Carlos Aiken

The meeting included the approval of the FY2023-2024 Agricultural Advisory Commission Annual Report. The Director's update featured the introduction of the Deputy City Manager and a discussion regarding the Comprehensive Plan Update, emphasizing the importance of agriculture preservation and the Green Line transition area amidst concerns about industrial development land availability. Key topics involved the positive economic impact of agriculture, including the 4-H Livestock program results. Staff updates covered the Agriculture Reserve Program (ARP), noting approved real estate transactions and upcoming City Council consideration for several property offers. The Farmers Market report highlighted strong revenue in May and upcoming fall events. The Virginia Cooperative Extension update mentioned staffing changes, including a new Horticulture Agent, and announced upcoming agricultural expos and Pre-Plant Strawberry meetings.

The meeting covered several key items, including public comment regarding the lack of restroom and meeting space facilities at the Lynnhaven Municipal Marina, where slip holders have been waiting eight years for amenities. The Commission voted to approve drafting a letter of support to City Council for stable funding for the Great Neck Recreation Association's tackle football program. New Business involved renewing the Commission's liaison to ATAC. Staff reported on a three-day site visit to the Raleigh, North Carolina, park system to exchange information and best practices. Liaison reports included updates from Virginia Beach City Public Schools regarding the Bayside Sixth Grade Campus, a discussion on crime rates and recent police monitoring of a non-sanctioned event at Lynnhaven Boat Ramp, and a reminder from the Development Authority liaison that Comprehensive Plan projects are not guaranteed funding. Administrator Morris presented the Fiscal Year 2026 operating budget overview, noting that all new budget requests were denied except for an annual fee increase to $120; capital improvement budget requests were also largely denied. Finally, Good and Welfare included discussions on the status of the Safe Streets for All (SS4A) grant for the VB Trail and updates on construction progress at Red Wing Park.

The meeting included discussions on Old Business, specifically the drafting and submission of a letter of support for the 'Share the Air' initiative and a detailed consideration, including a vote, on drafting a letter of support for Lynnhaven River NOW's proposal to add a $0.05 fee on plastic bag use. New Business was not discussed. The Staff Report covered an overview of the department's operating budget, distinguishing between controllable and uncontrollable expenditures, and a demonstration of the Placer.ai location intelligence platform used for analyzing park usage and economic impact. Project status updates noted the soft opening of Level Green Park, progress on the $20 million fundraising campaign for Rudee Park, and ongoing evaluation of the progressive design-build option for VBTrail. Liaison reports addressed ongoing issues with e-bikes and local ordinances from the Police, and registration details for the annual Winter Wildlife Festival and the upcoming Holiday Lights Bike Night from the Police Foundation and ATAC representatives, respectively. The Chair announced he would not seek reappointment.

The City Council adopted a resolution, requested by Council Members Rouse and Wooten, directing the City Manager to implement all recommendations from the Disparity Study. The study, which concluded in January 2019 and included twelve policy recommendations, aimed to increase minority business participation in City contracts. The Council noted that while one recommendation (updating the aspirational goal to 12%) was implemented in April 2019, and staff reported progress on several others, there was a significant regression in expenditures to Minority-owned (MBE) and Woman-owned (WBE) businesses between FY 2017-2018 and FY 2018-2019. The resolution specifically directs the City Manager to implement all policy recommendations in the FY 2020-2021 Operating Budget, including establishing a dedicated SWaM Office, and mandates the submission of a detailed plan of action within 60 days.

The meeting agenda for December 11, 2025, included a review of the October 9, 2025, meeting minutes, old business, and new business items. New business topics focused on the 2026 meeting schedule, inventory of nonconforming lots with amendment examples, and a neighborhood report. The minutes from the October 9, 2025, meeting discussed potential zoning text amendments, specifically regarding the Conditional Use Permit option, additional building types, and changes to the nonconformity section. Discussions also covered the historical use of 30' wide lots, the inclusion of new building types, the balance between pervious cover/landscaping and buildable area, and concerns over potential loss of tree canopy.