Email sent last night to Mayor, City Council representative, planners, neighborhood association….
Mayor Avula,
I have to tell you, I have to let you know- this Code Refresh process is so horrible. I strongly object to the rezoning proposed for the Oregon Hill Historic District which would greatly damage the affordable housing and historic fabric of the neighborhood. But I am also mindful of other neighborhoods in this City that have no clue as to how this runaway train will hit them in the future.
Years ago, I went to Richmond300 meeting and pleaded for my neighborhood in person. Richmond300 was passed despite my neighborhood’s protest and a promised amendment. I have emailed comments repeatedly and told they don’t count. I went to a Westover Hills Code Refresh meeting at some pizzeria and added the little post-it notes in person, but I am told they do not really count. I went online to put some notes on the digital map, but it was not easy at all. I have worked in corporate IT and I found this website cumbersome, confusing, and distressing. I can’t imagine my more elderly and impaired neighbors even attempting to take part in this. Even the Sept. 28 ‘deadline’ is not clear to anyone. This is so stacked against us.
And believe me, Richmond residents are seeing how other parts of the City, the wealthier neighborhoods, are not being threatened or impacted by ‘Code Refresh’. The economic discrimination is OBVIOUS and NAUSEATING.
Despite the discouragement, I am emailing you, planners, and other people these recommendations, and I again ask that these be counted, considered, but also documented and made part of official records.
• All properties within the Oregon Hill Historic District that are currently zoned R-7 must be zoned RA-A.
• Maximum Lot Coverage in RA-A: The maximum lot-coverage ratio in the RA-A district shall be reduced to fifty-five percent (55%), matching the existing standard under R-7 zoning.
• The Oregon Hill Historic District, including the Jacob House boundary, shall be excluded in its entirety from the VCU circle of influence map. I REPEAT: • The Oregon Hill Historic District south of West Cary Street must be removed from the “VCU Node” circle, consistent with the Richmond 300 Master Plan.
• Parsons House Condominiums (Parsons Street Parcel): The zoning classification for the Parsons House condominium property shall be revised from RX-4 to RA-A.
• Field to the west of St. Andrew’s School: The zoning classification for the open field parcel north of the school shall be revised from RX-6 to RA-A.
• Cary Street Corridor: The zoning classification for properties fronting Cary Street shall be revised from MX-6 and RX-4 to MX-3.
• Residences North of the Alley Near Cary Street: The zoning classification for the existing R-7 residential lots north of the alley between Cary Street and Green Alley shall be revised from MX-6 and RX-6 to RA-A.
• Citywide duplex: Duplexes should be permitted citywide, as they are in RA-A.
• Cultural Heritage Stewardship Plan: While not a function of the map, the Planning Commission should adopt and implement without delay the draft Cultural Heritage Stewardship Plan
• All of the properties on the 100 block of South Pine, 100 block of South Laurel and 100 block of South Cherry Street, including 104, 106 and 106-1/2 S. Pine Street; 103, 105 and 109 S.
Laurel Street; and 117, 119, 121 and 123 S. Cherry Street must be zoned RA-A.
• All properties that are currently zoned B-3 within the Oregon Hill Historic District must be zoned MX-3, and MX-3 must be revised to have a 35 foot maximum height limit. These
properties include all of the 600, 700 and 800 blocks of West Cary Street which must be zoned MX-3.
• The RA-A zoning proposed for much of the Oregon Hill Historic District must not allow business use “by right”. Retail, dining uses and alcohol sales must NOT be allowed “by right” in RA-A zoning.
• The the maximum lot coverage must be no greater than 55% in the RA-A zoning, and the maximum height limit must be 35 feet.
• The two-story Parsons Row condominiums at 605 Spring Street must be zoned RA-A.
• The St. Andrews athletic field at 316 Linden Street must be zoned RA-A.
• MX-3 must be revised to have a 35 foot maximum height limit. All properties that are currently zoned B-1 within the Oregon Hill Historic District must be zoned with MX-3 with a maximum height limit no greater than 35 feet, consistent with the adjacent RA-A properties.
• Any rezoning must recognize the importance of, and encourage the use of, the Special Use Permit process which has served the neighborhood well.
• The affordable workforce housing in Oregon Hill must not be displaced by zoning that allows greater density.I am sharing previous news posts in regard to Richmond300 and Code Refresh, with the hope that these will also be considered and documented.
https://www.oregonhill.net/2025/09/25/ohna-deadline-to-comment-on-re-zoning-code-refresh-is-sept-28/
I particularly point to this link directly underneath this sentence, as it gives a small glimpse of the huge corruption and subterfuge we have faced. The amount of time and energy that we have invested in battling VCU, City, developers in order to keep our historic community intact deserves more appreciation and recognition.
https://www.oregonhill.net/2025/09/25/some-historical-perspective-on-the-current-zoning/REFORM! REFORM! REFORM!:
https://www.oregonhill.net/2025/09/07/newspaper-coverage-and-ltes-bring-strong-calls-for-government-reform/https://www.oregonhill.net/2025/07/04/max-lot-coverage-in-new-ra-a-zoning-threatens-neighborhood/
https://www.oregonhill.net/2025/03/16/is-oregon-hill-under-attack/
https://www.oregonhill.net/2025/01/28/review-of-planning-review/
https://www.oregonhill.net/2024/10/25/community-hospital-saved/
https://www.oregonhill.net/2024/08/13/richmond300-code-refresh-meetings-this-week/
https://www.oregonhill.net/2024/02/28/editorial-save-community-hospital/
https://www.oregonhill.net/2023/03/29/neighborhood-association-opposes-demolition/
https://www.oregonhill.net/2023/03/09/top-down-planning-changes-threaten-neighborhood/
https://www.oregonhill.net/2022/12/12/meeting-on-city-initiated-zoning-changes-tomorrow-evening/
https://www.oregonhill.net/2022/08/11/please-send-an-email-letter-for-oregon-hill/
https://www.oregonhill.net/2022/06/28/victory-city-council-passes-amendment-resolution-unanimously/
https://www.oregonhill.net/2022/06/24/richmond300-amendment-for-oregon-hill-at-city-council/
https://www.oregonhill.net/2020/12/16/the-wayne-commission/
https://www.styleweekly.com/opinion-let-us-succeed/
https://www.oregonhill.net/2020/11/15/land-use-committee-meets-tuesday/
https://richmondfreepress.com/news/2020/nov/05/oregon-hill-neighborhood-open-speculation-destruct/
https://www.oregonhill.net/2020/10/05/planning-director-punked/
https://www.oregonhill.net/2020/09/30/mayor-wants-to-take-away-parkland-for-affordable-housing/
https://www.oregonhill.net/2020/09/26/olingers-storefront-canard/
https://www.styleweekly.com/guest-commentary-runaway-train/
https://www.oregonhill.net/2020/07/17/city-planners-scheme-a-last-minute-end-run-around-citizens/
https://www.oregonhill.net/2020/06/05/richmond-300-plan-would-irreparably-damage-oregon-hill/
https://www.oregonhill.net/2019/11/15/presentation-to-richmond-300/
https://www.oregonhill.net/2019/10/29/richmond-300-continues-to-ignore-city-residents/
https://www.oregonhill.net/2019/10/16/ohna-letter-to-city-council-and-richmond300-committee/
https://www.oregonhill.net/2018/11/12/single-family-to-be-removed/
https://www.oregonhill.net/2018/10/15/ohna-letter-to-richmond300-planners/
https://www.oregonhill.net/2018/05/14/demolition-of-historic-buildings-on-w-cary/
https://www.oregonhill.net/2018/03/16/public-demonstration-planned-for-sunday-afternoon/
https://www.oregonhill.net/2020/09/17/revisiting-a-history-of-assessments-on-small-house/
https://www.oregonhill.net/2012/05/02/ohna-letter-for-349-s-laurel/
https://www.oregonhill.net/2010/10/09/two-years-later-still-waiting-for-positive-step-by-vcu/
https://www.oregonhill.net/2009/11/29/editorial-filling-in-the-gaps-in-historic-urban-neighborhoods/
https://www.oregonhill.net/2008/09/10/belvidere-plans/
https://www.oregonhill.net/2008/09/10/1990-park-plans/
https://www.oregonhill.net/2008/09/06/what-might-have-been-or-what-could-be/
https://www.oregonhill.net/2008/07/19/rezoning-meetinggreen-drinks-at-built-gallery/
https://www.oregonhill.net/2008/06/25/re-zoning-and-the-disappointing-marty-jewell/
https://www.oregonhill.net/2008/04/30/last-house-on-100-block-of-s-belvidere-demolished/
…. I could also bring up the sordid history of the developer Salomonsky, City government, FBI, and Oregon Hill residents, but let’s truncate there for now.
The stink is already apparent and overwhelming.
In the end, I am not surprised by this disaster. It’s not about “racial justice”, density, or affordable housing. Pretenses of ‘working with the community’ are laughable. It’s glaring to any citizen paying attention that this whole thing, Richmond300/Code Refresh, is a scam, a plot designed to prey on longterm residents for the benefit of unscrupulous developers. When you combine this con job with other factors, including rising utility rates and the RRHA debacle, it has become very clear that the City of Richmond is at war with its less wealthy residents, wanting to eradicate and replace us.I completely agree with neighbors and other City residents that the “Code Refresh” initiative needs to be scrapped and Rodney Poole and director Vonck replaced with competent people, determined to do what’s best for our community, and not just developers.
Sincerely,
Scott Burger
Three quick addendums:
As I mentioned, the wealthier areas of Richmond are unscathed by the rezoning and are shown (appropriately) in white (without color) in the proposed zoning map.
And speaking of Salomonsky, remember that Rodney Poole even appointed Salomonsky’s business partner, Brian White, to the Zoning Advisory Council.
Lastly, notice that on the proposed zoning map that planners are proposing 90′ tall buildings on Dominion’s property on Tredegar Street and the Venture Richmond (really DPW’s) canal property. In other words, the public can say goodbye to the public views of the historic riverfront, according to this proposed zoning map.