Click here for the story on Channel 6.
Well, this could have been a lot better, but it was certainly better than some previous coverage. It did not mention the historic Kanawha Canal (and how Venture Richmond’s canal history is WRONG), and still gave the mistaken impression it’s all about the Folk Festival (it’s not!), but at least it did acknowledge opposition. Thanks to our Overlook neighbor Nancy for appearing and making the case for reason.
Last night reminded me a bit of the opening night of the National Folk Festival in 2005. Back then, no one knew what to expect, and I found myself in the rain with, no lie, about 10 people, watching some Bulgarian jazz. Thankfully, as we know, more Richmonders caught on to the festival, the weather improved, and the National Folk Festival moved on a few years later but the Richmond Folk festival was born.
There was a lot more than 10 people there last night, and I hope more people will attend today and tomorrow as the weather improves. There were a few hiccups last night, with some performers delayed by traffic, but great music was present-
Reggae singer Don Carlos (I was very pleased to see actual horns instead of synthesizers!)
I believe this is Garifuna singer Aurelio Martinez, who played when not all the Stooges Brass Band were available.
From Craigslist ad:
10 AM to 4 PM on Saturday – Stop by on the way to the Folk Festival – NO EARLY BIRDS
413 1/2 S Laurel Street
Washburn Acoustic Guitar
Schwinn Hybrid Bicycle
Bicycle Parts
Carbon Fiber Trek bicycle frame
literary fiction/theory
Picnic Basket
Lots of other really random things
Baby stuffrecord albums (some actually good, some ironic)
European designer clothes and shoes,
kitsch tchotchkes from other yard sales,
handmade baby clothes and organic baby stuffs
From the Remembering Slavery, Resistance, and Freedom Project:
October 12, 2013 – Community Conversation on African and African American Resistance to Slavery in Richmond, VA
On Saturday, October 12 from 10 AM – 12:30 PM at the William Byrd Community House, Ana Edwards will lead a presentation on two revolutionary African Americans, Gabriel and Lucy Goode Brooks. Following the presentation, Dr. Michael Blakey will facilitate an open dialogue and discussion. What are the stories of resistance that you know and would like to share? What modes of resistance or key figures would you like to learn more about? What do these histories mean to you?
Following a break for lunch after the discussion, Omilade Janine Bell of Elegba Folklore Society will lead a guided walk of the Trail of Enslaved Africans, beginning at 2:30 PM and ending at 6 PM.The flyer for the event is available here. Because of space constraints, we ask attendees to RSVP through Facebook, email (remembering@wm.edu), or phone (757-221-7889).
Hopefully, Robert Pleasants and Samuel Parsons will be mentioned.
New documentation from deed research that confirms that the 30 foot wide tow path on the site of Venture Richmond’s proposed amphitheater is authentic and dates from at least 1801.
As documented in Henrico Deed Book 6, page 260, when John Harvie and his wife on June 26, 1801 conveyed to the James River Company his property for the canal and for the upper basin, he reserved the right to fish in the basin and reserved the condition of a “public Road” on the lower side of the canal not more than 30 feet wide from the edge of the water. In this deed, the tow path embankment was referenced as a “Dam” for holding back the water that was to overflow the upper basin.
In this 1801 deed, Harvie and his wife conveyed to the James River Company, “… the following portions or parcels of land, lying and being in the County aforesaid, near James River, that is to say one hundred feet in breadth horizontal measure, of the said land, thro’ which the said Canal passes in the present direction of the said Canal, and which shall not extend more than thirty feet horizontal measure below the lower edge of the water in the said canal for the purpose of a public Road being part of the land purchased by the said John Harris from Samuel Overton, and also all the land which shall be overflowed by means of the Dam or wall of the said Canal …” (Please see attachment, “Henrico DB 6, page 260.”)
This 30 foot wide public access is clearly shown on the 1848 Plat of Harvie’s land. (Please see attachment, “Henrico Plat 3-417.”)
The 1868 Pleasants/Bates map, which shows the Canal company owning a 45 foot property width on the the south bank of the canal, has an inscription in the canal that references this June 26, 1801 Deed: “From John Harvie, strip 100′ wide and ground covered by water of upper basin … Extending from lower Belvidere line to Harvie’s lower line June 26, 1801” (Please see attachment, “1868 Pleasants/Bates map, detail showing 1801 Harvie deed reference.”)
As John Harvie recognized early on, by harnessing the water power available in the canal, there was great potential for industrial development on his land between the canal and the James River. He was a highly respected businessman, who not only was a Director of the James River Company and former Mayor of Richmond, but was one of the original statesmen in the Virginia delegation who ratified the U.S. Constitution. Harvie could command concessions in his sale of land to the James River Company that assured adequate access on the tow path for his industrial interests.
Hopefully, this new deed documentation will end the mistaken effort to alter the south bank of the canal from its authentic 1801 configuration for sight lines for the proposed amphitheater.
Is Venture Richmond planning to use the city ordinance that authorizes “temporary events” to circumvent zoning requirements?
Every neighborhood in Richmond should be watching this closely. Venture Richmond is proposing $500,000 in permanent alterations, which would damage the historic James River and Kanawha Canal, for its proposed “Tredegar Green” theater. But the theater is not a permitted use under current zoning. Remember, as reported in yesterday’s post, Jack Berry of Venture Richmond told the Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association that “we would probably be open to the idea of renting it.” which is not the same story that was told to the Planning Commission.
In a bizarre twist, the City Planning Commission approved the “location” of the amphitheater although it is not permitted under the zoning, and no re-zoning application has been submitted. Apparently Venture Richmond may be relying on an ordinance, intended for yard sales and other temporary events, to try to force through the project without complying with zoning laws.
If you scroll to the very end of the ordinance below you will find the section on temporary events:
http://eservices.ci.richmond.va.us/applications/clerkstracking/getPDF.asp?NO=2012-234-2013-2
It refers to the definition section of the ordinance, which defines a “temporary event” as four events annually.
At this time, aggrieved neighborhood residents cannot appeal because the zoning administrator will not rule on hypothetical situations, and Venture Richmond received approval for the “location” of the project before applying for a Special Use Permit, re-zoning, or for work permits. If Venture Richmond can receive City permission to implement $500,000 work for “temporary use” of a development not permitted under current zoning, wouldn’t that also allow someone to put in a motorcycle race track in a residential zoning so long as they said they would stage only four “temporary events” a year?
This would truly open Pandora’s Box if any developer could implement any development, not permitted by zoning, by saying they only intended to use it four days a year. (Later, after the damage was done, they probably would say that it was a hardship to only be allowed to use such a facility four days a year.)
With the help of Bunny Hop bicycle shop’s new location, Oregon Hill is becoming more well known as a bike neighborhood.
In a recent “Why Richmond, Why?!?” Richmond.com column, Phil Riggan supplied the goods on “dead bikes” and more.
Some informative excerpts:
I bike often and consider myself a cyclist, so I feel qualified to say that the cycling community is it’s own harshest critic. Many of the questions I get about cycling issues and traffic violations come from cyclists. Usually, the conversations will lead to a need to have drivers and pedestrians improve their knowledge of the rules of road for bikes. Questions like “can bikes ride on sidewalks (yes),” “can bikes ride against traffic in roadway lanes and on one-way streets (no),” “can bikes ride through stop signs and red lights (no),” and more. Check VDOT for more biking tips and regulations.
It seems like a majority of the complaints about bike violations centers around the Virginia Commonwealth University campus, a place flooded with students who — surprise! — bike, walk, run and even skateboard all over the place.
As for traffic violations, RPD shared figures on citations were issued to cyclists:
In 2012: 47 citations issued to cyclists. Of those 21 were for code section 46.2-1015, which is not having lights and/or reflectors on the bike.
In 2013: As of this past Friday, 83 citations issued to cyclists. Of those, 20 of them were for code section 46.2-1015, which is not having lights and/or reflectors, and 21 were for code section 46.2-833, which is for a Signal Light Violation.
That is a big jump in violations and I hope this is satisfactory for anyone who doubts that cyclists are held responsible for their behavior on the roads. I’d like to think that there has been a correlating increase in the number of cyclists in accounting for the rise in citations, but no way to know for certain as we currently don’t have a bike census.
One more thing for you James River Park System trail riders (and anyone else who uses the trails): The system to utilize the flexible brown trail emergency locator markers (pictured at left) are not yet operational. You may have noticed the markers, they have ID marks for locations that 911 operators could use to dispatch responders for injured users.
“Regarding the trail marker signs, they are not yet fully operational. We are currently working with the James River Park System, the Richmond Fire Department and the Richmond Ambulance Authority to make sure everything is all set up and working properly,” according to Dionne Waugh of the Richmond Police Department.
I got a peak at the All The Saints Theater Company‘s new LoveBomb space across the river. Looking forward to this year’s parade…maybe they can close down the Lee Bridge for an extended route!
The Religious Herald newspaper has an article on the 160-year old Pine Street Baptist Church’s efforts to help the homeless.
Excerpts:
Home is where your mailbox is and for some homeless residents in Richmond’s historic Oregon Hill neighborhood, that’s now Pine Street Baptist Church.
The recent addition of 50 lockers and 25 mailboxes is about more than a safe place for the homeless to keep belongings and a mailbox with their name on it, said Jennifer Turner, director of the Oregon Hill Baptist Center. It may be the first step in transitioning to a more stable lifestyle.
…
“Over the past couple of years, Pine Street Baptist Church entered a ‘Pursuing Missional Faithfulness’ process to help the church identify who we are in light of where we are, and the theme of hospitality continued to rise up in our gatherings,” said pastor Philip Turner, Jennifer’s husband.
“The homeless population around our church has increased — along with the number of students attending Virginia Commonwealth University,” he said. “The church felt that a ministry of hospitality to both the students and homeless needed to be part of our mission.”
RVANews.com and Richmond.com have good previews of some of the artists who will be at this weekend’s Richmond’s Folk Festival.
Speaking of which, one of the most disturbing things about the Venture Richmond theater proposal is how Jack Berry and others have been suggesting that its just about the Folk Festival. What’s even more exasperating how local media has gone along with this suggestion (The original title for this linked article was “Explainer: Amphitheater Project Will Decide The Folk Festival’s Fate”). As with VCU in the past, sometimes all I can do is post the truth.
The transcript of Silver’s recording of Berry’s presentation to OHNA has some important quotes:
“Thought about using the War Memorial Amphitheater …”
[Good idea. Why not??]
“We’re going to have a tented, new tented venue very large tent over on Tredegar on top of the steps..”
[Great. Why not put the large dance tented venue that needs to be on a level surface now on Brown’s Island in the new very large tent on Tredegar on top of the steps?? This would open up Brown’s Island for the large stage.]
“We don’t have any plans to add parking resources …”
[Parking requirements required by the current M-1 zoning are not met for the Venture Richmond property. Why not put the large stage on Brown’s Island where parking is not a problem??]
“I think we would probably be open to the idea of renting it.”
[This is not the same story that was told to the Planning Commission. This is not about the Folk Festival. It seems like this is more about Venture Richmond making money from renting this venue than anything else.]
As the Folk Festival (and Venture Richmond’s propaganda push) gets closer, expect more information and history to be shared on oregonhill.net. Why not use Brown’s Island and two smaller stages instead? It’s important to recognize that Oregon Hill is not against the Folk Festival, but the neighborhood association is strongly against the current ‘Tredegar Green’ plan that Venture Richmond is wrongly insisting on and arrogantly pushing upon our historic neighborhood.