HomeMy WebLinkAboutStormwater Management Implementation Advisory Group UpdateStormwater Management
Implementation Advisory Group
City Council Presentation
Christopher Pocta, Chair, Stormwater Management
Implementation Advisory Group
November 18, 2025
The City Council passed a resolution to establish a Stormwater Management Implementation
Advisory Group to:
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Review stormwater management & its impact and consequences on land use & redevelopment issues
Identify opportunities, advantages, or disadvantages to strengthening regulation alignment and
specificity based on the City’s varied drainage basins, and a property’s land use & zoning characteristics
Formalize a cost-sharing program relative to stormwater infrastructure and policy to include developing
criteria for cost-sharing eligibility
Determine whether there are opportunities to advance/incentivize Council-adopted policy and/or
planning objectives through stormwater management, such as:
•affordable housing
•preservation and enhancement
of tree canopy and open spaces
•enhanced water quality
•more sidewalks and paved paths
•strategic and resilient approaches to redevelopment in:
•Strategic Growth Areas
•areas less at-risk of flooding and that do not abut
neighborhoods or environmental sensitive areas
•utilization of nature-based
stormwater management practices
•implementation of regional
stormwater solutions
•other preferred land use approaches
Task Force Members
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•Christopher Pocta, Chair
•Carol Considine, Vice Chair
•Jason Barney
•James “Rick” Boyles
•Richard “Tuck” Bowie
•David Dallman
Non-voting members include George Alcaraz and Mike Mauch who served as Planning
Commission liaison and two high school students, James “Tallis” Elam and Gavin
Gerling.
Councilmembers Barbara Henley and Joash Schulman served as City Council liaisons.
•Karen Forget
•Michael Gerel
•Brad Martin
•Bryan Peeples
•Mark Ricketts
•John Zaszewski
City Staff Supporting the Task Force
•LJ Hansen
•Toni Utterback
•Seth Edwards
•Michael Tippin
•Janelle Logan
•Amanda Jarratt
•Pam Matthias
•Emily Archer
•Tori Eisenberg
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Representatives from the Department of Public Works, Planning Department, Department
of Economic Development, the City Manager’s office, and the City Attorney’s office
participated as subject matter experts and advisors, including:
A neutral facilitator convened the meetings and provided support to the Task Force in
developing recommendations.
The Taskforce met 6 times between May and September 2025 for a total of 26 hours.
•Amanda Madson
•Charlotte Taylor
•Kathy Warren
•Carrie Bookholt
•Melanie Coffey
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Stormwater Management Advisory
Group Schedule & Process
Nov 18
Human Centered Design
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The Advisory Group employed human centered design in their
approach and considered the issue from the perspective of several
personas, including:
Residents Environmental/
Resilience
Community
Development
Community
City Stormwater
Staff
Vision
Create a more efficient, effective, and
well-understood program
•A more flexible and practical program
•Prioritize communication, education,
and understanding
•Look for opportunities to strengthen
alignment to other, related ordinances
Support economic vitality
•Continue to (re)develop while
considering and protecting Virginia
Beach’s unique reality
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Reduce negative impact of stormwater
and flooding
•Content stakeholders
Protect and preserve Virginia Beach’s
future
•Use stormwater management to meet
City Council priorities and objectives
•Prioritize redevelopment
•Align (re)development with
environmental needs
Recommendations Overview
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After extensive education and support from staff subject matter experts,
deliberation, and collaboration amongst the Advisory Group members,
the Advisory Group reached unanimous consensus on every
recommendation, a testament to our shared commitment to the future
of our City. These recommendations reflect a broad and unified vision,
and we believe they provide a clear and actionable path forward.
Recommendations Overview
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The City of Virginia Beach has unique stormwater challenges and needs
from other Virginia localities and therefore requires regulations capable
of meeting those unique challenges and needs. The Advisory Group
supports predictable processes and simultaneously recognizes we need
sufficiently strict regulations to reduce flooding, protect water quality,
support economic vitality, protect against loss of life and property, and
to create a resilient City.
Recommendations Overview
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Objective 1: Stormwater Management, Land Use, and Redevelopment
•Regional BMPs (Best Management Practices)
•Facilitate Redevelopment
•Holistic Stormwater Approach
Recommendations Overview
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Objective 2: Drainage Basins, Land Use, and Zoning Characteristics
•No Regional Drainage Basin Changes
•Public and Developer Education
•Align Land Use and Zoning Ordinances
Recommendations Overview
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Objective 3: Stormwater Cost-Share Program
•Develop a Cost-Share Program
•Ensure sufficient funding and access
Recommendations Overview
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Objective 4: Incentivizing Council Policy and Planning Priorities
•Incentives
Objective 1: Stormwater Management,
Land Use, and Redevelopment
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A.Encourage and increase investment in regional stormwater solutions
1.Invest more heavily into regional BMPs
2.Considerations for regional BMP site selection
3.Considerations for regional BMP financial management and ownership
4.Explore best practices for quantity trading and stormwater cooperative programs
B.Facilitate redevelopment
1.Review existing codes and regulations for alignment with redevelopment goals
2.Explore incorporating a redevelopment ordinance
3.Predictability of project viability
4.Continue dialogue between City and development community
C.Continue to tell the story of sustainable practices
1.Continue and intensify the City’s holistic and sustainable stormwater approach
2.Encourage integration of stormwater practices early in design processes
Objective 2: Drainage Basins, Land Use,
and Zoning Characteristics
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A.Do not create additional regional stormwater ordinances
1.Regional stormwater regulations overcomplicate enforcement and development
2.Review existing stormwater ordinances to ensure they align with current City goals and practices
B.Increase public education on City’s drainage basins and the impact of stormwater
1.Increase education on drainage basins
2.Update the Virginia Beach Recurrent Flooding Indicator Map ✓
C.Align land use and zoning ordinances to encourage redevelopment and
preservation where appropriate
1.Land use and zoning requirements should specifically articulate the parts of the City where it is appropriate for increased density and redevelopment
2.Tradeoffs for preservation of agricultural and undeveloped land
3.More density and redevelopment of underutilized developed properties
Objective 3: Stormwater Cost-Share Program
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A.Create cost-share program criteria that meet stormwater requirements and
prioritize the needs of the City
1.City staff should establish criteria for eligible projects. The cost-share program should only fund projects proportional to a project’s benefit to the public. Eligible projects must include a public
component and must surpass the minimum stormwater requirements for the site.
B.Ensure the cost-share program is accessible, well known, and sufficiently funded
1.Create a defined program process.
2.Create awareness of the program.
Objective 3:
Stormwater
Cost-Share
Program
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Project Criteria Mandatory Weight
Project has a public component and enhances/upgrades existing public stormwater
infrastructure. Funding should be proportional to the benefit to the public.
Yes
The project must surpass the minimum stormwater requirements for the site. Yes
Project includes green stormwater infrastructure that offers defined co-benefits to
the community (e.g., tree canopy/open space requirements, offsite flood
management, public amenities, bioswales, pervious pavement, wetland benches,
etc.).
High
Project is in an area of high flooding.High
Project is in an area with higher development/density.High
Project addresses identified City need and/or priority (e.g., watershed priority
areas, project creates attainable housing).
High
Project is in a targeted area (e.g., an SGA or other area targeted for
redevelopment).
High
Project is a regional BMP.High
Project is more cost-effective for the City High
Project is more time-effective for the City High
Project is redevelopment.
Project preserves and/or enhances the landscape, greenspace, tree canopy, and/or
open space above what is already required by the minimum code.
Project reduces runoff, addresses existing stormwater problem, or mitigates or
prevents a future stormwater problem.
Project complies with all City permits and other requirements.
Project can be completed within a reasonable time frame and with limited
disruption to the neighborhood or district.
Project handles a specified minimum stormwater volume criterion.17
Objective 4: Incentivizing Council Policy and
Planning Priorities
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A.Incentivize Council priorities that align with the City’s stormwater needs
1.Potential incentives include parking reduction credits, financial incentives, and flexibility in design standards in flood volume storage.
2.The advisory group identified potential scenarios for these incentives.
3.Offer housing density credits to incentivize creating attainable housing and responsible stormwater
management practices.
4.Expand the existing Water Quality Education, Outreach, and Stormwater Management program.
5.Explore regulations for quantity-only stormwater management facilities.
6.The advisory group identified additional ways to incentivize specific council priorities.
Recommendation to Council
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•Virginia Beach has been proactive in its stormwater regulations.
•Virginia Beach has stormwater challenges and needs unique from other
Virginia localities and therefore requires regulations capable of meeting
those unique challenges and needs.
•SWAG supports predictable processes and simultaneously recognizes
the City needs sufficiently strict regulations to reduce flooding, protect
water quality, support economic vitality, protect against loss of life and
property, and to create a resilient City.
•We urge the Council to adopt our recommendations.
Stormwater Advisory Group
Questions from City Council
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