Hampton staff, consultant present draft 2025 legislative agenda ahead of November approval

City Manager Mary Bunting convened the council for a presentation of a draft 2025 legislative agenda and asked council members to provide feedback ahead of final approval in November. Ed Reed of 2 Capital Consulting presented the package and a legislative timeline, noting session begins Jan. 8 and pre‑file drafting deadlines fall on Nov. 25.

Reed said the draft emphasizes resiliency and coastal flooding, asking for continued state investment in tree canopy work, a community flood preparedness fund and preservation funding for African American cemeteries; he noted that, as presented in staff materials, “more than 50 percent of the grants that have come out of the community flood preparedness fund have flowed into Hampton Roads.” Reed recommended the city continue seeking a significant share of those funds.

On local control Reed proposed policy language to protect municipal zoning and land‑use authority — including positions on short‑term rentals and accessory dwelling units — and to seek increased funding for the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission, which staff said received a modest $25,000 increase in the current biennial budget but remains below statutory expectations. Reed also proposed allowing expanded local ordinances to address repeat nuisance and safety violations through a code amendment.

Education items in the draft include support for full funding of K–12 SOQs, increased teacher pay and continued support for STEM programs. Reed added a new regional request to incorporate conflict‑resolution training in K–12 curriculum as a preventive measure for juvenile incidents.

On fiscal issues the draft recommends opposing new unfunded state mandates, seeking relief for localities affected by state tax‑relief programs, modernizing communications sales/use taxes to capture new technologies, and creating a Department of Tax registry for short‑term rental providers so revenues can be traced. Under public safety the draft supports continued work on jail per diem rates and state study work related to barrier crimes; Reed said the city will continue to push study commissions for reports and added resources for temporary detention/emergency custody processes.

Reed presented several specific legislative requests: (1) authority for photo enforcement of stop‑sign violations and a technical amendment to equalize review windows for photo‑enforcement footage; (2) a proposal to authorize Virginia ABC agents to serve as primary law enforcement for certain incidents at ABC stores to ease local police burdens; (3) a request to restore a locally administered Hampton Health District via a contract with the Virginia Department of Health; and (4) a carryover budget request to support the Coalition for Fort Wool for historic resource repairs.

Council members asked follow‑up questions. Councilwoman Brown asked staff to pursue options to expedite enforcement against commercial vehicles parked in neighborhoods and requested continued attention to barrier‑crime study work; staff said they will include relevant Community Services Board legislative items as an addendum to the city package. Vice Mayor Gray asked about mental‑health funding and whether last session’s House Bill 1236 (limits on locality plan submission comments) could return; Reed said that measure has been referred to the Virginia Housing Commission for interim study and that staff will continue to monitor and respond.

Reed closed by saying: “This is the entire draft package.” The city manager said staff and the consultant will work to finalize the agenda for council action in November after council feedback.