On the agenda: Petersburg meeting — data center (Jun 18)

City of Petersburg
Planning Commission Special Meeting Agenda
Thursday, June 18, 2026
6:00 PM
Petersburg Public Library
1. Call to Order
2. Roll Call
3. Adoption of the Agenda
4. New Business
a. Discussion on Potential Comprehensive Plan Updates
5. Adjournment

PLANNING
COMMISSION
MEETING
JUNE 18, 2026

Review and
Discussion on
Comprehensive Plan

Overview of Comprehensive Plan
• Long range plan for the future development of a
locality
• Required by state law every 20 years
• Required review every five years
•Plan used to guide City’s development and inform
City staff and elected officials in decision making
•Comprised of four elements: Plan Vision, Goals,
Issues + Opportunities, and Strategies

PetersburgNEXT 2044:
• Adopted May 2024
• Developed over two years of research, data analysis, and
community input and engagement
• Community survey was available between November 2022Februrary 2023, with 374 respondents

•Held three in-person workshops, one virtual workshop
•Eight focus group discussions involving community
members, organization representatives, business owners,
City department heads, and other regional experts

Overview of Chapters
Chapter 2: Identity
• Establishing City’s vision, existing conditions, key issues and
opportunities

Chapter 3: Economic Development
• Key economic drivers, assets, and strategies to support and
invest in economic growth

Chapter 4: Housing + Neighborhoods
• Current housing stock in the City, how to preserve
neighborhood vitality, promote homeownership and
housing equity

Overview of Chapters
Chapter 5: Parks/Recreation/Arts/Historic Preservation
• Highlights current recreational, cultural resources and
opportunities to enhance assets

Chapter 6: Community Facilities/Infrastructure
• Existing community facilities, services and infrastructure and
what investments to make for the future

Chapter 7: Public Safety
• Ways to support public safety agencies and recommendations
of best practices the City can incorporate

Overview of Chapters
Chapter 8: Environmental Stewardship
• How the City will protect local water quality, its’ natural resources and
promote sustainability efforts

Chapter 9: Mobility + Transportation
• Provides an analysis of transportation trends in the City, key issues and
opportunities related to mobility

Chapter 10: Land Use
• Highlights existing land use, establishes Future Land Use Map and
framework to guide the City’s development

Chapter 11: Implementation
• Lays outs implementation plan, specific strategies and tools for
decision-making

Potential Updates
•Changes in State Code
• Considerations for casino/resort
• Consideration for data centers
• Desire for additional small area plans
• Additional transportation priorities
•Improvements to schools
•Targeted properties for adaptive reuse

State Code Updates
• This year, several laws passed at the state level
pertaining to comprehensive plan and
ordinance changes
• Certain laws are considered mandatory
changes
• Optional changes are also available

Casino Overlay
• Other localities in Virginia have addressed
casinos in their comprehensive plan
• Changes to Future Land Use Map, Overlay
areas, etc.

• Additional sections in plan dedicated to
Casinos

Data Centers
• Other localities in Virginia have either
addressed data centers in their
comprehensive plan and/or ordinance
• Additional Overlay or Land Use guidelines;
targeted areas, key considerations

Redevelopment of Key
City-Owned Properties
• Evaluate redevelopment capabilities of
abandoned city-owned properties:
• AP Hill Community
• Titmus Optical Plant

Next Steps
•Identify areas of focus; where updates may be
desired, where updates may be mandatory
•Look at general timeline
•Consider whether subcommittee is appropriate
and what additional meetings may be required or
helpful

PRESENTED FOR CONSIDERATION BY COMMISSIONER
HAIRSTON

ADDENDUM TO THE CITY OF
PETERSBURG COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
Environmental Redevelopment and Strategic
Repositioning of Key City-Owned Properties
PURPOSE
This addendum is proposed to supplement the City of Petersburg Comprehensive Plan by
identifying two strategically important city-owned properties for environmental review,
redevelopment planning, and long-term economic repositioning.
The City should immediately begin evaluating:
●​ AP Hill Community Property – Approximately 11,000 square feet
●​ Former Tidmus Optical Plant – Approximately 209,000 square feet
The purpose of this initiative is to determine what environmental, infrastructure, redevelopment,
and funding requirements are necessary to transform these properties into viable
redevelopment-ready assets capable of supporting long-term economic growth, job creation, tax
revenue enhancement, and community revitalization within the City of Petersburg.

REDEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE OVERVIEW
The City of Petersburg should pursue a comprehensive environmental funding and
redevelopment strategy designed to transform underutilized or environmentally challenged
properties from potential liabilities into productive economic assets.
This initiative should include:
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Environmental due diligence
Brownfield redevelopment planning
Funding identification
Regulatory coordination
Grant development
Long-term redevelopment positioning

The City should seek to engage a qualified environmental redevelopment consulting firm
capable of providing comprehensive environmental funding development, project coordination,
and grant support services.

PROJECT OBJECTIVES
The primary objectives of this initiative are to:
1.​ Identify all applicable federal, state, and local funding opportunities
2.​ Conduct preliminary environmental and redevelopment eligibility reviews
3.​ Coordinate environmental due diligence activities
4.​ Prepare and submit competitive grant applications
5.​ Position the properties for Brownfields and redevelopment funding
6.​ Develop phased cleanup and redevelopment strategies
7.​ Coordinate with regulatory and funding agencies throughout the process

SCOPE OF SERVICES
Phase 1 – Property and Environmental Funding
Assessment
The selected redevelopment partner should:
●​ Review ownership status and available site documentation
●​ Evaluate historical property uses and potential contamination risks
●​ Identify likely environmental concerns including:
○​ Petroleum contamination
○​ Heavy metals
○​ Asbestos-containing materials
○​ Lead-based paint
○​ Industrial contaminants
The City should evaluate eligibility for:
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EPA Brownfields Assessment Grants
EPA Cleanup Grants
Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) programs
Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding
Economic Development Administration (EDA) funding
Virginia redevelopment and infrastructure programs

Deliverables
●​ Preliminary Funding Eligibility Memorandum
●​ Site Prioritization Matrix
●​ Funding Strategy Overview

Phase 2 – Environmental Due Diligence Coordination
The selected firm should coordinate activities required to prepare the properties for
redevelopment funding applications, including:
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Phase I Environmental Site Assessments
Coordination of Phase II investigations if required
Regulatory coordination with Virginia DEQ
Identification of remediation pathways under Virginia programs
Development of preliminary remediation cost estimates

Deliverables
●​ Environmental Due Diligence Coordination Plan
●​ Agency Coordination Summary
●​ Preliminary Cleanup Framework

Phase 3 – Grant Development and Funding Acquisition
The selected redevelopment consultant should prepare and support submission of applications
for all viable funding sources.

Federal Funding Opportunities
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EPA Brownfields Assessment Grants
EPA Multipurpose Grants
EPA Cleanup Grants
EDA Public Works and Economic Adjustment Assistance

State Funding Opportunities
●​ Virginia DEQ Brownfield and remediation programs
●​ Virginia DHCD redevelopment programs
●​ Virginia infrastructure and revitalization funding opportunities

Local and Regional Funding Opportunities

●​ Planning District Commission partnerships
●​ Redevelopment Authority opportunities
●​ Public-private partnership coordination

Deliverables
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Complete grant application packages
Budget development
Supporting narratives and economic impact documentation
Community revitalization and redevelopment positioning materials

Phase 4 – Redevelopment Positioning and
Implementation Strategy
Upon identification of funding opportunities, the selected firm should assist the City in
developing a long-term implementation strategy that aligns environmental cleanup with
redevelopment priorities.
Potential redevelopment goals may include:
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Industrial redevelopment
Mixed-use revitalization
Public facility reuse
Workforce and commercial development
Community-serving facilities
Tax base expansion

Deliverables
●​ Redevelopment Readiness Strategy
●​ Funding Implementation Roadmap
●​ Phased Project Schedule

PROJECT BENEFITS TO THE CITY OF
PETERSBURG
This initiative is expected to provide substantial public benefits, including:
●​ Reduction of environmental and public safety risks
●​ Improved redevelopment readiness
●​ Increased eligibility for state and federal investment

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Economic revitalization opportunities
Job creation potential
Long-term tax revenue enhancement
Elimination of blight and underutilized property conditions

PROJECT APPROACH
The City should prioritize selecting a company that emphasizes maximizing outside funding
while minimizing the City’s upfront financial exposure.
Successful environmental redevelopment projects require coordination between:
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Environmental planning
Regulatory compliance
Grant strategy
Infrastructure planning
Long-term economic development objectives

The selected firm should work collaboratively with:
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City leadership
Virginia DEQ
EPA Region 3
Regional planning organizations
Economic development partners
Community stakeholders

RECOMMENDED IMMEDIATE ACTIONS
The City should immediately undertake the following steps:
1.​ Identification of redevelopment consulting partners
2.​ Property documentation and records review
3.​ Preliminary site walk-throughs
4.​ Funding eligibility analysis
5.​ Development of a grant application calendar
6.​ Preparation of environmental assessment procurement strategy

CONCLUSION
The City of Petersburg has an important opportunity to transform the AP Hill Community
property and the former Tidmus Optical Plant into catalysts for economic growth,
redevelopment, and long-term community revitalization.
By proactively pursuing environmental assessment funding, remediation planning,
redevelopment positioning, and public-private investment opportunities, the City can secure the
resources necessary to reposition these sites for productive future use while strengthening
Petersburg’s long-term economic development strategy.
This addendum recommends immediate action to initiate a comprehensive environmental
funding and redevelopment initiative designed to maximize outside investment, reduce
long-term liabilities, and create sustainable redevelopment opportunities for the residents and
businesses of Petersburg, Virginia.