Newport News council approves rezoning for Carlton advanced manufacturing site
April 28, 2026 | Newport News (Independent City), Virginia
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The Newport News City Council unanimously adopted ordinance CZ20260001 April 28 to rezone the Carlton Advanced Manufacturing site on Yorktown Road to M‑1 light industrial with proffers.
Supporters told council the rezoning is intended to position the city to attract large-scale manufacturing and logistics projects. "This is a competitiveness decision," Doug Smith, president and CEO of the Hampton Roads Alliance, told council, calling the site a "rare asset" with interstate visibility, CSX rail access and capacity for what he described as more than 800,000 square feet of production space.
The Virginia Peninsula Chamber likewise urged approval. "This property represents a significant opportunity to strengthen our regional economy," Robert McKenna said, describing proximity to I‑64 and transportation proffers meant to protect access to the historic Lee Hall Mansion.
Derek Perry, speaking for the Economic Development Authority as owner and applicant, told council the EDA acquired the property in 1995 and that rezoning is a necessary step to make the parcel competitive for prospective employers; he said no specific end user has yet been identified.
Council closed the public hearing and moved to adopt the ordinance; the vote was recorded as 6–0 in favor.
Why it matters: supporters said rezoning clears a legal and regulatory hurdle that can make the difference when firms seek sites that are immediately buildable. City staff and supporters argued that having contiguous, development‑ready industrial land is increasingly rare on the Peninsula and is a top reason communities lose projects to nearby states.
A note on reported site size: speakers gave slightly different figures. Doug Smith described the Carlton site as 145 acres; Robert McKenna referred to roughly 143 acres in his remarks. The council record did not reconcile the two numbers at the time of the vote.
The ordinance creates the zoning framework and proffers discussed in public testimony; council did not identify a specific developer or project at the meeting. The city will retain further land‑use review and permit authority as individual site plans and development proposals are brought forward.
Supporters told council the rezoning is intended to position the city to attract large-scale manufacturing and logistics projects. "This is a competitiveness decision," Doug Smith, president and CEO of the Hampton Roads Alliance, told council, calling the site a "rare asset" with interstate visibility, CSX rail access and capacity for what he described as more than 800,000 square feet of production space.
The Virginia Peninsula Chamber likewise urged approval. "This property represents a significant opportunity to strengthen our regional economy," Robert McKenna said, describing proximity to I‑64 and transportation proffers meant to protect access to the historic Lee Hall Mansion.
Derek Perry, speaking for the Economic Development Authority as owner and applicant, told council the EDA acquired the property in 1995 and that rezoning is a necessary step to make the parcel competitive for prospective employers; he said no specific end user has yet been identified.
Council closed the public hearing and moved to adopt the ordinance; the vote was recorded as 6–0 in favor.
Why it matters: supporters said rezoning clears a legal and regulatory hurdle that can make the difference when firms seek sites that are immediately buildable. City staff and supporters argued that having contiguous, development‑ready industrial land is increasingly rare on the Peninsula and is a top reason communities lose projects to nearby states.
A note on reported site size: speakers gave slightly different figures. Doug Smith described the Carlton site as 145 acres; Robert McKenna referred to roughly 143 acres in his remarks. The council record did not reconcile the two numbers at the time of the vote.
The ordinance creates the zoning framework and proffers discussed in public testimony; council did not identify a specific developer or project at the meeting. The city will retain further land‑use review and permit authority as individual site plans and development proposals are brought forward.
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