Category Archives: editorial

RCV Prize for a Richmond University SGA Increases

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With students coming back to Richmond universities, and with student government associations meeting again, it is worth noting that no Richmond university student government association (SGA) has claimed the previously announced $1,000 prize.

Just to refresh memories, in 2022, I, Scott Burger, pledged to reward whichever Richmond university student government is the first among Richmond university student governments to conduct a campus wide election of student government officers using ranked choice voting and incorporate ranked choice voting into its constitution/bylaws with a $1,000 prize.
(Please refer to the notes on the original post-
https://www.oregonhill.net/2022/11/16/1000-rcv-prize-for-a-richmond-university/)

In the last three years, this city, state, and country has seen some remarkably close elections, a few vote recounts, and much concern about voting and elections in general. Sadly, despite RCV progress elsewhere, and so much overall local change in general, Richmond politics is still languishing on its hotbed of apathy. It does not help that local media, including the college newspapers and media, have ignored this contest altogether, refusing to even mention it.

Some have suggested that I should just endow money directly to a university administration or department (as if I trust them to spend the money well!) or, completely ignoring the simple, grassroots approach to this promotion of RCV, should use the money instead to fund research or ‘a study’. As if there has not already been enough studies! Over 100 colleges and universities in the United States use ranked-choice voting (RCV) for student government elections. RCV is used at George Mason University, James Madison University, University of Virginia, and Washington and Lee.

I will state again that while I don’t think money should equal speech (I support www.MoveToAmend.org), for this contest, I am willing to make an exception.

I thought about doubling the prize amount, but between Trump’s tariffs and job threats from AI threatening the economy, I am not going to do that. I have decided to split the difference. I will increase my prize pool by $500. So, among the eligible Richmond university student governments, University of Richmond SGA, Virginia Commonwealth University SGA, or Virginia Union University SGA, the first SGA who satisfies the contest to my satisfaction will get $1,000. And now, the second one to do so will get $500. If there is not a second one within a year, the first winner will be rewarded the $500 in addition to the $1,000. Again, pay attention to the original caveats.

Remember, this city, state, and country need young people to lead. With emboldened fascism growing, we need to keep pushing for true democratic reforms that empower voters.

City’s Response On Belle Island Parking Lot Is Lacking

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Another followup editorial…
Once the media inquiries started to come in, the City (Parks & Rec?) finally responded with a blanket statement:

For public safety and crowd control, on Amphitheatre concert days the Richmond Police Department closes Brown’s Island Way at S. 2nd Street and Tredegar Street and closes Tredegar Street between 5th and Brown’s Island Way, to vehicular traffic. This closure with the addition of closing the Tredegar Street parking lot helps ensure effective traffic and crowd management by providing organized staging zones, designated parking for staff and volunteers, and safe pedestrian access.

The City has entered into a paid, month-to-month trial lease agreement with Allianz Amphitheater/ Live Nation, granting use of the 60 parking spaces in the Belle Isle parking lot on select specific days and times to support event operations. This parking lot closure is a similar model used for RiverRock and Folk festival. The Tredegar Street Belle Isle parking lot is partially owned by the City of Richmond and Venture Richmond. Venture Richmond has also approved the use of their section of the parking lot for this endeavor.

Remaining dates that the Belle Isle parking lot will be offline for the month of July are:
Tuesday, July 15 (8:00 AM – 12:00 AM)
Wednesday, July 16 (8:00 AM – 12:00 AM)
Thursday, July 17 (8:00 AM – 12:00 AM)
Saturday, July 19 (1:00 PM – 12:00 AM)
Thursday, July 24 (1:00 PM – 12:00 AM)
Saturday, July 26 (1:00 PM – 12:00 AM)

Many of Richmond’s reporters did their usual copying and pasting of this press statement, and sadly, as expected, some added, in a very ‘Trumpian’ fashion, their own complaints about ‘complainers’ who challenged this ‘big, beautiful’ new amphitheater and the might of Venture Richmond. ‘How dare citizens speak up!’ was the chastising tone.

A couple of problems with this-

First of all, closing the Belle Isle Parking lot is contrary to the Venture Richmond lease agreement.

Secondly, they are closing the parking lot for entire days, and also from 12 noon other days, for employee parking, so this has little to do with security during events.

Brown’s Island Way is kept open most of the day. The Dominion Energy headquarters is at the end of Tredegar St. and these employees, of course, need access through Brown’s Island Way. This lot is not being closed for security, but to provide parking for amphitheater employees. (Or is there more to it? Neighbors who attended last night’s concert said that lot attendants told them that they are selling the lot as “VIP parking”, at least for last night’s show.)

Thirdly, the Allianz amphitheater is being given over $30 million in City subsidies and is a for-profit enterprise. They can well afford to rent another lot for their employees without depriving public use of the Belle Isle parking lot.

This parking lot closure is not similar to RiverRock and the Folk Festival, which are free non-profit events organized by Venture Richmond. Venture Richmond’s lease specifically allows them to close the Belle Isle parking lot for limited events, like the Folk Festival, that are organized by Venture Richmond. The Allianz amphitheater, by contrast is a private for-profit venue which is charging handsome prices for admittance and food. The Allianz events are not organized by Venture Richmond.

One point that may have been overlooked in all of this is that this lot is incredibly important for disabled access to Belle Isle. Southside access to the park is not the same.
Again, taking the only parking lot for Richmond’s most popular park for private functions is outrageous!

Lastly, if the lot is owned by the City of Richmond and Venture Richmond then is it a public parking lot or not? Upon further investigation, the land is owned by the City’s Department of Public Works. PUBLIC!

This is not the first time that the neighbors have fought to keep the Belle Isle parking lot open to the public for visiting the park.
In March 2021 a sign went up on the Belle Isle parking lot closing it to the public.

Oregon Hill residents immediately protested and pointed out that this was contrary to the Venture Richmond lease, and the lot was re-opened to the public the next day.
Now, once again, Venture Richmond is trying to close the only parking lot for Belle Isle for private functions.

It would be nice if local reporters could get off their duffs and not just reiterate whatever the local PTB (“Powers That Be”) feed them.
People complain about ‘complainers’, but there is more at stake than people think.

Fascism, Richmond-Style

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Still no real coverage from the local corporate media, so another pointed editorial..,

Remember when “Brown’s Island Way” or whatever it is called was built, citizens were told it was for public access to the riverfront? Well now it is being closed down with barriers for a private amphitheater concert.

This is in addition to the Belle Island parking lot, owned by Richmond’s Department of Public Works, but managed by James River Park, being closed, except for use by the Allianz Amphitheater employees or their contractors or whatever.

Interestingly enough, the only ‘official’ statement on this was made by Venture Richmond and shared yesterday in a social media post by the James River Park.
It read:

IMPORTANT INFO -PLEASE READ
The Tredegar/Belle Isle parking lot, Tredegar Street, Brown’s Island Way, and S. 5th Street will all be closed from the morning of July 15 to midnight on July 17 for load in, load out, and general security of and for the Dave Matthews concert.

This post was later taken down in haste.

Again, it is important to recognize that closing the Belle Isle parking lot for private amphitheater use is in violation of Venture Richmond’s lease agreement, which requires the parking to be open for public use. In addition, there is nothing in the $30+ million tax rebate from the City about the amphitheater having the authority to take over the Belle Isle parking lot.

Taking the only parking lot for Richmond’s most popular park for private functions is outrageous!

Supposedly this is temporary, but it calls everything into question.

And, no, it is not nearly as egregious or horrible as ICE overreach, the gutting of federal agencies, or the use of armed forces against civilians, but make no mistake about it, when government colludes with corporate powers (and vice versa) to STEAL from the public and prevent public access, it is another form of fascism.

Here in Richmond, VA, we dress this local fascism in public/private partnerships like Venture Richmond, concealed by big institutions like VCU (that are increasingly under corporate influence), make excuses about commerce and tax flows, all the while hiding behind a mostly silent and bought City Council. Sadly, citizens who have been here a while are all too familiar with it. Our increasingly strained environment bears it the best it can.

Many just look the other way and cheer when Venture Richmond makes an entertainment announcement for the next ‘public’ festival. Don’t expect it be among the polite chatter for the ultra-wealthy attending their private ‘DMB’ bro fest this evening or next. Beer prices are more likely the topic of conversation.

Hopefully we will eventually see someone else write/say something about this small parking lot matter, but don’t forget this moment. And please don’t forget it the next time that Richmond PTB (Powers That Be) decide to limit or take away real public ownership of the riverfront, our neighborhoods, information, or anything else.

We have stepped over the line from dealing with an increasingly corporate society and government to living in fascist times.

Amphitheater Closing Belle Island Parking Lot

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Editor’s Note: Closing the Belle Isle parking lot for private amphitheater use is in violation of Venture Richmond’s lease agreement, which requires the parking to be open for public use.

OUR PUBLIC PARKS ARE NOT LIVENATION’s PARKING LOTS!

Once again, we see the City leadership/’business community’, Powers That Be (PTB), whatever you want to call them, putting corporate priorities over public ones.
Someone needs to SLAP THEM HARD IN THE FACE, otherwise, they will keep coming back, trying to TAKE from the public. (Like they are doing with their Richmond300 rezoning).

Max Lot Coverage In New RA-A Zoning Threatens Neighborhood

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Although many people love small things about Richmond, Richmond300 and City planners seem determined to destroy them.

In addition to previous attacks…

The newly proposed 80% maximum lot coverage in the RA-A zone would be devastating for Oregon Hill and incentivize the demolition of homes in our historic district.

As neighbors have stressed, in the RA-A zoning proposed for Oregon Hill, the maximum lot coverage must be reduced to 55% as found in the neighborhood’s current R-7 zoning. Here’s a scale drawing to illustrate just how devastating an 80% maximum lot coverage would be for Oregon Hill:

From this illustration, it’s clear that 80% maximum lot coverage would devastate the historical and environmental setting of Oregon Hill.
The neighborhood would lose its historic houses and trees as developers would be incentivized to demolish!

Oregon Hill is already one of the densest neighborhoods in the city, and it is draconian to force even more density in this manner!

This July 4th, Oregon Hill, like much of the nation, protests tyranny and readies for revolt.

“The Oregon Hill Review” – “New zine a tribute to the small things people love about Richmond”

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Well, given that citizens usually celebrate the birth of this country and its independence and freedoms, and right now it is building concentration camps- can’t say ‘Happy Fourth of July’ today.

But, making a big shout out to new, local, literary zine “The Oregon Hill Review”.

Many missed the it’s release party/reading last month, but relatively new, news source The Richmonder covered it and interviewed its creators.

https://www.richmonder.org/new-zine-a-tribute-to-the-small-things-people-love-about-richmond/

“Like most things in my life,” poet Mathias Svalina said of The Oregon Hill Review, “it started as a joke.”
Contrary to the “ironic gravitas” of its title, he envisioned The Oregon Hill Review as a DIY literary zine focused on small, forgettable, beloved things.
And then “the joke turned into, ‘Oh, yeah, I should just do that,’” Svalina said. He describes the first volume as “a collection of little love letters to Richmond.”

It is worth mentioning that the name of this neighborhood, Oregon Hill, is a bit of a joke. Richmond, the city, was founded to the east of downtown in Church Hill, and the story goes that this neighborhood, when it first began, seemed as far west as Oregon, thus the name.

But it is also meaningful and touching that this zine does celebrate the small things people love about Richmond. Hopefully, this small neighborhood is among those things, and Richmond, despite attacks by Richmond300 and City planners, will continue to hold it as dear as it’s visitors and own residents do.

(It’s also pretty great that donations for the zines are being directed to the Richmond Reproductive Freedom Project (RRFP).

Beware of 3North

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One neighbor deemed this proposed, obstructive monument “2001: A Space Idiocy“, aka “Quintessential 3North”.

3North is the same design firm that had so many trees removed from Monroe Park and too many other Richmond locations.

He also said it was missing its ‘uplighting’ spotlights and a lighted ‘Dominion Energy’ sign, not to mention a Bose speaker system with a limiter. (Then again, the Urban Design Committee already told them they had too much crap.)

Another remarked on the “floating coffin” seating.

Call it ‘shopping center chic’ or ‘modern brutalist’, but if the City agrees to their plan, 3North and ‘redevelopers’ could net soft fees of 10%, or around $3 million plus in City taxpayers’ money.

Of course, citizens could speak before the Urban Design Committee and Planning Commission on this matter…

Now Is The Time…

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During its period of historic significance (circa 1906), there were 376 trees in Monroe Park. Monroe Park is Richmond’s oldest public municipal park, acquired in 1851.
In 2018, due to a botched and racially motivated “renovation”, over 40 healthy, mature trees were cut down, leaving less than 100 trees in the 7.5 acre park.
In Autumn of 2024, Richmond city council approved an ordinance removing the seats on the Parks and Rec Advisory Board of both EnRichmond Foundation and the Monroe Park Conservancy (who was responsible for the disastrous redux), deeming them nonfunctional entities.
Now is the time to plan for the reforestation of the park.
Sincerely,
Charles Woodson.
Richmond Va

Neighborhood Threatened By Re-Zoning – Comments Due This Weekend

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New development on W.Cary Street in the Fan.

This is very similar to what was warned about previously in a mock up from 5-years ago.

But, here we are. Oregon Hill residents have spoken up from the very beginning of the discussion, from the first ‘charrettes’ of the ‘Richmond300’ to the latest on ‘Code Refresh’ from the Planning Department. Every single step of the way, Oregon Hill residents and neighborhood association have reiterated support for protecting our historic streetscapes and keeping the R-7 zoning with its height limit. There have been heartfelt editorials and letters to the editor. There have been pleas to elected officials. There’s also pre-history on this, from street protests against demolition to smaller meetings with City officials about supposed overlays that turned out to be nothing but hot air.

But, again, here we are. Take a look at the proposed zoning changes. Even the RA-A designation would raise the height limit to 40′, incentivizing developers to demolish more houses and ruin the streetscapes of this nationally-recognized, historic neighborhood. It would undue decades of hard, preservation work by citizens who have stuck with this City for decades, through good and bad times.

In short, this is betrayal. It also speaks volumes on why citizens look askance at ‘focus meetings’ and ‘providing input’ – what do these things matter if the City government is going to always put developers over citizens?

Yet, one more chance to try to change minds-

From the City of Richmond Planning Department, Re: 300 Plan.

Proposed New Zoning Districts Survey
If you were unable to make it to the open houses, you can view the boards on the City’s webpage, and take our survey (https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MYVYQCF) by March 31st to tell us your thoughts on the proposed new zoning districts.