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Chesapeake Comp Plan - Working Copy of Comments

Below is a working copy of comments to the DRAFT Comprehensive Plan.  The comments are not final and subject to on-going edits. 

Last revised 8/9/2025, 8/10/2025 (re: Green Infrastructure), 8/11/2025 (edits), 8/16/2025 (minor edits).

Executive Summary

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 

Our initial review of the document finds that the Draft Comprehensive Plan describes a strong vision for creating a high-quality future for the City that is proactive about developing necessary infrastructure, protects green and open space, works to connect people, and respects the unique character of different parts of the City.   The policies presented adopt the principles of Smart Growth, focus on moving people on Complete Streets that provide safe access to all, including pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and transit users, It includes good policies related to the environment, resilience, and supporting rural areas.    The many good aspects of the plan need to be applauded.  

We are still collecting feedback from the environmental community on the plan, but after a first reading, there are two key areas where the plan can be improved: creating healthy landscapes and planning for utility infrastructure.  


Healthy Landscapes

 

While the document goes into detail on policies related to Wetlands and Riparian Buffers, Tree Canopy, and Green Infrastructure, it often treats nature as something to be found in "Environmentally Sensitive" areas of the City and wildlife as something only found in "natural areas" like the Great Dismal Swamp.   The reality is that nature and wildlife co-exist with people throughout the City.   In every part of the City, people will encounter birds and bees, butterflies and dragonflies.  Birds, squirrels, turtles, raccoons, and a whole variety of creatures loved and sometimes underappreciated live in our backyards and front yards, our trees, shrubs, and hedges, our parks, and our stream buffers.  Doug Tallamy's book "Bringing Nature Home" highlights the critical importance of implementing conservation landscaping across all our urban and suburban areas. 

 

Action: Tell planning to include policies to support conservation landscaping practices across all parts of our City in the Plan. 

 

Energy Infrastructure

 

The draft Plan looks at Water and Sewer, Roads and Rail, and even Broadband/Fiber Optics.  It touches on Renewable Energy.  But it does not address the impact of energy transmission infrastructure.  Chesapeake has seen significant expansion of energy infrastructure in recent years, including solar farms, gas pipelines (e.g. the Southside Connector, Virginia Reliability Project, Chesapeake Compressor Station), electric transmission lines (e.g. the connection from Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Project to Fentress Substation).  This expansion of infrastructure is expected to continue to support electrification of vehicle charging and home heating, construction of data centers, Virginia Commerce Park, etc.  As shown with Southside Connector and other projects, this can result in significant disruptions and concerns for local communities.  

Action:  Tell Planning to include policies to plan for the growth of energy infrastructure to minimize these impacts on communities and the environment.  The policies should also encourage energy efficiency in City buildings.

Green Infrastructure


The draft Plan explains the requirements to use best management practices to both manage the quantity of stormwater runoff and reduce pollution and sediment carried in the runoff into our rivers and bays. It discusses the benefits of Green Infrastructure to address increasing rainfall and flooding using nature-based solutions like rain gardens, bioswales, permeable pavements, trees and landscaping, and rainwater harvesting systems.  But then it hedges on the concern that Green Infrastructure may be more expensive to maintain and ultimately includes a policy to "Encourage piped [grey infrastructure] stormwater management when reasonable to reduce stormwater maintenance requirements for the City."  While purely Green Infrastructure may not be the right fit for every situation, the City must always incorporate best management practices to meet pollution control requirements and cannot just look at direct maintenance costs before "encouraging" the use of grey infrastructure. 

 

Action: Tell Planning that policies for Stormwater Infrastructure and Green Infrastructure should consider the overall lifetime cost and indirect benefits of different solutions.


Northwest River Water Treatment Plant and Sea Level Rise

 

The document directly addresses Sea Level Rise (SLR) and adopts the HRPDC recommendations to plan for 1.5-feet of SLR by 2050,  • 3.0-feet of SLR for 2050–2080, and 4.5-feet of SLR  beyond the year 2080.  One key risk identified by the Department of Homeland Security is to the Northwest River Water Treatment Plant.  This water treatment plant provides the City with up to 10 million gallons of clean water daily.  However, sea level rise threatens to make the Northwest River more salty as tidal waters push further inland.  

 

Action: Tell Planning to include a policy to evaluate the impact of sea level rise on the Northwest River Water Treatment Plan.


Energy Efficiency and Solar


The plan calls for the City to model renewable energy usage.  But it should also model energy efficiency.  The City should also encourage residential solar, shared solar and community-scale solar.


Action: Tell Planning to include energy efficiency for City buildings and encourage residential solar, shared solar and community-scale solar.



----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Following are

- Detailed Recommedations

- Other Suggested Edits and Corrections

- Positive Content in Draft


Detailed Recommendations

Below are detailed comments on the whole plan that can be the foundation for formal comments from the CEIC and other.  It is divided into three parts: Key Policy Recommendations, Other Suggested Edits and Corrections, and Positive Content in Draft


The opening pages of the document do a very good job of laying out the Guiding Principles (p. 10), Smart Growth (pp. 11-13), and defining Priorities (p. 24).  These priorities are:

  • Walkability, and specifically sidewalks
  • Schools
  • Balancing growth and infrastructure
  • Protecting open space/green space

Something new for Chesapeake in the Plan is the description of Character Districts (pp. 54-88) that describes a range of appropriate uses in different types of communities that exist across the City.  The Character Districts defined are Low Scale Neighborhoods, Medium Scale Neighborhoods, Urban Mixed Use, Neighborhood Centers, Community Regional Commercial, Employment Centers, Production & Processing, Regional Parks, Rural, Fentress Overlay, and Conservation.  Tree Canopy and Stormwater characteristics are two aspects included in the description of each character district. A map of how parts of the City are designated under these character districts is on p. 58.

Key Policy Recommendations

Healthy Landscapes

While the document goes into detail on policies related to Wetlands and Riparian Buffers, Tree Canopy, and Green Infrastructure, it often treats nature as something to be found in "Environmentally Sensitive" areas of the City and wildlife as something only found in "natural areas" like the Great Dismal Swamp.   The reality is that nature and wildlife co-exist with people throughout the City.   In every part of the City, people will encounter birds and bees, butterflies and dragonflies.  Birds, squirrels, turtles, raccoons, and a whole variety of creatures loved and sometimes underappreciated live in our backyards and front yards, our trees, shrubs, and hedges, our parks, and our stream buffers.  Doug Tallamy's book "Bringing Nature Home" highlights the critical importance of implementing conservation landscaping across all our urban and suburban areas.  The Chesapeake Environmental Improvement Council, the Virginia Dare Soil and Water Conservation District, Elizabeth River Project, Chesapeake Master Gardeners, AskHRGreen, Virginia Native Plant Society, Butterfly Society, Friends of Indian River, Cape Henry Audubon Society, and other local and regional groups all work to promote and encourage these practices  These practices also support a variety of local business including native plant-focused nurseries, landscapers certified in conservation landscaping practices, shoreline restoration contractors.

pp. 145-149 Environment and Resilience – Tree Canopy

Modify section title to “Tree Canopy and Conservation Landscaping”.  Alternatively, these could go into the following sections which could be renamed “Conservation Landscaping and Wildlife”

Add Text to define Conservation Landscaping, which involves gardening and landscape design that supports creating a healthy and sustainable environment.  It involves using native plants, reducing stormwater runoff and erosion, protecting shorelines and wetlands, minimizing the use of chemicals, and creating habitats that support wildlife such as birds, butterflies, bees, turtles, and other wildlife.   There is a preference to using plant species native to the coastal Virginia region as they best support insect populations that are the foundation of the natural food web.  Native plants are critical to sustaining biodiversity.  Native plants also provide a unique sense of place since they reflect the original landscape of the region. These practices are encouraged across all character districts in the City, including private residential and commercial properties, municipal and public spaces, employment centers, etc.

ADD Policy:  Connect residents, businesses, and institutions with resources implement best practices such as conservation landscaping , rain gardens, permeable pavement, living shorelines and rain water harvesting. [ source: SWCD  https://vaswcd.org/vcap/ ]  

ADD Policy: Educate residents and officials about importance of protecting wetlands and riparian areas for providing flood protection, water quality improvement, and ecosystem enhancement. [source - 2035 Comp Plan https://resources.cityofchesapeake.net/comp-plan-2035/#page=67 ]

The Tree policies should be directed not just at residential homeowners, but all residents, businesses, and institutions such as churches, schools, and hospitals. 

EDIT Policy under TREES:  ENV 40: Connect homeowners residents, businesses, and institutions to existing resources on tree care and maintenance, and work with neighborhood groups to support their local tree canopy goals.

In 2025, the Commonwealth passed legislation allowing localities to adopt an ordinance establishing a tree canopy fund.  Section F of the same Ordinance states that “Any such tree canopy bank shall be within the locality and located as closely as feasible to where the development project is situated.”  Locating any tree planting as close as possible to the affected development is important to make sure the trees provide benefits to the users and residents of the development and the surrounding community.

EDIT Policy under TREES:  ENV 38: Adopt an ordinance establishing a tree canopy fund for the purposes of collecting fees from developers that cannot provide their canopy requirements on site and using them to plant trees elsewhere in the City  located as closely as feasible to where the development project is situated.  [.  Source – Virginia State Code https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1074280.PDF , section F.]

Carry over policy to identify areas of city owned land that can be set aside for tree preservation from the current 2035 Comprehensive Plan.

Add Policy under TREES:  Identify areas of city owned land that can be set aside for tree preservation.[source - Comp Plan 2035 https://resources.cityofchesapeake.net/comp-plan-2035/#page=78 , PRT Master Plan briefing https://www.cityofchesapeake.net/DocumentCenter/View/24939/City-Council-Presentation-- page 8 ]

p. 149 Wildlife

- the draft states that “most residents do not regularly interact with the animals that roam Chesapeake’s natural areas”.  This takes a very narrow view of wildlife.  Section should recognize that wildlife includes all kinds of birds, butterflies, bees, squirrels, box turtles, and all varieties of small creatures that are found in our backyards, commercial and municipal landscaping, parks, and even street trees.  Many residents routinely interact with wildlife through gardening, backyard bird feeders, beekeeping and bird watching.  Fishing is another very popular activity that brings residents in contact with wildlife.  Residents also sometimes have negative interactions resulting in human-wildlife conflicts, usually when wildlife are attracted to human dwellings or trash.  Conservation Landscaping (see Key Policy Recommendations) is vitally important to support wildlife biodiversity in Chesapeake.

Reducing yard waste ending up in landfills is another critical process for our waste management efforts.  SPSA reports that about 20% of solid waste collected in the region is yard waste. [https://www.hrpdcva.gov/DocumentCenter/View/4297/Regional-Solid-Waste-Management-Plan-for-Southeastern-Virginia-PDF?bidId=]  The City needs to send thousands of truck trips every year to collect yard waste, especially in the autumn, to collect bags of leaves.  A significant fraction of this yard waste could be composted by residents and businesses on-site.  Yard waste collected could also be composted at scale and reused.  The City should adopt a policy to identify and encourage such strategies.

p. 151 Environment and Resilience – Solid Waste and Recycling

ADD Policy under SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLING:   Identify strategies for encouraging composting by residents and reducing amount of yard waste that needs to be collected by City. [source – Public Works https://www.cityofchesapeake.net/1079/Tips-for-a-Clean-Chesapeake ]

Conservation practices are also encouraged for the agricultural sector.  Runoff from farmland is one of the largest sources of nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment pollution for both the Chesapeake Bay and the Southern Watersheds.  TMDL Action Plans are in effect to reduce these pollutants, and the Virginia Dare Soil and Water Conservation District has cost-share programs to support farmers installing best management practices to address the issue.  Implementing these programs improves water quality, including in the Northwest River, which supplies much of the City with water.  The practices reduce soil erosion and also provide important wildlife habitat. Chesapeake can support these efforts, particularly through the Chesapeake Extension Office.

ADD Policy under Growth Management and Rural Areas RURAL CHARACTER:  Connect farmers with cost-share programs to implement best practices such as erosion control, streamside buffers, cover crops, preserving wetlands, and nutrient management.   [source: https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/soil-and-water/document/cs-flier.pdf ]

On p. 209, the draft plan has a graphic showing the difference between Traditional Development and Cluster Development.  Cluster subdivisions are discussed in relation to the Rural Character in GMRA21 on p. 171. But cluster development can be effective in other character districts to preserve natural spaces for community use.  Cluster development can also help preserve space for connections to adjacent communities and facilities.  A classic problem today is where all the interior perimeter of a school faces private property with no connection to the subdivision street network, turning what could be a hundred-yard walk for students into a several mile drive. Perhaps state …

p. 203 Placemaking and Design – Community Design

EDIT Policy under Placemaking and Design COMMUNITY DESIGN: DES 3: Developments should encourage cluster development to preserve natural spaces for community use or conservation, whichever is appropriate, and support connections between communities.

The City can also support conservation landscaping on municipal properties and roadways, when practical.  It should also continue to adopt conservation mowing practices on municipal and public lands where there is not a direct interface with the people.  The City has this policy in the current 2035 Comprehensive Plan.  Continuing this policy can reduce mowing costs for the City, reduce runoff and flooding, and create wildlife habitat.  In the Solar Energy Policy, the City identified and adopted conservation mowing guidelines that should be extended to all conservation mowing areas.

pp. 213-214 Placemaking and Design – Landscaping

ADD Policy - Landscaping on municipal properties and roadways should incorporate conservation landscaping practices, such as the use of native plants, when practical. [https://www.plantvirginianatives.org/plant-southeast-virginia-natives].

ADD Policy - Adopt conservation mowing practices that reduce/minimize mowing of public lands, including expressway cloverleaves, school property, and park perimeters. [source Comp Plan 2035 -  https://resources.cityofchesapeake.net/comp-plan-2035/#page=83 , VDOT https://www.vdot.virginia.gov/about/programs/pollinator/ ]

ADD Text - Where appropriate, establish no mow areas that of a variety of native groundcovers, including warm season grasses, wildflowers, and native plants that benefit birds, bees, pollinators and other insects.   [source - https://www.cityofchesapeake.net/DocumentCenter/View/3291/City-of-Chesapeake-Solar-Energy-Policy-PDF?bidId= ]

Carry forward the policy from the 2035 Comprehensive Plan to encourage farmers’ markets and community gardens.  Most residents of the City still do not have close access to such sources of healthy, local food.  This is particularly difficult to residents who do not have ready access to personal automobiles, who often also live in food deserts.

p. 234 Quality of Life – Healthy Communities

ADD Policy: Encourage the establishment of farmers’ markets and community gardens to provide healthy, local food for the community and support local farming economy. [source - Comp Plan 2035 https://resources.cityofchesapeake.net/comp-plan-2035/#page=59 ]

Energy Infrastructure

The draft Plan looks at Water and Sewer, Roads and Rail, and even Broadband/Fiber Optics.  It touches on Renewable Energy.  But it does not address the impact of energy transmission infrastructure.  Chesapeake has seen significant expansion of energy infrastructure in recent years, including solar farms, gas pipelines (e.g. the Southside Connector, Virginia Reliability Project, Chesapeake Compressor Station), electric transmission lines (e.g. the connection from Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Project to Fentress Substation).  This expansion of infrastructure is expected to continue to support electrification of vehicle charging and home heating, construction of data centers, Virginia Commerce Park, etc.  As shown with Southside Connector and other projects, this can result in significant disruptions and concerns for local communities about pollution and environmental justice.  The City should plan ahead to minimize these impacts.

p. 104 - Connectivity and Infrastructure – Utility Planning

ADD Policy: Proactively plan for expansion of energy infrastructure including new electricity transmission lines, solar and wind generation, battery storage, and gas pipelines to minimize disruption to existing communities and environmentally sensitive areas. 

Green Infrastructure

The draft Plan explains the requirements to use best management practices to both manage the quantity of stormwater runoff and reduce pollution and sediment carried in the runoff into our rivers and bays. It discusses the benefits of Green Infrastructure to address increasing rainfall and flooding using nature-based solutions like rain gardens, bioswales, permeable pavements, trees and landscaping, and rainwater harvesting systems.  But then it hedges on the concern that Green Infrastructure may be more expensive to maintain and ultimately includes a policy to "Encourage piped [grey infrastructure] stormwater management when reasonable to reduce stormwater maintenance requirements for the City."  While purely Green Infrastructure may not be the right fit for every situation, the City must always incorporate best management practices to meet pollution control requirements and cannot just look at direct maintenance costs before "encouraging" the use of grey infrastructure. 

pp. 135-138 Environment and Resilience – Stormwater Management and Green Infrastructure

Edit Policy: ENV 14: Design stormwater management facilities to provide additional benefits beyond stormwater treatment and retention, such as water quality improvement, wetlands ecosystems, wildlife habitat and recreation. [Source: Virginia Stormwater Management Handbook, https://www.deq.virginia.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/24429/638555908077330000  https://www.environment.fhwa.dot.gov/env_topics/water/stormwater.aspx  ]

Edit Policy: ENV 15: Encourage Consider piped stormwater management when reasonable to reduce stormwater maintenance requirements for the City while complying with best management practice requirements for pollution and sediment control. [Source: https://www.epa.gov/green-infrastructure/overcoming-barriers-green-infrastructure ]

p. 213 - Placemaking and Design   Parking Lots

Edit Policy DES 37 Use parking lots as an opportunity to create treed and vegetated areas, providing stormwater capture and aggregating required landscaping into usable space where plants can thrive, as opposed to only building small parking islands.

Northwest River Water Treatment Plant

The document directly addresses Sea Level Rise (SLR) and adopts the HRPDC recommendations to plan for 1.5-feet of SLR by 2050,  3.0-feet of SLR for 2050–2080, and 4.5-feet of SLR  beyond the year 2080.  One key risk identified by the Department of Homeland Security is to the Northwest River Water Treatment Plant.  This water treatment plant provides the City with up to 10 million gallons of clean water daily.  However, sea level rise threatens to make the Northwest River more salty as tidal waters push further inland.

pp. 139-142 Environment and Resilience –Sea Level Rise and Flooding

ADD Policy under SEA LEVEL RISE AND FLOODING: Evaluate impact of sea level rise on Northwest River Water Treatment Plan [source – Dept. Homeland Security https://www.amwa.net/assets/DHS_OCIA_Norfolk_Virginia_SLR.pdf , HRPDC https://www.hrtpo.org/DocumentCenter/View/6737/Section-6---Statement-of-Need-PDF  ]

Renewable Energy

The draft plan includes some strong Renewable Energy policies.  Energy efficiency for city facilities should also be addressed, as it was in the 2035 Comp Plan.  As the adage goes, a penny saved is a penny earned.  The City should also model rooftop solar energy; construction of rooftop solar is less expensive than parking lot solar and generally has less of an issue of being shaded by tree canopy in and around parking lots.  The City should also encourage residential solar, shared solar, and community solar programs.

Pp 152-153 Environment and Resilience – Renewable Energy

EDIT Policy: ENV 48: Develop a City energy policy that includes energy efficiency and renewable energy goals and a mechanism for publicly reporting energy use. [source Comp Plan 2035 -  https://resources.cityofchesapeake.net/comp-plan-2035/#page=77 ]

EDIT Policy: ENV 50: Model renewable energy usage in the City by proactively installing renewable energy on rooftops and throughout public areas, such as solar panels in City parking lots.

ADD  Policy: Encourage residential solar, shared solar  and community-scale solar [source - https://energy.virginia.gov/renewable-energy/SS_CS.shtml]


Other Suggested Edits and Corrections

The following changes would make the document more accurate and well-rounded, but are not changes to proposed Policies.

p. 56 Environmentally Sensitive Overlay Map
- add Indian River Park as Environmentally Sensitive area.  All of the park is within the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area.
- add Oak Grove Lake Park as Environmentally Sensitive area as it includes forested wetlands

p. 58 Character District Map
– the shade of green between Rural and Conservation districts cannot be distinguished.  Change the shade of green for one of these Character Districts.
- add Dismal Swamp Canal Trail, Great Bridge Battlefield and Waterways Park, and Great Bridge Locks Park as Regional Parks.  All three draw visitors from around the region to use its superb bike path, kayak launches, museums, and historic sites.

p. 67 Neighborhood Center District
- Tree Canopy- also provide by “landscaped parking lot islands”

p. 73 Community/Regional Commercial District
- Public Transportation – add that “Internal sidewalks” should connect directly with transit stops.”
- Tree Canopy – also provided by “developer required private landscaped areas and buffers”

p. 76 Employment Center District
- Tree Canopy – also provided by “developer required private landscaped areas and buffers”

p. 82 Rural Areas District
- Tree Canopy – also provided by “hedgerows, windbreaks, riparian and property buffers”

p. 82 Fentress District
- Tree Canopy – also provided by “hedgerows, windbreaks, riparian and property buffers”

p. 88 Conservation District

- draft states that “District is rarely activated with people” and “Lands are minimally experienced by residents at minor access points.”   However the Conservation District includes the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge which is open to the public via the Portsmouth Ditch for hiking/biking, the Feeder Ditch Canal by canoe or kayak, and from Suffolk; the Northwest River Natural Area Preserve which is accessible by small boat; and the Cavalier Wildlife Management Area accessible by permit for hunting and nature related activities (such as bird watching).   Perhaps edit to say that these “permitted areas are activated with people for nature-related activities such as hiking, biking, paddling, fishing, hunting, etc. “   These are all areas with potential for nature-based tourism.

p. 98 Connectivity and Infrastructure – Biking, Walking, and Trails

- please define what is included in “active transportation facilities”, i.e. bikeways (like bike lanes and protected bike lanes), paths, bike parking, wayfinding, traffic management and safe intersection design.  Not all users of this document will understand that these facilities are more than just bike paths.

p. 166 Growth Management and Rural Areas – Rural Areas
- the text
accurately points out that the area is attractive for “leisure walking and biking”.  Long-distancebackroad biking” is a popular activity and is a form of agritourism that support bicycle outfitters, tours, and hospitality business like B&B’s, restaurants, and breweries/restaurants (for that end of ride refreshment).  Another agritourism activity in rural areas is bird watching.  Rural farm fields are prime locations for birding in various seasons in search of species like snow geese, cattle egrets, ibis, kestrels, and large flocks of red-winged blackbirds.  The U.S. cycle tourism market size was estimated at $29 billion in 2024.  https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/us-cycle-tourism-market-report Birding tourism is a $17 billion market in U.S. https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/birdwatching-tourism-market-report

 

Positive Content in Draft

The draft describes a strong vision for creating a high-quality future for the City that is proactive about developing necessary infrastructure, protects green and open space, works to connect people, and respects the unique character of different parts of the City.   The policies presented adopt the principles of Smart Growth, focus on moving people on Complete Streets that provide safe access to all, including pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and transit users. It includes good policies related to the environment, resilience, and supporting rural areas.    There are a great many excellent features and policies included in the draft plan. 

Below are select positive features in the plan that we wish to particularly recognize.

p. 57 “Small Area Plans take precedence where there is a detailed recommendation and should be considered the “stronger” policy.”

pp. 90- 100    Connectivity and Infrastructure
- a strong emphasis on “mov[ing] people with an efficient multi-modal transportation system”, “Complete Street … designed to provide safe access for all who need to use them, including pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and transit users of all ages and abilities”, “Provide a safe, efficient, and equitable active transportation network for all travelers regardless of age, income, ability, race, where they live, or how they choose to travel. The network should connect all of Chesapeake and be accessible to everyone.”, “Incorporate active transportation facilities within new developments and City projects”, providing “sidewalks [and] safe intersections.”

pp. 100-102 Transit
- setting goal to “make public transportation more appealing and more convenient.”

p. 103 Rail
– “CON 34: Acquire abandoned railroad right-of-way the City has legal claim to or that railroad companies are interested in disposing of for public use.”

p. 117 – Economic Properity
- “ECON11 Study and make recommendations on potential siting criteria and sample stipulations for data centers.”

pp. 130-153 Environment and Resilience
- devotes entire chapter to Protect, maintain, and improve the quality of the natural environment, While we have noted important areas that need to be improved regarding creating healthy landscapes, green infrastructure, and renewable energy, the draft presents a strong set of baseline policies to achieve this goal. 

Some highlights include wetland protections, preference for living shorelines, riparian buffer protection, adopting the HRPDC sea level rise scenarios, working to achieve Class 5 in the Community Rating System (CRS) as it relates to flood mitigation, clear presentation on the benefits of trees and the need for Urban Forestry Plan.

p. 155-157 – provides a good discussion on the projected future population growth in the City and the emphasis on minimizing suburban sprawl from overtaking our remaining rural areas.

p. 171 – Rural Character
- “GMRA23 When developing rural property for non-agricultural uses, to the greatest extent possible, preserve fences, hedgerows, tree lines, and natural vegetation to protect these landscape features during construction. Retain treed areas between roads and buildings and protect these areas during construction”

p. 174- Agricutural Economy
- “GMRA26  Work with local farmers to develop a strategy and action plan to support their businesses and potential transition towards new agricultural models including small and niche farming in the future”

p. 183/188 Housing
- “HOU6 Encourage energy efficient building practices to assist with long-term affordability of housing”
- “HOU23 Implement an energy efficiency improvement program for existing housing”

p. 201 Placemaking and Design – Community Design
- “Natural space should also be considered an amenity and planned for within housing developments. Whether that space should be programmed and activated for resident use or set aside for conservation, providing more passive benefits, depends on the individual project, and should be carefully considered.”

p. 204 Placemaking and Design – Residential Design
- “DES9 Incorporate Smart Growth Principles and Traditional Neighborhood Development practices in new development and redevelopment where appropriate to enhance quality of life and the public realm.”
- DES13 Communities in the Urban and Suburban Overlays should emphasize connection to the public right-of-way, with front entrances connected to pedestrian walkways/sidewalks”

p. 207 Placemaking and Design – Non-Residential Design
- “DES 15: Encourage more commercial development to be walkable, mixed-use, and higher intensity …”
- “DES 20: Promote interior sidewalk connections throughout commercial and mixed-use developments”
- “DES 22: Aggregate required green or open space to make it more usable and increase any environmental benefits.”

p. 207 Placemaking and Design – Compatibility
- “DES 25: Review the Zoning Ordinance as needed to reduce impacts from incompatible uses, such as improved screening, buffering, and vegetation”

p. 210 Placemaking and Design – Unique Design Considerations
- “DES 26: Whenever possible, waterfront should be retained as a community amenity with specific facilities based on the nature of the site. This includes both residential and non-residential developments”

p. 210-211 Placemaking and Design – Sensitive Environment
- Recognizes that light and noise pollution impacts both humans and wildlife.  States that  light
pollution can be limited throughout the City by choosing exterior fixtures that are not brighter than necessary, are directed towards the ground, have full cut off, and use warm tones, among other practices. Recognizes impact of light pollution on bird migration and that noise can cause wildlife to seek new habitat
- “DES 29: All development and City construction projects should be reviewed for impacts based on the Environmentally Sensitive Overlay and provide mitigation for those impacts or refrain from developing in those areas.”
- “DES 30: Encourage developers to reduce light pollution by limiting the brightness of exterior fixtures and promoting full cut-off fixtures when practical. Where a development will occur in a highly natural area and/or wildlife may be impacted, even greater consideration should be given to such practices.”
- “DES 31: Develop an ordinance directed towards reducing light pollution.”
- “DES 32: The City will continue to manage detrimental impacts from noise “
- “DES 33: When a development would impact existing natural areas or known habitat, consideration should be given to whether or not wildlife vehicle collisions will increase, and thus whether a dedicated wildlife crossing or other measure needs to be considered. “

p. 211 - Placemaking and Design   Transit
- “
DES 34: Direct higher commercial and residential density around future or current areas served by public transit with the greatest focus around transit hubs or transfer stations.

p. 213 - Placemaking and Design   Parking Lots
- “
DES 35: Review Zoning Districts to lower parking minimums where appropriate, and unless provided reasonable justification, require the use of structured parking in the Urban Mixed-Use Character Districts. “
- “DES 36: Encourage high-quality streetscaping for parking areas and include continuous internal pedestrian walkways. “

p. 213 - Placemaking and Design   Streetscape, Wayfinding, and Gateway
- “DES 43: Establish and fund a City-wide policy for the planting and maintenance of street trees. As a starting point, staff will refer to the Virginia Department of Transportation and City Landscape guidelines when designing street sections and the need for any planting of street trees”
- “DES 44: When roadway projects require the installation of public utilities or otherwise create the opportunity, appropriate landscaping should be included.”
- “DES 45: Review the street sections and related guidelines in the Public Facilities Manual for possible amendments that clarify the expectations for road design and accompanying facilities such as sidewalks, underground utilities and street trees.”

p. 233 – Quality of Life - Facilities Generally
- “QOL 5: Locate public facilities so they are easily accessible by the mode of transportation used by frequently-served customers.”

p. 246 – Quality of Life – Parks
- “QOL 31: Create multi-functional parks that store stormwater, reduce flooding, and improve water quality where appropriate”



Data Center Fact Sheet

Fact Sheet: Data Centers in Chesapeake

Version 1.1, 7/16/2025

Recommendations

  1. The City of Chesapeake should designate large Data Centers (e.g. >25,000 sq. ft. building footprint) as a Conditional Use.  

  2. The City should develop a Data Center Policy, similar to the Solar Energy Policy* adopted by the City in 2019, to manage the development of data centers in the City before the development of new large Data Centers.

    The Policy should address factors including allowable zoning designation (e.g. M-1 vs. M-2 Land Use), required setbacks, permissible noise and vibration levels, noise analysis methodologies, power and water consumption, backup power generation (e.g. diesel vs.gas turbine), landscaping, security, construction, and other factors affecting the fiscal, economic, and environmental impact of proposed projects.

  3. The Data Center Policy and City Ordinance should also address how the City will handle violations of the Policy by projects after operation begins.  The City Noise Ordinance currently exempts HVAC and backup generator operation and needs to be amended.

  4. In the Comprehensive Plan, the City should address the potential need for greatly expanding electricity generation across the region to support data center power needs.
A recent example of a data center policy and ordinance is the one adopted by York County in June 2025 - https://www.yorkcounty.gov/DocumentCenter/View/64749/item5f_Proposed-Ordinance-No-25-16

* Chesapeake Solar Energy Policy https://www.cityofchesapeake.net/671/Solar-Energy-Policy and Solar Energy Facilities Ordinance https://www.cityofchesapeake.net/DocumentCenter/View/3292/Solar-Energy-Facilities-Ordinance-PDF?bidId=  designating Utility Solar Energy Facilities as Conditional Use.

Link to: Analysis Paper with reference links 


Data Center Benefits

  • Meets growing need for computational capacity for internet, smartphones, streaming video, social media, and now AI.
  • Potential of new tax revenues. 
  • Return on City investment in the 175-mile, city-owned fiber optic network.
  • A typical data center provides employment during construction and a small, but well-paid, high tech workforce, on the order of 50 full-time employees, during operation.    
  • Diversifies local economy and may attract high-paying high-tech jobs and industries that may co-locate with data centers.

Data Center Issues

  • Power Consumption substantially higher than other types of commercial or industrial operations.  Energy consumption for a 300,000 sq. ft. facility can run anywhere from 40 MW to 120 MW, equivalent to usage from 24,000 to 72,000 homes. 
  • Persistent Low-Frequency Noise from large array of required HVAC equipment. For example, 40 MW of heat dissipation would require 22 x 500-ton HVAC chiller units.   
  • Huge Potable Water Consumption through evaporative cooling in standard HVAC systems.  A mid-sized data center may use 300,000 gallons per day, equivalent to about 3% of the output capacity of the Northwest River Treatment Plant. 
  • Rapidly Expanding Electricity Infrastructure for generation and distribution across the region.  On a state-wide level, unconstrained new data center construction is projected to nearly triple the power requirements in Virginia from 11,000 GWh/month today to over 30,000 GWh/month by 2040. 


Data Center Analysis

Analysis: Data Centers in Chesapeake

Version 1.1, 7/16/2025

Data Center Benefits


Data Center Issues

  • Persistent Low-Frequency Noise from large array of required HVAC equipment.
    • This large power input in a tightly confined space results in a tremendous heat load that has to be dissipated through cooling systems, requiring a large array of air-cooled chillers and air-handling units. This results in severe noise and vibration impacts. Assuming 40 MW of heat dissipation requirement, over 11,000 tons of cooling capacity would be required – about 22 x 500-ton chiller units. https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/cooling-loads-d_665.html
    • Air-cooled chillers, cooling towers, air handling units, and internal server fans are key noise sources. Air-cooled chillers pose a significant noise issue. Chiller fans and compressors produce noise levels of up to 100dB(A) at the source. Backup generators used during power outages, or even periods of mandatory power conservation, can generate noise up to 110 dB(A) at the source. https://ketchumandwalton.com/5-sources-of-noise-in-data-centers-how-to-control-it/
    •  Persistent noise, resulting in severe degradation of perceived quality of life, is a major complaint from neighbors of existing data centers.
    • Over time, long-term exposure to low-frequency noise leads to symptoms of cognitive impairment, sleep disturbances, stress, anxiety, and increased risk of cardiovascular disease.  https://neurolaunch.com/psychological-effects-of-low-frequency-sound/, https://www.datacenterknowledge.com/data-storage/what-are-the-5-main-causes-of-noise-in-data-centers-
    • The acceptable levels for low-frequency noise are not well established. Certain individuals are more sensitive than others, including the middle-aged and elderly, with a majority of them being women, and children with autistic characteristics. Pregnant women are advised to avoid exposure to low-frequency noise. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0149763420306722, https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/reproductive-health/prevention/noise.html, https://journals.lww.com/nohe/fulltext/2004/06230/low_frequency_noise_and_annoyance.6.aspx
    • Low-frequency fan hum or drone from the equipment can travel long distances, doesn't register in dB(A) noise measurements, and silencers or barriers are not effective in reducing this type of noise. https://invc.com/noise-control/data-center-noise-attenuation/
    • For the Etheridge Data Center proposal, City staff examined proposed regulations for low-frequency noise from Prince William County to develop proposed proffers for the Etheridge Data Center. However, Prince William County has not yet adopted the low-frequency noise ordinance and is, in particular, still looking at challenges for measurement and enforcement of the proposed ordinance.  https://www.pwcva.gov/department/planning-office/data-center-ordinance-advisory-group
    • Noise analysis pre-design is only a simulation and the results of the analysis depend on the assumptions that go into the simulation. This limits its value because the final design of the building, the quantity of cooling, the quality of the equipment used, and the implementation of sound attenuation could result in very different real-life outcomes. Adequate safety margins must be incorporated and effective testing of actual operation post-construction is needed. Enforcement mechanisms are also needed when the actual performance does not match the simulation. https://invc.com/noise-control/data-center-noise-attenuation/
      • Note: The Etheridge Data Center noise analysis only assumed 18 MW of cooling capacity, likely far less than required for a facility of that size, which likely means the analysis underestimated the noise impact of that proposal.
    • The City Noise Ordinance currently specifically exempts “Noises generated by the operation of heating, ventilation and air conditioning units (HVAC units) attached to a building or structure”, “Noises created by the operation of generators during power outages or under other emergency or necessary circumstances”, and “Noises resulting from lawful activities in the M-1 Light Industrial, M-2 General Industrial and M-3 Waterfront Industrial Districts”. If a data center were proposed in an area currently zoned for industrial use, the City would likely have no enforcement ability on noise issues under the current ordinance. Even when a voluntary proffer on noise limits is offered as part of a rezoning, it is unclear how enforcement may be handled if the developer or subsequent operators of the data center find it unreasonable to meet the proffer requirement. https://library.municode.com/va/chesapeake/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_CH26EN_ARTVNO_DIV4EXSPPE_S26-141EX

  • Huge Potable Water Consumption through evaporative cooling in standard HVAC systems
  • Rapidly Expanding Electricity Infrastructure for generation and distribution across the region. 
    • On a state-wide level, unconstrained new data center construction is projected to cause an unprecedented increase in energy generation requirements, nearly tripling the power requirements in the state from around 11,000 GWh/month today to over 30,000 GWh/month by 2040. Even if only 50% of the proposed data centers are built, providing enough power would require adding 2 GW of electricity generation in the form of solar, wind, biomass, gas, and nuclear every year for 15 years. Data centers also present a risk of stranded costs for Dominion Energy and its ratepayers, if electricity infrastructure is scaled up and then data centers are not built or are shut down; while electricity infrastructure represents decades-long investments, specific computing technologies may become obsolete in a few months or years. https://jlarc.virginia.gov/landing-2024-data-centers-in-virginia.asp
    • Meeting the growing power need will have local impacts potentially including
      • Adding thousands of acres of solar farms, constructing local gas-fired power plants, adding new transmission lines, and expanding electric power substations, with all the disruption associated with such projects.
      • The cost of the rapid expansion of the electrical supply system has historically been passed on to all the rate-payers, likely resulting in higher electricity bills.
      • As demand outstrips the supply of electricity, economic theory predicts higher costs for electricity generation in addition to the cost of expanding the infrastructure.
      • Meeting the goals of the Virginia Clean Economy Act will be extremely challenging adding to the growing impact of climate change on the region.
      • Excessive electricity demand can also result in mandatory power conservation or “rolling blackouts” where electricity is restricted to certain customers. During any power outage or such periods of mandatory power conservation, data centers will switch to their onsite backup generators. These typically are diesel or gas-fired turbine generators that emit significant harmful air pollutants that include nitrogen oxide compounds (NOx), sulfur dioxide (SO₂), and particulate matter (PM) during such emergency operations and periodic testing. https://www.staxengineering.com/stax-hub/the-environmental-impact-of-data-centers/, https://www.wpr.org/news/microsoft-to-use-diesel-fired-generators-as-backup-power-for-data-centers