Getting School Legislation Ready…

Below is the first draft of the legislation to be introduced by Senator Sturtevant and Delegate Bourne.

SENATE BILL NO. __________ HOUSE BILL NO. __________
A BILL to amend Chapter 116 of the Acts of Assembly of 1948, which provided a charter for the City of Richmond, by adding a section numbered 6.15:3, relating to equal educational opportunities; school infrastructure.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That Chapter 116 of the Acts of Assembly of 1948 is amended and reenacted as follows:
§ 6.15:3. School buildings and infrastructure modernization.
(a) Not later than January 1, 2019, the mayor shall formally present to the city council a fully
funded plan to modernize the city’s K-12 educational infrastructure consistent with national standards or inform city council such a plan is not feasible. In fulfilling the duties herein, the mayor shall consult with
the school board and city council, consider cost savings available in state or federal law, and further
provide an opportunity for public participation.
(b) Such fully funded plan required in subsection (a) shall not be based on the passage of new or
increased taxes for that purpose.
(c) Nothing herein shall alter powers previously given to the school board.
(d) Once the mayor has complied with subsection (a), the city council shall have 90 days to take such action as it deems appropriate.

Street Closure Next Week

From City press release:

For Immediate Release

December 20, 2017
For more information, contact:
Paige Hairston – (804) 646-3659

Street Closure – West Main Street

WHO: City of Richmond Department of Public Works

WHAT: Street Closure

WHEN: Tuesday, December 26 to Friday, December 29 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

WHERE: West Main Street between Belvidere and Laurel streets

BACKGROUND: The aforementioned area will be closed to install new sewer connections. This work is part of the Monroe Park renovation project. Westbound traffic on Main Street will be detoured to West Broad Street. Please drive carefully and follow the detour signs.

###

Trash/Recycling Pickup Tomorrow

This Wednesday is a “Red Wednesday”, which means trash and recycling pickup. Ideally, rolling recycling containers are stored and deployed in the back alleys along with trash cans. Please make sure you pick up containers after pickup tomorrow night.

If you have not done so already, don’t forget to sign up for your Recycling Perks.
In order to take your recycling to the next level, read this: 10 ways to improve your recycling.

The Richmond Clean City Commission wishes you a Happy New Year!

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2018
RVA Clean City Commission
Christmas Tree Chipping, Shredding and Electronics Recycling
WHO: Richmond residential collection and disposal only. This event is NOT for commercial or business disposal.
WHEN: Saturday, January 6, 2018 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM

WHERE: corner of North Boulevard & Robin Hood Rd

WHAT:

Christmas Tree Chipping : undecorated live trees

Shredding : up to 5 boxes or 5 paper bags of PERSONAL documents including:
Taxes, bank statements, cancelled checks, credit card statements and receipts, financial accounts, medical records, and insurance documents.
We cannot accept: COMMERCIAL BUSINESS documents, X Rays, cardboard, plastic bags, metal, batteries, CDs, notebooks, binders, or bags of previously shredded papers.

Electronics recycling:
TVs: $23 fee for old TVs up to 27 inches
$30 fee for old TVs over 27 inches
$12 fee for LCD TVs.
Computer systems (hard drive, CPU, monitor) Computer accessories (cables, wires, keyboards, mice, speakers, etc.). Printers, scanners, copiers and fax machines. VCRs, camcorders, stereos and all phones.
CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHT STRINGS!

Small Recycle Tubs
Clean up and drop off your old curbside recycling bins for reuse in the schools.

HELP spread the word by sharing this notice with members of your organization, civic association, friends, neighbors, relatives, and any Richmond resident who might benefit from the information.

This free event is only available to City of Richmond residents – proof of residency is required.

Questions about shredding and small tubs to
Darlene.Mallory@richmondgov.com or 804-646-8325.

Larus Park Revisited

Again, public park Larus Park is no where near Oregon Hill, but it is something that should concern all citizens.

More correspondence from Laurel Street neighbor Charles Pool:

It is incredible that the DPU negotiated a lower reimbursement rate for the trees removed in Larus Park than the trees in Bryan Park in part because the trees in Larus Park were not planted in “in a linear arrangement.” [Where is it written that trees planted in a straight line are seven times more valuable per caliper inch diameter than trees not planted in a straight line?]

Why was the DPU and not the Urban Forestry division negotiating the reimbursement price for the trees?

Charles

From: Green, Rosemary H. – DPU
Sent: Friday, December 15, 2017 3:39 PM
To: Charles Pool; Turk Sties
Cc: Agelasto, Parker C. – City Council; Larson, Kristen N. – City Council; Gray, Kimberly B. – City Council; Cuffee-Glenn, Selena – CAO; Steidel, Robert C. – DPU; John Zeugner; Jeremy Lazarus
Subject: RE: 2017-208

Mr. Pool – The Urban Forestry guidelines for tree replacements are intended for trees that are removed from the public right-of-way. These are generally applied to trees in a linear arrangement and are for project areas that are usually very small in size. Projects that are outside of the right-of-way are evaluated on a case by case basis. DPU believes that a 3 to 1 replacement of mature trees for the tree area that will be impacted by construction is a fair negotiation. There are no changes planned for the Ordinances related to this project.

Rosemary “Posy” Green, PE
City of Richmond, Department of Public Utilities
Interim Director
804-646-8517 (Office)
804-317-0283 (Mobile)

From: Charles Pool [mailto:Charles_Pool@msn.com]
Sent: Friday, December 15, 2017 11:46 AM
To: Green, Rosemary H. – DPU; Turk Sties
Cc: Agelasto, Parker C. – City Council; Larson, Kristen N. – City Council; Gray, Kimberly B. – City Council; Cuffee-Glenn, Selena – CAO; Steidel, Robert C. – DPU; John Zeugner; Jeremy Lazarus
Subject: Re: 2017-208

Dear Ms. Green,

Why did the city negotiate an astonishingly lower rate of reimbursement with Chesterfield for trees proposed to be removed in Larus Park than the city negotiated with Henrico for trees removed in Bryan Park?

Henrico paid $169 per caliper inch for trees removed from Bryan Park for utility work. By contrast, Chesterfield would pay only $25 per caliper inch for the trees proposed to be removed from Larus Park.

Using the formula that Henrico paid (at $169 per caliper inch) Chesterfield would pay $619,554 for the trees proposed to be removed in Larus Park. The trees proposed to be removed in Larus Park have a combined diameter of 3,666 caliper inches. Instead, the city has negotiated a much lower reimbursement of only $91,136

The city determined in Bryan Park that the $256 dollar amount that you cite would be the replacement value for only a 1-1/2″ diameter tree. All of the 356 trees proposed to be removed in Larus Park are larger, some as large as 28″ in diameter.

If Chesterfield pays the city’s previously accepted reimbursement rate of $169 per caliper inch, the city would not have to pay any towards the land offset of the 18 additional acres.

Please let me know if the ordinance 2017-208 will be amended to reflect the reimbursement rate of $169 per caliper inch that was negotiated with Henrico County.

Thank you for your assistance.

Sincerely,

Charles

From: Green, Rosemary H. – DPU
Sent: Friday, December 15, 2017 11:20 AM
To: Turk Sties; Charles Pool
Cc: Agelasto, Parker C. – City Council; Larson, Kristen N. – City Council; Gray, Kimberly B. – City Council; Cuffee-Glenn, Selena – CAO; Steidel, Robert C. – DPU
Subject: RE: 2017-208

Mr. Sties – I will answer your second question first. When the FY2018 General Fund Budget was adopted, it assumed an amount for the PILOT payment tied to the DPU Water Utility for FY2018. Using four months of actual water sales for FY18, we have projected that the Water portion of the FY18 PILOT Payment will exceed the budget by at least $328,864. We have recommended that this part of the payment in excess of budget be applied to the Parks budget, along with the payment from Chesterfield County, to allow Parks to purchase the 18 acre parcel from the Redford Land Trust.

In regard to the fee paid to reimburse for the trees that will be removed when the pump station and ground storage tank are built, we looked first at the cost per replacement tree ($256 x 356 trees removed). We compared that value to the amount of forested land that payment would purchase. At a purchase price of $420,000, the Redford Land Trust property was valued at approximately $23,000 per acre and therefore, the Chesterfield payment was paying for over four acres of forested land and seemed a reasonable payment (3 to 1 recovery of what was being removed). This solution also meant that the replacement trees (land purchase) would have a direct benefit for the residents living closest to where the trees were being removed.

The 2021 date is tied to when the pump station and water tank are scheduled to come on-line. That is, when the asset is put into service. This is in keeping with how our water contract has managed payments for the past 20 years.

Rosemary “Posy” Green, PE
City of Richmond, Department of Public Utilities
Interim Director
804-646-8517 (Office)
804-317-0283 (Mobile)

From: Turk Sties [mailto:turk.sties@gmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, December 14, 2017 2:46 PM
To: Green, Rosemary H. – DPU; Charles Pool; Agelasto, Parker C. – City Council; Larson, Kristen N. – City Council; Gray, Kimberly B. – City Council
Subject: 2017-208

Ms. Green, please help me understand ordinance 2017-087. 1) the dollar offer for reimbursement for lost trees seems low compared to other similar tree loss reimbursements, e.g. with Henrico County at Bryan Park, and 2) How is $328,864 being obtained through PILOT fees, is the DPU raising the PILOT rate charged to the County? Is the City actually receiving an additional $328,864 that it would otherwise not receive from the county because of water sales?

I feel I am missing something.

p.s.Congratulations on receiving $420,000 but getting a “Revenue to City” of $4,103,000.00, but why are we waiting until 2021? Couldn’t the County at least pay the $420,000 a bit sooner?


Turk Sties

Drone Flight Video

From description on YouTube

On this windy and quite cold day I took a flight with my DJI Spark after first taking the same flight on the same route with my XIAOMI MI 4K from the Oregon Hill neighborhood in Richmond VIrginia to the MLK bridge across the James river. This is a particularly beautiful spot in our city and many people take photos from it or of it. I am trying to learn the ins and outs of photography as well as learning how to fly a drone (so please try to be patient while watching knowing that improvements are coming in fast!).

City and Leaves and Street Sweeping

I have had a few neighbors ask about the leaf situation and the City.

Here is what I have heard:

Street Sweeping is scheduled to take place in mid-January for Oregon Hill. No parking signs will be places 48 hours in advance.

To be clear, the leaf collection system has changed. Street sweeping is NOT leaf collection. Residents are to rake and collect leave they wish removed and place those bags near their supercans. If a resident wishes to have leaves vacuumed, they will pay a $30 fee. I also like to encourage folks to mulch them with their lawn mowers or put leaves in the flower beds. All residents are responsible for maintaining the sidewalks just like with snow or ice.

Leaf Collection: http://www.richmondgov.com/PublicWorks/Leafcollection.aspx

I hope this helps.