Not surprisingly, this property and building permit are creating more consternation…

From email (posted with permission):

Did you know that there may be a house built in Linear Park immediately next to the Guardian Sculpture as one enters Oregon Hill from Belvedere onto Holly? The lot is a tiny lot the city did not acquire and is in private hands. There is a contract on the property and a pending building permit application. Please see the attached photo see the site where a house could exist in a few months!

If you believe in protecting the greenspace and open, linear flow of the park I urge you to e-mail councilman Agelasto (Parker.Agelasto at richmondgov.com) and Planning director Mark A. Olinger (Mark.Olinger at richmondgov.com) expressing your opposition and desire to have this property acquired by the city and incorporated into Linear Park.
A suggested e-mail follows:

Councilman Agelasto and Director Olinger,

I am writing to you today to express my oppostion to the issuance of a building permit on the parcel at 612 Holly St in Oregon Hill (parcel id: W0000139032) and ask that the city consider acquiring this parcel from the private owner to incorporate into Linear Park. A structure on this parcel would disrupt the natural flow and inviting nature of the park, close off the park space and foster a hidden and unsafe environment discouraging pedestrian traffic and use of the park by local residents and visitors. Additionally the City will incur additional expense landscaping and path relocate path relocation as a result of construction, it is not in keeping with the City’s master plan or the riverfront plan.
The lot is a Non-conforming lot and would require site work detrimental to the Park and possible unusual building design to fit a structure on the property. Such a structure would not be in keeping with the character and architectural style of the neighborhood. Other parcels exist in the city that are more appropriate to build on. Finally such a structure eliminates valuable green space and presents an eyesore to visitors of the War Memorial.

sincerely –