Council Member· 2023-01-01–2026-12-31 (Ward 5; elected 2010 per norfolk.gov/539/Thomas-R-Smigiel-Jr, first-office day unsourced so current-term start is used; current term 'January 1, 2023 - December 31, 2026'; Nov-elected council terms commence Jan 1 and end December 31 (Va. Code § 24.2-222.1, LIS text read); May-elected terms began July 1 (Va. Code § 24.2-222(B), LIS text read))
Thomas R. Smigiel Jr.
Norfolk
No biography on file yet.
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Voice
- Meetings spoken in
- 4
- Total speaking time
- 1:49
- Avg per meeting
- 0:27
- Segments
- 34
Want every word Smigiel has said?
The OpenCity MCP for Claude.ai answers questions like “what has Smigiel said about housing this year” with one prompt — full speaking history, with YouTube timestamps.
Top issues during term (16)(Zoning)
Short-term rental regulation
Airbnb data cited suggests Norfolk collects about $3.4 million a year in STR taxes — roughly $17 million over 4.5 years.
Dockside Social waterfront entertainment venue
New zoning initiatives: Airport district, Riverview windows, signs, and industrial overlay
Could increase commercial activity and property values in industrial corridors; unknown direct fiscal impact.
Data center zoning standards
Data center regulation in Norfolk
Marijuana business zoning ahead of 2027 state licensing
Noise and shared-building conflicts at Ocean View businesses
The yoga studio owner reports losing roughly a third of her business income over two years due to noise disruptions.
Durekin noise dispute
Resilience Quotient conversion to bonus program
Developers could save money and time on permitting; the city could see weaker resilience outcomes if incentives don't deliver real upgrades.
Marijuana business zoning framework
Zoning text amendment for home renovations and state code changes
Could lower renovation costs for owners of older homes by removing the 'substantial improvement' full-compliance trigger.
Late-night entertainment venues in Norfolk
Citywide development standards zoning rewrite
Vendor parks zoning change
Historic district design guidelines and Council oversight
New street signage identifying historic districts is proposed in the city budget.
May Planning Commission recommendations
Decisions during term (10)
Recorded while Jr. was in office — not necessarily decisions they moved, spoke to, or voted on.
Data center zoning text amendment
Marijuana business zoning text amendment
Initiation of clerical zoning corrections
PH-13: Airport District Zoning Amendments (Ordinance No. 50509)
PH 1 — Rezoning for Cover Brewing Company, 9519 & 9523 22nd Bay Street
PH 2 — Rezoning for Meonkins, 111 Pennsylvania Avenue
PH 9 — Zoning ordinance text amendment (development standards, screening, refuse containers)
PH 9A — Zoning text amendment (manufactured homes, parking, small cell facilities)
Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment – Article 5 development standards clean-up
PH-1: Rezoning 6303 Granby Street (Stanley Martin Homes)
Voting record (11)(Zoning)
Oldest to newest — hover a bar for the item.