Hampton City Council Defers Vote on Camping Ordinance

The City Council has deferred the vote on a proposed amendment to the city ordinance regarding camping and storage on public property. At the council’s legislative meeting on Wednesday night, the council chose to push the vote back to April 8 in order to study the issue further.

The council has been discussing the proposed amendment since last year. At its meeting on June 11, 2025, the council deferred the initial vote and — to dispel the misperception some had that the ordinance would penalize homelessness — created a stakeholder group that would study the issue and make proposals. At a work session last month, the council received the final report from that group, which was composed of residents and business owners who had previously expressed concerns with the topic.

The group reached consensus and made multiple suggestions, first and foremost that any ordinance should prioritize voluntary compliance over heavy-handed enforcement. To that end, the group recommended detailing the steps which would be taken prior to law enforcement intervention.

These steps include explaining the violation, offers of supportive services by an outreach team, and assistance in locating alternative sleeping locations when an unhoused individual is involved — all before law enforcement uses the ordinance to cite a violation. 

The group also recommended lowering the penalty for those who refuse to voluntarily comply to a Misdemeanor 4 for first offenses (as opposed to the original Misdemeanor 1), removing any potential jail time. Subsequent offenses are recommended to be at the Misdemeanor 2 level, guaranteeing access to a public defender and the opportunity to access the behavioral health docket and/or other supportive services.

At Wednesday’s afternoon work session, the city attorney’s office presented the language for the proposed ordinance, stressing the policy of “compassionate compliance.” The agenda for the evening legislative session included a final vote on the amendment, and several residents spoke during public comment, both in support and opposition. City Manager Mary Bunting gave a detailed explanation of the proposal and how the new ordinance would be enforced, and the presentation from the work session was repeated.

When it came time to vote, the council unanimously agree to defer until next month’s meeting.

Also at the legislative session the council denied a request from Southern Comfort Restaurant and Lounge to extend its operating hours to 2 a.m. seven days a week. The restaurant will continue to be open until midnight Sunday through Thursday and until 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday and on certain holidays.

To better inform residents who are taking the current online survey about the city’s budget priorities for Fiscal Year 2027, interim Public Works director Mike Bowry repeated a presentation he had done at last week’s I Value public meetings, detailing potential changes to the city’s requests regarding stormwater, wastewater and solid waste.

Mayor Jimmy Gray read proclamations regarding the Mayor’s Committee for People With Disabilities, the American Red Cross and International Women’s Day.

The afternoon work session included a presentation from representatives of Virginia Peninsula Community College regarding current projects on the campus and the success of the FastForward short-term training program for high-demand industries.

Full minutes and video of both meetings will be posted here. 

The council’s next meeting is scheduled for March 25.