[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6580435,"mediaKeyId","3091015-5964d03f80f02bde9605132cef23c8d0","parentId",3091015,"title","Council approves traffic-safety, telecom and several appropriations; zoning text change and right-of-way vacation pass","audioSeconds",364,"startMs",1449000,"endMs",1813000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3091015-5964d03f80f02bde9605132cef23c8d0&start=1449&end=1813","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3091015-5964d03f80f02bde9605132cef23c8d0/thumbnail_1449000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6580435/Virginia/Council-approves-traffic-safety-telecom-and-several-appropriations-zoning-text-change-and-right-of-way-vacation-pass","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6580435-ad3c78ae555ab7c29ba9d787054d5f34/orig.mp4?Expires=1771058972&Signature=DMf4Lg5E-DetctYDxQWLC~ZUzekpZ6~F8RH0M9UXZ~H~k8Qx78kyM-5NGKQUBxiAqVbuNv6zKSOBw5ZYOrdCzDbBbiCU7LyJqykZFERR93KsFR-S29lfrxoEgiX1DGq~Ng2UJSFB~QMhQsMW~WM5EJN1l7xvnmG9sW091wob~9MNB1Y2dAx2IibaS0IkHuYBOdhpfW~9hAwBVHSSKQtbT-ErvvUStBtNj7326skMjMS8PPazEPK3OHKmWl6dYPNoAeq~RA9aqw6bExFl8kkg2C7SWlJJeuXPP-eIFSzBqg4pwAy5tFLi3VishoiardOnLCh1m4zouj1e7v7pt8YpmQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Newport News (Sugggested)","date","2025-04-23T00:20:33.337Z","article","Newport News City Council on April 22 approved a slate of resolutions and appropriations covering traffic-safety signal upgrades, a telecommunications license renewal, bond-funded maritime work and several planning housekeeping items. All actions recorded on the consent agenda or during the business portion of the meeting passed with unanimous recorded votes of 7-0.

Chief items approved

- A project administration agreement with the Virginia Department of Transportation for a citywide retroreflective signal backplate and flashing yellow arrow project. The city manager told council: \"This project is funded by the Highway Safety Improvement Program grant and includes the installation of high visibility signal backplates at 183 intersections and flashing yellow arrows at 12 intersections. I recommend approval.\" Council approved the resolution and then separately appropriated $4,274,000 in FY25 VDOT Highway Safety Improvement Program funds for the work; both measures carried 7-0.

- A temporary, nonexclusive, revocable license agreement allowing Wave Lehi Technologies Incorporated to continue to use city rights-of-way for telecommunications links. The existing agreement approved in 2015 is set to expire on June 30, 2025; Wavelength requested a five-year renewal to maintain telecommunications links for Huntington Ingalls Industries' private network. Council approved the renewal 7-0.

- Appropriations for community and maritime projects: Council approved four appropriations (H1–H4) including grant funding connected to the Bloomberg American Sustainable Cities initiative and funding for dock and maritime improvements that support an upcoming retail seafood market tied to the Choice Neighborhood initiative. The city manager summarized the appropriations package for council; public commenter Uganda Sample Jones, chair of the Choice Neighborhood initiative, asked for the council’s continued support, saying the seafood market \"is a critical piece of our community's future\" and that it will provide jobs and economic growth. The motions to appropriate funds carried 7-0.

- Zoning text amendment and right-of-way vacation: Council adopted a zoning text amendment to modify special building setbacks along expressways and collector streets (identified in the meeting as Zulu Tango-2025-0001 and amendments to city code chapter 45) and approved the vacation of an approximately 18,000-square-foot right-of-way on Eighth Street between Warwick Boulevard and the CSX corridor; both measures were adopted unanimously by roll call.

What the votes mean: The VDOT-funded signal improvements are intended to increase intersection visibility citywide; the telecom license preserves a private network link for a local industrial employer. The dock and Choice Neighborhood appropriations fund dredging, pier demolition and construction of an ADA-compliant floating dock to support a planned retail seafood market, and the larger community development appropriation will fund Marshall-Ridley neighborhood transformation activities enumerated in the staff memo.

Implementation and next steps: City staff will administer the VDOT grant agreement and proceed with contracting and construction scheduling; projects requiring design and procurement (maritime dock, moorings and floating dock) will move to the next design and bidding phases under the appropriations. The Wave Lehi license renewal is temporary and revocable and will be managed under city rights-of-way procedures.

Ending: All measures on the consent and business agendas were approved without dissent at the April 22 meeting; several items noted will require standard follow-up by staff for contracting, design and permits.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Newport News City Council Meeting 04-22-2025","oneSentenceSummary","At its April 22 meeting Newport News City Council approved a VDOT-funded signal-safety project, a telecommunications license renewal, multiple appropriations supporting maritime and community-development projects and passed zoning text amendments and a right-of-way vacation; all votes recorded as 7-0.","taxTitle","Newport News (Independent City), Virginia","taxId",12491,"location","Virginia","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6580440,"Newport News council approves rezoning for Enview development with traffic and preservation proffers",463,701000,1164000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3091015-5964d03f80f02bde9605132cef23c8d0&start=701&end=1164","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3091015-5964d03f80f02bde9605132cef23c8d0/thumbnail_701000.jpg","/articles/6580440/Virginia/Newport-News-council-approves-rezoning-for-Enview-development-with-traffic-and-preservation-proffers","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6580440-0d7d7153c6d5dd4ed91c8d153a8d2817/orig.mp4?Expires=1771058972&Signature=oZNmMhBq8hKjZVAwwu7UdT9ulcOehwosGGZt2JsZmPELt6LQE7mBVVorJ9biP4ALsuDlad-F9CKKKR~5cEtns8oz8uAX-XtuHxjJgitjmEgwkcyF8ErPJp40wjgqLysoA0ISiEIEtzmGb2lTtpJB-VtOSkZdkdyafzz3PHcQ5uKSw7SmbPxOqLxQ1HiKEGQaXH9qyZdUEz5pNDvzVe1l12ihrImm4A5e8yh9tvgt25pg2RFJJJSCVgIGSUBSgurFtCsmSTT11~h-RT9rYNEQm1ccAtdRloUh~leSKveZ~lBBUuMb8usnujpO1D2UOs8DVqyNz19NQAA3rZkwwrYUaA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Newport News City Council on April 22 adopted an ordinance rezoning a parcel at 350 Yorktown Road to allow a DR Horton-led mixed-use development, voting 7-0 to approve the change after a public hearing.

The rezoning ordinance — identified in the hearing as \"Charlie Zulu-2025-0001\" — will permit a mixed-use designation with new proffers for the Enview property owned by the city's Economic Development Authority. Developer representatives told council the proposal includes a mix of housing types and a firm cap on residential units.

Developer representative Grady Palmer, who said the project has been in development for about four years, described it as \"a very well designed, mixed housing, pedestrian connected proposal\" and said the proffers limit the project to \"not exceed 620 residential units.\" Palmer also said the proffers include a traffic-impact analysis, signal studies and improvements paid for by the developer and a memorandum of understanding with government agencies \"to preserve and protect historic resources on the property.\"

Why it matters: The parcel sits on a heavily traveled corridor near tourist destinations. Residents who spoke at the public hearing called for more study of traffic impacts and said they had not received adequate notice about the project. Council members asked developers to clarify proffers and access points before adoption.

During public comment, resident Manuel Ankrom, who said he lives at 548 Yorktown Road less than a half-mile from the project's entrance, told council: \"The project sounds decent, but what it's gonna do, it's gonna bottleneck and can create a congestion for all the people from out of state to come to visit Yorktown.\" Ankrom said tour buses and existing congestion at Crawford Road and Yorktown Road are already problems and that some project materials he received appeared dated.

Councilman Vick asked specifically about lighting and other proffers. \"In regards to the proffers, I thought that there was an addition to potential street lights or some kind of can you speak to that very briefly?\" Vick asked. Palmer replied that the proffers include a traffic-impact analysis and that the developer will provide signal analyses and, where warranted, perform required signal improvements at its expense.

Council members also pressed developers to clarify access: Palmer said the project will have three entrances and that the Crawford Road entrance \"will be limited to an emergency gated ingress egress only,\" and that the developers will dedicate land for a future widening of Yorktown Road but will not construct the widening as part of the project.

Council discussion was brief after the public hearing. The council moved to close the public hearing and then to adopt the ordinance; both motions passed on voice votes and the roll-call for adoption recorded: Vice Mayor Bethany, Councilman Coleman, Councilman Ealy, Councilman Harris, Mayor Philip Jones, Councilman Long and Councilwoman Vick all voting yes. The motion carried 7-0.

Clarity and limits: The developer described several proffers in general terms. The council’s votes adopted the rezoning with the proffers as presented; any additional traffic or design details that staff or council requested during questioning were to be addressed in follow-up or implementation steps rather than altering the adopted zoning at the meeting.

Residents later raised additional concerns about the project's layout and placement of commercial uses at nearby corners during the citizen comment portion of the meeting; George Etter said he opposed placing businesses at the corner of Yorktown and Jefferson and asked that commercial uses be moved into the interior to preserve open space.

The council formalized the rezoning by ordinance at the same meeting. No amendments to the ordinance were recorded on the council floor; the final ordinance and proffer documents will be part of the official record held by the city clerk.

Ending: The rezoning clears a major procedural hurdle for the Enview project. City staff and the developer will handle remaining technical questions and implementation details through follow-up submittals and coordination required by the proffers and applicable permits.","City Council voted 7-0 to adopt an ordinance rezoning property at 350 Yorktown Road for a DR Horton-led mixed-use project (Parkside at Enview) with a cap on residential units, traffic proffers and a memorandum of understanding to preserve historic resources; nearby residents raised traffic and notice concerns during the public hearing.","actionData","errors"]

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Council approves traffic-safety, telecom and several appropriations; zoning text change and right-of-way vacation pass

Newport News council approves rezoning for Enview development with traffic and preservation proffers