…a reminder that the Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association is holding its Annual Block Party in conjunction with Open High’s Fall Festival this Saturday!
From announcement:
Thanks so much to our friends at Pine St. Baptist for supplying popcorn and snow cones! Later in the evening they will also be screening our annual Block Party sunset movie! This year is CASPER, and they’ll be providing hot dogs, sides, and drinks! Free!!
Other than some illegal parking, this past Saturday’s Richmond Folk Festival passed without incident. Thousands of people were able to enjoy music from all over the world just down the Hill.
Now, neighborhood residents and Open High are looking forward to this Saturday. The Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association has combined its neighborhood’s fall celebration with Open High’s Annual Fall Festival (Reminder that the proceeds of this years event will be going toward scholarships for @openhighrva students to study abroad!)
Among vendors and games, t-shirts will be for sale.
And many residents are looking forward to taking part in the raffle…
Folks who attended the OHNA meeting Zoom call got to hear about planning for this year’s Oregon Hill Fall Festival, scheduled for October 21.
Paraphrasing…
The Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association (OHNA) is cosponsoring the festival with Open High this year, so it will be on China St. There will still be a movie in the evening over in Pleasants Park (vs the parking lot) with Pine St Baptist.
There will be a few raffles going on.
Money raised will go towards Open High scholarships for students for international educational trips.
There are 3 costume contests at the festival: kids, YA, and adult. There is also a best decorated Halloween house contest. Judging for the house contest takes place before the festival and the winner is announced at the festival. Costume contests are judged at the Festival and winners announced shortly after the judging.
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 ReportCommunity 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
Blue Ridge PRISM Inc is sponsoring a 2-hour online workshop this Tuesday for identifying invasive plants.
Plants take on different appearances throughout the year. Our October 24 online workshop will provide an introduction to invasive plants and will help you to confidently identify them in the fall and winter.
Cost: $10
Workshop will take place via Zoom.
This virtual session will be recorded. Those who register will receive access to the recording.
Register here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/721810784487
The Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association (OHNA) will be holding an online meeting on Zoom tomorrow night, August 23, at 7 pm.
(Editor’s note: if you need the Zoom meeting log-in information, please contact OHNA at ohnarva@gmail.com
From meeting announcement:
Welcome
• Treasurer’s ReportCommunity 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. An SUP application has been filed with the City of Richmond for the demolition of 708 China Street, and its replacement with a new building.
· The item has been continued once again and is now scheduled for the Monday City Council meeting 11 September 2023. It is on the consent agenda.
· 708 China Street was demolished last week.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.
a. Any other volunteers?New Business
6. Noise issues from Brown’s Island / neighborhood parties on Saturday night August 19
· The concert on Brown’s Island went much later than usual, until 11pm
· It was a very loud night in the neighborhood
· 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?
7. 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.8. Any new items?
Amphitheater Discussion
9. 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.
ADDBryan Clark Green, President
Harrison Moenich, Co-Vice-President
Jennifer Hancock, Co-Vice-President
Mike Matthews, Secretary
John Bolecek, Treasurer
From announcement:
Truly can’t believe it’s been a year on Pine Street. To celebrate the milestone I wanted to throw our largest market yet. I made sure to invite vendors that have contributed to the store in some way over the past year or years since we began business in 2016.
The event will take place Saturday August 12 from 11am-7pm in the parking lot directly next to our store.
10+ vintage sellers & makers
Smashed RVA will be serving burgers, Intergalactic Tacos will be serving tacos. and there’s talk of a special menu item collaboration between the two of them.
Fan Ran and Profound79 of Gritty City Records will be set up DJ’ing to set the vibe.