Stormwater Rising

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From the Times Dispatch:

State officials hold meetings to discuss bacteria in James
These meetings are TODAY.

This post on the local Sierra Club’s blog is important.

A couple of quick thoughts:

One way that Oregon Hill residents can help keep bacteria out of the James River is by cleaning up after their pets properly. We can also use less lawn and garden fertilizer. Hopefully, growing our own food lessens agricultural runoff overall. Of course trees are also important in this. All Richmond neighborhoods should be taking measures.

As for the City’s proposed stormwater utility fee, there’s no doubt that Richmond needs to do more to lessen its stormwater runoff. And for environmental reasons, it should be supported. However, it still needs more scrutiny. The local Green Party has it clear that the City has been overcharging its citizens for water for years. In fact, though the water rates were slightly reformed this past year, the City’s minimum water rates are still among the highest in the country (while it sells water to the surrounding counties, who in turn, charge their citizens LESS than the City does!). So where is all this money going? We are talking tens of millions of dollars, maybe more, of taxpayer dollars for a PUBLIC utility. And if the City starts charging residents the stormwater utility fee, again, where is all THAT money going? Is it really going towards preventing and not just piping and controlling stormwater runoff?

Citizens need to start asking more, better questions of their local civic leaders.

More Graffiti

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This past Thursday night the William Byrd Community House and Grace Arents Community Garden were hit by vandals who put up obscene graffiti. One tag, on the Community Garden sign said “This Means War…”.

Mr. Bolling, the Executive Director of the WBCH, was interviewed by WRIC, Channel 8 News. I also heard that the park area under the Lee Bridge has also experienced more graffiti.

“Street Beat” (Traffic Along Cherry and Idlewood)

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It would almost be funny if it was not so damn sad.

As VCU has continued to bulldoze and expand into the neighborhood despite protest, Oregon Hill residents warned VCU and City officials that increasing commuter traffic was becoming more and more of a concern on Cherry and Idlewood. And its not just VCU, more riverfront development such as the Dominion trading floor and MeadWestVaco has put a lot of strain on Idlewood, where VCU and young St. Andrew’s students walk.

The Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association even championed a plan to create a traffic circle on Idlewood near Hollywood Cemetery that would slow down traffic coming of the Expressway and allow it to have a choice between east or west. It would make it safer and easier for Oregon Hill residents (yes, remember us?) and commuters alike. VCU President Trani ‘promised’ to contribute to this plan.

But, nothing has happened with it. And we continue to see stuff like this, in columns like this Sunday’s Times Dispatch’s Street Beat, that only partly answer questions:

Q:I frequently drive through Virginia Commonwealth University by way of Oregon Hill. There is a light at the intersection of Cherry and Main streets — where you can go only left or straight. When school is in session, it is hard to make a left turn because of all the pedestrian traffic. I often have to wait through several light cycles to get through. Please see if they will consider putting a left-turn signal for people turning left to Main from Cherry. — A reader

Answer: Sometimes you can’t catch a break.

Here is what Jemila M. Woodson of the Department of Public Works said about this intersection:

“Pedestrians crossing West Main Street at this intersection are crossing simultaneously with northbound traffic on Cherry Street.” Therefore, an additional traffic phase to accommodate Cherry Street traffic would not improve traffic flow and would increase delays for pedestrian and vehicular traffic, she said.

“To improve pedestrian safety at this intersection, crews will install a ‘Turning Traffic Must Yield To Pedestrians’ sign for northbound traffic turning left on Cherry Street. They will also repaint the faded pedestrian crosswalk. These improvements will be completed within 30 days.”

Oregon Hill Guidebook

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One of the benefits of living next to the largest state university in Virginia is that we often receive feedback from its students on the neighborhood. We see a lot of art projects, historical interpretations, musical dedications, and social essays. And while it’s true some of it can be burdensome, most is appreciated.

Here’s one of the latest finds ‘on the internets’, an OH guidebook by Kelsey de Sostoa.

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In Praise of Small Houses

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It is sad that City Council continues to put the wishes of developers and corporations over that of residents and historic neighborhoods. Council members have sometimes justified their decisions by claiming that people no longer want to live in small houses. Some of the counties even use such prejudices as an excuse to spurn affordable housing.

The fact of the matter is they are wrong. A global movement continues to grow that recognizes small houses for their desirability and sustainability. As more and more McMansions go up for foreclosure and energy conservation becomes more and more important, small, affordable houses are due for a serious comeback in the Richmond area.