OHNA President Responds To July 3 Gunfire Incident

Posted on July 6, 2020 by Scott

From Todd Woodson, President of the Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association (Editor’s note: address and some names redacted for security reasons):

Dear Friends

I know there is a lot of very serious concern regarding this situation. Here is official response so far:

The owner of record for (redacted street number) Albemarle St is (redacted) of Arlington,Va. He bought the property in 2018. (redacted) is the property manager. Apparently a new tenant, after having the party Friday with gunfire breaking out, had another party Saturday night.

I spoke to property manager yesterday and at that time, she was taking no responsibility even though she has been renting this house by the room, which constitutes an illegal boarding house. I filed a 311 complaint yesterday with zoning enforcement and left a message with the Zoning director today. Our neighbors in Randolph have gone through this and all the associated problems and got it shut down. Property manager’s ad proved she was renting by the room.

Although we are all extremely disappointed with the initial police response at the crime scene, I have spoken with 4th precinct Captain Minton and the issue is now being investigated by the RPD Major Crimes Detail. At such a point as we can draw conclusions, we will meet with police and find out how to get better police response in the future.

Our councilperson has spoken with Ms as well.

We are blessed that no one was hurt. I ask that you be vigilant on this house and other problem party houses. Please call 911 if you suspect a problem party, especially after the 11pm noise ordinance.

This situation really underscores the need for Oregon Hill to be designated as Medium Density- residential, which coincides with our predominant R7 zoning. The Richmond 300 plan lists us as Mixed Use which would allow buildings over 4 stories on each corner. Imagine developers demolishing houses and putting up an 805 Cary style apartment complex on each block. It is a disaster and Councilperson Lynch must be prepared to stand up for us and vote against it if not modified.

Stay Well!

Todd.

“a bit of good news”

Posted on June 30, 2020 by Scott

From Cherry Street neighbor and Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association President Todd Woodson:

Dear Friends

Heres a bit of good news i’d like to share. OHNA is a successful applicant for the Love Your Block mini grant program for $259.50. The premise of our application was to buy seeds for plants that are beneficial to pollinators, butterflies and birds. With seeds purchased with the grants, we would also like to make a special presentation to neighbors and others on proper planting and maintenance techniques, all aimed at beautifying Oregon Hill and helping our important pollinators.

As this will buy a substantial amount of quality diverse seed, I would like to cordially invite our friends at Open High and St Andrews School to participate. I know you have the resources you need to educate students on this but id love to offer you seeds and any other assistance you may need. If there is surplus seeds, we can branch out to other neighborhoods.

I’d also like to include in the information sessions details and alternatives to commercial herbicides.

Have a great day!

Todd.

OHNA Update

Posted on June 22, 2020 by Scott

From Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association president Todd Woodson:

Dear Friends and Neighbors

Hope all is well with each of you. We will NOT meet this month. I have asked many of you and most agree that one more month off is a good idea, especially for those caring for children or a parent.

Open High will hold their graduation on June 26th down at the Overlook from 10-2. it will be a drive through and there will be some no parking signs in the area so stay clear if you can. Great news that Clary Carleton has been named permanent principal of Open, and we look forward to working closely with her to make a more productive community/school relationship.

We were given a 200 dollar beautification grant from the City so please let me know any suggestions you may have. Thank you Amy and of course Councilperson Stephanie Lynch!

Also, many thanks to Stephanie Lynch for standing up for us against the Richmond 300 plan, which, as written, would be disastrous for our historic neighborhood. We have made three requests of changes we must see in that document. All have been voted on at our meetings in the past. First, we must be, according to parameters included, Medium Density Residential. This would coincide with the current appropriate R7 zoning designation. The mixed use they want would allow 4 stories on our streets and unlimited height on all corners and major roads. Imagine a 10 story student apartment building at Laurel and China and you get the picture. In addition, the Richmond 300 plan places our historic neighborhood in the VCU “node”, inviting them to come develop inside Oregon Hill boundaries. We’ve asked that this be removed and it be noted that VCU is to respect our boundary. Lastly, we asked that Monroe Park be noted as a City property. Currently, it is within the VCU node as well. Randolph, Maymont and the Fan have all been targeted by this awful Richmond 300 plan. Thank Steph and Amy if you see them. They are all that stands between our historic neighborhood and VCU and developers.

Councilperson Lynch is also working to change the name of the Lee Bridge.

As the dry days of Summer approach, please remember our new trees! Fill a gatorbag (attached to trees) so water can drip into the soil at the best rate. The trees will love you for it!

Finally, the movie Just Mercy (2019) is available to see Free of Charge on youtube, Google play and Amazon for this month only. A story on the fight for justice in Alabama. Watch the trailer here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVQbeG5yW78

Please take care of yourselves and your neighbors and we look forward to seeing you soon.

Todd.

Dr. Weldon-Lassiter From St. Andrew’s School Among Richmond Magazine’s ‘Bold Women of Richmond 2020’

Posted on June 8, 2020 by Scott

Earlier this week, Richmond Magazine published an article about local women who support other Richmond women and address community needs — building a better Richmond in the process. Sponsored with the help of other local businesswomen, the’Bold Women of Richmond’ article will be used to help financially support the 2020 Women’s Build project, overseen by Richmond Metropolitan Habitat for Humanity’s own team of bold women.

One of the recognized women is St Andrews School’s head, Dr. Cyndy Weldon-Lassiter. St. Andrew’s School, which is celebrating its 125th anniversary this year, was started by Grace Arents in 1894 with the purpose of offering space to working-class families.

“We have created a whole-child approach, which includes several key areas of our programming that meet the needs of a child,” says Dr. Weldon-Lassiter, who has been with the school since 2010. “We’re not just thinking about the academic piece, we’re thinking about the social and emotional piece, we think about nutrition and wellness, we think about the performing and visual arts and how that impacts student academics.”

The piece on Dr. Weldon-Lassiter also mentions the COVID-19 pandemic –

“It was tough,” she admits. “We have an extended year and extended day program on purpose, to decrease the likelihood that students are out of school for an extended period of time.” Luckily, she and her staff have been able to move resources online for their students pretty quickly, and she is encouraged by the results.

Wickham Statue Pulled Down In Monroe Park

Posted on June 7, 2020 by Scott

Last night protesters using ropes pulled down a statue honoring Confederate Gen. Williams Carter Wickham, which has stood in Monroe Park since 1891.

Here is a postcard of the statue, produced in 1895.

Richmond 300 Plan Would Irreparably Damage Oregon Hill

Posted on June 5, 2020 by Scott

From letter:

Dear Councilperson Lynch

As you are aware, Oregon Hill is listed on both the Virginia and the National Registers of Historic Places. Our Oregon Hill Home Improvement Council has donated more individual Historic Easements to the Virginia Department of Historic Resources than any Virginia locality with the exception of Waterford in Loudon County. Through our neighbor’s blood and sweat and extensive financial commitment over the last few decades, Oregon Hill’s tax base for the City of Richmond has grown exponentially. Through teamwork, the neighborhood has matured into one of Richmond’s most socially progressive areas while keeping the crime rate at exemplary low levels. Our historic legacy and intact and cohesive street scape are worthy of preservation and protection.

It is with extreme disappointment that we read the final draft of the Richmond 300 planning document. Despite providing many comments on its content and even slideshows for its steering committee, the outcome of the plan as presented totally ignored our input and consequently would do severe and irreparable damage to our neighborhood should it be endorsed by City Council.

Our R7 zoning designation is an exceptionally good fit for this historic neighborhood with its 35 foot height limit. The Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association voted to accept nothing less than a MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL designation for the plan. This would conform with the current R7 zoning and help preserve our historic neighborhood. Instead, the Richmond 300 plan has Oregon Hill listed as NEIGHBORHOOD MIXED USE. The description of NEIGHBORHOOD MIXED USE for this document states “Building heights are generally two to four stories. Buildings taller than four stories are found at corner sites and along prominent roads.” This is unacceptable and incentivizes the demolition by developers of historic resources to overbuild within our neighborhood. Planning staff would most likely determine that buildings of eight or more stories are consistent with their Richmond 300 plan. Again, we are a MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL neighborhood and need to be designated as such to compliment our appropriate R7 zoning and preserve our historic context.

Another EXTREMELY SERIOUS concern we have with the current draft of the Richmond 300 plan is that the VCU “node” is shown to include a large swath of the Oregon Hill Historic District. This must be corrected. The commentary on the VCU/Monroe Park “node” should indicate that VCU must respect the boundaries of the Oregon Hill Historic District and not encroach further into the neighborhood. The plan must also indicate that Monroe Park is the City’s oldest municipal park and NOT VCU property.

We appreciate your leadership Councilperson Lynch and respectfully request that you take a strong stand against these egregious flaws in the Richmond 300 Planning Document.

Sincerely,

Charles Todd Woodson, president
Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association, inc.

St. Andrew’s Bell Toll For National Day of Mourning

Posted on June 1, 2020 by Scott

From announcment:

St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church is joining with faith communities around the nation in marking a National Day of Mourning. We mourn the lives lost in this pandemic. We mourn the livelihoods and economic security that has been lost in the pandemic. We mourn the countless lives lost to systemic racism. We mourn the pain and fear that our siblings of color experience on a daily basis. We mourn that we have not made enough progress in creating a world of justice for all.
At 3:00 p.m. this afternoon, the bell at St. Andrew’s will toll for ten minutes to express our grief. Wherever you are, I invite you to pause as you are able, either at 3:00 or at another point in the day, as we acknowledge our collective grief.

Protest Starting In Monroe Park

Posted on June 1, 2020 by Scott

Neighbors are hoping this will be like the protest march we saw at Brown’s Island yesterday, but they are bracing for worse outcomes:

One concern in the background is the pandemic spreading.

8 pm Curfew

Posted on May 31, 2020 by Scott

As reported from VPM News:

After a second night of protesting the death of George Floyd in Richmond, Gov. Ralph Northam authorized an 8 p.m. curfew Sunday in the city. The Virginia National Guard is also on alert and will step in if the city needs assistance.

Overnight Saturday, hundreds of people marched near the Capitol and on Broad Street. Police officers were seen in riot gear, dispersing the crowd with what appeared to be pepper spray. After midnight, the Daughters of the Confederacy headquarters on Arthur Ashe Boulevard was set on fire. The building was tagged with graffiti, along with Confederate statues on nearby Monument Avenue.

“I hear you. I know your pain is real. We have all seen too many people harassed, abused, and killed by law enforcement officers, in too many places, for too long—just for being black. I also know that others are exploiting this pain and are now causing violence,” Northam said in his first a statement on the demonstrations over the weekend. He released a statement Friday about the deaths of Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery.

The curfew lasts from 8 p.m. Sunday through 6 a.m. Monday. City officials say it applies to public spaces. People may only be out in public to go back and forth from work, seek medical attention or assistance from first responders.

Brown’s Island Protest Today