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Norfolk unveils FY26 beautification plan with new contracts, beach staffing changes and cemetery mowing
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Summary
Deputy City Manager Trista Pope presented the fiscal year 2026 beautification plan, which includes new maintenance contracts, accelerated pavement marking refreshes, graffiti removal timelines, cemetery mowing contracts beginning in July, and a transfer of primary beach refuse operations to Waste Management on July 1.
Trista Pope, deputy city manager, presented the City of Norfolk's fiscal year 2026 beautification plan, a citywide initiative that coordinates multiple departments and outside partners to improve maintenance, cleanliness and visual landscape across neighborhoods, rights of way and public spaces.
Pope said the plan is a collaborative effort involving city departments and outside partners including the Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority, Hampton Roads Transit, Dominion Energy, the Department of the Navy and the Virginia Department of Transportation. Key elements described in the presentation included a commitment to remove graffiti reported on signs and signal infrastructure within 48 hours of reporting; a new contractor to refresh pavement markings; painting of 103 Dominion Energy pedestrian-scale light poles in East Beach and 59 fluted light poles along City Hall Avenue, with a notice to proceed for East Beach issued June 16; and an arts partnership to place artwork around traffic signal control cameras beginning in South Side neighborhoods.
Pope outlined operational contracts: a contractor will perform median and roadside landscape maintenance on an established 14-day cycle, up to 17 cycles per year; the city is executing a contract to mow and maintain Elmwood, Cedar Grove, Magnolia and Hebrew cemeteries beginning in July; and the Division of Waste Management will assume primary responsibility for beach refuse operations across designated service areas beginning July 1, with Parks and Recreation continuing seasonal support.
Pope also said Public Works found a solution that allows power washing of the Brambleton and Tower Drive underpasses despite earlier concerns about DEQ regulations. The plan includes a wetland and waterways resolution matrix, trash-and-debris matrices that assign responsibility across departments and agencies, and a modified shopping-cart removal process handled by Waste Management. Residents are encouraged to report beautification concerns via the MyNorfolk app, the MyNorfolk web portal, email (healthyneighborhoods@norfolk.gov) or by calling the Norfolk Care Center at (757) 664-6510.
During questions, council members pressed for details about rail-line right-of-way maintenance, the scope of "spraying hardscapes" and the timeline for visible improvements. Pope said contracts were circulating for signatures and she hoped residents would begin to see impact within about 60 days. Council members and members of the public also discussed using city art to improve visual quality at traffic-signal sites and noted the role of Keep Norfolk Beautiful in outreach and bilingual beach signage.
Pope concluded by asking residents to register for the "Adopt-a-Spot" program, participate in community cleanups and report issues through Norfolk Care Center. No ordinance or contract was approved at the work session; Pope said several contracts were in the execution phase and would begin in the coming weeks.
