This past weekend’s winter storm continues to impact mobility, with neighborhoods and roads still very icy.
Urban transportation and history nerds may take some time to ponder how the Richmond Union Passenger Railway would be handling this, if it were still in existence.
From email announcement:
(Editor’s note: Zoom meeting link and password has been redacted, please join or contact OHNA for that information)
OHNA January Meeting
Tuesday, Jan 27, 7pm: The first meeting of 2026! Agenda is attached and below. Materials for action item regarding zoning are attached.
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Winter Storm
Stay safe! Have a plan in case your pipes freeze or you lose power and heat.
> Weather will delay some City services such as trash pickup
If you or someone you know needs shelter: https://rva.gov/human-services/inclement-weather
RVA city Weather Alerts signup: https://rva.gov/node/18466
Power outages: https://myaccount.dominionenergy.com/portal/#/ReportOutage
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Zoning: “Code Refresh”
Comments on the second draft of the re-zoning may be made through February 15. Access interactive map and zoning regs here: https://rva.gov/planning-development-review/code-refresh You can explore the maps and leave your feedback there — or email your comments to Richmond300@rva.gov.
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Parks – Richmond INSPIRE
The Parks’ Department’s Richmond INSPIRE is now live for public review.
Review the draft before March 6, 2026. Parks will start a more formal outreach strategy after the new year.
90% Draft Vision Plan — Richmond INSPIRE Citywide Vision Plan for Parks, Recreation & Community Facilities
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OHNA Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, 27, January 2026 • 7:00PM
Welcome
Approval of Minutes:
There are no minutes to approve as December was a social and not a business meeting
Community and local Officials Updates: Police, VCU, Councilmember Lynch
Committee updates:
Zoning, FoOHP, Traffic and Safety, Bylaws, Events
Action items:
OHNA Resolution Requesting Amendments to the proposed Zoning ordinance
Support Tree Planting Project
New Business:
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Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association
Valerie L’Herrou, President
John Bolecek, Treasurer
Amanda Bradley, Co-Vice-President
Bryan Clark Green, Co-Vice President
Jennifer Hancock, Co-Vice President
Susan Hill, Co-Vice President
Phaedra Hise, Co-Vice President
Scott Racette, Secretary
JOIN OHNA: https://forms.gle/joCpHqcPrShu8qf86
For events and more: https://ohnarva.org/
Person skiing past Hollywood Cemetery on Idlewood, undoubtedly trying to beat the morning lift lines.
Snow elves left this design in Pleasants Park.
Neighbor and photographer extraordinaire Bill Draper provided some photos from last night.
Hi everyone! January 23rd is traditionally recognized as Ranked Choice Voting Day!
But, hey, don’t let the General Assembly, City Council, and winter doldrums get you down. For it is I, Scott Burger, the pirate king of Oregon Hill, here to entertain you and (counterintuitively to my monarchial rule) encourage grassroots democracy with yet another exciting public RCV poll.
Given yesterday’s RPS announcement, the noteworthy recent anniversary of last year’s water crisis, and ongoing struggles for the ‘unhoused’, what is more important?
1) Fully funding our public schools
2) A reliable, working, public water utility
3) larger homeless shelters
Now, I could add as choices a sustainable environment and larger rainy (sleety? snowy) day emergency fund, but let’s not get too crazy or hopeful. Let’s keep it relatively simple. This is not a mayor’s race.
After all, we are supposed to be beginning a new City budget process…
Remember, with ranked choice voting (RCV), you are allowed to vote for more than one choice, but you need to rank them.
Also remember that the political establishment (and their corporate masters) will not allow an all-of-the-above choice as it wants large corporations and tourism to get a steady stream of taxpayer dollars in the form of tax breaks and subsidies. LIVE Nation and New Market Corporation were not going to build their new riverfront amphitheater by themselves (or were they?). Co-Star was not going to incentivize itself, now was it? Otherwise VCU might not have received their money. The corporate welfare must continue, according to our current leadership, opportunity costs, public choices, and alternatives be damned.
Remember what I said about keeping the pressure on!
Happy Ranked Choice Voting Day!
Ready? Vote:
I will try to update this post with results later, if I am not thrown into the new ICE facility in Hanover. (Remember, ICE received “only” $14 billion in funding, despite public demands to abolish it altogether. But that goes back to national priorities…)
Work continues on new VHDA parking deck.
Older, utility alley brought back to life with new gravel. From update from City’s Parks & Rec Dept.: “re: Holly St Playground: On January 12 DPU is scheduled to begin a sewer cleanout, which should take about 2 weeks. They will also evaluate the back part of the area for structural issues.”
This time of year, deer hang out on a quieter Belle Island.
Dawn on North Bank Trail along the James River & Kanawha Canal.
From announcement:
Bring a craft, a snack, and yourself!
Even if you aren’t crafting, come hang out with community and enjoy some productive art making and socializing! Pine Street Church, 400 Pine Street.
Tomorrow is a “Red Wednesday”, which means trash and recycling pickup.
Please go over what can be recycled.
NOTE: CVWMA (Central Virginia Waste Management Authority) has announced that all curbside recycling must now be INSIDE the CVWMA containers with lid closed. Items beside the container or on top of it will not be collected. In fact, incorrect setouts may not be collected at all. This is new as of July 1 for all our curbside recyclers, with the exception of townhomes/condos still using small bins. (And yes, this also applies to flattened cardboard boxes.)
Ideally, rolling recycling containers are stored and deployed in the back alleys along with trash cans. Please make sure you pick up containers after pickup tomorrow night. More CVWMA information can be found at this link:
https://cvwma.com/cvwma-locations/richmond/
In order to take your recycling to the next level, read this: 10 ways to improve your recycling.
In recycling news, Arcwood Environmental Services acquired Virginia-based MXI Environmental Services/Dynamic Recycling, which provides hazardous and non-hazardous waste management, recycling and environmental cleanup services. The acquisition expands Arcwood’s reach in the eastern United States, folding in more than 150 MXI employees. In addition to latex paint recycling, MXI also offers aerosol processing and chemical neutralization. The company processes nearly 19 million pounds a year of household hazardous waste at its coordination hub in Langhorne, Pennsylvania, and MRF in Abingdon, Virginia.
