Planning commissioners press city departments for fuller input, preview short-term rental and cannabis regulation work sessions

Commissioners at a Portsmouth Planning Commission work session on April 7 pressed city departments to provide fuller, technical feedback during planning reviews and heard staff outline upcoming work-session topics, including short-term rental rules and retail cannabis regulations anticipated under changes to the Code of Virginia.

Zoning administrator Trayvon Boon opened the session’s regulatory preview by summarizing five items slated for the Board of Zoning Appeals’ April 22 docket, noting the commission’s option to provide recommendations or appear as a third party at those hearings. Items include special-exception requests at 2450 and 2448 Graham Street to reduce interior side-yard setbacks, a request at 6205 Dunkkirk to expand a prior nonconforming dwelling, a rear-yard variance at 120 Kushin Street for a sunroom and deck, and a front-yard setback variance for a porch at 4513 Hunters Point Drive.

Staff also introduced graduate student Delicia Brown, a Portsmouth resident supporting public engagement and short-term rental ordinance work; staff said Brown reports to Priscilla Ford.

During discussion, Commissioner Jigs criticized what she described as frequent ‘‘no comment’’ responses from departments notified on planning referrals, saying those silent or minimal responses leave planning without necessary technical input. "They have information that they should be providing," she said, calling the pattern "unconscionable" and urging the city manager to require fuller participation. Other commissioners and staff noted that some departments—schools, in particular—have improved their responses but agreed that higher-level summaries or targeted presentations from affected departments could be useful for complex projects.

Staff asked commissioners what they wanted from future work sessions; proposed topics included Chesapeake Bay preservation district review, post-approval permitting and site-plan fundamentals, short-term rentals, retail cannabis regulation in light of state law changes effective in January, transportation and infrastructure updates, affordable housing strategies, and environmental resiliency assessments to support deliberations on pool and addition requests.

The commission scheduled its next work session for May 5, 2026, at 12:30 p.m. and was reminded that items reviewed by the planning commission are anticipated for City Council action on May 12, 2026.