Newport News City Council approves zoning changes, grants and bond appropriations in unanimous votes

Newport News City Council on Sept. 9 approved a series of ordinances, resolutions and appropriations in unanimous 7-0 votes, including a conditional use permit for a nightclub, two zoning text amendments, grant applications for pedestrian and trail projects, and bond appropriations for streetlight and public-building projects.

The council adopted an ordinance granting conditional use permit CU20250005 to Volvo Center Associates LLC and Latasha Vinny of Taylor Smoke to allow operation of a Type 2 nightclub in a 4,000-square-foot suite at 639 Pilothouse Drive in C-1 Veil Commercial zoning. Council members closed the public hearing with no speakers and voted 7-0 to approve the permit and then to adopt the ordinance.

Council also adopted zoning text amendment ZT20250003, which amends Chapter 45, Article 32 of the zoning code to add language enacted by the Virginia General Assembly to Section 45-3202 on appeals procedures for alleged administrative errors before the Board of Zoning Appeals; and ZT20250002, which amends Article 35, Section 45-3501 to add language expanding civil penalties for repeat or serious zoning violations under legislation enacted by the General Assembly. Both text amendments were approved following public hearings with no speakers; votes were recorded as 7-0.

On the consent agenda the council approved a package of routine and legislative items, including: - A resolution expressing approval of the Hampton-Newport News Community Services Board state fiscal year 2026–2027 performance contract renewal and revisions. - A resolution approving the city’s participation in a proposed settlement of opioid-related claims and directing the city attorney to execute required documents (settling parties listed in the agenda text). - A resolution appropriating $106,586.57 of interest earned from the Herbert Neisser bequest to the Newport News Department of Libraries and Information Services for Main Street Library. - An ordinance authorizing a one-time 1.5% bonus to full-time local department of social services employees. All consent items were approved as presented with a 7-0 vote.

Council voted unanimously to approve several transportation-related grant and funding actions: authorization for the city manager to submit three Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) Transportation Alternatives set-aside grant applications, endorsement of applications for VDOT revenue sharing grants seeking $10 million in state funds with an equal local match for 11 transportation projects, execution of a standard project administration agreement with VDOT for the Federal Lands Access Program funding for Trail 757 (Birthplace of America Trail) multiuse path, and appropriation of $1,100,000 in Federal Lands Access Program grant funds for Trail 757. Each of these items passed 7-0.

The council also approved acceptance of a bid from Dominion Energy for a deed of access utility easement on city-owned property (bid recorded in the meeting as $4,649) and two bond-funded appropriations: $500,000 from FY2026 bond authorization for streets-and-bridges transportation-safety improvements (including LED street-light upgrades) and $6,000,000 from FY2026 bond authorization for public-building major renovations and repairs (roof/HVAC, structural/life-safety, ADA upgrades and other improvements). Both appropriations passed 7-0.

Votes recorded in the meeting transcript are summarized below; mover and seconder were not consistently named on the record and are so noted as “motion moved/seconded” when only verbal confirmation appears in the minutes.

Votes at a glance (selected items) - CU20250005 (Conditional use permit for nightclub, 639 Pilothouse Drive): Adopt ordinance — Motion moved and seconded, vote 7-0, outcome: approved. - ZT20250003 (Boards of Zoning Appeals appeal procedure amendment): Adopt ordinance — Motion moved and seconded, vote 7-0, outcome: approved. - ZT20250002 (Expand civil penalties for repeat/serious zoning violations): Adopt ordinance — Motion moved and seconded, vote 7-0, outcome: approved. - Consent agenda (minutes; CSB performance contract renewal; opioid-settlement participation; Main Street Library appropriation of $106,586.57; 1.5% DSS bonus ordinance): Motion to approve F1–F6 inclusive — Vote 7-0, outcome: approved. - G2: Authorize city manager to submit three VDOT Transportation Alternatives set-aside grant applications (Trail 757/Boat Trail; Warwick Boulevard pedestrian improvements; Marshall Avenue pedestrian improvements): Motion moved/seconded — Vote 7-0, outcome: approved. - G3: Endorse applications for VDOT revenue sharing program — Motion moved/seconded — Vote 7-0, outcome: approved (city seeking $10,000,000 state funds with $10,000,000 local match for 11 projects). - G4: Execute standard project administration agreement (VDOT) for Federal Lands Access Program funding for Trail 757: Motion moved/seconded — Vote 7-0, outcome: approved. - G5: Appropriate $1,100,000 FY2026 Federal Lands Access Program funds for Trail 757: Motion moved/seconded — Vote 7-0, outcome: approved. - G1: Receive and open bid for deed-of-access utility easement to Dominion Energy (city-owned property at 3629 George Washington Memorial Highway and 100 Darby Road in York County): Bid from Dominion recorded at $4,649; follow-up referred to city manager’s office. - H1: Appropriate $500,000 (FY2026 bond authorization, streets and bridges) for transportation-safety improvements (LED street-light upgrades): Motion moved/seconded — Vote 7-0, outcome: approved. - H2: Appropriate $6,000,000 (FY2026 bond authorization, public buildings) for major renovations and repairs across multiple sites: Motion moved/seconded — Vote 7-0, outcome: approved.

Why this matters: the ordinances and appropriations advance zoning code changes required to align the city with recent Virginia General Assembly language, approve a business operating permit, and commit local matching funds and project administration authority for multimodal trail and pedestrian projects that the city says will improve connectivity on the Peninsula. Bond appropriations fund capital repairs to city facilities and LED street-light upgrades that the city flagged as safety and infrastructure priorities.

What’s next: Items that required administrative follow-up were referred to the city manager’s office for implementation, including execution of grant documents, administration agreements with VDOT, and processing of the easement with Dominion Energy. The Trail 757 work will proceed as federal and state grant agreements are finalized.