City Council Recap
Choice Neighborhood Initiative update
At its afternoon work session yesterday, City Council was updated on the progress of the Choice Neighborhood Initiative planning grant the City and Newport News Redevelopment and Housing Authority
received last year from HUD. With the $500,000 Choice Neighborhood Initiative grant, the City and NNRHA are working with local leaders, residents and other stakeholders to develop a plan to revitalize and transform the Marshall/Ridley neighborhood in the Southeast Community. Yesterday’s presentation focused on a market analysis for housing, retail and commercial/industrial uses in the target. The Newport News Economic Development Authority had the analysis completed in support of the CNI process. The study’s findings will be used to guide planned development and identify market potential based on financial realities.
Program established for serious and habitual juvenile offenders
At its regular meeting last night, City Council adopted a resolution that establishes a Serious and Habitual Offender Comprehensive Action Program (SHOCAP) committee. SHOCAP is a multi-disciplinary interagency case management and information sharing network that allows the juvenile and criminal system, schools and social services agencies to share information and make more informed decisions regarding juveniles who are convicted of serious or repeated offenses. Local participation in SHOCAP is voluntary and must be established by the governing body. The City’s Youth and Gang Violence Prevention steering committee recommended establishing SHOCAP in Newport News.
Atkinson Boulevard appropriation
City Council appropriated $55 million in federal and state grant funds for the Atkinson Boulevard project, a new four-lane divided roadway connecting Warwick Boulevard and Jefferson Avenue between Denbigh and Fort Eustis boulevards. The project includes a 1724’ bridge over the railroad, I-64 and wetlands, a 10’ wide multi-purpose trail, storm water management basin, retaining walls, signals and intersection improvements at Jefferson and at Warwick. The City began preliminary engineering of the project in 2013. Construction is scheduled to start this fall and is expected to take three years to complete. This appropriation completes the funding needed for this project.
Other Actions
All items on last night’s regular
City Council meeting agenda were approved, and the entire Council meeting can be
viewed on-demand.
Next Meeting
The next regular meeting of the Newport News City Council will be Tuesday, August 8 as the July 25 meeting has been cancelled. City Council meets the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of each month at 7:00 pm in City Council Chambers, City Hall, 2400 Washington Avenue; however, Council typically cancels the second meeting in the months of July, August and December. Meetings are shown live on the City's Cable Channel NNTV (Cox Ch 48/Verizon Ch 19) and are streamed live on
www.nnva.gov/nntv. City Council meetings are also available to be watched on-demand the day following the meeting. Oftentimes City Council holds work sessions in the 10th floor conference room of City Hall in the afternoon before the regular meetings. Work sessions are open to the public. Agendas for work sessions and regular meetings are
available online in the Agenda Center the Friday before the meeting.