordinance twice and adopted the effective date. Mr. Clanton. Hi, Mrs.. Doyle. Hi, Mrs. Johnson. Hi, Mr. McGee. Hi, Mr. Page. Hi, Mr. smigel. Hi, Mr. Thomas. Hi. Doctor Alexander. IR7. Or seven is an ordinance approving a First amendment to services agreement by and between the city of Norfolk and the Curtis Group consultants, Inc., and authorizing the city manager to execute the amendment. Dispensed with the charter requirement for ignoring his choice and adopt with the effective date. Mr. Clanton. Hi, Mrs. Doyle. Hi, Mrs. Johnson. Hi, Mr. McGee. Hi, Mr. Page. Hi, Mr.. Smeagol. Hi, Mr.. Thomas. Doctor. Alexander. Hi. Our 8 or. 8 is an ordinance amending section 16 of the FY 2026 Annual Appropriations Ordinance Number 49966, so as to appropriate additional grant funds for a total sum of $9,077 from the Virginia Department of Transportation for the Hamilton Avenue and Park Avenue intersection improvements UPC 111019 and amending the FY 2026 budget. To amend this grant, information dispensed with the charter requirement for reading the ordinance twice and adopt with the effective date. Mr. Clanton. Hi, Mrs. Doyle. Hi, Mrs. Johnson. Hi, Mr. McGee. Hi, Mr. Page. Hi, Mr. Smigel. Hi, Mr.. Thomas. Hi, doctor. Alexander. Hi. 0909 is an ordinance amending section 19 of the FY 2026 annual Appropriations Ordinance Number 49966, so as to re appropriate $53,153 of direct distribution settlement funds for the purpose of Norfolk paying its matching share for Fiscal year 2026 project. Meaning of the gold standard for the use of such funds for the purpose of a shared regional mobile van for primary care and substance use disorder services, and the provision of related services pursuant to a Cooperative Partnership grant from the Virginia Opioid Abatement Authority, on which the Norfolk Norfolk is a partner, and a contract with the City of Virginia Beach, the fiscal agent for the grant and other partner localities, and amending the FY 2026 budget to relate these changes, dispensed with the charter requirement for the ordinance twice and adopt with the effective date. Mr. Clinton. Hi, Mrs. Doyle. Hi, Mrs. Johnson. I. Mr. McGee. Hi, Mr. page. Hi, Mr.. Smeagol. Hi, Mr. Thomas, a doctor Alexander. A cartoon. Martin is an ordinance approving a second amendment to the operating agreement between the city of Norfolk and Virginia Zoological Society and authorizing the city manager to execute the second amendment of the operating agreement. Dispense with the charter requirement for reading the ordinance twice. Adopt with the effective date. Mr. Clanton. Hi, Mrs.. Doyle. Hi, Mrs.. Johnson. Hi, Mr. Magee. Hi, Mr. page. Hi, Mr.. Smeagol. Hi, Mr.. Thomas. Hi, doctor Alexander. A or 11. For 11 is an ordinance authorizing a grant agreement between the City of Norfolk as grantor and Newport Manor, LLC as grantee, and authorizing the city manager to execute the agreement dispensed with the charter requirement for reading the ordinance twice and adopt the effective date. Mr. Clinton. Mr. mayor, I just want to say I appreciate all of those who've advocated hard for this and to bring additional affordable housing, workforce housing to our community. So I vote hi. Mrs. Doyle. Hi. Mrs. Johnson. Hi, Mr. Magee. Hi, Mr. Page. Mr. mayor, this was the first, um, development of his type that I had the opportunity to work with since I've been on this council. Took a lot of work and still, at the end, a lot of work for a developer who's still in. Not equal to what other other developers have. At the end of it, I still don't know if there's enough room for profit, but I'm grateful that we had someone that was willing to work. And keep in mind those that are less fortunate or are in a moderate income space that still want to live somewhere nice. So I applaud the Hanson group for this work and my vote is high. Thank you, Mr. Nagel. Hi. Mr.. Thomas. Hi, doctor. Alexander. Hi. You have another. I have one additional item, sir. It's from our city attorney wishes to have a confirmation of Hannah Wilke as an assistant city attorney. One LD, effective May 4th, 2026. And the law department. Play Pan play Pan play pay plan, grade L 14 of the city's compensation plan to serve at the pleasure of the city attorney and confirmed the appointment. Mr. Clanton. A. Mrs. Doyle. A. Mrs. Johnson. A. Mr. McGee a mr. page, a mr. Smeagol, a mr. Thomas, a doctor Alexander. All right. That's all I have.