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The Suffolk City Council moved Wednesday to formalize its long-uncertain boundary with the City of Chesapeake, an effort described by Deputy City Manager Kevin Hughes as “ongoing for many, many years.” The cooperative initiative focuses on the Pughsville area, though much of the city’s shared border lies in easily defined wooded regions like the Great Dismal Swamp.

The resolution authorizing the city manager to enter into the cost participation agreement with Chesapeake was approved by an 8-0 vote as part of the consent agenda.

Hughes emphasized the collaborative spirit between the two localities, with Chesapeake Deputy City Manager Brian Solis joining him at the work session.

Hughes said the proposed solution is to make a working boundary. An existing “stairstep map” has been used unofficially for years for services like assessment, public works, education, and voter registration. The primary goal is “not to change or impact the way of life of our residents collectively.”

A key outcome of the formalization will be the transfer of 12 undeveloped parcels from Chesapeake to Suffolk. Hughes clarified that these parcels have “no structures on them, do not have residents, do not have businesses on them,” and their total value is approximately $400,000. He reiterated that “no residents are impacted with that”.

When asked if he thought there were any residents who mistakenly believe they live in either Suffolk or Chesapeake when they reside in the other city, Hughes said he is hopeful they have that sorted out; however, he said community interaction will help verify.

The formalization process involves several steps outlined in the presentation presented to the Suffolk and Chesapeake City Councils this week.

• A cost participation agreement between the two cities will split expenses equally for surveying, marketing, and communication. This agreement was later approved as part of the consent agenda.
• A public-facing web portal and Geographic Information System (GIS) page are under development and expected to go live in about a week. The GIS page will allow residents to input their addresses to confirm their city affiliation.
• Community engagement will include summer open houses in both Chesapeake and Suffolk to gather feedback.
• Chesapeake’s assessor will handle financial reconciliation for any back real estate taxes on the 12 parcels shifting to Suffolk.
• Physical boundary markers will be installed, and legal descriptions drafted. Memorandums of understanding (MOUs) are also being discussed to guide future public works and utilities operations where infrastructure touches the boundary.
• The process will culminate with public hearings in both cities, council resolutions to finalize the boundary line agreement, and ratification by the circuit court.

Hughes estimated a “realistic time frame for all these things begins to take us into the end of 2025, beginning of 2026”.

Council Member Leroy Bennett remarked, “It’s been a long time coming. This has been something I’ve been hearing about for 25, 26 years.”

Mayor Michael Duman praised staff efforts for getting the project “kind of to the finish line.” He specifically thanked Chesapeake for their cooperation, stating that “it wouldn’t have happened without it.” He light-heartedly questioned if Suffolk could now “advertise 430.001 square miles” after gaining the 12 parcels.