From letter, sent this afternoon:
Dear Richmond City Council members, Richmond Planning Department staff, and the Zoning Advisory Council,
Thank you for the opportunity for the Oregon Hill Home Improvement Council (OHHIC) to comment on the proposed city rezoning of the Oregon Hill Historic District. Please find the attached 13 page detailed comment in response to the “Code Refresh” proposals.
As detailed in the attached 13 page comment, we strongly object to the shockingly inappropriate zoning proposals in the Code Refresh draft that would allow 90’, 75’ and 55’ tall buildings “By Right” for blocks of the two-story Oregon Hill Historic District. We strongly object to the Code Refresh proposals to allow “By Right” business use, including “By Right” alcohol sales (on or off premises), in any house in Oregon Hill and to allow a maximum lot coverage of 80% wth no required back yards. We strongly object to including a portion of Oregon Hill under the VCU Node, even after we successfully stopped the VCU encroachment into Oregon Hill in 1990.
We are very concerned that these and other outrageous rezoning proposals threaten to undo all of the progress that OHHIC has made in the last 30 years in combining the twin goals of providing affordable work-force housing while preserving the historic homes of Oregon Hill.
The “Code-Refresh” proposals are so lacking in respect for the Oregon Hill Historic District that we urge our elected City Council members to name a new Zoning Advisory Council or Zoning Advisory Board to advise City Council on equitable rezoning for our city. There is little representation from the preservation community, environmental advocates or neighborhood leadership on the current Zoning Advisory Council, which was appointed by the unelected chair of the Planning Commission.
Please respect the input from OHHIC, which has successfully worked for over 30 years to improve the affordable housing and historic resources of the Oregon Hill Historic District. We are undergoing a renaissance of young families with children moving to the relatively affordable homes of neighborhood. Please do not undermine our successful efforts with ill-advised, and inappropriate zoning. Please make the zoning changes recommended for Oregon Hill Historic District as detailed in OHHIC’s attached 13 page document.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Charles Pool
For the Board of the Oregon Hill Home Improvement Council