Newport News council approves property conveyance, tower lease amendment and $2.95M in appropriations

The Newport News City Council on March 26, 2024 approved a set of largely unanimous administrative and budget actions, including property conveyance, a lease amendment for tower attachments, easement bids, a tax-code amendment, and two appropriations totaling $2.95 million.

Conveyance and lease approvals: Council adopted an ordinance conveying city-owned property at 1236 29th Street to Toby Holmes LLC (no public speakers; manager recommended approval) and approved a fourth amendment to a tower-attachment lease at Fire Station 8 with New Singular Wireless doing business as AT&T. Both measures passed by roll call with unanimous support.

Easements and bids: Council received and opened bids to grant utility easements to support the Ivy Avenue reconstruction, Southeast Community early childhood education center (Jefferson Avenue), and an easement on Diascund Shores Lane (New Kent County). The manager asked council to accept $1 bids from Dominion Energy Virginia for the identified easements; council proceeded with the actions as presented.

Tax code: Council adopted an amendment to city code chapter 40 (taxation), article 11, updating exemptions and application limits under Virginia Code section 58.1-3970.1, as laid out in the packet.

Appropriations: Council approved two appropriations: $1,200,000 in Virginia Passenger Rail Authority Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) grant funds for track work at the Newport News Transportation Center project (the grant requires a previously appropriated $300,000 local match), and $1,750,000 from the FY2024 bond authorization for maritime economic development projects to address silting and replace deteriorated commercial docks adjacent to a planned seafood market. The maritime project also includes design work to add a dock for transient boats visiting the seafood market. Both appropriations were adopted by roll call.

Vote summary: Most items in this package were adopted unanimously by roll call (recorded as 6-0 where noted in the meeting record). The packet contained the staff recommendations and ordinance and resolution texts; council took no additional referral actions on these items during the meeting.