Monroe Park VCU Sign Removed (Again)

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This is all that’s left, after all the earlier controversy (see here, here, here, here, and here.

photo

There is speculation that this is in anticipation of more controversy in regard to Monroe Park.

City Council’s Land Use Committee will hear the presentation for the proposed Monroe Park lease on Tuesday, in Council chambers in City Hall at 3PM.

Since the proposed Monroe Park lease is for more than 5 years, according to City code, it must be advertised for bids 2 weeks before going to City Council for vote. It is scheduled for Council on February 24 yet no ads have been out. A FOIA request by a neighbor revealed the ads would run on Feb 27, 3 days after it was scheduled for a vote. It’s unclear how this will be resolved.

The 5th district meeting that was cancelled on Feb. 12 due to inclement weather has been rescheduled for Feb 20th. The proposed Monroe Park lease plan will be presented then- 6:30 at the Byrd Park roundhouse.

City Opens Emergency Shelters as Winter Storm Approaches

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From email announcement:

City Opens Emergency Shelters as Winter Storm Approaches

Richmond, VA – The City of Richmond has opened two emergency shelters to assist City residents in the event power outages occur as a result of the winter storm. Residents who reside in areas where power outages are frequent during storms are advised to seek shelter now before traveling conditions deteriorate. The City’s Emergency Shelter locations are:

Linwood Holton Elementary School
1600 West Laburnum Avenue

James Blackwell Elementary School
1600 Everett Street

Residents should bring any medication, personal items and supplies that they may need. The City will provide meals and snacks to shelter attendees. Residents may also charge their medical equipment batteries and cell phones at the City shelter in the event they lose power at home. Weapons are not allowed in the City shelters. Pets are not allowed within the City shelter with the exception of service animals. Richmond Animal Care and Control (RAC&C) will staff both City shelters to accept the pets of residents attending the shelter. RAC&C advises residents that pets should be brought indoors, and if they do need to be outside, they should have adequate shelter that protects them from exposure to winter weather. Residents should call (804) 646-5123 if they need RAC&C to pick-up their pet from their residence.

“With the potential of power outages and roads possibly being blocked because of heavy snow, I urge residents who believe they have a potential to lose power to travel to a City shelter now,” said Mayor Dwight C. Jones.

The City’s Cold Weather Overflow Shelter will open tonight, February 12 and Thursday, February 13 as overnight temperatures are forecasted to remain at or below 40 degrees during this time period. The overflow shelter is located in the City’s Public Safety Building, 501 North 9th Street. The shelter entrance is the second entrance on the 9th Street side of the building closest to Leigh Street. The shelter opens at 7 p.m. and closes the following morning at 6 a.m. Shelter registration will be held from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Food will not be provided and pets are not allowed.

The Cold Weather Day Warming site will open tomorrow, Thursday, February 13 as daytime temperatures are forecasted to remain at or below 40 degrees during this time period. The warming site is open each day from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m. Commonwealth Catholic Charities operates the day warming site at 511 West Grace Street.

Residents in need of overnight shelter are asked to report to Commonwealth Catholic Charities Homeless Point of Entry by 5 p.m. each day for a comprehensive intake and referral to the appropriate shelter. Commonwealth Catholic Charities Homeless Point of Entry is located at 511 West Grace Street. A referral to the Cold Weather Overflow Shelter will be provided to individuals who are not eligible for an existing shelter or if all available beds have been filled. Individuals seeking access to the Overflow Shelter must have a referral.

The City’s Department of Social Services will accept Crisis Assistance applications now through March 15 at 900 East Marshall Street, Monday through Friday; from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Residents can also call the Fuel Line at (804) 646-7046. The department also provides emergency assistance with gas and electric disconnection notices for residents who qualify.

Elderly or residents with disabilities may also contact Senior Connections for assistance at (804) 343-3000, Monday through Friday; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For up-to-date information and additional instructions from the City of Richmond during this weather event, please visit www.Richmondgov.com, follow the City on Twitter @CityRichmondVA, and stay tuned to local radio and television stations.

# # #

Who Wears The Kerosene Hat?

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Some neighbors were discussing emergency heating measures and someone mentioned kerosene which reminded me of the band Cracker-

From Wikipedia:

Kerosene Hat is Cracker’s second album, released on August 24, 1993. It reached #1 on Billboard’s Top Heatseekerschart, and #59 on the Billboard 200 album chart. The well-known hit single from this album, “Low”, helped Cracker gain widespread notice.
According to frontman David Lowery, the album’s title comes from the band’s early days in Richmond, Virginia. Lowery lived with Cracker guitarist Johnny Hickman in an old dilapidated house whose only source of heat came from two kerosene heaters. To buy more kerosene meant a cold walk to a nearby gas station, so before he left the house, Lowery would bundle up and put on an old wool hunting cap – hence the “kerosene hat”. “To this day,” says Lowery, “the smell of kerosene reminds me of the poverty and the wistful hope we had for our music.”[2]

As I have mentioned before, David Lowery lived at 239 S. Laurel Street.

As for heating without electric heat pumps, many Hill houses still rely on City natural gas for heating. Many have old fashioned and new fashioned wood stoves. There are also wood pellet stoves.

I keep hoping we will eventually see affordable, efficient, residential hydrogen fuel cells that can easily create electricity with natural gas and store it and solar power for emergency situations.

Tonight’s Meetings Cancelled Due to Impending Snowstorm

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From Councilperson Parker Agelasto’s office:

Dear Neighbors:

Due to the predicted weather forecast for tonight our 5th District meeting will be CANCELLED tonight. It is rescheduled for Thursday, February 20th at 6:30 p.m. at Byrd Park Roundhouse. The meeting will serve as an update on several ongoing projects within the 5th district including: an update on Richmond Public Schools from Mamie Taylor, a city stadium update, a Monroe Park discussion and an open discussion on the Shockoe Bottom Revitalization Plan. Please join us to discuss these very important issues.

Also, the MPACT meeting scheduled for Thursday, February 13th will be rescheduled for Wednesday, February 19th at 6:00 p.m. at Byrd Park Roundhouse. The Mayor’s Participation Action Communication Team (MPACT) will be meeting with representatives from code enforcement to discuss resident responsibilities in maintaining your property and alleys. They will also be sharing information on the city right of ways and easements. The Department of Public Works will also be in attendance to discuss alleyway maintenance and paving schedules. If you have any questions regarding the MPACT meetings please call Zane Robinson at 804-646-0275.

Across much of Central Virginia, total snow accumulations of 6-12 inches are most likely, while some mixed precipitation will keep amounts lower toward the east. Winds on Thursday will become 10-20 mph during the day. Additional light snow will be possible later Friday into Saturday and again on Sunday. This heavy, wet snow could knock trees and limbs into power lines and create outages. Plans and preparations are underway with the City of Richmond and Dominion Virginia Power crews are ready to respond. Please stay away from fallen wires and debris. Treat all fallen wires and anything touching them as though they are energized.

Dominion customers can use a computer or any mobile device to report power outages via the company’s website, www.dom.com. Customers also can call toll free 1-866-DOM-HELP (1-866-366-4357) to report outages or downed lines.

Sincerely,

Ida Jones
5th District Liaison

Hero Performs CPR At Motorcycle Wreck On Belvidere

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Yesterday afternoon there was a severe collision between a car and motorcycle at Belvidere and Spring Streets.

From the NBC12 article:

“A woman was driving north on Belvidere when she hit the motorcycle around 3 p.m. while attempting to turn left onto Spring Street, officers said.”

The motorcyclist is in the hospital with life-threatening injuries, but according to reports he is still alive in part due to a good samaritan who stopped and gave the man CPR until paramedics arrived.

Thanks To City Council For Postponing Ordinances On ‘Tredegar Green’

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From email:

Dear Honorable Members of the Richmond City Council,

I would like to express my appreciation for the postponement of the Ordinances that would grant Venture Richmond tax exemptions for its “Tredegar Green” amphitheater properties.

Venture Richmond wants exemption from all the rules. It wants to be exempt from having to bid for city contracts, to be exempt from the non-profit prohibition of engaging in substantial lobbying, to be exempt from having to answer all of the questions submitted by the Taxation by Designation Committee, to be exempt from paying real estate taxes, and even to be exempt from the moratorium on exemptions.

As you carefully consider this issue, I would like for you to understand the frustration that the Oregon Hill neighborhood has experienced in dealing with Venture Richmond, which apparently also feels exempt from treating its neighbors and George Washington’s James River and Kanawha Canal with respect. Venture Richmond wants to be exempt from the zoning requirements for its proposed amphitheater at “Tredegar Green,” to be exempt from protecting Oregon Hill and the Va. War Memorial from the noise and parking congestion of events at the amphitheater, and to be exempt from protecting the historic canal from damage so that it can again be a “blueway” westward to Maymont.

Recently Venture Richmond notified the Corps of Engineers that it may withdraw from the Section 106 review of the amphitheater project by the Va. Dept. of Historic Resources if it cannot be exempt from the holding off implementing much of the project before the review is completed.

The “Tredegar Green” amphitheater also includes city property, so it is my hope that the Richmond City Council, when drawing up a revised lease for this city property, will not exempt the significant interests of the community. The Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association and the editorial staff of the Richmond Times Dispatch have endorsed limiting the amphitheater to the properly zoned property below the canal, and this would eliminate any cause to damage the canal and protect the Oregon Hill neighborhood and the Va. War Memorial from excessive noise and parking congestion.

Thank you for your consideration of the needs of the community and for the postponement of the untimely Venture Richmond tax exemption Ordinances during the moratorium on tax exemptions by designation.

Sincerely,

Charles Pool

Stock Up at Renegade Market Tuesday (Today!)

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From email announcement:

Before the Next Snows Come
Stock Up! Rich vegetable simmers, toothsome fragrant stews, hot baked goodies …
True winter temperatures call for warmth from the kitchen reaching bone-deep to see us through these polar vortex times. Bake something, quick saute. It’s COMFORT we want!
Come by the Renegade Market Tuesday, 3 pm – 5:30 pm

Interested in Vending at Byrd House Market?
The online application can be found on our blog: byrdhousemarket.blogspot.com

Brown Bag Lunch Series at RPL
Don’t know what sustainability means? Wondering about genetically modified organisms? What’s a Farm Fairy? Do you permaculture? These questions are loaded with terminology most of us just may not understand. This is a great time to visit the Lexicon of Sustainability Exhibit at the Richmond Public Library and attend one of two brown bag lunches:
February 20 at Noon: Lexicon of Farmer Sustainability
Kate Ruby, Master Gardener and Manager of the Farmer’s Market at St. Stephen’s Church
February 27 at Noon: Lexicon of GMOs
John Lewis, founding coordinator of Renew Richmond
__________________

Ana Edwards, Manager
Byrd House Market & Library Programs
Grace Arents Library & Education Center
William Byrd Community House
www.wbch.org / 804.643.2717 ext.306

Venture Richmond Tax Exemption Application – Chronology of Law and Facts

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Yes, more on this topic. From C. Wayne Taylor:

2014 February 08

VIA EMAIL TO:
Ms. Lou Brown Ali, Chief of Staff, lou.ali at richmondgov.com

The Honorable Mr. Baliles and Honorable City Council
City of Richmond
900 E. Broad St., Suite 200
Richmond, VA 23219 USA

Re:
Council – Venture Richmond Tax Exemption Application
Ordinances 2014-2, 2014-3, 2014-4

Dear Mr. Baliles and Members of Council,

Please make the following documents part of the official record for each of the above referenced ordinances:

Document 1:

Venture Richmond Tax Exemption Application – Chronology of Law and Facts

This document contains information for the following issues:

A. Legal issues:

01 Property does not qualify for exemption.
02 Application is for wrong property.
03 Application expired on April 8, 2013.
04 Ordinances contain substituted plat.
05 Application was incomplete.
06 Application failed to specify purpose.
07 Application failed to state how property is used.
08 Application failed to certify exclusive use of property.
09 Application failed to answer list of questions.
10 Application contained documents for wrong entity.
11 Applicant paid $242,233 annual compensation to CEO.
12 Applicant spent $32,000 for advocacy and petitions.
13 Review committee recommended against application.
14 City attorney evaluated property for “public park”.
15 City attorney declined to find property eligible.
16 Property is not zoned for use.
17 Property may be used to consume alcohol.
18 Property may be rented for profit.
19 Property may be rented for private use.
20 Ordinances do not list a specific use.
21 Ordinances list a legally unrecognized use.
22 City council does not define “cultural”.
23 Files will be inadequate for triennial review.

B. Ethical/Favoritism/Transparency Issues:

01 Ordinances requested by a city partner of applicant.
02 Ordinances introduced by the president of applicant.
03 Ordinances presented by a city partner of applicant.
04 Public does not know specific reason for delay.

Document 2:

Letter sent to City Council on February 3 2014

This letter questions compliance with the January 28 2013 application and qualification deadline and the April 8 2013 City Council action deadline.

City Council should not consider these ordinances until all the issues are resolved.

Sincerely yours,

C. Wayne Taylor, Publisher
City Hall Review LLC
CityHallReview.com

Attachments:
1 Chronology of Law and Facts 02.pdf
2 20140205 letter to council.pdf

Copy: City Clerk, Better Government Richmond, News media, Interested parties

Chronology of Law and Facts 02

20140205 letter to council

Upcoming Meetings

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On Monday, February 10th, City Council will meet. Venture Richmond’s proposed tax exemption for its Tredegar Green property is supposed to be on the agenda.

On Wednesday, February 12, Councilperson Parker Agelasto will hold a 5th District meeting.

From announcement:

WHAT (Richmond, Virginia U.S.A.) – The Honorable Parker C. Agelasto, Councilman, Richmond City Council Central 5th Voter District will hold a district-wide meeting in the Richmond Central 5th Voter District. This is part of regular meetings he 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 Public Schools Update
The Honorable Mamie L. Taylor, Trustee, Richmond Public Schools Board of Trustees Central 5th Voter District
· Monroe Park Discussion
Ms. Alice Massie, President, Monroe Park Conversancy
· Updates: The Honorable Parker C. Agelasto, Councilman, Richmond City Council Central 5th Voter District
– Richmond City Stadium
– Mayor’s Economic Development Plan for Shockoe Bottom and the Boulevard
· Questions, comments, ideas, suggestions and concerns

WHEN Wednesday, February 12, 2014; 6:30-8:00 p.m.

WHERE Richmond Department of Parks Recreation and Community Facilities Byrd Park Round House
600 S. Boulevard; Richmond, Virginia

On Tuesday, Feb. 18, The Public Forum on the Richmond Riverfront Plan and updates on projects such as Brown’s Island Dam Walk and Chapel Island Trail will be held, 7:00 pm at the Virginia War Memorial. This is after being snowed-out last month.

RiverfrontFeb18PublicMeeting