It’s a legal question expected to be handled in court, primarily because of different interpretations of Chesapeake’s city charter — seemingly the only charter for a major Hampton Roads city that puts the city in this novel position.

Multiple council members are challenging mayors this November elections in surrounding cities, like Virginia Beach and Portsmouth. Yet Chesapeake finds itself in this situation as it’s the only Hampton Roads city with a provision in the city charter that requires council members to formally resign from their council seat during their mayoral election bid instead of after. Carey’s council term is set to end Dec. 31. Chesapeake’s charter provision calls for a council resignation by June 30, though it was established when Chesapeake held city elections in May.

The ongoing legal question has spurred division among council members, some of whom are practicing a boycott of certain city business they don’t believe Carey should be part of, like closed sessions, as a result.

At a July 23 meeting, some residents said Carey was being penalized for an oversight issue in the charter, and called for council to make the appropriate changes in lieu of legal action. But that’s challenging in a Dillon’s Rule state like Virginia, where the General Assembly determines the scope of local governments’ power. That means when a city needs to update its charter, state legislators are the ones who can make it happen.

“No two local government situations are alike, and they’re often quite obscure provisions that are at issue,” said Richard Schragger, a law professor at the University of Virginia.

He added that in Chesapeake’s case, it can be tricky because even if the dates should have been changed, the charter also clearly states June 30.

“So then the question becomes, if there’s ambiguities in the interpretation of that provision, who makes that decision? And generally we end up in courts when that’s the case,” Schragger said.

For most Hampton Roads cities, council members who declare candidacy in a mayor’s race must formally resign their council position following the election or upon the start of the newly elected mayor’s term, according to the respective city charters. That includes Norfolk, Hampton, Suffolk and Virginia Beach.

In Virginia Beach, Councilman Chris Taylor, representing District 8, has joined a crowded field to challenge the sitting mayor. To do so, Taylor had to file a formal resignation letter effective after the election since his council term spans until 2026, which will necessitate a special election. His resignation will take effect Dec. 31, regardless of whether he wins or loses the mayoral race.

Sabrina Wooten is another Virginia Beach council member challenging the mayor, but her term ends at the end of the year.

Portsmouth’s charter lacks any resign-to-run requirement. The current vice mayor, Lisa Lucas-Burke, is challenging sitting Mayor Shannon Glover. There is no apparent provision in Newport News’ charter that addresses resign-to-rule stipulations, but a process for filling vacancies is included.

General Assembly action in 2021 shifted Chesapeake’s elections from May to November, but the accompanying provision for resignation was not altered, according to an opinion issued in May by Republican Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares. His opinion concluded that Carey was required to step down by June 30.

In March, Carey declared a bid to challenge Mayor Rick West. On July 9, a majority of council members directed the city attorney’s office to file a writ of mandamus with the Circuit Court asking a judge to compel Carey to resign from his position as he seeks election as mayor.

While it’s still unclear when the city will formally file the petition in Circuit Court, Carey said he was officially served last week by the city with a notice of intent to file. City Attorney Catherine Lindley previously said a “reasonable time” must lapse before filing with Circuit Court, though she has declined to specify what that timeframe will be.

Carey has previously called the move political and unethical.

“Citizens realize how foolish this endeavor is for council to waste taxpayer dollars to attack a political opponent,” he said in a phone interview Monday.

Carey was first elected to City Council in May 2020. He assumed his role July 1 when Chesapeake still held local elections in May instead of November. In Miyares’ opinion, he stated that though resignation would have the effect of shortening Carey’s term, it’s “due to his voluntary decision to seek election to the office of mayor, as was the case prior to the 2021 amendments for council members seeking to become mayor in middle of their otherwise four-year term.”

Around a dozen residents spoke at a July 23 meeting, mostly expressing frustration with division among council and the city money and resources that will be dedicated to litigating the issue. Others said he should stay in his seat through the end of his current term.

Resident Nancy Pettigrew and George Reed of the New Chesapeake Men for Progress argued that the intent of the charter change law wasn’t to result in a monthslong vacancy when a council member runs for mayor.

“Forcing Councilman Carey off the council at this point in the year will hamper the work that the City Council does,” Pettigrew said. “And in fact, we are already seeing that happen.”

Reed cited a summary document about the 2021 law when it was passed, which states the terms of mayor, council and school board members should not be shortened as a result of shifting elections to November. It also states all those members elected at a May general election and whose terms end as of June 30 “shall continue in office until their successors have been elected at the November general election and have been qualified to serve.”

Another election-related bill passed that year amended that portion of state code and the clause Reed cited was removed.

“We ought to have a writ of mandamus to get our city attorney to configure our charter to meet the state law,” Reed said. “I say to you there must be a different agenda. You should explain that agenda to the public. Because it’s certainly not running good governance with transparency and accountability.”

Natalie Anderson, 757-732-1133, natalie.anderson@virginiamedia.com

Officers were called to a report of shots fired in the 2000 block of Randolph Arch, near the intersection of Battlefield Boulevard and South Military Highway. At the scene, police found the teenager, whose age and identity have not been released, at the scene outside an apartment complex with gunshot injuries. He died at the scene.

Police said the investigation is ongoing, and anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call the Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP or submit a tip at P3TIPS.com.

Eliza Noe, eliza.noe@virginiamedia.com

A divided and tense vote at the July 9 council meeting tasked the City Attorney’s office with filing a writ of mandamus with the Circuit Court asking a judge to compel Carey to resign from his position as he seeks election as mayor — a move some members say is required by the city’s charter.

In March, Carey declared a bid to challenge Mayor Rick West in November — even switching political parties to do so.

At this time, the question of whether Carey is required to step down from his seat as he runs for mayor may be determined by a judge. But disintegration already is on display as council members Amanda Newins and Debbie Ritter did not join their colleagues in Tuesday’s closed session discussion.

Newins and Ritter voted “no” to go into Tuesday’s closed session, which was to discuss active litigation against the city. When council members reentered council chambers to vote on certifying the closed session, which declares that only lawful closed-session matters were discussed, Newins and Ritter abstained.

Newins led the vote this month to petition the court, noting that it was about “transparency” and the “integrity of the council.” A writ of mandamus is a judicial order that requires a government official to comply with the law. In this case, it’s Section 3.02 of the city’s charter, which states that any sitting member of council who decides to run for mayor is eligible to do so but shall resign by June 30 of the election year.

“It’s very disappointing that Mr. Carey has placed the City in this unprecedented situation by not resigning when required by law,” Newins told The Virginian-Pilot via text Friday. “I cannot be a party to disclosing privacy issues of our City and citizens in a closed session to any individual who by law should not be there.”

Ritter could not be reached for comment.

Reached by phone Friday, Carey said he didn’t know whether council members were boycotting certain business. He previously called Newins’ push for the writ of mandamus “unethical, disingenuous and politically motivated.”

“I hope that there aren’t any theatrics and council members who are wanting to make a name for themselves or grandstand,” Carey said Friday. “I think we ought to be professional and continue to conduct the business of the city.”

When Newins was asked whether she was boycotting Tuesday’s closed session due to Carey’s participation, she contested the term but confirmed she was not participating in the typical closed session meeting.

“This is not a boycott,” Newins said. “I’m still conducting city business, but in a manner that protects the integrity of the closed session by conferring with staff one on one instead of going into the closed session.”

The fractures on council amidst this legal action are falling along party lines. Though local elections in Chesapeake are nonpartisan, Carey has the support of the Democratic Party, while West and Ritter have been endorsed by the local GOP. Newins was previously endorsed by local Republicans but is not up for reelection this year.

The city is required to serve Carey advanced notice of the intent to file a petition for mandamus, according to City Attorney Catherine Lindley. The city must then wait a “reasonable time” before filing to allow Carey time to comply with the mandamus.

Carey said as of Friday, he has not yet been served. He declined to provide additional details about stepping down or the legal matter at hand.

“I have full confidence that council will be able to continue to conduct business of the city in a professional manner,” Carey said. “Any disagreements on council about the charter should be played out in the courtroom. A judge can arbitrate that.”

Once filed, the petition becomes the purview of the court.

Lindley said the two most common outcomes of such legal action would be either a court order directing Carey to comply with the city charter and resign from his seat or a determination that Carey isn’t required to resign. The writ is only related to Carey’s current council seat and would not address his eligibility to run for mayor in the November 2024 election.

The city declined to elaborate on how long a “reasonable time” is, and it also declined to disclose whether the city attorney’s office or a third party would be handling the case to avoid any perceived conflicts of interest. Head city attorneys, who lead the office, are council-appointed positions.

Natalie Anderson, 757-732-1133, nataie.anderson@virginiamedia.com

Since 2022, Dragas Associates Inc. has been working to rezone a large area of the Dominion Boulevard Corridor District for a suburban mixed use development. The request at Tuesday’s City Council meeting was to rezone about 173 acres from A1 agriculture and R15 residential to a PUD, or a planned unit development. But following a request to defer a vote from attorney J. Bryan Plumlee, who’s representing the applicant, City Council voted 6-1 to postpone the rezoning request indefinitely.

Council member Amanda Newins opposed, council member Robert Ike was excused and council member Debbie Ritter abstained due to a relationship with an individual associated with the project.

Plumlee told council members the applicants would work with city staff to amend the plan to mitigate school overcrowding concerns, which required an indefinite continuance. Council member Don Carey said he supported the continuance request to allow applicants that due diligence.

The project, called Springton at Grassfield, proposes a variety of housing options, including 528 multi-family units, 169 carriage homes, 120 three-story townhomes, 166 two-story townhomes, 192 luxury villas and 117 single-family detached units. About 6 acres will comprise commercial space that can accommodate a building measuring 75,000 to 250,000 square feet. Plans also include nearly 50 acres of open space with a trail network, community amenities and a public park dedication.

The property, owned by Dominion Boulevard Partners LLC, straddles the suburban and rural overlay districts, with about 1.5 miles of frontage along Dominion Boulevard and two large triangular areas connected by a 3-acre parcel owned by the Dome of Canaan Church. The church will be rezoned to PUD and continue operations.

The Planning Commission approved the project 4-2 in June, but city planning staff recommend denial.

“The proposed PUD fails to achieve the level of community quality expected of a planned unit development in the city of Chesapeake and promotes typical suburban development forms inconsistent with the vision of Dominion Boulevard Corridor study,” said Planning Director Jimmy McNamara. “The proposed PUD also allows certain uses in the commercial center to be permitted by-right when normally the land use has required a conditional use permit.”

McNamara said the proposed project would lead to more overcrowding at nearby schools, including Grassfield Elementary, which would be at 174% capacity, exceeding the 120% threshold. But a new elementary school at Culpepper Landing is scheduled to open for the 2027-28 school year to help relieve the overcrowding.

In a letter submitted to city staff this week, Plumlee said the applicant agreed to not request any permits for the residential units until after a building permit has been requested for the new school in Culpepper Landing. Additionally, applicants said they wouldn’t request a certificate of occupancy until January 2027 or the certificate of occupancy is issued to the new school, whichever occurs first.

Several speakers at Tuesday’s meeting, who were told to only speak to the deferral and not the merits of the project, opposed the continuance, noting that residents often bear the brunt of additional costs incurred from multiple deferrals. Plumlee said project applicants told supporters not to attend Tuesday’s meeting because of the deferral request.

The project was first submitted in June 2022 and subsequently withdrawn by the applicant in October 2022. The planning commission granted the project an indefinite continuance in July 2023 after it had been submitted to city staff again in February 2023.

Before approving the project, the planning commission considered 10 emails and six speakers in opposition, with the main concerns being the high density, impact to local schools, loss of rural lifestyle and agricultural land, potential environmental impacts, traffic and the burden on city services.

Natalie Anderson, 757-732-1133, natalie.anderson@virginiamedia.com

A divided and tense vote Tuesday tasked the City Attorney’s office with filing a writ of mandamus with the Circuit Court, which is a judicial order that requires a government official to comply with the law. In this case, it’s Section 3.02 of the city’s charter, which states that any sitting member of council who decides to run for mayor is eligible to do so but shall resign by June 30 of the election year.

The vote passed 5-3, with Mayor Rick West abstaining. Robert Ike and Ella Ward joined Carey in voting against the measure put forth by council member Amanda Newins, who said it was about “transparency” and the “integrity of the council.” She likened Carey to being “a private citizen” acting as a council member.

“I think most of us assumed Mr. Carey was going to do the right thing and resign before June 30 but now we’re all in a very uncomfortable position,” Newins said. “And people say you have to have courage over comfort. And that’s what this is.”

In March, Carey declared a bid to challenge West — even switching parties to do so. Though local elections in Chesapeake are nonpartisan, Carey has the support of the Democratic Party, while West has been endorsed by the local GOP.

Though the charter provision calls for a resignation by June 30, it was established when Chesapeake held elections in May. General Assembly action in 2021 shifted the city’s elections to November, but the accompanying provision for resignation was not altered, according to an opinion issued in May by Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares. His opinion concluded that Carey was required to step down by June 30.

Carey’s term is slated to end Dec. 31. Miyares’ opinion states that though resignation would have the effect of shortening Carey’s term, it’s “due to his voluntary decision to seek election to the office of mayor, as was the case prior to the 2021 amendments for council members seeking to become mayor in middle of their otherwise four-year term.”

Opinions from the state’s attorney general provide analysis and interpretation of current law, but do not establish new law.

“Because the shortening, instead, is one caused by the council member’s own independent action, the recently mandated transition to November elections does not negate the effect of the resignation requirement contained in § 3.02(c) of the city charter,” the opinion said.

Only West and Carey filed to run for mayor. It’s unclear whether a judge’s ruling would force Carey to resign to remain in the mayor’s race or if he would be deemed ineligible for the ballot.

Before Newins’ motion passed, Ike was unsuccessful in an attempt to defer the vote to next week. Ike, who characterized Newins’ reasoning for her motion as “smoke and mirrors,” said he wanted the city to advertise a public hearing and hear from the public before taking any action.

“We understand the legislators messed it up,” Ike said. “They changed one part of the law but didn’t change the other. In all fairness, he should be able to stay until Dec. 31.”

Ike also noted Miyares’ opinion was not as a binding ruling.

Ward, meanwhile, said General Assembly members, including House Speaker Don Scott, have opined that Carey should be able stay in his current position and that the charter change should have extended to that provision.

Following the November election, the new Chesapeake City Council would be seated Jan. 1.

Natalie Anderson, 757-732-1133, natalie.anderson@virginiamedia.com

“Aviation is a cornerstone of growth for any region,” owner Steve Fox said.

Although the 634-acre facility at the intersection of four major highways — Interstates 64, 664 and 264 and U.S. 58 — had its share of hardships in the past, it continues to soar and act as a gateway to Hampton Roads. The bulk of the public-use, privately owned reliever airport, known by the code KPVG, is in Chesapeake with a portion of its western side just over the Suffolk line.

Dating back to the 1940s, the facility was originally called Portsmouth Airport. It was started by Capt. Henry Pascale, a World War I veteran eager to provide a place for flying lessons for other service members returning home. After a rocky start, Pascale saved the airport from foreclosure. At the time, it consisted of about 200 acres, three grass runways and gravel roads.

More than 60 years later, three pilot businessmen, Steve Fox, Jack Fox and David “Andy” Gibbs, stepped in to purchase the airport in 2000 from a bankruptcy auction.

“It included 13 buildings, an old terminal, an old runway and 90 T-hangars — pretty much everything was at least 20 years old or older,” Fox said.

The following year, they bought an additional 404 acres for construction of a new runway and future development of the airport.

Today, Steve Fox and his wife, Bee, retired city attorney for Virginia Beach, are the majority owners of Virginia Aviation Associates, which owns the airport. The Foxes’ son, Luke, serves as the airport’s director of finance and managing engineer. Fox bought out his father, Jack Fox. Gibbs, the airport’s former helicopter instructor, died in 2013.

“I’m the last man standing from the original three owners,” said Steve Fox, a third-generation pilot whose grandfather, Martin Fox, was a pilot in World War I. “It was in the stars, I guess.”

___

Revamping for jets

Fox explained that when he purchased the airport, there were three detriments: the condition of the buildings, its 4,000-foot runway and the lack of an instrument landing system. Insurance companies generally require turbine-powered aircraft, or jets, to operate on a 5,000-foot runway.

Eager to improve the airport, its capabilities and amenities, Fox learned about grant funding from the Virginia Department of Aviation and the Federal Aviation Administration’s capital improvement program, both geared to help with privately owned airports. The FAA has supported the airport’s growth with more than $30 million in grants.

“One of the conditions is that we have to keep the airport open forever,” he said.

The first phase in the redevelopment, completed in 2015, included the construction of the 5,350-foot-long, 100-foot-wide runway. The price tag for that alone was $30 million, Fox said.

The new runway sits parallel to the original 4,000-foot-long, 75-foot-wide main runway that was lengthened and repaved and became the new taxiway. Both runways were equipped with new lighting.

Phase one included construction of a new 6,800-square-foot public use terminal with a lounge/lobby, 20-seat conference room, pilot lounge with a nap room, kitchenette, office space, concierge, crew cars and covered vehicle porch. The revamp included the installation of a dozen more hangars, connecting the airport to the public sewer system and adding high-speed internet. These projects cost another $25 million. The state aviation department provided a $500,000 grant for the instrument landing system.

“Any jet, up to the size of a Gulfstream business jet, can land here in any weather condition because we have a proper length runway and an instrument landing system,” he said.

Phase two addressed the need for more and newer hangars. The airport expanded from 13 to 37 buildings ranging from 4,000 to 40,000 square feet. The $10 million project included a second fuel farm and an aircraft washing station.

___

Welcoming new technology

Phase three started this month to add more than $10 million in infrastructure improvements over the next 18 months, Fox said. The project involves the construction of a 36,000-square-foot combined jetport and research and training center, new aprons, three large buildings, hangars and electric-charging stations for new electric aircraft, Fox said.

The state aviation board awarded the project a $6.5 million grant, the airport said.

The center will enable different companies — startups from around the world — to test alternative fuels and alternative fueled aircraft right here in Hampton Roads. Fox said in the past 24 years of owning the airport, he has not seen the amount of investment and focus on new aircraft that he has seen in the last two years.

“Innovation in both aircraft design and alternate fuel sourcing is flourishing,” he said. “The public will be excited to know that the cost of flying should come down significantly as the new technology emerges.”

Phase four will bring down nine of the original 13 T-hangars still standing, and phase five will address development of 200 acres of raw surplus land for future use by aircraft manufacturers, Fox said.

___

Regional transportation hub

The ambition of the airport is high for a staff of 13. The airport, with 160 planes based there, sees close to 90,000 operations yearly.

Throughout the years, it’s had countless notable arrivals and departures from its property, including President Joe Biden and Gov. Glenn Youngkin. Ambulance helicopters also use the airport regularly.

“Our facility is not about rich people with jets; our facility is servicing people in need, both financial and medical and fostering increased employment,” Fox said.

More than 30 businesses are based at the airport, including Prevailance Aerospace, Hampton Roads Charter Service and Hampton Roads Helicopters. Dave Hynes has been a part of operating the last two businesses from a large complex at the airport since their inception in 2005. Gibbs was his business partner.

Hynes said the expansion and growth at the airport has been beneficial for both of his businesses — whether providing management, hangaring and piloting services, teaching people how to fly helicopters or providing tours or photo mission flights.

“It’s helped us grow the businesses, helped us to be able to employ more employees and be able to contribute more into the local economy because we’re growing and expanding as the airport is growing and expanding, too,” Hynes said.

Another area of growth involves the roadway just outside the airport.

“The blessing of the airport is that we’re on U.S. 58 right at the intersection of four highways,” Fox said. “The curse is that we’re on U.S. 58 right at the intersection of four highways.”

Both Fox and Hynes are anxiously awaiting better traffic flow now that $14 million to improve intersection access to the airport from U.S. 58 was approved, with work starting in 2026. 

“Our vision of converting Hampton Roads Executive Airport’s 80-year-old barnstormer airfield into a modern executive regional transportation hub continues with this next phase of development,” Fox said.

Sandra J. Pennecke, 757-652-5836, sandra.pennecke@pilotonline.com

On Tuesday, City Council approved 8-1 a request to place an advisory referendum on the ballot in the general election. The referendum will ask voters whether City Council should “adopt an ordinance imposing a mandatory fee of up to $10 per month on all households that receive city trash service in order to reestablish curbside recycling for those households only.”

Council member Daniel Whitaker voted against it.

The ballot referendum initiative comes two years after council voted to cut the city’s free curbside recycling services to help fund a public safety plan. Since then, the city established eight public drop-off sites staff said have outperformed expectations, saved the city money, expanded access for residents and resulted in a lower contamination rate. In a June 11 briefing to council, Deputy City Manager Bob Geis said the city has collected more than 3,900 tons of recyclables since July 1, 2023. The projected collection total for fiscal year 2024 is 4,281 tons of recyclables.

The city also allows for subscription-based services, though interest has been low. As of June, Recyclops continues to offer subscription-based curbside recycling in Chesapeake starting at $26 a month per household for collection every other week. Recyclops reported collecting 148 tons of co-mingled recyclables in calendar year 2023, according to city staff.

Council initially deferred the vote at the June 11 meeting following a request that an estimated fee be included in the language of the referendum question. City Manager Chris Price said the “up to $10” fee is based on the estimated price escalation of previous curbside agreements, which he said were most recently $5.35 per month per household. The fee would cover collection, replenishment of blue can inventory, billing system setup and continued operation of four drop-off sites.

Tuesday’s vote comes as the operator of a regional waste authority is working to select a new vendor that could process, recycle, reuse and/or dispose of 100% of the region’s waste. The Southeastern Public Service Authority has an eye toward an all-in-one solution such as a single-stream, mixed waste sorting facility that would take added pressure off the Suffolk landfill. The authority handles waste for Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Virginia Beach and some surrounding localities.

SPSA is specifically looking for technologies that could divert at least 60% of the region’s waste from the landfill. At the June 11 work session, Geis said under the previous program in Chesapeake, only 5-7% of items collected through curbside recycling were diverted from the landfill and recycled.

Council member Don Carey asked how the referendum and potential return to curbside services would impact the contract being sought by SPSA. Price said curbside recycling agreements have historically spanned five years, so if SPSA’s single-stream solution came to fruition before then, council could cancel the curbside services early again or the city would be “double paying.”

Mayor Rick West and Carey said they weren’t necessarily supportive of restoring curbside services at this time but did support posing the question to voters.

Two of the three speakers Tuesday spoke in support, but one stated he’d rather see the city fund curbside recycling services from its own coffers instead of levying another fee on residents.

The process for getting a referendum on the ballot is carried out primarily through the Circuit Court. Once council approves any resolutions calling for one, the city attorney’s office then petitions the court for a referendum order, according to City Attorney Catherine Lindley, who cites state code. If approved, the petition and order must be entered by the court at least 81 days before the Nov. 5 election in order to make it on the ballot in time.

Since it’s an advisory referendum, council will still need to decide and act on next steps after hearing from voters.

Natalie Anderson, 757-732-1133, natalie.anderson@virginiamedia.com

LS Greenlink USA, a subsidiary of South Korean-based LS Cable & System, plans to construct a 750,000-square-foot manufacturing plant on 100 acres of Chesapeake brownfield, a move that is expected to create more than 330 full-time jobs.

Shim is the managing director of LS GreenLink USA while Koo is the president and CEO of LS Cable & System.

According to Shim, the tower will be the tallest structure in Virginia– a title currently held by The Westin Virginia Beach Town Center standing at 508 feet.

LS Greenlink USA, a subsidiary of South Korean-based LS Cable & System, plans to construct a 750,000-square-foot manufacturing plant on 100 acres of Chesapeake brownfield, a move that is expected to create more than 330 full-time jobs.

“Fifteen states were in the mix, and Virginia won,” said Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade Caren Merrick at a Tuesday event in Chesapeake.

The massive facility will be located at the Chesapeake Deep Water Terminal, located at 1213 Victory Blvd. The site, which straddles Portsmouth and Chesapeake, has railway access and sits adjacent to the Southern Branch Elizabeth River.

When constructed, the facility will be the tallest building in Virginia, said LS Greenlink USA Managing Director Patrick Shim. The Westin Virginia Beach Town Center, at 508 feet, is currently the tallest building in the commonwealth. He said the company plans to begin construction in the first quarter of 2025 and begin operating the facility in the first quarter of 2028.

Shim said the large towers are needed due to how the submarine cables are made, with gravity helping to center the core of the cable. He said the structure would be visible from all over the region.

“It’s not just a working building, but it’s going to be a landmark,” Shim said. “So we do want to make it very beautiful.”

LS has a yearslong backlog of orders due to demand, Shim said, and the cables would be used in projects all over the world.

The company chose Chesapeake due to the region’s workforce, including its veteran population.

“At the end of the day, a factory without workers is just a room with a bunch of machines,” Shim said.

The announcement is a win for proponents of the region’s offshore wind industry, who have long hoped a Dominion Energy wind farm would lure other companies in the offshore wind supply chain to Hampton Roads.

Doug Smith, Hampton Roads Alliance president and CEO, said the announcement was a huge validation for the region’s economic development work. He said the move could lead to other offshore wind supply chain companies moving to the area.

“The offshore wind industry is new,” Smith said. “So everybody is watching what everyone else is doing.”

In addition to ongoing contruction of the 176-turbine Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project, Dominion announced Monday had acquired the lease for the Kitty Hawk North offshore wind project from Avangrid for $160 million. Federal regulators have scheduled the next round of offshore wind lease sales in the mid-Atlantic for August, including the lease for another area off Virginia, about 35 nautical miles from the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay.

During the event, government officials were presented with a cross section of the cables, which measured several inches in diameter and included a copper conductor core and several other layers. Even at just a couple inches in thickness, the cross section had considerable weight.

As far as jobs, Shim said the company would be hiring for advanced manufacturing positions like engineers and machine operators. He said the company plans to pay workers well above the industry average for the region.

To offset costs of the project, the U.S. Department of Energy approved $100 million in federal tax credits from a program created by President Joe Biden’s 2022 infrastructure law that incentivizes clean energy projects.

To attract the project, Youngkin approved a $13.2 million grant from the Commonwealth’s Opportunity Fund to assist the Chesapeake with this project.

Trevor Metcalfe, 757-222-5345, trevor.metcalfe@pilotonline.com

The city budgets, that fund local governments for the fiscal year, set rates for real estate and personal property taxes. Here are tax rates adopted by seven Hampton Roads cities, and the revenue those taxes are expected to generate in the new fiscal year. Personal property tax varies by property type and the rate charged for personal vehicles is included.

Cities may offer different relief programs that can reduce tax liability.

Chesapeake

Real estate tax rate: $1.01 per $100 of assessed value, same rate unchanged for a few years. The city is expected to collect $390.5 million in revenue in fiscal 2025.

Personal property tax rate for vehicles: $4.08 per $100 of assessed value. Same as previous years. The city is expected to collect $76.2 million from all personal property taxes in fiscal 2025.

Chesapeake adopts $1.6 billion operating budget that will expand some tax relief, increase city worker pay

___

Hampton

Real estate tax rate: $1.15 per $100 of assessed value, a 1-cent decrease from last year. Real estate tax revenue is anticipated to total $176.5 million in fiscal 2025.

Personal property tax rate for vehicles: $4.50 per $100 of assessed value, no change. Hampton is expected to collect $50.8 million in all personal property taxes in fiscal 2025.

Hampton adopts $643 million budget boosting employee pay, adding speed cameras and increasing waste fees

___

Newport News

Real estate tax rate: $1.18 per $100 of assessed value, no change from last year. The city is expected to collect $266.4 million in real estate taxes in fiscal 2025.

Personal property tax rate for vehicles: $4.50 per $100 of assessed value. Personal property taxes for all items is expected to total $69.2 million in fiscal 2025.

Newport News adopts $1.14 billion budget, raises salaries for city workers and public safety

___

Norfolk

Real estate tax rate: $1.23 per $100 of assessed value, a 2-cent decrease from last year. Real estate tax revenue is anticipated to total $328.1 million in fiscal 2025.

Personal property tax rate for vehicles: $4.33 per $100 of assessed value. Norfolk is expected to collect $61.8 million in all personal property taxes in fiscal 2025.

Norfolk passes $1.9 billion budget with city worker raises, real estate tax cut

___

Portsmouth

Real estate tax rate: $1.30 per $100 of assessed value, with a 5-cent credit bringing the effective tax rate to $1.25 per $100 of assessed value. Same as last year. The city is expected to collect $130.5 million in fiscal 2025.

Personal property tax rate for vehicles: $5 per $100 of assessed value. The city is expected to collect $36.9 million from all personal property taxes in fiscal 2025.

Portsmouth adopts $934 million budget reducing real estate tax, fully funding schools

___

Suffolk

Real estate tax rate: $1.07 per $100 of assessed value, a nominal 2-cent reduction. Last year the rate was $1.09 but the city offered a 2-cent tax credit, putting the effective rate at $1.07. The city is expected to collect $165 million in real estate taxes in fiscal 2025.

Personal property tax rate for vehicles: $4.25 per $100 of assessed value. The city is expected to collect $36 million in fiscal 2025 in personal property taxes.

___

Virginia Beach

Real estate tax rate: 97 cents per $100 of assessed value, 2-cent decrease from last year. The city is expected to collect $700 million in real estate taxes in fiscal 2025.

Personal property tax rate for vehicles: $4 per $100 of assessed value. The city is expected to collect $206.7 million from all personal property taxes in fiscal 2025.

Virginia Beach adopts $2.6 billion budget, cutting taxes and increasing city worker pay