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Virginia Beach staff outline draft 2026 legislative agenda emphasizing local control, housing and flood funding
Summary
City staff presented a draft 2026 General Assembly agenda that emphasizes local land-use authority, affordable housing, stormwater funding, public safety measures and several code amendments; council debated a charter amendment to require a higher vote threshold for land-use changes south of the "blue line."
Brent McKenzie, city staff lead on state legislative affairs, presented a draft 2026 General Assembly legislative agenda that frames the city's priorities heading into the long session. The timeline for adoption begins with a public hearing on Oct. 7, a return to council Oct. 14 for final guidance and adoption targeted for Oct. 21.
McKenzie said the policy-priority section focuses on issues the city expects to face at the General Assembly: affordable housing and preserving local land-use decision-making, education and school-construction funding, energy policy and local authority, and state support for flood and stormwater programs. "A lot of that will be impacted based on this year's elections," McKenzie said, noting the session will produce the next biennial state budget.
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