NORFOLK, Va. — Norfolk City Council passed most of a $2 billion budget Tuesday night but delayed a vote on $352 million in major development spending, giving neighbors from the city's east side hope that their concerns about equity in city investment will be addressed.
The delayed portion of the budget — called the Capital Improvement Plan — will come back before council next Tuesday.
Liz Albert, a 36-year Norfolk resident who lives about a mile south of the old Military Circle Mall, said the fenced-off, long-vacant property is a symbol of the city's neglect of her neighborhood.
"There's blight, there's crime around here and I feel the city's not doing anything about it," Albert said.
Albert and a group of neighbors, called the Equity for the Eastside Coalition, made their voices heard at Tuesday night's council meeting. The group has accused the city of abandoning projects in their area — from schools to parks, and most notably a planned recreation center and redevelopment of the former Military Circle Mall site — in favor of downtown investment.
Over the next few years, more than $70 million is slated for the redevelopment of MacArthur Center mall downtown, a figure that has frustrated east side residents.
Councilman Tommy Smigiel, who said he wanted to vote 'no' on the CIP, expressed doubt about what the delay would accomplish.
"I don't know if anything's going to change by extending it for another week," Smigiel said.
But Councilman Carlos Clanton told News 3 over the phone on Wednesday that there is room for change.
"The vote last night to delay was to give me additional time to work with the manager, work with my council colleagues, work with the mayor to find out what we could potentially do," Clanton said.
Since east side residents began speaking out, $1 million to conceptualize a recreation center has been added back into the budget, along with some funding to tear down Military Circle. Demolition is expected to begin this fall after stalled negotiations with Ross Dress for Less have previously halted those plans.
With regard to spending at MacArthur and other Downtown landmarks, Clanton said the city must ensure that high-interest development sites are ready to be built on, but has hope east side neighbors can be happy with the budget in the end.
"I think that we will have something that the community could definitely wrap themselves around," Clanton said.
Albert said she remains cautiously optimistic.
"Anything is possible," Albert said.
She outlined what she and her neighbors are pushing for as the council prepares to revisit the plan.
"We hope they add more money for Military Circle development and actually get a plan going for specifics," Albert said. "Also, add money for schools. We are going to keep fighting even after this...for equity in the east side and all areas of the city."
The full budget is set to take effect July 1. Council is expected to take up the Capital Improvement Plan vote next Tuesday.
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