Planning Commission advances 1 City, 1 Future 2045 comprehensive plan to City Council, 7to1

The Newport News Planning Commission voted 7to1 on June 3 to recommend the draft 1 City, 1 Future 2045 comprehensive plan to City Council, with the plan scheduled for Council review on July 14, 2026.

Regina Jensen, planning staff, presented the update as a five-year review and refresh of the adopted 2040 plan. Jensen said staff conducted substantial public outreach, including a citywide survey, 28 stakeholder meetings, 21 interdepartmental meetings, 12 public workshops and three open houses. She described the plan's retained vision and themes (prosperous and resilient; sustainable; accessible; healthy and safe; unique; balanced) and outlined the implementation chapter and future land-use and transportation map updates.

Jensen said staff and consultants had revised opportunity-area boundaries and removed Jefferson Avenue (39th Street to J Clyde Morris Boulevard) from the opportunity-area list because that corridor is being studied separately; new opportunity areas include Patrick Henry and Newmarket. She acknowledged that the plan is a "living document," noting staff will incorporate final graphic and VDOT cost-table edits before the plan goes to Council.

During discussion Commissioner Lambert said he had been shown what he described as potential discrepancies in plan exhibits and unresolved issues about compatibility with a recently adopted strategic housing initiative. "I do not yet feel that these have been addressed," he said and announced he would vote no on advancing the plan. Jensen replied staff was in the process of receiving edits and expected to incorporate them by the end of the week.

After debate the commission moved, seconded and voted 7to1 to advance the draft plan to City Council for consideration on July 14, 2026.