Category Archives: government

Despite Opposition, 2nd Street Connector Construction Starts

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Despite opposition from the Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association, the Sierra Club Falls of the James, citizens, as well as open government concerns, the City is pushing ahead with construction of the 2nd Street Connector.

Yesterday, despite promises for full exploration of the historic significance of the site, over 150 feet of century old structural canal brick wall was destroyed.

From City press release:

Construction on Richmond’s new street that will connect Second Street to Tredegar Street on the north side of the James River downtown will have a minimal effect on visitors to the James River Park’s Belle Isle who park in the Tredegar Street lot.

The first or eastern entrance to the lot on Tredegar Street will be closed effective Tuesday, October 16, due to construction on the new connector street; however, the second or western entrance to the lot, as well as the entire lot itself, will remain open throughout the entire construction period.

OHNA Expresses Strong Opposition To Victory Rug SUP

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From email:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FROM: Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association

RE: Proposed Victory Apartment Special Use Permit application

DATE: October 6, 2012

RICHMOND: The Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association (OHNA) has voted to strongly oppose the excessive density and lack of off-street parking for the proposed Victory Apartments at
407 S. Cherry Street. The current proposal is a 29 bedroom development in 18 apartments and one townhouse, with only 8 off-street parking spaces. This far exceeds that 6 units that
would be permitted under the current zoning.

“This proposal is a non-starter,” said OHNA President Jennifer Hancock. “Oregon Hill already has a tight parking situation because of our proximity to VCU, and the excessive density and lack of off-street parking of this development would exacerbate an already serious problem.”

The developer has rejected OHNA’s proposal for elderly housing in the old Victory Rug building that would need only half the off-street parking. The developer has also rejected OHNA’s proposal for a neighborhood-friendly business use of the building. “The developer has rejected every reasonable suggestion of the neighborhood association,” said Hancock.

OHNA has expressed particular concern over the city planning department’s misapplication of Riverfront District zoning regulations to the project to allow on-street parking to be used to meet the off-street parking requirements. Oregon Hill is not in the Riverfront District, and residents claim that they have been denied due process by the city.

The neighborhood expects the Special Use Permit to be soon brought to vote by the City Planning Commission. Over 113 of the nearby Oregon Hill residents have written letters of opposition to the proposed Victory Apartments SUP.

Contacts:
Jennifer Hancock, OHNA President
bookzen at comcast.net

Todd Woodson, OHNA Treasurer
candylandmusic at earthlink.net

For more background on this issue, please click here.

New Bike Skills Training Area on Belle Isle Opens Saturday

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From City press release:

City to Open New Bike Skills Training Area on Belle Isle

Richmond, VA – The City’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities will open its new Belle Isle Bike Skills Area on Saturday, September 29, at 10 a.m. with a celebration that will include a ribbon-cutting ceremony, demonstrations, and tours. The public is invited to attend and to bring their bicycles to try out the mountain bike training area.

“I encourage residents and visitors to come discover the Belle Isle Bike Skills Training Area as it is another step Richmond is taking to create bike-friendly, outdoor tourist attractions, as we prepare for the UCI Road World Cycling Championships in 2015,” comments Mayor Dwight C. Jones. “The benefits of cycling are tremendous to our city in many ways, including our efforts to encourage city residents to get active and adopt a healthy lifestyle.”

The new training area is located within the James River Park on Belle Isle across from the Tredegar Street suspension bridge. It includes a beginner and expert pump track, rock gardens, and log and rock skinnies in addition to other features. Bicyclists can learn to handle these obstacles and challenges, which they will find on the trails throughout the James River Park, in a controlled environment.

“This site, which has been built largely with the labor of volunteers who love mountain biking, will provide a place to learn and practice mountain biking skills and introduce the fun of mountain biking as a recreational activity to a much larger audience,” said Dr. Norman C. Merrifield, director of the department.

In addition, while this new facility provides “off-road” training, the city also has plans to add an “on-road” training component on Belle Isle adjacent to this site. The on-road training facility will provide a place for children and adults to become competent bicyclists, as well as learn and practice the skills needed to ride safely in an urban environment.

“The James River Park is already known throughout the East coast and internationally for its outstanding network of urban mountain biking trails. Now with the addition of this skills area Richmond has enhanced its reputation as a ‘bike city,’” said Jakob Helmoldt, the city’s bicycle, pedestrian and trails coordinator.

Organizations that provided volunteers who helped construct the new training site, as well as in-kind donations, include the Friends of the James River Park, the James River Outdoor Coalition, the Richmond Mid-Atlantic Off-Road Enthusiasts, the International Mountain Biking Association, Virginia Bicycling Federation, Hands-On Greater Richmond, SportsBackers, Altria, Luck Stone, Tektonics Design Group, Sattler Creative, Alpine Trails, Dreaming Creek, and Green Side Up Landscaping.

The Belle Isle Skills Area is free to use and is open from sunrise to sunset. For more information, call (804) 646-5733 or visit www.RichmondGov.com/Parks.

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OHNA Meeting Tonight

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From email:

Hello everyone

Just a reminder that we have an OHNA meeting tonight, Tuesday, September 25th at 7 PM at WBCH.

Susan Hill, from Richmond Region Energy Alliance (RREA), will be giving a presentation on energy efficiency issues for homeowners. She will also be offering $200 coupons for energy assessments.

http://www.rrea-va.org/

I talked to Marty Jewell at the Woodland Heights sponsored Candidate Forum. I invited him to attend an OHNA meeting. He said he would. I plan on reminding him today.

Thanks
Jennifer
Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association

Richmond Water Rates Protest On Monday

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There is a water rate protest planned for this coming Monday outside City Hall before the formal City Council meeting. The All the Saints Theater troop, the same group that organizes the Halloween Parade in Oregon Hill, is planning to attend with puppets and posters.

From the Facebook Event page:

This is an important demonstration to be held at Richmond City Hall at 5:00 p.m on Monday Sept. 24th to protest the city of Richmond’s outrageous minimum water/sewer service charge of $49.40, which is the highest in the nation. This is a real burden for every social security grandma and other low income residents to have to pay $592 annually just to be connected to the water supply. The city utility raises over $30 million annually from this residential water/sewer service charge, and almost half of this, $12 million is, paid directly into the city’s general fund. This is the most regressive means possible to raise general funds for the city– putting an outrageous service charge on the most basic necessity — water. Furthermore, Richmond’s water rate does not promote conservation because the city utility gets more than half of its revenue from the minimum service charge instead of the volume charge.

This protest is part of campaign that has seen over 1300 people sign an online petition that demands the City adopt the rate schedule used by Henrico County, which buys water from Richmond’s water utility.

From the petition:

Henrico’s water/sewer rates are equitable and promote conservation. Henrico’s minimum monthly water/sewer service charge is about a third of Richmond’s. To encourage conservation, Henrico offers a volume use discount for customers who use 6 ccf or less of water, while customers using over 6 ccf pay a premium water/sewer volume rate. Richmond can receive the same total revenue from its water works by slashing the minimum monthly service charge, eliminating the high volume discount, and charging a premium for customers using over 6 ccf of water/sewer.

The City of Richmond has a long-term financial incentive to adopt Henrico’s rate schedule. By giving customers genuine incentives to conserve water, Richmond will reduce the need for future treatment facilities and reduce pollutants downstream.

Neighbor Charles Pool is scheduled to speak on the water rate issue during the Citizen Comment period at the City Council meeting. The campaign to reform the CIty’s water rates goes back at least five years.

Style Report: “Landmark Theatre Alters Renovation Plans”

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Style Weekly has article on what it is hearing in regard to the Mosque/Landmark/Altria Theater renovation.

Excerpt:

Three days after City Council agreed to give $14 million in tax dollars to renovate the Landmark Theater, the group managing the work scaled back part of the project, citing an “unanticipated reduction” in funding.

In a June 1 filing with the Virginia Department of Historic Resources, the Richmond Performing Arts Center indicated it was cutting back the first two phases of the project, which began in July, by $7.6 million. In order to obtain federal and state historic tax credits, construction plans first must be approved by the state and National Park Service.

Two months earlier, those first two phases involved $11.4 million in renovation work, according to state filings. That included a new roof and improvements to the restrooms, concession areas, sidewalks, lounge spaces, loading docks and the theater’s internal offices.

The amended filings in June scaled back the plans to include facade work, minor roof repairs, exit path lighting and prep work for a new box office and other building upgrades, a total of $3.75 million.

So as not to disrupt Landmark’s fall season, some work likely had to be scaled back because of the delays, says John Winter, chief capital projects manager for the city. “There had to be documents approved by council in order for the project to move forward,” he says. “I think that had a lot to do with the shortening of the window of available time.”

It’s unclear if the initial reduction in funds will affect the overall project. Altria Group agreed to pay $10 million for the naming rights to the Landmark in July, but that money is being provided while the work progresses during the next two years.

Click here for previous post on this subject.

City’s Bicycle and Trails Coordinator To Speak Wednesday at Sierra Club Meeting

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If you would like to hear about the Mayor’s Bike and Ped program as well as current and future pedestrian/bicycling projects in Richmond and the region (including the 2015 World Cycling event), Jakob Helmboldt, AICP, Pedestrian, Bicycle and Trails Coordinator from the City’s Chief Administrative Office will be speaking at the Sierra Club Falls of the James general meeting on Wednesday evening, Sept. 12, at 7 pm at the Science Museum of Virginia (2500 West Broad Street). SCFOJ general meetings are free and open to public.

Also, speaking of the Sierra Club, the group is sponsoring a contest for Richmond Area Elementary and Secondary Schools. The goal is to foster greater recycling participation throughout the Richmond metropolitan area. First prize is $1,000! For more information, please click here.

OHNA Meeting Summary

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I was unable to attend Tuesday’s Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association meeting, but thankfully 5th District City Council candidate Parker C. Agelasto supplied this meeting summary on his Facebook profile page:

Last night the Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association met with nearly 30 people attending. There were two main topics of discussion: 1) VCU’s response to off campus misconduct by students and 2) Venture Richmond’s plan for an amphitheater between Tredegar and 2nd Street.

Lt. Donald Davenport was introduced as the new head of Sector 413 in the 4th Precint of the Richmond Police Department. His email is Donald.Davenport at RichmondGov.com. Officer Greg Fulton from VCU Police also attended. His email is gfelton atvcu.edu.

Officer Felton reported that VCU has contracted increased patrol of its MCV and Monroe Park campuses after recent incidents. He also explained a zero tolerance policy that VCU has implemented for student misconduct off campus. Residents are encouraged to call the university to report any illegal activities that involve students. All emergencies should still be reported to 911.

VCU’s emergency number is 804-828-1234 and non-emergency number is 804-828-1196. Officer Felton can be reached at 804-828-1209 or his mobile 804-301-5704.

Part of VCU’s zero tolerance policy for off campus misconduct is to address the issue directly with students through disciplinary action and to also instigate a complaint process with the property owner of apartments and houses. A similar initiative was started with the May/June move out period and holding property owners responsible for the debris left on streets and alleys.

Jack Berry of Venture Richmond presented their plans for a 3 acre lot west of the American Civil War Center and the new 2nd Street Connector, south of 2nd Street, east of the City property below the Lee Bridge and north of the CSX railroad tracks. It is a proposed gift by NewMarket Corporation with an estimated value of $3 Million. The transfer of property will include an easement requiring the property to be used and maintained for the public. Venture Richmond expects the property to serve as an amphitheater for concerts for the Folk Festival and Riverrock.

The plan does not call for any permanent structures and the proposed improvements include lighting fixtures and electrical boxes and landscaping. In preparing the site, NewMarket Corporation and Venture Richmond have proposed grading the property for better sight lines to the stage. This includes partial removal of the embankments as well as fill in the basin of the historic James River and Kanawha Canal.

Members of the Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association voiced concerns about the permitting process and wetland remediation. They also adopted a resolution opposing any permanent alterations to the James River and Kanawha Canal that was survey by George Washington and opened in 1785.

Lastly, an announcement was made that the ordinance for a Special Use Permit pertaining to the Victory Rug building has been drafted. It authorizes 18 units with only 8 off-street parking spaces. OHNA continues to have concerns about this high density and more importantly the lack of available parking for this many new residents.

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City Council Candidate Shewmake Challenges Rival’s Ballot Certification

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The Times Dispatch has a very interesting article this morning on 5th District City Council race and the government’s election process. Click here to read entire article.

From the article:

In the latest challenge to Richmond’s candidate-certifying process, a City Council candidate’s attempt to have an opponent removed from the ballot was denied last week by Richmond’s voter registrar and the city’s Electoral Board.

The request by S. Lee Shewmake, who is running for the 5th District seat, said a review of the signatures on the petitions filed by one of her opponents, Parker C. Agelasto, revealed numerous “errors and irregularities.”

The article goes further to delve into recent controversies regarding the City’s voter registrar.

It was the latest complaint involving how the registrar’s office reviews signatures on candidate petitions in city elections. And the fact that Showalter reviewed Agelasto’s signatures at all raised the eyebrows of the lawyers who have successfully sued the registrar to get a School Board candidate on the ballot and are in litigation to get a review of a would-be mayoral candidate’s petition signatures.

Reminder: 2013 Richmond Adopt-a-Tree Program Deadline Is Sept. 1

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From email:

COUNCIL PUBLIC INFORMATION NEWS ADVISORY
IMMEDIATE RELEASE TO BE FORWARDED AND SHARED
Thursday, 23 August 2012

Richmond residents reminded of September 1st application deadline for the FY 2013 Richmond Adopt-a-Tree Program: Purchase, plant and protect a Community Street Tree

Entire community invited and encouraged to adopt a tree

WHAT (Richmond, Virginia U.S.A.) — Richmond City Council reminds residents of the upcoming September 1st deadline for applying for the FY 2013 Richmond Adopt-a-Tree Program.

Managed by the Richmond Department of Public Works Division of Urban Forestry, the Richmond Adopt-a-Tree Program helps increase the beauty, efficiency and value of Richmond neighborhoods by providing a way for Richmond residents to purchase, plant, protect and care for city/community street trees.

Applications and more information about the Richmond Adopt-a-Tree Program and adopting a tree are available by calling the Richmond Department of Public Works Division of Urban Forestry, at 804.646.5607 or http://www.richmondgov.com/PublicWorks/UrbanForestry.aspx (webpage), applications can also be downloaded from the EnRichmond Foundation website, at http://www.enrichmond.org/ Tree adoptions are $50.

Recognized as an outstanding and successful program that is helping to replenish and sustain community street trees in the city of Richmond, the Richmond Adopt-a-Tree Program is helping to protect one of Richmond’s most precious assets and valuable resources.

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