409 S. Main Street  
City of Harrisonburg  
Harrisonburg, VA 22801  
Meeting Minutes - Final  
City Council  
Tuesday, July 14, 2026  
7:00 PM  
Council Chambers  
1.  
Roll Call  
5 -  
5 -  
Present:  
Mayor Deanna R. Reed, Vice-Mayor Dany Fleming, Council Member Laura Dent,  
Council Member Nasser Alsaadun and Council Member Monica Robinson  
Also Present:  
City Manager Ande Banks, City Attorney Chris Brown, City Clerk Pam Ulmer, Chief  
Matthew Tobia and Police Chief Joseph Tucker  
Authorize electronic participation  
1.a.  
A
motion was made by Vice-Mayor Fleming, seconded by Council Member Robinson, to  
approve the virtual attendance of Council Member Alsaadun. The motion carried with  
recorded roll call vote taken as follows:  
a
5 -  
Yes:  
Mayor Reed, Vice-Mayor Fleming, Council Member Dent, Council Member  
Alsaadun and Council Member Robinson  
0
No:  
2.  
3.  
4.  
Moment of Silence  
Mayor Reed offered a moment of silence  
Pledge of Allegiance  
Mayor Reed led the Pledge of Allegiance  
Special Recognition  
Presentation of the World Refugee Day proclamation to Church World Services  
4.a.  
Mayor Reed read the proclamation of World Refugee Day to Susannah Lepley,  
director and Onyx Myanda, Church Word Services. Ms. Lepley thanked Council for  
their support. Ms. Myanda shares reasons why refugees come to the US and the  
things they go through to get here.  
5.  
Consent Agenda (any item placed on the consent agenda shall be removed and  
taken up as a separate matter, if so requested by any member of Council, otherwise all  
items will be voted on with one (1) motion)  
A
motion was made by Council Member Robinson, seconded by Council Member Dent, to  
approve the consent agenda as presented.  
follows:  
The motion passed with a roll call vote as  
5 -  
0
Yes:  
No:  
Mayor Reed, Vice-Mayor Fleming, Council Member Dent, Council Member  
Alsaadun and Council Member Robinson  
Minutes from the June 23, 2026 City Council Meeting  
5.a.  
5.b.  
These minutes were approved on the consent agenda  
Consider the special event application request for the annual Race to Beat Breast  
Cancer 5k Run/Walk on Saturday, October 24, 2026.  
This special event application was approved on the Consent agenda.  
5.c.  
6.a.  
Consider the special event application request for HDR’s Skeleton Festival on  
October 24, 2026 from 1-5pm.  
This special event application was approved on the Consent agenda.  
6.  
Public Hearings  
Consider a request from Sean Ryan and Lisa Lopez-Ryan for a special use permit to  
allow short-term rental at 453 West Water Street  
Thanh Dang, deputy director, Community Development, presented a request for a  
special use permit for property located at 453 W. Water Street, for a short term rental.  
She reviewed by-right homestays versus short-term rentals by SUP; the property, and  
the staff recommended conditions.  
She stated staff and Planning Commission (5-0) recommended approval  
At 7:14 p.m., Mayor Reed closed the regular session and called the first public  
hearing to order. A notice appeared in the Daily News-Record on Wednesday, July  
1, 2026 and Wednesday, July 8, 2026  
There being no one desiring to be heard, Mayor Reed closed the public hearing at  
7:15 p.m., and the regular session reconvened.  
A
motion was made by Council Member Dent, seconded by Council Member Robinson, to  
approve the Special Use Permit with staff recommended conditions as presented.  
motion carried with a roll call vote as follows:  
The  
5 -  
Yes:  
Mayor Reed, Vice-Mayor Fleming, Council Member Dent, Council Member  
Alsaadun and Council Member Robinson  
0
No:  
6.b.  
Consider a request from Honest Meats LLC for a special use permit to allow a meat  
processing and storage facility at 256 Charles Street  
Thanh Dang, deputy director, Community Development, presented a special use  
permit request for property located at 256 Charles Street, for a meat processing  
facility and storage plant in conformance. She reviewed the property, the history of  
the use of the property, and ordinances related to meat processing. She reviewed  
the staff recommended conditions.  
She stated staff and Planning Commission (5-0) recommended approval of the  
request.  
At 7:20 p.m., Mayor Reed closed the regular session and called the second public  
hearing to order. A notice appeared in the Daily News-Record on Wednesday, July  
1, 2026 and Wednesday, July 8, 2026  
Todd Rhea, representative of the applicant, spoke on the property and the business;  
At 7:22p.m., Mayor Reed closed the public hearing and the regular session  
reconvened.  
A
motion was made by Vice Mayor Fleming, seconded by Council Member Robinson, to  
approve the Special Use Permit with staff recommended conditions as presented.  
motion carried with a roll call vote as follows:  
The  
5 -  
Yes:  
Mayor Reed, Vice-Mayor Fleming, Council Member Dent, Council Member  
Alsaadun and Council Member Robinson  
0
No:  
7.  
Regular Items  
Presentation of the Board of Zoning Appeals’ 2024 and 2025 Annual Reports  
7.a.  
Thanh Dang, deputy director, Community Development, presented the Board of  
Zoning Appeals (BZA) Annual Reports for 2024 and 2025.  
Vice Mayor Fleming stated these reports reflect how well staff explains zoning  
processes and that the need for appeals is very minimal.  
This Report was received and filed.  
8.  
Other Matters  
8.b. City Council and Staff  
Mayor Reed stated she is happy to see a diverse group in Council Chambers and  
that it tells her that it is not just one set of people who are interested in this topic. She  
stated he had the opportunity to speak with the de-Flock group last week as well as  
another small group, and she appreciated the time she spent learning more about the  
concerns of the Flock cameras. She spoke on her outreach to other localities that  
have removed the Flock cameras, and stated the community has been heard.  
Council Member Robinson spoke on how thankful she is for those who have reached  
out, sent emails, phone calls, etc. She stated she is thankful that there is interest in  
the protection of constitutional rights and that local government is being held  
accountable. She spoke further on her support to remove the Flock cameras from the  
city, the concerns of the residents, and her recommendations to staff regarding  
Automatic License Plate Readers (ALPRs). She also spoke on the passing of a  
resident.  
Chris Brown, city attorney, spoke on the process of creating a policy regarding the  
prohibition of ALPRs in the city.  
Vice Mayor Fleming spoke on his support against ALPRs and is asking to direct staff  
to work on the policy for the next City Council meeting.  
Council Member Dent stated she appreciates the expression of constitutional rights  
and the activity of the residents to express their grievances. She thanked Chief  
Tucker, Chief, Harrisonburg Police Department, for his desire to build trust in the  
community.  
Council Member Alsaadun stated he appreciated the community discussions  
regarding the Flock cameras, and he remains committed to working with everyone to  
find the best for the city and that Council reflects that as well.  
Public Comment Received Electronically  
8.a. Comments from the public, limited to five minutes, on matters not on the regular  
agenda. (Name and address are required)  
The following spoke against Flock camera's and ALPR's:  
Notka,  
Marlin Copeland, 1130 Decca Drive  
Luna, 422 Harriston Rd.  
Karen Thomas,  
Michael Hollaman,  
Kris Hoover, executive director, New Bridge Immigrant Resource Center  
Casper O'Bere  
Eva Peirce, 1114 Rockingham Dr.  
Harold Martin, College Ave.  
Theresa, 91 1/2 Franklin St.  
Rev. Laura Minnick-Lockey  
Nathan Coffman, Hillside Ave.  
Mitchell Palmer,  
Evan Bates,  
Matthew Boucher,  
Chase Dunn, Beacon Hill,  
Steele  
Charlie  
Emily Rourke,  
Ashley Fore  
Esmerelda Mendoza,  
Sam,  
Tim Cummings, Sunset Heights  
Teresa Hinckley,  
Adam Dorawind,  
Thomas Davidson,  
Olivia,  
Hannah Whitmer,  
Bryce,  
David Polgar,  
Allie Haverty,  
Otter Redman,  
Stan Hockstettler,  
"B"  
Charles,  
Isaac,  
Eric Olsengetty,  
Pamela Cook spoke in favor of the Police Department:  
Public Comment Received Electronically  
10.b. City Council and Staff (Continued)  
Discussion took place regarding the trust and support of Council to the Police  
Department and HPD'scommunity engagement to continue building that trust.  
Council Member Dent spoke on the recent NLC Summer Board Leadership meeting.  
9.  
Boards and Commissions  
Harrisonburg Rockingham Regional Sewer Authority  
9.a.  
A
motion was made by Council Member Dent, seconded by Vice Mayor Fleming, to  
reappoint Matthew Light and Brad Chewning to terms to expire July 15, 2030.  
carried with a unanimous voice vote.  
The motion  
10.  
11.  
Closed Session  
Adjournment  
At 9:38 p.m., there being no further business and on motion adopted, the meeting  
was adjourned.  
________________________  
CITY CLERK  
________________________  
MAYOR