2020 ____________ LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM CITY OF CHESAPEAKE 2020 LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM The City of Chesapeake places a great deal of emphasis on maintaining an excellent relationship and communication with its General Assembly delegation. Through this Legislative Program, the City strives to participate actively in the policy decisions that affect Chesapeake’s citizens. This Legislative Program is presented in three parts. The first section contains Chesapeake’s priority legislative requests and City initiatives. The second section contains Chesapeake’s legislative priorities. The third section contains Chesapeake’s policy positions for consideration by the General Assembly. These are general positions and goals agreed upon by the Chesapeake City Council. The City Council requests that the General Assembly consider these positions throughout its decision-making process. CHESAPEAKE CITY COUNCIL Dr. Richard W. “Rick” West, Mayor Vice Mayor Dr. John de Triquet R. Stephen Best, Sr. Matthew R. "Matt" Hamel Robert C. Ike, Jr. Dwight M. Parker S.Z. "Debbie" Ritter Susan R. Vitale Dr. Ella Ward CITY STAFF Christopher M. Price, City Manager (757) 382-6988 Dr. Wanda Barnard-Bailey, Deputy City Manager (757) 382-6605 Robert N. Geis, Deputy City Manager (757) 382-6979 Laura Fitzpatrick, Deputy City Manager (757) 382-8747 Jacob Stroman, City Attorney Catherine Lindley, Deputy City Attorney Kelly Lackey, Deputy City Attorney Daniel Wisniewski, Assistant City Attorney III (757) 382-6586 Nicole Benson, Administrative Assistant III Allison Harper, Administrative Assistant II (757) 382-6166 Table of Contents PRIORITY LEGISLATIVE REQUESTS/CITY INITIATIVES Pro Rata Reimbursement ........................................................................................................ 1 Amend Land Bank Entities Act ..............................................................................................2 Motorized Scooters Operator Age Requirement ..................................................................2 Summit Pointe Development Incentives ................................................................................2 Amend Authority to Insurance Benefits ................................................................................3 OTHER LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES Virginia Retirement System; Retired Law Enforcement Officers ......................................3 Education Funding...................................................................................................................3 Amend Virginia Code’s definition of “Gambling Device” ...................................................5 Naval Auxiliary Landing Field Fentress ................................................................................5 Support for Hampton Roads Regional Jail ...........................................................................5 Jail Expansion – State Reimbursement .................................................................................6 Funding to Community Service Boards .................................................................................6 Tidewater Community College-Chesapeake Campus ..........................................................7 Solar Energy Facilities .............................................................................................................7 GENERAL POLICY POSITIONS General Government ...............................................................................................................7 Telecommunications Infrastructure ...........................................................................................7 Impact Fees/Conditional Zoning/Recordation Fee ....................................................................7 Land Use ....................................................................................................................................8 Revitalization/Redevelopment ...................................................................................................8 Virginia Housing Trust Fund .....................................................................................................8 Funding for Open Space Conservation ......................................................................................9 Motor Vehicle Title Loans, Payday Loans, Open-End Credit Plans .........................................9 Elections; Date of June Primary Elections.................................................................................9 Education and Human Development .....................................................................................9 System Transformation, Excellence and Performance in Virginia (STEP-VA)........................9 Children Service’s Act (CSA) .................................................................................................11 Liability of Teacher Retirement Plan .......................................................................................11 Pretrial Services ................................................................................................ .......................11 Human Services ................................................................................................ .......................12 Finance ....................................................................................................................................12 Unfunded Mandates .................................................................................................................12 Local Representation on Legislative Studies Impacting Local Governments .........................13 CHKD Funding ........................................................................................................................13 Local Taxing Authority............................................................................................................13 Eliminate Diversion of Local Communications Sales and Use Tax ........................................13 State Aid to Localities ..............................................................................................................14 Economic Development Investment Programs ........................................................................14 Virginia Enterprise Zone Program ...........................................................................................14 Funding for Constitutional Offices ..........................................................................................14 Transportation .......................................................................................................................15 Traffic Incident Management .................................................................................................15 Regional Dedicated Funding Model ........................................................................................15 Employer Tax Credits for Public Transportation.....................................................................17 Highway Funding.....................................................................................................................18 Public Safety ...........................................................................................................................18 Impersonation of a Law Enforcement Officer .........................................................................18 Threats of Bodily Injury, Threats to Commit Harm at School ................................................19 Emergency Shelters .................................................................................................................20 Distracted Driving ....................................................................................................................20 Solicitation ...............................................................................................................................20 Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) ..................................................................................20 Seat Belt Requirement .............................................................................................................20 Environmental Quality ..........................................................................................................20 Watershed Implementation Plan Phase III ...............................................................................20 Offshore Drilling ......................................................................................................................21 Coal Combustion By-Products ................................................................................................22 Groundwater Management and Groundwater Injection Projects .............................................22 Uranium Mining.......................................................................................................................22 Solid Waste or Other Surcharges .............................................................................................23 Stormwater Local Assistance Fund (SLAF) ............................................................................23 Nutrient Allocations-Existing Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plants.................................23 Appendix A .............................................................................................................................25 Appendix B ................................................................ .............................................................27 1 | Page Please Note: Yellow highlighted items are unique solely to Chesapeake; Items in a blue font address very specific City concerns, but have broader statewide application Non-highlighted items are more general policy statements that impact the City and are shared by localities across the Commonwealth. SECTION 1: PRIORITY LEGISLATIVE REQUESTS/CITY INITIATIVES 1. Pro Rata reimbursement to developers for water and sewer facilities. Seek amendments to Va. Code § 15.2-2243 to allow developers to recover a pro rata portion of costs from subsequent developers or subdivisions, for water and sewer infrastructure investments made by the initial developer Virginia Code Section 15.2-2243 allows a locality to adopt an ordinance requiring a developer to pay a pro rata share of the cost of providing reasonable and necessary sewerage, water and drainage facilities located outside the property limits of the land controlled by the developer and which are necessitated or required, at least in part, by construction of the new development. The City of Chesapeake has codified this provision in its Chesapeake City Code and has operated a successful pro rata program for water and sanitary sewer extension since the mid-1980s. This program ensures the orderly extension of utility systems, which benefits the residents, the City, and developers. Chesapeake has studied its program over the last two years in an effort to identify areas of possible improvement. To this end, Chesapeake requests a legislative amendment to the Virginia Code. Currently, the statute addresses water, sewer and stormwater (drainage); but its provisions are stormwater- focused and therefore do not function as well for water and sewer extensions. For example, the statute does not reference water or sewer connection fees, which are not associated with stormwater projects. The proposed amendment updates the current statutory language to more accurately address water and sewer improvements by allowing a reimbursement method tied to connection fees that are generated by the development and required by municipal ordinance. In addition, the statute currently provides for traditional pro rata payments, but does not provide an option for developers to receive reimbursement for their improvements in the form of connection fees generated by the subdivision or development. Thus, developers must wait until subsequent development occurs to be reimbursed. Chesapeake suggests that the statute be amended to permit installing developers to have the option to receive connection fees in lieu of waiting for traditional pro rata reimbursement. This change will benefit developers as they will receive reimbursement sooner and will benefit the City as it will result in the efficient extension of water and sewer utilities. It will also enable the City to reimburse developers in a timelier manner, which will reduce administrative tasks. In addition, the proposed 2 | Page amendments enable localities to adopt ordinances and policies regarding the implementation of the proposed authority. Chesapeake’s proposed amendments to the statute are included as Appendix A. 2. Amend Land Bank Entities Act to be consistent with State and Local Government Conflicts of Interests Act The Virginia Land Bank Entities Act, Va. Code § 15.2-7500 et seq., empowers the City to establish a land bank entity to address vacant, abandoned, and tax delinquent properties. The City adopted an ordinance establishing a land bank authority in 2018. As the City has worked through forming the land bank authority, Section 15.2-7505(B) has been problematic. This section states that “no member of the board or employees of a land bank entity shall have any interest, direct or indirect, in any contract or proposed contract for materials or services to be furnished to or used by” the land bank. This standard has been interpreted as more stringent than the one imposed by the State and Local Government Conflict of Interests Act. To this end, Chesapeake requests that Section 15.2-7505(B) be amended to remove the unduly burdensome conflict standard and instead state that members of the board or employees of the land bank are subject to the provisions of the State and Local Government Conflict of Interests Act. 3. Motorized scooters operator age requirement. Seek an amendment to Va. Code § 46.2- 908.1 to increase the age requirement from 14 to 16 for operating motorized scooters Optional authority to increase minimum age for scooter operators is desired based on increased prevalence and speed capabilities of motorized scooters, enforcement concerns regarding minimum age requirements (web based applications used to deploy for-hire devices is likely reliant on self-certification of operator as to age and as to whether there is direct adult supervision), and accidents and injuries arising from scooters. Although franchise agreements or licensure for for-hire devices could specify enhanced requirements as to operators to the extent allowed by law, enforceability as well as general health, safety, and welfare of minors is a concern in light of fatalities in the similar context of minors operating off-road vehicles. 4. Summit Pointe Development Incentives a. Seek amendments to Va. Code § 58.1-608.3 to add Chesapeake to the current list of localities authorized to apply sales and use tax revenues collected in certain types of public facilities towards debt incurred to construct the facility; and b. Seek amendments to this Code section to add “outdoor amphitheaters” to the list of defined public facilities; and c. Seek an amendment to extend the deadline to issue debt under this statute from July 1, 2020 to July 1, 2024. 3 | Page Chesapeake requests these amendments to support and bolster the realization of a development goal for the Summit Pointe Development. Summit Pointe is a large-scale, mixed-use community housing Dollar Tree’s corporate headquarters, offices, retail and residential uses. The development represents a projected investment of over $300 million. Chesapeake is interested in partnering with Dollar Tree to construct an outdoor amphitheater in the community. The outdoor amphitheater is visualized as a space capable of accommodating speakers, theater and professional development opportunities. For these new projects to become a reality, the City requests that the bond issuance deadline in the statute be extended to July 1, 2024. 5. Amend Authority for Insurance Benefits to Expressly Extend Option of Benefits for Retired Employees of Boards, Commissions, Agencies, and Authorities. Seek amendment of Va. Code § 15.2-1517 to extend option of a locality to extend group life, accident, and health insurance programs to retired employees of boards, commissions, agencies, or authorities that are separate political subdivisions, but work closely with the locality. Currently, the statute provides express authority to extend benefits only to retirees that were directly employed by the locality and constitutional officers and their employees. SECTION 2: OTHER LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES 1. Retired Law Enforcement Officers Serving as School Security Officers – VRS Benefits The City Supports legislation similar to SB 1023 (2019) that would allow a retired law- enforcement officer to continue to receive his Virginia Retirement System service retirement allowance during a subsequent period of employment by a local school division as a school security officer. 2. Education Funding a. The City supports the State to gradually restore the cost methodology, over two biennia, for support position funding used before 2009. This would remove the “cap” on support positions. Prior to the 2009 recession, the Commonwealth provided funding for support staff positions according to a formula that used actual staffing and costs (calculated with the actual number of support positions and the salary for each position in all school divisions). As a moneysaving measure during the recession, a cap was placed on the number of positions that the state would fund. This action allowed the state to cut its funding for public education by approximately $750 million annually. Most school divisions could not practically and safely reduce positions included in support staff funding to the arbitrary ratios used to balance the state budget. These positions include school psychologists, nurses and social workers as well as instructional support, attendance, security, transportation, technology, and facility operations and maintenance staff. These positions are essential to Next >