August Newsletter

In this edition ● Chesapeake Sustainability Network ● Data Center Policy ● Virginia Natural Gas Compressor Project ● Comp Plan ● Planning Commission ● City Council ● Virginia Conservation Assistance Program ● Action Alerts ● Green Drinks ● Upcoming Events ● Volunteer Opportunities ● In the News

Chesapeake Sustainability Network

Join the Chesapeake Sustainability Network on Thursday, August 7, 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm, for our first virtual meeting to discuss our local efforts.  We'll use Google Meet with this link https://meet.google.com/pde-wnhm-cms

Our agenda will include:

- Introductions

- What is the Chesapeake Sustainability Network?

- Data Center Policy - an effort to require Conditional Use Permits for data centers

- Comp Plan Update

- What's on your mind?

- Planning Commission/City Council Agenda update (see below)

We are building a network of organizations, individuals, and businesses advocating for environmentally responsible growth in the City of Chesapeake and the Hampton Roads region.  Our vision is to create a "green" city that provides a high quality of life for everyone who lives, learns, works, farms, and plays in our city.  This includes sustaining a healthy and livable environment with clean air, clean water, ecologically vibrant green spaces, and climate resiliency for all. 

Data Center Policy

In June, the City Council voted down the proposed Etheridge data center, but that was probably not the last data center proposal in Chesapeake.  Today, data centers are a permitted use in areas zoned as Office, Institutional, Business, or Industrial Districts and could be built BY RIGHT.  The only reason the Etheridge data center came to the City Council was because the land was zoned Agricultural.  Furthermore, the City Noise Ordinance specifically exempts from regulation HVAC and backup generator operation, the major source of noise pollution from data centers.  We have drafted a Data Center Fact Sheet and Analysis Paper to detail the benefits and issues related to data centers.  

We've started to reach out to City Council members to discuss changing City ordinances to make data centers a Conditional Use that would require a Permit from City Council and develop a Data Center Policy similar to the Solar Energy Policy the City developed for solar farms.  Learn more about the status of efforts at our virtual meeting on Thursday, August 7.  

Virginia Natural Gas Compressor Project

The reconsideration by the City Council of the controversial Virginia Gas Compressor application brought out dozens of opponents, many raising pollution and environmental justice concerns, to the July 15th City Council meeting.  The City Council approved the rezoning in a 6-3 vote after originally denying the project in June.   

Chesapeake approves VNG compressor station | 13newsnow.com.  

The State Corporation Commission (SCC) will hold a public hearing in Chesapeake on August 14 to receive public testimony on a request by Virginia Natural Gas to construct and operate the Chesapeake Compressor Project.  The public hearing is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. at the Chesapeake Conference Center, 700 Conference Center Drive. Persons intending to testify as public witnesses should arrive at least 15 minutes prior to the hearing and register with the Commission’s bailiff. Witness statements will be limited to five minutes.  Written comments may be submitted through the SCC’s website by 5 p.m. on August 5, 2025.  https://www.scc.virginia.gov/about-the-scc/newsreleases/release/vng-local-hearing/vng-compressor-project.html

Comp Plan

The DRAFT Chesapeake Comprehensive Plan is now published and in a 60-day public comment period thru September 26.  There will be several open houses across the City between August 14 and August 28.  See the draft document and learn more at https://www.cityofchesapeake.net/3275/Comprehensive-Plan-Update .

Planning Commission

The Planning Commission has a light agenda in August consisting of three conditional use permit applications and a zoning ordinance change.   The zoning ordinance change is to modify requirements for external lighting on structures, and it is of concern for its potential impact to wildlife safety and Dark Sky goals; however, the proposed ordinance has not yet been drafted, and the agenda item is expected to be Continued to a later date. Planning Commission Agenda

City Council

At the City Council on July 15th, all the following, plus the reconsideration of the Virginia Natural Gas Compressor Station, were approved:

• PLN-REZ-2023-024 - a Hotel on Gum Road in Western Branch; net tree canopy loss about 2.2 acres
• PLN-REZ-2024-009 Residential (Multi-Family – 96 units) /Commercial off Centreville Turnpike; net tree canopy loss about 5 acres but the project does preserves 6.9 acres forested wetlands
• PLN-REZ-2024-010 Residential (Townhouse – 26 units) off Centreville Turnpike; farm site, likely adds about 0.5 acres tree canopy.
• PLN-REZ-2024-018 Residential (Multi-Family – 137 units) on Elbow Road, near Centreville Turnpike; net tree canopy loss about 9 acres; project sets aside 9.2 acres as Conservation-Recreation zoning
• PLN-USE-2025-004 Contractor/Storage Yard in Camelot; 0.5 acre site, does plant buffer, no significant change in tree cover.
• PLN-REZ-2024-019 - a Virginia Natural Gas Compressor Station located off Military Highway just north of Eva Gardens/Newton Creek neighborhoods; results in a net tree canopy loss about 1.6 acres

At their July 22 meeting, the City Council approved a Resolution recommending that Hampton Roads Transit proceed with Phase Two of the Connecting Chesapeake Study, to include feasibility analysis-planning.   Phase Two looks at two potential bus rapid transit routes connecting the Greenbrier area to downtown Norfolk.  The study is funded by regional resources and requires no financial commitment from the City.

In August, some items expected on the City Council agenda include:

• PLN-COMP-2025-002 - Greenbrier Area Plan - continued from the July 15 City Council meeting to August 19 due to time constraints
• PLN-TXT-2025-005 - changing the Zoning Ordinance to increase the permitted density of single-family homes in the urban overlay district (generally Indian River, South Norfolk, Greenbrier, Riverwalk, Deep Creek north of I-64) from 7 homes per acre to 9 homes per acre 

Virginia Conservation Assistance Program

At our July Green Drinks meeting, Emily Johnstone-Brown from the Virginia Dare Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) gave an excellent presentation on the Virginia Conservation Assistance Program (VCAP).  VCAP is an urban cost-share program that provides financial incentives and technical and educational assistance to property owners to address problems like erosion, poor drainage, or poor vegetation that impact water quality.  

Public, private, non-profit, and commercial landowners in Chesapeake - including residential properties, businesses, and schools - may be eligible for 80% cost-share and some practices provide a flat incentive payment up to the installation cost.  Practices include Conservation Landscaping, Living Shorelines, Rain Gardens, Rainwater Harvesting, Impermeable Surface Removal, Permeable Pavement, Vegetated Conveyance System, Dry Wells, Infiltration, Bioretention, Constructed Wetlands, Green Roofs.  Some practices can reimburse costs up to $30,000.  

The process starts with an application and site assessment by SWCD staff.  Applications are reviewed by SWCD Board and VCAP Steering Committee for approval.  They are looking for more applications in Chesapeake, so this can be a great time to apply.  Learn more at  Virginia Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts and apply at Program Year 2026 Urban Conservation Programs | Virginia Dare Soil and Water Conservation District.

Action Alerts

• Virginia DEQ is continuing community engagement and asking for feedback on the statewide Comprehensive Climate Action Plan (CCAP).  Hurry! Survey extended to August 8.   https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=qeUKYsFOoE-GQV2fOGxzCVC8Dk4UohFOlps-0n7WWaJUOFFUMDNDU1NCTTNFTzdEQlRVNExQUFJERC4u&route=shorturl
• The Department of Interior (DOI) is drafting the next Five-Year Plan that outlines where the U.S. government will sell leases to oil and gas companies to drill off our coasts. The current proposal is considering opening up nearly all U.S. waters to offshore oil drilling. DOI is taking public comments as it drafts its offshore drilling plan. Sign this Oceana petition at Protect Your Favorite Beach From Offshore Drilling | Take Action with Oceana | OCEANA - Protecting the World's Oceans
• Are you taking steps to help improve the Chesapeake environment with the landscaping in your yard?  If you are, we would love to recognize your efforts and share tips on what more you can do.  Sign up for our new Chesapeake Healthy Landscape program at https://www.cityofchesapeake.net/1254/Chesapeake-Healthy-Landscape-Program
• Chesapeake residents in the Elizabeth River watershed can receive a free native tree from the Elizabeth River Project.  Limit one tree per home; homeowners are responsible for planting and providing proof of planting within 30 days. Free Tree Program - Elizabeth River Project

Green Drinks Chesapeake - Wednesday, September 24, 2025

We're taking off August and the next Green Drinks meeting will be on Wednesday, September 24.  Location and speaker TBA.

What is Green Drinks?  Green Drinks is mostly for people working on environmental issues, but anyone can come -- people from environmental groups, businesses, government, academia, and as individuals. There is no 'us and them'. Green Drinks is a chance to mingle, share insights, inspire and delight each other. Come out and order some food or a drink (each participant pays for their own drinks and food; if drinking, please do so responsibly!) and join the conversation. Please do share the invite with others who may be interested.

Upcoming Events

• The next Chesapeake Bay Foundation Climate Lecture Series presentation will be on Coastal Solutions: Protecting Our Shores, exploring the importance of protecting tidewater habitats and how green infrastructure solutions—such as living shorelines, rain gardens, and tree plantings— build coastal resilience. Tuesday, August 12, 6:30 PM at the Brock Environmental Center in Virginia Beach.  Register at https://events.cbf.org/shoreline

Volunteer Opportunities

• Friends of Indian River Volunteer Opportunities 

In the News

• The EPA proposes gutting its greenhouse gas rules. Here’s what it means for cars and pollution : NPR
• This heat forecast for eastern US in late July isn't normal - USA Today
• Frustrations are mounting with the regional electric grid, which includes Virginia. Here’s how it affects your energy bill. - WHRO
• Chesapeake Bay cleanup set to meet decade-long target on oyster restoration - WHRO
• Why more residents are saying 'No' to AI data centers in their backyard - WHRO
• SCC says Dominion’s future spending plan ‘legally sufficient,’ warns against impact on consumers • Virginia Mercury
• Power prices are expected to soar under new tax cut and spending law - WHRO 
• National Climate Assessment website goes dark : NPR - includes links to archived report

Stay on top of the latest news and join the conversation in our Facebook group at Greening Chesapeake.