5th District Town Hall On Wednesday

Councilperson Stephanie Lynch is holding a 5th District Town Hall this Wednesday, March 13 at 6pm at Maymont Foundation (1000 Westover Road). Attendees can use the parking lot on Spottswood.

DRAFT Agenda:
• Welcome
• Sheila White, Finance Director (confirmed)
• April Bingham, DPU Director (invited)
• Matthew Slaats, Senior Civic Innovation Manager (invited)
• Legislative Updates
• Q&A

Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association (OHNA) Meeting Tomorrow

From email announcement:

Monthly Meeting Agenda
Tuesday 27 February 2024 7:00PM

This meeting will be held by Zoom, at the link below.
Topic: OHNA Monthly Meeting – February 2024
Time: Feb 27, 2024 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
(editor’s note: Meeting link and information redacted. Please contact OHNA at ohnarva@gmail.com to request this information)

Community Updates:
1. Lt. Brian Robinson, City of Richmond Police Section Lt, 4th Precinct 2. Officer Luke Schrader, Police Liaison, VCU
3. Ms. Verenda Cobbs, VCU
4. Ms. Stephanie Lynch, 5th District Councilperson
○ Cultural Heritage Stewardship Plan
○ Participatory Budgeting Workshop
○ Invasive Species Management Week
○ Town Hall Post Card – should start arriving in mailboxes beginning of March.
○ Senior bags are continuing to go out in Randolph, Maymont, and Oregon Hill.
○ Hybrid Beacon for Belvidere crossing
○ Letter from OHNA re VCU use of poisons in Monroe Park
○ Latest Newsletter – https://conta.cc/3uINPjE
5. Ms. Colette McEachin, Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney

Announcements:
1. Oregon Hill Open Garden Day: May 18, 11a-2p, centered in Pleasants Park a. Open Garden Day Signup: be on the itinerary

Updates and Continued Business
1. The Friends of Oregon Hill Parks
a. Vote: approve Pleasants Park planting plan, donation from Verdant Richmond for plants
b. Vote: authorize expenditure for Pleasants Park: rain barrels, watering cans, Open Garden Day event expenses
c. Volunteer signup: watering duty
2. Outreach to campus groups re Monroe Park rat poison concern
New Business?

Valerie L’Herrou, President
Bryan Clark Green, Co-Vice President Harrison Moenich, Co-Vice-President Jennifer Hancock, Co-Vice-President Mike Matthews, Secretary
John Bolecek, Treasurer

Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association Meeting Tomorrow Night

From email announcement:

Monthly Meeting Agenda
Tuesday 23 January 2024
7:00PM
This meeting will be held by Zoom, at the link below.

Topic: OHNA Monthly Meeting – January 2024
Time: Jan 23, 2024 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
(Editor’s note: meeting info redacted. Please contact ohnarva@gmail.com)
Welcome:

Community Updates:
Lt. Brian Robinson, City of Richmond Police Section Lt, 4th Precinct
Officer Luke Schrader, Police Liaison, VCU
Ms. Verenda Cobbs, VCU
Ms. Stephanie Lynch, 5th District Councilperson
Ms. Colette McEachin, Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney

Updates and Continued Business
End of Year Treasurer’s Report
The Friends of Oregon Hill Parks, created to plan park improvements, plantings, and park-related projects.
First meeting in February
Updates on Pleasants Park improvements
Linear Park Wall update?

New Business
Any other new items?

Valerie L’Herrou, President
Bryan Clark Green, Co-Vice President
Harrison Moenich, Co-Vice-President
Jennifer Hancock, Co-Vice-President
Mike Matthews, Secretary
John Bolecek, Treasurer

OHNA: Meeting Schedule, 2024
Fourth Tuesday of each month
Zoom information to be sent before meeting, while meeting remotely

Day
Date
Time
Tuesday
23 January 2024
7:00pm
Tuesday
27 February 2024
7:00pm
Tuesday
26 March 2024
7:00pm
Tuesday
23 April 2024
7:00pm
Tuesday
28 May 2024
7:00pm
Tuesday
25 June 2024
7:00pm
Tuesday
23 July 2024
7:00pm
Tuesday
27 August 2024
7:00pm
Tuesday
24 September 2024
7:00pm
Tuesday
22 October 2024
7:00pm
Tuesday
19 November 2024
7:00pm [moved up one week due to Thanksgiving]
Tuesday
17 December 2024
7:00pm [moved up one week to avoid Christmas]

OHNA Meeting Tomorrow Night

From email:

Monthly Meeting Agenda
Tuesday 18 December 2023
7:00PM
This meeting will be held by Zoom, at the link below.

Topic: OHNA Monthly Meeting – December 2023
Time: Dec 19, 2023 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
(Editor’s note: Meeting information redacted but please email ohnarva@gmail.com if you would like to receive it)

Welcome
• Treasurer’s Report

Community Updates:

1. Lt. Brian Robinson, City of Richmond Police Section Lt, 4th Precinct
2. Officer Luke Schrader, Police Liaison, VCU
3. Ms. Verenda Cobbs, VCU
4. Ms. Stephanie Lynch, 5th District Councilperson
5. Ms. Colette McEachin, Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney

Updates:

1. Continued automobile accidents in and around neighborhood.
· While some traffic calming measures are planned to coincide with repaving in 2024, are these enough?

2. Any updates on the restaurant planned for the former Mama Zu space?

Continued Business

3. A volunteer has agreed to head up a committee looking into locations for a dedicated dog park in Oregon Hill and addressing the various city requirements for such an undertaking.
· A Friends of Oregon Hill Parks has been created to plan park improvements, plantings, and to e investigate a location for a dog park

New Business

4. Any other new items?

Bryan Clark Green, President
Harrison Moenich, Co-Vice-President
Jennifer Hancock, Co-Vice-President
Mike Matthews, Secretary
John Bolecek, Treasurer

OHNA Meeting Tomorrow Night

From email announcement:

Monthly Meeting Agenda
Tuesday 28 November 2023
7:00PM
This meeting will be held by Zoom, at the link below.
Topic: November OHNA Meeting
Time: Nov 28, 2023 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

(Editor’s note: Meeting information redacted but please email ohnarva@gmail.com if you would like to receive it)

Welcome
• Treasurer’s Report

Community Updates:

1. Lt. Brian Robinson, City of Richmond Police Section Lt, 4th Precinct
2. Officer Luke Schrader, Police Liaison, VCU
3. Ms. Verenda Cobbs, VCU
4. Ms. Stephanie Lynch, 5th District Councilperson
5. Ms. Colette McEachin, Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney

Updates:

1. Pleasant’s Park upgrades
· Thank you to all of the volunteers who came to the two Saturday workdays to help construct the new fence in the park, paint new picnic benches, and otherwise clean up the park. Thank you also for Parks & Recreation for bringing out the heavy equipment and staff to remove the old chain -link fence and to dig the holes for the new posts.
· Thank you to everyone who sawed boards, dug holes, broke up brick in the holes (ugh), set the posts in concrete, attached the new boards, and did all the many other tasks it took to complete this project.
· Parks & Recreation provided the heavy equipment and knowledgeable staff; OHNA purchased the new materials, and the neighborhood provided many volunteers to see the job through.
· Once the new wood has been able to age a bit, we will return to apply a protective stain to the fence.

2. Infrastructure walk held 4pm – 5:30 Friday Oct 27.
· Thank you to all of the volunteers who helped out.

Continued Business

3. A volunteer has agreed to head up a committee looking into locations for a dedicated dog park in Oregon Hill and addressing the various city requirements for such an undertaking.
· A Friends of Oregon Hill Parks has been created to plan park improvements, plantings, and to e investigate a location for a dog park

New Business

4. OHNA elections
· Anyone interested in running?
5. Any other new items?

Bryan Clark Green, President
Harrison Moenich, Co-Vice-President
Jennifer Hancock, Co-Vice-President
Mike Matthews, Secretary
John Bolecek, Treasurer

Two Meetings

Councilperson Stephanie Lynch has highlighted two meetings this week in her 5th District newsletter:

We have two big meeting this week! The first will the virtual Cultural Resources Management Plan (CRMP) tomorrow – Wednesday, November 15 (flyer below).

The second meeting will be the last 5th District Town Hall for the year on Thursday, November 16 at 6pm at Patrick Henry School of Science & Arts (3411 Semmes Ave). We will have DPW Director Bobby Vincent and Police Chief Rick Edwards (flyer below). Please note that we will not have access to the building until 6pm.

Lane Closure – Cary Street and Laurel Street Intersection

From City Department of Public Works:

WHAT: Lane Closure, Daily
WHEN: Thursday, October 26 to Monday, October 30 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
WHERE: In the 5th Voter District
• The intersection of Cary Street and Laurel Street
BACKGROUND: As a part of the HSIP Pedestrian Improvement at Signalized Intersection project, the contractor will be repairing sections of the concrete sidewalk and placing pavement markings in the intersection listed above. The curb travel lane, sidewalk and median lane may be temporarily closed during this process.

Precinct Voting Location Changed Due To Mold Concerns At School

Ned Oliver wrote about the change for Axios Richmond:

The local electoral board took emergency steps to move two voter precincts out of city school buildings.

What’s happening: The decision follows complaints by teachers and staff that the facilities in question are infested with mold.

What they’re saying: “The move was decided due to the presence of unhealthy air quality conditions,” the General Registrar’s office said in a statement Monday.

Details: A precinct at Clark Spring Elementary in the Randolph/Maymont neighborhoods is moving to VCU University Student Commons.

And a South Richmond precinct at Boushall Middle is moving to Hickory Hill Community Center.
Of note: The move avoids a single day of potential exposure for voters and election workers, but RPS staff and students are continuing to use the facilities on a permanent basis.

One neighbor had this to say on the matter:

I’m confused. I personally helped volunteer and pack up textbooks and art supplies and such over 10 years ago because of the mold (other neighbors were there)
I thought the mold was gone
I’ve heard they are doing tests….what’s going on?

Voters can’t breath the air for 15 minutes but kids and faculty have to go 5 days a week
What the hell

Another neighbor:

As i mentioned when I voted in the primary this summer, The VCU commons is a terrible location for us. There’s only paid parking (if it’s not paid due to holiday they need signs this year saying that)
There’s no info on whether to enter on main or Floyd. For the primary this summer, I parked on main st and there were zero voter signs (this where everyone from the 505 would walk or drive bc the entire precinct is south of main st). There were signs saying no parking on the north side of the street. There were no signs signifying a polling location when I walked in either. It was on the 2nd floor with no elevator readily available that I could find. I suspect they want to combine forces for the poll workers at the colocated 207 location. I’m signing up for mail only now.

The mold issue is particularly galling given that school building maintenance has been an ongoing city issue for decades.

It also feeds into longstanding suspicions that the Clark Spring Elementary is suffering a gradual ‘demolition by negligence’ so that the City can eventually sell off the land to developers or VCU.

Regardless, bad news for the public.

OHNA Meeting Tomorrow Night

The Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association (OHNA) will be holding its monthly meeting tomorrow night online on Zoom only.

Monthly Meeting Agenda
Tuesday 26 September 2023
7:00PM
This meeting will be held by Zoom, at the link below.

Topic: OHNA Monthly Meeting – September
Time: Sep 26, 2023 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
(Editor’s note: Meeting information has been redacted. Please email ohnarva@gmail.com in order to request this information)

Welcome
• Treasurer’s Report

Community Updates:

1. Lt. Brian Robinson, City of Richmond Police Section Lt, 4th Precinct
2. Officer Luke Schrader, Police Liaison, VCU
3. Ms. Verenda Cobbs, VCU
4. Ms. Stephanie Lynch, 5th District Councilperson
5. Ms. Colette McEachin, Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney (Nathan Hittle)

Updates:

1. Amphitheater planned for Tredegar Green.
· It is slated to seat 5,000 people and accommodate and additional 2,500 standing, as per our meeting with the developer’s representative. No additional parking is planned.
· When the previous amphitheater plan was proposed, the neighborhood raised questions about hours of operation, noise levels, and parking, none of which were ever answered.
· A meeting was held for Oregon Hill neighbors by the project representatives on Tuesday 13 June at 6pm.
· Preston Lloyd was invited to this meeting, but not confirmed.
· At the end of the meeting, we will have a 30-minute block for discussion of the Amphitheater project.

2. The SUP application has been filed with the City of Richmond for the new building on the site of the demolished of 708 China Street, was passed on the consent agenda at the 11 September Council meeting.
· Two neighbors spoke in opposition; no Council member acknowledged the opposition.

3. An SUP application has been filed with the City of Richmond for 601 ½ South Pine Street.
· The applicant is proposing to divide the parcel and to construct a new, two-story, two-family detached dwelling which will face China Street.
· The applicant had a first meeting with the zoning committee. A presentation and recommendation will be brought to an upcoming OHNA meeting. The item is not yet scheduled for the Planning Commission.

Continued Business

4. Speeding / traffic issues on Idlewood.
· A letter was sent on 25 April 2023 to Councilmember Lynch (as the resolution passed at the 24 April 2023 OHNA meeting) asking for a variety of speed control measures on Idlewood, including speed tables.
· Ask Councilmember Lynch for an update.

5. A volunteer has agreed to head up a committee looking into locations for a dedicated dog park in Oregon Hill and addressing the various city requirements for such an undertaking.
· Any other volunteers?

New Business

6. Fall Festival
· The festival will be on 21 October, 11am to 3pm, at Open High.
· There will be food trucks, print making, activities for kids, a costume contest, etc.
· There will be a sunset movie screening to be held in the evening in Pleasant’s Park.

7. We would like a motion to make donation to All the Saints for $200 to help support the Halloween parade through the neighborhood.

8. Looking for infrastructure walk volunteers.

9. Noise issues from Brown’s Island / neighborhood parties on Saturday night September 16
· It was a very loud night in the neighborhood.
· As a result of Council changing the infraction from a criminal one to a civil one, and the RPD ticket tablets do not contain a category for this, no tickets for noise ordinance violations are being issued. How will this be addressed going forward?

10. Holly Street Playground cleanup
· We will poll attendees of the meeting for potential dates.
· Open High School has offered volunteer time with students needing volunteer hours (to be undertaken during school hours– the playground might be a good opportunity.

11. Any new items?

Amphitheater Discussion
12. Amphitheater discussion. Ideas that have been suggested by neighbors and raised during our June meeting include:
· Regular meeting with neighborhoods and owner/operator to discuss ongoing issues and developments.
· Dedicated number to contact during events in the event of noise issues.
· Five drop-off lanes for Uber *
· Use East entrance *
· Add a bus / shuttle stop for the amphitheater at the East entrance.
· Formal, signed MOUs with parking decks in area for use during events.*
· Events cut off at 10:00pm as does Brown’s Island (6-9:30pm).
· No fireworks, or low-noise fireworks , or drone displays.
· The amphitheater operations could fund, through on-going donations to an Oregon Hill park fund
· The City should fund parking study during first season of events to verify parking performance (collect license plate number, verify where they come from) data collection.
· Ask amphitheater operations to provide tickets to raffle off for neighbors to attend events.
· Reorient the stage to the west, point stage uphill towards Ethyl building.
· Revisit noise ordinance, increase fine for large commercial venues.
· Add trash cans in neighborhood to head off additional litter after events; there are no public trash cans left in the neighborhood.
· Added bus stop / Pulse stop on Belvidere
· Could we request moving along new LED street lights or maybe they’d be interested in helping move the Belvidere mural idea along
· Restrooms – what is plan for public restrooms not just at facility, but around it.
· What is security plan for concert nights?
· Fines for noise ordinance
o In the present form of the noise ordinance fines start at $100.
o Are fines the only consequence of the noise ordinance?
o Is it true that because the Council changed the infraction from a criminal one to a civil one, and the RPD ticket tablets do not contain a category for this, no tickets for noise ordinance violations are being issued?
· Items marked with an asterisk (*) have already been raised by Councilmember Lynch with the project proponents.

Bryan Clark Green, President
Harrison Moenich, Co-Vice-President
Jennifer Hancock, Co-Vice-President
Mike Matthews, Secretary
John Bolecek, Treasurer