Scenes From Sierra Club Tour Of VCU Green Facilities

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Wednesday night, the Sierra Club Falls James group did a walking tour of green projects on the Monroe Park campus of Virginia Commonwealth University. It was lead by longtime SCFOJ member and VCU Sustainability Program Coordinator Steven Heintz.

Thermal Solar on top of the Shafer Court Dining Hall:
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Vegetated Roof on top of Pollak Building:
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Solar PV Dual Axis Tracker behind Institute for Engineering and Medicine:
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It was great to see some of the steps that VCU has taken over the years to improve their environmental rankings. Its good to see progress with promises of more to come. It is notable that VCU plans to build its new Institute For Contemporary Art as ‘LEED Platinum’.

VCU’s new Director of Sustainability, Erin Stanforth, also took part in the tour. She is new to Richmond and she is excited to be here. She is particularly interested in doing more with recycling and composting.

New Saturday Fun

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I already mentioned the Richmond Record Show, but there are lots of other fun and interesting events happening nearby Saturday.

The Main library is considered Oregon Hill’s nearest branch of the Richmond Public Library. One of the things happening there Saturday is the opening of the Celebration of the James film series. From Style magazine’s plug for it:

After the Lynchburg train wreck and fiery oil spill into the James River in April, Richmond’s beloved 343-mile-long source of wildlife, recreation and drinking water made national headlines. The Celebration of the James Film Series turns an appreciative focus on the state’s most vital natural resource Saturday, June 14, at the Richmond Public Library. The RVA Environmental Film Festival and the James River Association presents the series, which features screenings of “James River Sturgeon” (Melissa Lesh), “Belle Isle” (Briget Ganske), “Affair with the James” (Elli Morris), “Dumping Ground to Best River Town” (James River Association) and others.

Attendance is free and it starts at 2 pm.

Another free and inaugural event is the first public performance by the River City Magnolias, a local water ballet group. Its happening at 4 pm at the Randolph Pool, the closest City public pool to Oregon Hill which is opening its season on Saturday. It is free also.

Lastly, though it is further away from Oregon Hill, I know several neighbors who are taking part in the Community DIG RVA Conference, a new event that goes on all day Saturday at the Friends Meeting House in the West End. From the FaceBook event page:

Engage with others in sharing visions of how to build community. DIG into ideas of green building, creating diversity, group decision making, and dealing with conflict, as well as the contribution of local food, community gardens and permaculture to sustainability.

There is a $22 ticket cost.

Trash/Recycling Pickup Tomorrow

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This Wednesday is a red Wednesday, which means trash and recycling pickup. Please make sure you pick up containers after pickup tomorrow night. They do not belong on the sidewalk after tomorrow night.

In recycling news, The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), Arlington, Virginia, has released its “Third Annual Report of the eCycling Leadership Initiative,” which shows a total of 620 million pounds of electronics were recycled in 2013, more than double the amount collected for recycling in 2010. The eCycling Leadership Initiative has established a goal of recycling 1 billion pounds of electronics by 2016. The initiative says it plans to grow the number of collection opportunities available to consumers, improve consumer awareness of available electronics recycling collection sites and provide transparent metrics on electronics recycling efforts. E-cycling is important.

Developers Respond To City Council’s Real Estate Tax Abatement Reform

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RichmondBizsense.com has an article this morning on City Council’s actions in regard to reforming the City’s real estate tax abatement program.

From the article:

After nearly 10 months of fine tuning, Richmond City Council last month approved an updated real estate tax abatement ordinance, closing what it said were loopholes in the popular rehabilitation incentive program.

Developers who qualify for the program pay taxes on a property based on its value prior to any redevelopment or improvements for either five or seven years, depending on the building’s use. In some cases, this system can save a developer millions and encourages the revitalization of buildings that are 20 or more years old.

Most of the article consists of responses to the changes from developers, and does not include any quotes from citizens who raised concerns about abuse.

Councilperson Agelasto’s Meeting/Sierra Club Tour Of VCU On Wednesday

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There are two events on Wednesday evening that may be of interest.

From City Council press release:

The Honorable Parker C. Agelasto, Councilman, Richmond City Council, Richmond Central 5th Voter District will hold a district-wide meeting in the Richmond Central 5th Voter District. This 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. This meeting is 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 Grows Gardens Program” Presentation
Ms. Victoria Campbell, Community Garden Coordinator
Richmond Department of Parks Recreation and Community Facilities

· Richmond Government Procurement Presentation
Ms. Tillie Jackson, Deputy Director
Richmond Department of Procurement Services

· “Richmond Alley Blitz Program” Presentation
Mr. Bobby Vincent, Deputy Director of Operations
Richmond Department of Public Works

· New Richmond Public Utilities Bill Design and Water
Drainage/Standing Water Presentation
Mr. Robert Steidel, Director
Richmond Department of Public Utilities

· Updates from The Honorable Parker C. Agelasto, Councilman,
Richmond City Council Richmond Central 5th Voter District

WHEN Wednesday, June 11, 2014
6:30-8:00 p.m.

WHERE Maymont Park – Maymont Stone Barn
1700 Hampton Street; Richmond, Virginia

WHO The Honorable Parker C. Agelasto, Councilman
Richmond City Council, Richmond Central 5th Voter District

CONTACT 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 Upcoming Richmond Central 5th Voter District Meetings ___

Wednesday, August 13, 2014; 6:30-8:00 p.m.
Randolph Community Center; 1425 Grayland Avenue; Richmond, VA

Wednesday, October 8, 2014; 6:30-8:00 p.m.
Richmond Public Schools – Swansboro Elementary School
3160 Midlothian Turnpike; Richmond, Virginia

Wednesday, December 10, 2014; 6:30-8:00 p.m.
Virginia War Memorial; 621 South Belvidere Street; Richmond, Virginia

And then from the Sierra Club Falls of the James:

Walking Tour of VCU’s Green Initiatives (click here for link)

Wednesday, June 11, 2014
7:00 PM

Shafer Court Dining Hall (VCU)
810 Cathedral Place, Richmond, VA

Steve Heinitz, with VCU’s Office of Sustainability, will lead us on a tour of several of VCU’s greening initiatives on campus: a green roof, a roof-mounted wind turbine, solar collectors integrated into the design of a parking deck, and more! Wear comfortable shoes and bring your water bottle. Parking on street or the Laurel St. parking deck at the corner of Laurel and W. Grace Streets.