Council approves multiple leases, easements, and bond appropriations; one abstention on $15M governmental center item

The Newport News City Council on Oct. 14 adopted a series of ordinances and appropriations covering leases at the Seafood Industrial Park, utility easements tied to city infrastructure projects, changes to the annual vehicle license fee schedule, and multiple bond-funded capital appropriations.

The measures advanced routine operations for port-related tenants and city infrastructure while authorizing nearly two dozen administrative steps needed to implement traffic, school and public‑building projects. One appropriation for a proposed governmental center passed with a single abstention; most other items passed unanimously.

Among the items adopted were three five‑year lease ordinances for parcels in the Seafood Industrial Park: an ordinance authorizing a lease with RDM Corporation of Suffolk for Parcel 4 at 807 Jefferson Avenue; ordinances authorizing leases with Lockwood Marine Inc. for Parcel 17 and for Partial 17A at 920 Terminal Avenue. Each ordinance passed following a public hearing (questions only) and a council vote recorded as 7–0 in favor.

Council also acted on utility easements. The city opened bids for a utility easement across city property at 11780 Rock Landing Drive to support a traffic signal and turn‑lane project; a submission for the record noted a $1 bid from Dominion Energy Virginia as a response to the advertised solicitation. The council additionally adopted an ordinance authorizing the city manager to convey a utility easement to Dominion Energy Virginia across city property at 2901 Orchid Avenue to serve the Southeast Community Resource Area and the Huntington Middle School project in the city’s capital improvement plan. The…