From email announcement:
Monthly Meeting Agenda
Tuesday 16 November 2021
7:00PM
Location: St. Andrew’s Church
St. Andrew’s Church has kindly allowed us to use the church for this meeting.
(Zoom meeting info redacted; Please email OHNA at OHNARva@gmail.com if you need that information.)
They ask that all participants remain masked and socially distanced during the meeting.
We ask that invited guests limit their presentations to no more than 5 minutes.
We ask that questions, comments, and suggestions be kept to no more than 3 minutes.
This meeting will be recorded.
Welcome
· Treasurer’s Report
Community Updates:
1. Lt. Brian Robinson, City of Richmond Police Section Lt, 4th Precinct
2. Officer Luke Schrader, Police Liaison, VCU
3. Mr. Tito Luna, VCU Liaison
4. Ms. Stephanie Lynch, 5th District Councilperson
5. Ms. Colette McEachin, Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney
Updates
1. Proposed all-way stops on South Pine Street at its intersection with China Street (at Open High School) and South Pine Street at its intersection with Albemarle Street
· The paper has been submitted.
2. New no parking area around stop signs at Pine and China (Tuesday 9 November), and Pine and Albemarle Streets (Monday 15 November).
3. Proposed Amendments to the Richmond 300 Land Use Plan / Neighborhood Coalition Update
· Move Oregon Hill from Neighborhood Mixed Use to Residential land use category (Randolph is in this category).
· If Planning will not move Oregon Hill to Residential, then change the maximum height in the Neighborhood Mixed Use category from four stories to two stories.
· Remove the clause that allows taller buildings along major streets.
o Idlewood and South Laurel between VCU and Idlewood are designated major streets
o The amendments were continued by Land Use Committee. City Planning staff have recommended that no amendments be adopted.
o It was continued, yet again, to Tuesday 16 November 2021.
4. Updates on 105 and 116 South Laurel SUP Applications
· Both applications were heard at the Planning Commission on Monday 4 October
· We supported the SUP for 105 South Laurel Street, as per OHNA vote. This project was on Council’s 9 November agenda.
· After agreeing at the OHNA meeting to place a preservation easement on 103 South Laurel Street, the applicant later reversed course and refused to place the easement. It was agreed to as a condition of the neighborhood supporting the SUP. I asked the Planning Commission to delay the SUP to allow us to work with the applicant to meet the conditions that they agreed to, or to make such an agreement a condition of their motion. We lost, unanimously, despite letters from adjacent landowners objecting to applicant’s refusal to do what they agreed to do. I do not see this paper on Council’s 9 November agenda.
5. New SUP, 617-719 China Street
· We should see this at our December meeting.
Continued Business
1. Sculpture for Pleasant’s Park, by local artist Mickael Broth (image at the end of the agenda)
· The sculpture will be installed in Pleasant’s Park.
· The artist has offered it to us for $600; OHHIC has offered to donate $300, at our last meeting, OHNA was authorized to provide up to $300 for the purchase, and to seek donations to augment the cost.
· We can accept donations here at the meeting with our Square account!
· The artist has offered to help with installation
· If approved, we will begin the process of location approval with Parks & Recreation and the Urban Design Committee.
2. VCU student party issues
· There have been several large, loud parties in the last few weeks. There are problematic, repeat issues in the 200 block of South Laurel, and the intersection of South Laurel and China streets.
· Report issues to both RPD and VCU. Keep track of: date, time, location, fraternity / sorority affiliation, names of individuals involved, names of landlords, etc.
· OHNA is setting up an online form to track problem party locations, so that we may follow up with RPD and VCU. We will keep a spreadsheet of problematic locations and fraternity / sorority locations, and regularly report this information to VCU.
3. Potential dog park in the linear park
4. Bulletin board for Pleasant’s Park
5. Holly Street Playground cleanup to be scheduled for December. We are trying to put together a date, and will let everyone know once it is settled. We will focus on clearing brush just beyond the south and west fence lines.
New Business
1. OHNA officer elections.
The Next OHNA meeting is scheduled for 7:00pm Tuesday 28 December 2021. Please note that the meeting is a week later to avoid conflict with holiday-related travel. That meeting will be held in person with the Zoom option; the location will be announced later — hopefully, it will still be St. Andrew’s, and a link will be sent separately.
Bryan Clark Green, President
David Cary, Co-Vice-President
Jennifer Hancock, Co-Vice-President
Chris Hughes, Co-Vice-President
Harrison Moenich, Secretary
John Bolecek, Treasurer
