Looks like this Belvidere mural is just getting underway in time for the big race.
New Belvidere Mural Going Up
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Category Archives: government
Venture Richmond And Local Media Ignoring Concerns On Amphitheater Rezoning
Last week, there was a Richmond Symphony stage put up on Tredegar Green to “test the site”. There was no notification to the neighborhood and several neighbors did ask about it. The stage was taken down and it appears that the actual event will occur on Brown’s Island. (Did it violate the “four day rule”?) However, to put it politely, this seems a bit premature and it would have helped to have a courtesy heads-up from Venture Richmond staff while they are supposedly working with the Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association to rezone the Tredegar Green property.
In fact, it appears that Venture Richmond is once again arrogantly and deliberately planning to ignore community concerns. A quick look at latest submissions to the City Planning office confirms that Venture Richmond’s plan appears to fall far short of the neighborhood association’s proposal. (It’s also important to recall that there is no “Tredegar Green” amphitheater in the City’s Riverfront Plan.)
For example, the section on “Building Restriction”: instead of a limitation stating that no permanent structures would be built, Venture Richmond is proposing that only structures on the City-owned portion of the property would be reviewed by the Urban Design Committee and Planning Commission (while buildings up to 95 feet in height could be built on the Venture Richmond-owned land by right!)
Below is a photo today of the grand view from the terrace of the Virginia War Memorial. This is certainly one of the most important viewsheds in Richmond.
Also below is quick photoshop illustrating how this view would be impacted if a building 95 feet in height were built on Tredegar Green, as permitted by the DCC zoning proposed by Venture Richmond. This is a view that should be protected by a restriction on any permanent structures in Tredegar Green, as the neighborhood association has proposed.
Will there be any un-biased media coverage going forward? Oregon Hill neighbors fear that Folk Festival coverage will once again be used to drown out community voices and promises will once again be dishonorably broken. The Times Dispatch, Richmond Free Press, along with other local media outlets are corporate ‘partners’ of Venture Richmond. Who represents the regular citizens on Venture Richmond’s board? This week Style magazine published its 2015 Power List issue with Venture Richmond’s Jack Berry and no mention of his Shockoe stadium campaign or the destruction of the Tredegar wall or Kanawha Canal. No mention of why so many citizens have knicknamed Venture Richmond as “Vulture Richmond”. No mention of the lobbying, tax exemptions, and no-bid lease arrangements. With Venture Richmond increasing ties to WRIR, it looks like they will have all the local media locked up. I remember when former Oregon Hill resident Chris Maxwell and I were excited about creating a community radio station that eschewed corporate donations and influence. Sadly, for many Oregon Hill residents who have supported that WRIR vision over the years, it has been compromised and corrupted.
Despite Style’s Power rhetoric, are “RVA”‘s political winds REALLY on the verge of shifting?
UCI Bicycle Race Leaves Monroe Park In The Dust
Some choice excerpts from the Times Dispatch article:
Monroe Park will not host a designated fan zone during the UCI 2015 Road World Championships despite plans to the contrary and tens of thousands of dollars in city expense to improve the space.
A sponsor that loosely agreed to underwrite the celebration space in the Fan District switched gears in recent weeks, according to officials with Richmond 2015, the organization putting on the event.The group declined to name the sponsor but said it had shifted to another space along the course. Officials would not detail costs associated with sponsoring a zone at the park. The move did not affect fundraising, they said.
…
Todd Woodson, who lives in neighboring Oregon Hill, said the city had squandered taxpayers’ money.
“We’re in a crisis of leadership in this city and we’re hemorrhaging money,” Woodson said.
About 300 feet of a water line along Franklin Street was damaged during work done this spring, officials said at the time. How much the damage cost was unclear Monday. City officials were not able to provide an estimate.
Belvidere Street Mural At Planning Commission Friday
The City Planning Commission will hold a special meeting on August 21 at 10:00 am in the 5th Floor Conference Room at City Hall. The agenda includes the review of plans for a mural on the Belvidere Street wall separating the Parsons Linear Park in Oregon Hill from the sidewalk. This mural project related to the UCI bike race has been approved by the RVA Public Art Commission. The artists of the project include Ed Trask, Greig Leach, Matt Lively, and Hamilton Glass.
Virginia Nuclear Energy Consortium Meeting Thursday
Open to the public:
The Virginia Nuclear Energy Consortium Authority (VNECA) Board is meeting Thursday, August 20 at 10am at the VCU East Engineering Hall, Room E3218. 401 West Main Street, Richmond, VA.
Additionally, as a reminder the last meeting of the year will be held on Thursday, November 5th at 10am in Richmond. Please mark your calendars if you have not already.
As you may have seen, the Governor announced five appointments to the VNECA board last week. In addition to reappointing David Christian, Mary Alice Hayward and Matthew Mulherin, Dr. William Briscoe of GWU and Mr. Woody Lawman of Flowserve were appointed to the Board.
All five appointments are for four years running until June 30, 2019. Their titles and contact information is listed below.
William J. Briscoe of Charles Town, West Virginia, Chair, Department of Physics, George Washington University and Director, GW Institute of Nuclear Studies, GWINS;
David A. Christian of Toano, CEO, Dominion Generation;
Mary Alice Hayward of McLean, Vice President, Government Affairs & Advocacy, AREVA INC.;
Woody Lawman of Midlothian, Director of Sales for Navy and Nuclear Products, Flowserve-Limitorque;
Matthew J. Mulherin of Yorktown, President, Newport News Shipbuilding;
See proposed minutes from previous meeting by clicking here.
Some additional nuclear news:
“$19 Billion for Dominion’s New Nuclear Reactor? Huge cost involved to expand North Anna plant.”
“Low-dose radiation exposure slightly increases leukemia risk: study”
Congressional 3rd District Redistricting
Excerpt from Times Dispatch newspaper article:
The Reapportionment Joint Committee will meet at 8:30 a.m. Monday in House Room D. The panel will receive an overview of the 3rd District case and adopt public criteria for redistricting.
The House Privileges and Elections Committee will hold a public hearing to solicit input on potential redistricting plans at 3 p.m., also in House Room D.
“These meetings are important and necessary prerequisites to filing redistricting legislation,” Howell added. “Once these meetings are complete, the House will work efficiently and diligently in an effort to meet the court-ordered September 1 deadline. Redistricting is a complicated and arduous legal process made more difficult by the compressed time frame under which we are operating.”
Councilman Parker C. Agelasto to hold a meeting for 5th District with Back to School Supply Drive On Wednesday
From City Council press release:
Councilman Parker C. Agelasto to hold a meeting for the Richmond Central 5th Voter District: Back to School Supply Drive
NOTE: This meeting was previously schedule to be held at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Richmond – Southside Club, but will now be held at the Richmond Government Services Center at Southside Plaza: All Richmond Central 5th Voter District residents invited and encouraged to attend
WHAT (Richmond, Virginia U.S.A.) – The Honorable Parker C. Agelasto, Councilman, Richmond City Council, Richmond Central 5th Voter District, will hold a district-wide meeting for the Richmond Central 5th Voter District. This meeting will include a 2015 Richmond Central 5th Voter District School Supply Drive and all individuals wishing to donate school supplies for children for the upcoming school year are invited and encouraged to bring them to the meeting. The most needed school items include the following:
· #2 Pencils
· Crayons
· Colored Pencils
· Boxes of Tissues
· Scissors
· Rulers
· 2 Pocket folders
· 3 ring binders
· Spiral Notebooks
· Loose Leaf Paper
· Composition Notebooks
· Elmer’s Glue/Glue SticksThis is part of regular meetings Councilman Agelasto holds, which include information on his Richmond Central 5th Voter District goals and accomplishments; a thematic agenda of current interest; and, special guests. These meetings are free and open to the public and all Richmond Central 5th Voter District residents are invited and encouraged to attend. The planned agenda/discussion topics for the upcoming meeting include:
· Richmond Public Schools – Update
Dr. Dana T. Bedden, Superintendent, Richmond Public Schools
and “Executive Cabinet Members”· Groundwork RVA – Presentation
Ms. Giles Harnsberger, Executive Director, Groundwork RVA· Reedy Creek – Update on upcoming work
Ms. Rosemary Green, Deputy Director, Richmond Department of Public Utilities· Questions, Comments and/or Concerns
The Honorable Parker C. Agelasto, Councilman
Richmond City Council, Richmond Central 5th Voter DistrictWHEN Wednesday, August 5, 2015
6:30-8:00 p.m.WHERE New Location:
Richmond Government Services Center at Southside Plaza
4100 Hull Street; Richmond, VirginiaWHO The Honorable Parker C. Agelasto, Councilman
Richmond City Council, Richmond Central 5th Voter DistrictCONTACT For more information, please contact:
The Honorable Parker C. Agelasto, Councilman
Richmond City Council, Richmond Central 5th Voter District, at 804.646.6050 (tel), or parker.agelasto@richmondgov.com(email)Councilman Agelasto’s Future Richmond Central 5th Voter District Meetings
Wednesday, October 7, 2015
Richmond Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities
World War Memorial Carillon
0 S. Boulevard, Richmond, VirginiaWednesday, December 2, 2015
HOLIDAY PARTY
Virginia War Memorial
621 South Belvidere Street, Richmond, Virginia– E N D –
Lane Closure – Belvidere Street Bridge
From City press release:
For Immediate Release
July 28, 2015
For more information, contact:
Paige Hairston – (804) 646-3659Lane Closure – Belvidere Street Bridge
WHO: City of Richmond Department of Public WorksWHAT: Lane Closure
WHEN: Wednesday, July 29 through Friday, August 7, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
WHERE: Belvidere Street Bridge over Brook Road and CSX
BACKGROUND: There will be alternating lane closures between northbound and southbound Belvidere Street to prepare for the mill and overlay of the bridge.
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Projected Density
From the GRTC BRT handout…
Idlewood Roundabout – Schedule / Status Update
From City Transportation Engineer Michael B. Sawyer:
Mr. Woodson / CM Agelasto: I trust all is well.
Per your request, please see the schedule below for the Idlewood Roundabout construction. We are currently in the process to acquire the necessary right-of-way (ROW).
Event Estimated Completion Date
Plan Complete Aug, 2015
Right of Way Aug./Sept., 2015
Bid Advertisement Sept., 2015
Award Contract if successful bid process Dec., 2015
Start Construction Jan., 2016
Complete construction April, 2016