VIRGINIA BEACH — City Council will have its formal and informal sessions starting at 1 p.m. Tuesday. The meeting agenda is packed with activity on which council will deliberate or vote.
Here are five items to keep an eye on:
1. A council seat was vacated after a three-judge panel ruled that David Nygaard’s election was invalid because he did not meet residency requirements. Council now must appoint a temporary member and schedule a special election for the Beach District seat, and will discuss that process at the beginning of Tuesday’s informal session.
2. It is budget season for the city, and along with that City Council receives regular budget briefings from city departments. Tuesday, Director of Public Works Mark Johnson will discuss his proposed budget for the city’s stormwater utility fund, 99 percent of which is generated by fees on residents’ water and sewage usages.
According to a presentation that will be provided to council Tuesday, Johnson will request a 1 cent rate increase to an already-approved 2-cent rate increase in the ERU daily rate fee. If approved, the daily rate will increase 3 ½ cents each year over the next six years. The current ERU rate is 45.8 cents per day — a $13.93 a month bill for residents.
3. Council will return to a vote on the sale of city-owned land near Tidewater Community College for the development of a hotel. Council was slated to vote on the project March 5, but Councilwoman Sabrina Wooten asked for more time to speak with constituents about the project. The vote was then deferred until Tuesday.
4. City Council will vote on amending the policies of the city’s Economic Development Investment Program. The EDIP is a grant program administered by the Virginia Beach Development Authority intended to induce new businesses to locate in Virginia Beach or stimulate growth among the city’s existing businesses. City Auditor Lyndon Remias released his audit of the Development Authority in November 2018, which contained the recommended changes to EDIP policies.
5. City Council will have a public hearing and then vote whether to renew agreements that allow 12 open-air cafes to operate on city property at the Oceanfront. The restaurants have already successfully operated the sidewalk cafes for at least a year, and are requesting a five-year agreement with the city.
Here’s a link to the full agenda.
