Tag Archives: Richmond300

Important Message To VCU’s Board Of Visitors

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From message:

Dear VCU Rector Hall,

In good faith the Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association has engaged in the VCU master planning process. We have repeatedly and respectfully made the request for written commitments that: 1). VCU will not encroach further south of W. Cary Street into the Oregon Hill Historic District, and 2). VCU will respect Oregon Hill by limiting the height of any buildings across Cary Street from the Oregon Hill Historic District to 3 or 4 stories.

Unfortunately, at this point VCU has not agreed to this reasonable request. We note VCU has made similar written commitments to the Fan and Carver neighborhoods. We do not understand why VCU is unwilling to offer a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with your adjacent neighbors to the south at the same time that VCU does have a MOU with the nation of Cuba. You are probably aware of the long history of encroachment into Oregon Hill by VCU.

We, therefore, respectfully ask that the VCU Board of Visitors agree to the reasonable request for these two written commitments so that the “Town/Gown” relationship between Oregon Hill and VCU can continue to prosper with mutual good will.

Sincerely,

Todd Woodson, President
Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association

‘Single-Family’ To Be Removed?

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From a concerned Richmond citizen:

The Richmond 300 group is meeting this Wednesday, and I was told by Ms. Pechin that they planned on voting at this meeting on the new future land use categories that will next year be assigned to neighborhoods throughout the city. According to the Ms. Pechin, they will be removing the “Single-family” designations and replacing them with a blanket “Residential” designation.

“Residential” would include high-rises and the terribly inappropriate development underway on the 800 block of W. Cary. It appears that the City government is making a concerted effort to foist higher density on the historic districts, including Oregon Hill.

In a recent vote, the Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association voted that the future land use of Oregon Hill in the Richmond 300 plan should be designated as “Single-family” (medium density) with “Community/Commercial” on Cary Street. I am alarmed that the Richmond 300 group is removing the “Single-family” future land use designation for all of the neighborhoods. The Single-family designation is descriptive of the appropriate and desired future land use of Oregon Hill and is consistent with our R-7 zoning.

Planning Commission Presentation

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Laurel Street neighbor, Charles Pool, on behalf of the Oregon Hill Home Improvement Council, made a presentation to the City of Richmond Planning Commission at their meeting this afternoon. Above are slides from his presentation. They support and reiterate previous statements from Oregon Hill Home Improvement Council and the Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association.

The Commission was considering both VCU’s master plan and an important ordinance, #2018-276, from Councilperson Agelasto that would require better public notification of rulings by the Zoning Administrator.

OHNA Letter To ‘Richmond300’ Planners

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From City announcement:

Richmond 300, the city wide master plan process, is still requesting feel back from the public through the online visioning survey. It takes 15-30 minutes depending on how much feedback you have.

Link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/richmond300visioning

The image above is Urban Design Typology Map found in the Insights Report www.richmond300.com/insights

From October 1, 2018 letter (which refers to Page 9 of 5th District maps):

Dear Councilman Parker Agelasto and Steering Committee for the Richmond 300 master plan,

At the September 25, 2018 meeting of the Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association (OHNA), the membership approved a resolution requesting that the 5th District map in the Richmond 300 master plan be corrected to identify the “Master Plan Future Land Use” of the Oregon Hill neighborhood as “Single-Family (medium density)” with “Community Commercial” in the Cary Street corridor.

We strongly object to the “Downtown General Urban Area” and “Downtown Urban Center” designations of Oregon Hill found in the draft “Master Plan Future Land Use” Richmond 300 map. We note that Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) is identified with the “Downtown General Urban Area” and “Downtown Urban Center” designations. While these designations may be appropriate for this huge state institution, these designations are not appropriate for Oregon Hill which is characterized by modest 2-story single family homes.

As noted the in the Richmond 300 urban design typology, “Downtown is dominated by tall office buildings … the area mostly consists of financial offices, state offices, VCU Health, and Virginia Biotechnology Research Park.” This Downtown typology bears no resemblance to the modest single family homes of the Oregon Hill Historic District.

It is important to note that “Single-Family (medium density)” is the “Master Plan Future Land Use” designation for the Fan District and the Randolph neighborhoods with the “Community Commercial” designation on Cary Street along the Fan. Oregon Hill is characterized by having the same “Single Family (medium density)” as the Fan and Randolph. Historically, Oregon Hill and the Fan were created from the same Town of Sydney grid, and we should receive the same Master Plan Future Land Use designation of “Single Family (medium density).”
The Richmond 300 master plan identifies the “Single Family (medium density)” designation as being appropriate for the R-7 zoning, which is predominant in Oregon Hill.
We strongly believe that the Richmond 300 master plan process offers us an opportunity to remove the inappropriate Downtown General Urban Area, and Downtown Urban Center future land use classifications for Oregon Hill. The Master Plan Future Land Use for the historic Oregon Hill neighborhood should be changed to the appropriate “Single Family (medium density)” designation with “Community Commercial” in the Cary Street corridor.

Please let us know as soon as possible if these designations for Oregon Hill will be changed in the Richmond 300 master plan.

Respectfully,

Charles Todd Woodson, president
Oregon Hill neighborhood Association

5th District Newsletter and Master Plans

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Councilperson Parker Agelasto’s office has distributed a new 5th District newsletter. You may see a copy by clicking here. As usual, it is chock full of information.

Some things to highlight are the master plan sessions for both VCU and the City. Given past issues, it is totally understandable that Oregon Hill residents throw their hands up whenever ‘master plan’ is mentioned anywhere. The more recent controversies with Monroe Park and W. Cary underscore that. The not-so-funny joke is that the City’s ‘Richmond 300 Master Plan‘ is more about helping developers get the City to 300,000 in population than anything else, citizens be damned. VCU, in particular needs to acknowledge and understand what the neighborhood has repeatedly stated about building a better relationship.

From the Councilperson’s newsletter:

Attend an upcoming open house to preview a draft of the ONE VCU Master Plan.

Monday, September 17 from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., Kontos Medical Science Building, Rooms 104 and 105

Monday, September 17 from 5 – 7 p.m., University Student Commons, 1st floor Floyd Avenue Lobby (Parking in the West Main Street deck can be validated)

Tuesday, September 18 from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., University Student Commons, Richmond Salons III and IV

From the City of Richmond press release:

RICHMOND, VA – Beginning September 20, Richmonders will have an opportunity to share their vision for Richmond’s future at upcoming open houses held throughout the city.

“The Richmond 300 Master Plan impacts housing, zoning, transportation and recreational assets,” said Mayor Levar M. Stoney. “Providing a vision for the Master Plan update is an important first step. These open house events will help ensure every Richmonder has a say in how the city grows, and I encourage everyone to make an effort to attend.”

Richmond 300 Open House details are as follows:
East End: Thurs. Sept. 20, 6 – 8:30 p.m., MLK Middle School, 1000 Mosby St.
Downtown: Fri. Sept. 21, 11 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., City Hall Lobby, 900 E. Broad St.
South Side: Sat. Sept. 22, 9:30 a.m. – noon, South Side Community Service Center, 4100 Hull St. Rd.
Bellemeade: Tues. Sept. 25, 6 – 8:30 p.m., Bellemeade Community Center, 1800 Lynhaven Ave.
North Side: Wed. Sept. 26, 6 – 8:30 p.m., Hotchkiss Community Center, 701 E. Brookland Park Blvd.
Huguenot: Thurs. Sept. 27, 6 – 8:30 p.m., Huguenot High School, 7945 Forest Hill Ave.
West End: Sat. Sept 29, 9:30 a.m. – noon, Thomas Jefferson High, 4100 W. Grace St.
Citizens are able to attend any location. Additionally, Richmonders can provide input online beginning September 17 by visiting the Richmond 300 website. Children are welcome to attend the open houses. Spanish-language translators will be available. If participants have a disability and require accommodation in order to fully participate in the open house, email richmond300@richmondgov.com by September 14 to arrange accommodations. American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters can be provided upon request.

To prepare for the Richmond 300 Open Houses, please read the Insights Report. Also, explore the newly-developed interactive maps which provide context and data on Richmond’s current conditions.

For more information about the Master Plan update, please visit Richmond300.com.