Votes at a glance: Petersburg City Council, April 15, 2025

The Petersburg City Council took the following formal actions at its April 15, 2025 regular meeting. Vote tallies are shown where recorded on the meeting record.

• Amendment to FY 2025 Petersburg City Public Schools budget — increase of $4,523,723. Motion to approve carried by roll call (Aye: Cuthbert, Jones, Myers, Westbrook, Smith Lee, Vice Mayor Hill, Mayor Perrin). Outcome: approved.

• Amendment to FY 2025 Grants Fund ($49,200, Department of Criminal Justice Services award to Sheriff’s Department) and Streets Fund ($4,000,000 using previously unspent funds for repair of the Oak Hill Bridge). Motion to approve carried by roll call (Aye: unanimous). Outcome: approved.

• Ordinance authorizing the city manager to execute a deed of easement to Virginia Electric and Power Company across property at 1937 Johnson Avenue (to facilitate Dominion Energy undergrounding work). Motion carried by roll call (Aye: unanimous). Outcome: approved.

• Ordinance authorizing conveyance of an easement to Virginia Electric and Power Company in furtherance of the city’s Fork Creek (Pool Creek) Pumping Station improvements at 16 Raleigh Avenue. Motion carried by roll call (Aye: unanimous). Outcome: approved.

• Ordinance (public hearing) and approval to rezone 2233 Halifax Road from A Agriculture to M‑1 Light Industrial with proffers for a proposed data center development (Warrington Group). Motion carried by roll call (Aye: unanimous). Outcome: approved. (See separate article for detail.)

• Ordinance amending the zoning code to allow civil penalties for zoning violations (up to $200 first offense, up to $500 subsequent offenses; matters escalate to criminal process at $5,000). Motion carried by roll call (6 Aye, 1 No — Councilmember Jones). Outcome: approved. (See separate article for detail.)

• Resolution allocating remaining $132,090 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG CARES) funds: Council approved distribution recommended by the CDBG advisory board. Motion carried by roll call. Allocations made: $5,000 to BRAVE (Black Resilience Advancement Volunteer Empowerment), $100,000 to Parks and Leisure, and the remaining $27,090 to be allocated at the May 6 meeting. Outcome: approved.

• Ordinance authorizing purchase of the property at 530 East Washington Street (former Howard Johnson’s / Howard Johnson’s Bridal Inn) by the city. Motion carried by roll call (majority Aye; Councilmember Cuthbert recorded an abstention citing reservations about the process). Outcome: approved; city staff will proceed with due diligence and a demolition bid process.

• Ordinance/option agreement: authorize city manager to execute an option agreement and convey property upon satisfaction of terms for 3501 Halifax Road, with agreement to remove a 5‑acre parcel (to preserve the Bleach Tech spur parcel). Motion carried by roll call. Outcome: approved.

• Resolution authorizing an amendment/extension to the purchase agreement between the city and ECI Med 1 LLC for development of 101 West Washington Street; council approved extension to allow final tenant negotiations and legal work (roll‑call recorded as Aye). Outcome: approved (extension to allow continued due diligence and negotiation of related parking/tenant terms).

Votes recorded in the official meeting minutes correspond to roll‑call tallies entered during the April 15 session. Several items had prior public hearings during the meeting; council moved from public comment into final action on each.