Petersburg tackles nightclub, smoke shop concerns: THE AGENDA.

Welcome to The Agenda! This weekly feature will cover all the public meetings in Petersburg, Hopewell and Colonial Heights that may be important to you.

This week, multiple City Council meetings are on the books for Hopewell, Petersburg and Colonial Heights. A couple of these meetings will be closed to the public, including a closed special city council meeting in Petersburg on May 1 and in Colonial Heights on May 7. A regular city council meeting is also on the books for Petersburg on May 7. Hopewell's City Council meeting, meanwhile, will be a joint meeting with the city's School Board to discuss the School Board's budget.

The Petersburg Planning Commission will also be holding their regular meeting on Thursday, where they will discuss a number of items on the agenda , including a discussion on a potential text amendment relating to the definition and use standards for nightclubs and similar venues in the city. This discussion comes after several reported issues relating to nightclubs within the city, including noise complaints, safety concerns and issues with businesses operating as nightclubs without the necessary permits and licenses.

Among other new use standards, nightclubs operating within Petersburg will now be mandated to stop using loudspeakers/instruments by midnight, cease operations between 1 and 9 a.m., employ licensed security personnel trained in crowd control, conflict resolution and emergency response, take soundproofing measures to minimize noise pollution and more.

The city will also be discussing a draft amendment that would limit the proximity of facilities selling recreational substances— including tobacco and vaping products—to schools, parks, playgrounds, and community buildings, as well as set hours of operation for these facilities. The proposed amendment is in response to a significant rise in vape and smoke shops in Petersburg in the last several of years—and the last few months in particular—with a particular focus on the marketing and availability of such products to teenagers and children.

Tuesday, April 30

Hopewell Joint Session City Council & School Board Budget meeting , 7 p.m., Hopewell School Board Office, 103N.12th Avenue. View the agenda for this meeting here .

Wednesday, May 1

Petersburg City Council Special Closed Session meeting , 4 - 5 p.m., Petersburg Public Library. According to the meeting's agenda , the meeting will be closed for City Council to receive legal advice from the City Attorney.

Petersburg School Board meeting, 6 p.m., School Board Office at 255 South East Blvd. For more information, call 804-518-6459 or email jarahmaan@petersburg.k12.va.us .

Thursday, May 2

Petersburg Planning Commission regular meeting , 6:30 p.m., Multipurpose Room at the Petersburg Public Library. This meeting is open to the public and will include a public comment period. View the agenda for this meeting here .

Hopewell Water Renewal Special Commission meeting , 1:30 - 3 p.m., GRTC Building, 231 Hummel Ross Road. Inquiries? Contact Amber Davis, Administrative Support Manager, Hopewell Water Renewal, at (804) 541.2210 ext. 501.

Hopewell Planning Commission/ Wetlands Board meeting , 6 p.m., Municipal Building (City Council Chambers). View the agenda for this meeting here .

Tuesday, May 7

Colonial Heights City Council Special Meeting , 6 - 9 p.m., Council Chambers, first floor of City Hall.

Petersburg City Council Closed Session meeting , 3 - 4 p.m., Petersburg Public Library. View the meeting's agenda here .

Petersburg City Council meeting , 5 - 6 p.m., Multipurpose Room, Petersburg Public Library. View the meeting's agenda here .

This article originally appeared on The Progress-Index: Petersburg tackles nightclub, smoke shop concerns: THE AGENDA.