City Council Legislative Briefing

AGENDA City of Williamsburg City Council Thursday, December 4, 2025 A meeting of the City Council will be held Thursday, December 4, 2025 in the Stryker Center, 412 N. Boundary Street commencing at 3:00 PM. Page 1. CALL TO ORDER 2. ROLL CALL 3. INTRODUCTIONS OF LEGISLATORS 4. 2026 LEGISLATIVE SESSION FORECASTS 5. REVIEW OF 2026 LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES A. 2026 Legislative Agenda 2-3 6. CLOSING COMMENTS A. Mayor B. Legislators 7. ADJOURNMENT The City Council invites public comment on any subject during "Open Forum." To speak, fill out a Speaker's Card (available at the door) and give it to the Clerk of Council. Please direct all comments to the Chair, limited to 5 minutes. Thank you.  2026 ADOPTED NOVEMBER 13, 2025 INTENT STATEMENT Annually, the City of Williamsburg adopts a legislative agenda via resolution. The purpose of the agenda is to provide our state and federal legislators with a quick reference outlining the City’s position on issues facing the nation and the state that may impact our locality. The proposed agenda is intended to be a short list of specific positions held by the City of Williamsburg that will serve as the basis for advocacy during the 2026 legislative session. It is not intended to be an all- inclusive list of issues that the City considers important. During the session, items not included on this agenda will be debated, and their exclusion does not preclude the City from taking a position. PRIORITY ISSUES Charter Updates Update the City Charter to reflect election timing as dictated by the State Code and to clarify the finance department’s operational procedures. Expand existing authority regarding parking in Virginia State Code §46.2-1220 Seek legislative authority to permit third-party regulated parking within jurisdictions with high visitation rates, regardless of jurisdiction size. Increased Regulatory Authority Over Rental Properties in Virginia State Code §15.2-987 Requesting expanded local authority to regulate rental properties to ensure health, safety, and neighborhood stability. OTHER ISSUE PROTECT LOCAL GOVERNMENT’S ZONING AUTHORITY OF FOCUS Local Land Use Decisions Should Remain Local Land use decisions are best implemented at the local level, where elected officials know and experience directly the nuances, impacts, and repercussions, both intended and unintended, of such decisions upon the locality and its residents. Localities must maintain control of local land use decisions, and neither the state nor the federal government should usurp or pre-empt a locality’s authority to make such decisions. OTHER ISSUE CONNECTIVITY, ASSET BUILDING & TOURISM OF FOCUS Trail 757 & Capital Trail Extension The City requests state funding for the Williamsburg extension of the Capital Trail and Trail 757.  OTHER ISSUE TRANSPORTATION OF FOCUS Passenger Rail on the Virginia Peninsula The City supports efforts and projects that promote higher-speed, more reliable passenger rail service to Richmond and the Northeast Corridor, including a third train to Williamsburg and Newport News. SUPPORT FOR STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS PARTNERS James City County & the Clerk of the Court The City supports efforts to remove budget language that decreases the distribution of excess fees to localities from the State Code allocation. William & Mary The City supports investment in William & Mary to include: • Secure funding to renovate Ewell Hall to update life safety and other building systems to support health sciences classrooms and labs, academic advising, the Graduate Center, and Arts & Sciences leadership and staff • Dedicated state support for a grant-funded pilot program establishing W&M as a leader in student veteran transition • Operating support to fund a community law clinic to increase regional access to legal representation for individuals and families who qualify for legal aid and for those who fall into gaps in legal aid eligibility PARTNER AGENCY SUPPORT The City of Williamsburg is a member of the Virginia Municipal League, Virginia First Cities, the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission, and the Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization. Each of these partner agencies adopts legislative agendas annually. Through participation in board meetings, annual conferences, and committees, the City Council and executive management of the City of Williamsburg endorse and support the legislative priorities included in these respective legislative agendas for the 2026 session. When these partner agency agendas advocate for statewide application, the City maintains local autonomy for implementation in a manner consistent with local regulation. LEGISLATIVE CONTACT: Michele Mixner DeWitt, Assistant City Manager | (757) 293-8812 | mdewitt@williamsburgva.gov