Hampton City Council voted to defer consideration of a use permit for Karma Restaurant and Lounge (24-0489) at 8587 Lincoln Street until the Feb. 26 legislative meeting, citing the need for a completed, police‑approved security plan and a community meeting.

Chief Planner Donald Whipple summarized the application to combine two adjacent suites (85 and 87 Lincoln Street) into a single restaurant‑3 use with additional indoor live entertainment areas and requested hours of operation of 5 a.m.–2 a.m. seven days a week. Whipple said staff recommended more limited hours to align with previous approvals in downtown and proposed alternative hours along with standard conditions for window transparency, capacity, sound, security, dancing, and ABC licensing. The Planning Commission had recommended approval with amended conditions, including an updated security plan.

Council discussion centered on enforcement and community input. Councilwoman Hope Harper asked whether enforcement of an itemized holiday schedule of extended hours would be feasible; Whipple acknowledged enforcement would be a challenge and said staff had been seeking a compromise with the applicant. Councilwoman Carolyn Campbell said she visited the site and supported staff’s alternate amended recommendation to permit specified special dates for extended hours.

The applicant addressed council and described three concerns: a new condition barring use of third‑party promoters (he said that would bar some community and nonprofit events he regularly hosts), a police request to add two cameras covering the parking lot and to provide 24‑hour live access to feeds (the applicant objected to 24‑hour access and suggested landlord involvement), and what he described as an unequal standard versus other downtown businesses. Planning staff clarified that the third‑party‑promoter restriction is intended to prevent outside promoters from effectively taking over a venue and that nonprofit, private events where the restaurant remains in control would remain permitted. Staff also said the security plan remained under review by the Hampton Police Division.

On a motion by Councilwoman Mugler, seconded by Vice Mayor Steven Brown, the council voted to defer the item to the Feb. 26 legislative meeting with instructions that (1) a completed and police‑approved security plan be provided and (2) a community meeting be held. The roll call was Bowman: aye; Brown: aye; Campbell: nay; Farrabee: aye; Harper: nay; Mugler: aye; Mayor Gray: nay.

Council members voting to defer said they wanted the outstanding security, enforcement and community‑engagement issues resolved prior to final action; members voting nay said the applicant had been cooperative with police and that at a minimum the business should be allowed to operate both suites under the standard hours while the security details are settled.

The deferral pauses permit action and returns the item to the Feb. 26 agenda for final consideration after the applicant and police complete the security plan and the applicant holds a community meeting.