Business Clustering in Hampton: Growth With Purpose
We see the same types of businesses opening next to each other and across the street from one another. My concern is the concentration of similar businesses in one area and whether that growth meets our neighborhoods’ needs. Smoke shops are one example of a broader issue. We support businesses. We also deserve a plan for how our city grows.
What business clustering means
Business clustering means several businesses of the same type locating close together. My concern is when more of the same keeps arriving while neighbors are asking for a wider mix of shops and services. We should study what is happening in each area, hear from the people who live there, and use that information to guide development.
Watch: my December 10, 2025 council remarks
In this speech, I was addressing vape shops for the third time. I pointed to examples near City Hall so council could see the concentration on its own doorstep. I asked for a review of density, clear limits where possible, and timely action. The larger point was proactive governance: pay attention early and plan before concerns grow.
This recording documents my position on December 10, 2025. The policy below sets out the broader approach I will push for across business types; it is a proposal, not a claim that these measures are already adopted.
The policy I will push for
1. Show us the business mix
I will push for a public review of business locations, repeated business types, vacant storefronts, and recent openings and closures along our commercial streets. Residents should be able to see where concentrations exist and understand how the city defines and measures them.
2. Ask neighborhoods what is missing
Bring residents, business owners, and property owners into the discussion early. Identify the shops and services people want closer to home, then connect that feedback to the city’s zoning review and business recruitment. A growing business count alone does not answer whether our needs are being met.
3. Review clear, fair standards
I will work with the other six council members to review zoning and business-use rules. Where the evidence supports action, I will push for staff to present options for spacing or concentration limits, explain the city’s authority, and show the effects on neighborhoods and businesses. Different uses may need different standards. Any proposal should explain how existing businesses would be treated and what it would cost to administer.
How we would put it into practice
I will ask for a defined scope, a staff lead, a public timeline, and an estimate of the work and cost before the review begins. The findings and proposed options should be public before a vote. Any added staffing or spending should be explained through the budget process.
Residents should be able to check progress through published maps, neighborhood feedback, proposed rule changes, and reports on openings, closures, vacancies, and the mix of businesses. Those measures can help us judge whether the approach is working and where it needs to change.
Support business. Plan for our neighborhoods.
Supporting business means creating clear expectations and welcoming businesses that serve our city. My goal is a thoughtful mix of businesses and development that responds to the people who live here. As one of seven council members, I will make that case publicly, work to earn the votes needed, and explain the results.
Residents First. Growth with Purpose. Public Clarity.
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