VIRGINIA BEACH — Budgets and sports centers, rentals and land sales; the 258-page agenda for Virginia Beach City Council’s April 17 meeting is loaded with information.
Here is a look at some important items that will be discussed:
Short-term rentals
The city will continue their discussion of a resolution proposed during council’s April 3 meeting by Vice Mayor Louis Jones. Jones’ proposed ordinance would create a new a short-term rental overlay district; this district would actually be composed of three existing and separate overlays that are already heavily engaged in short-term rental use — the Sandbridge Special Service District, the Oceanfront Resort, and the North End overlay. Although City Council member John Moss raised some concerns over the strength of the ordinance, Mayor Will Sessoms said he wanted to move forward with the proposal. Sessoms also said that he would like the new short-term rental ordinance to be voted on by the middle of May.
A summary of the city’s attempts to regulate short-term rentals was provided by City Manager David Hansen, and also include changes to the draft ordinance proposed by Jones on April 3.
Budget briefings
The city manager’s staff will continue to brief City Council on their departments’ proposed budgets for 2018-2019. Representatives from the city’s law enforcement, emergency medical services, and courts systems will present details of their respective budgets, as council prepares to vote on the city’s operating budget on Tuesday, May 15.
Sports Center layout
Hansen will brief council on his site recommendation for the proposed sports center near the convention center. Hansen, along with the city’s contractor on the project, MEB General Contractors, will recommend “an L-shaped” building that will include 14 basketball and volleyball courts, as well as tracks for indoor races.
The cost for the recommended sports center site and configuration, according to Hansen’s presentation, will be $55,174,350. Council will not be voting on the sports center Tuesday, as the briefing will be informational in nature
Town Center Block 2
Town Center Associates is requesting that City Council extend the “option agreement” between TCA and the Virginia Beach Development Authority. The agreement governs TCA’s purchase of land from the VBDA at Town Center. Currently, the only parcel still subject to the agreement is a surface parking lot on Virginia Beach Boulevard (the former Beacon
Building).
The agreement expires April 30, 2018, but TCA has proposed developing Block 2, and will ask council for a three-year extension of the option agreement. City Council will also be voting on the development proposal of Block 2 in conjunction with the agreement extension.
Tuesday’s informal session will start at 2:30 p.m. in the second floor conference room at City Hall. The formal session will begin at 6 p.m. in the council chambers.
