OHNA Meeting Tomorrow Night

Posted on March 24, 2025 by Scott

From email announcement:

MONTHLY MEETING:
Tuesday, March 25 at 7pm. Agenda and link to join attached and below.
Join Zoom Meeting (Editor’s note: Zoom link redacted. Please contact ohnarva@gmail.com)

A G E N D A

Welcome

Community and local Officials Updates: Police, VCU, RVA, City Council
Committee updates: Zoning, FoOHP, RvaPB, Stop Sign Safety (Bylaws cte will present during “Discussions” portion of the meeting
Announcements:

April OHNA meeting to be in person, 6pm at Pine Street Baptist; supper, presentation from PSB.

April “Big Event” neighborhood clean up day with VCU student volunteers

Discussions
Bylaws Committee presentation and discussion (no vote)
New Business:
______________________________________________________________________

O T H E R N E W S:
Save the Date: April OHNA meeting and Pasta Supper!

April’s OHNA meeting will be in person Tuesday April 22 at Pine Street Baptist Church! Our hosts will provide a pasta supper, make a presentation about updates at PSB, and surveying neighbors about what role they would like the church to have in the community. We will begin early: 6pm. Hope to see you there!

Friends of Oregon Hill Parks news:

Holly Street Playground upgrade: The next FOOHP HSP upgrade event, an engagement and feedback session, will be April 24 at 5:30 pm at Pine Street Baptist Church
Holly Street Playground cleanup day: Sunday Apr 13, Holly St. Playground

Oregon Hill Easter Egg Hunt, Holly Street Playground, Sunday April 13 at 3pm

Oregon Hill Open Garden Day: May 17.
Add your garden to the tour! Email: Friendsoforegonhillparks@gmail.com

Historic Richmond is hosting a free community lecture, “Preservation is Planning,” Thursday, March 27th at 6 – 8pm, at Monumental Church (1224 E Broad St) https://historicrichmond.com/detail/preservation-as-planning-2/

Zoning “Code Refresh:”

Learn more about this project, review neighborhood “Pattern Books” and provide your opinion: https://www.rva.gov/planning-development-review/code-refresh [rva.gov]

Online survey ends March 31: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MYVYQCF [surveymonkey.com]

People’s Budget (Participatory Budgeting)
It’s almost time to vote for the projects submitted, including an OH Dog Park. CLICK HERE to learn everything you need to know! You can vote:
Online – Vote from anywhere, anytime between April 1-15
In-Person – Visit a voting location on select dates in April

V O L U N T E E R:

VCU “Big Event” OH neighborhood Cleanup
Students will volunteer to help us in a neighborhood clean up, meeting at Pleasants Park on Sat April 5 at 9:30 am.
Volunteer for your street! Email: OHNArva@gmail.com

Joint OHNA / VCU Community-Student Problem-Solving Workgroup

Frustrated by students throwing loud parties and littering? Volunteer to meet with VCU police and students affairs staff to develop plans to integrate students into the neighborhood and reduce problem behavior. Email: OHNArva@gmail.com

—
Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association
Valerie L’Herrou, President
Bryan Clark Green, Co-Vice President
Jennifer Hancock, Co-Vice President
Susan Hill, Co-Vice President
Harrison Moenich, Co-Vice-President
David Shannon, Co-Vice President
Scott Racette, Secretary
John Bolecek, Treasurer
JOIN OHNA: https://forms.gle/joCpHqcPrShu8qf86

Valentine-sponsored Walking Tours in April

Posted on March 23, 2025 by Scott

The Valentine museum will be offering two Oregon Hill walking tours in April to explore the history of the neighborhood. They would love to have residents join us, share their stories, and learn some history! Tour tickets are $20 ($10 for Valentine members) and are now on sale via the museum website:
– April 13th at 10am — History Hounds Explore Oregon Hill Walking Tour – The Valentine Museum (dog-friendly tour in collaboration with the SPCA)
– April 19th at 10am — History of Oregon Hill Walking Tour – The Valentine Museum
All tours will begin at St. Andrews Episcopal Church.

The Late Clark Davis

Posted on March 23, 2025 by Scott

Oregon Hill board members are very saddened to learn of the recent passing of Clark Davis (1950-2025). Clark was for many years the head carpenter and construction manager for the Oregon Hill Home Improvement Council. He managed the renovation of many historic homes in the neighborhood and was well respected for his high standards in the building trades.

Clark renovated his home in the 600 block of South Pine Street where he lived for many years with his daughter Zella, son Zero and former wife Alexandra “Sandy” Pappas, who survive him. His daughter, Nelly Jean, preceded him in death. Clark lived happily in Richmond with his devoted wife, Gail Leviner, until he passed away.

Clark was a talented guitarist and loved spending time at the river. He had an infectious sense of humor and was always willing to give a helping hand. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

5th District Meeting Tonight

Posted on March 20, 2025 by Scott

Councilperson Lynch an the Byrd Park Civic League are hosting a 5th District meeting tonight..

We are excited to be hosting a 5th District Town Hall at Lois Harrison-Jones Elementary School (formerly John B. Cary ES) on Thursday, March 20 at 6pm.
Agenda
• Water Crisis / DPU Updates – Director Scott Morris (confirmed)
• Budget Update
• 5th District Updates
• Q&A
We look forward to seeing you there!

Trash/Recycling Pickup This Morning

Posted on March 19, 2025 by Scott

Today is a “Red Wednesday”, which means trash and recycling pickup. Sorry for the late notice, been distracted by other matters.

Please go over what can be recycled.

NOTE: CVWMA (Central Virginia Waste Management Authority) has announced that all curbside recycling must now be INSIDE the CVWMA containers with lid closed. Items beside the container or on top of it will not be collected. In fact, incorrect setouts may not be collected at all. This is new as of July 1 for all our curbside recyclers, with the exception of townhomes/condos still using small bins. (And yes, this also applies to flattened cardboard boxes.)

Ideally, rolling recycling containers are stored and deployed in the back alleys along with trash cans. Please make sure you pick up containers after pickup tomorrow night. More CVWMA information can be found at this link:
https://cvwma.com/cvwma-locations/richmond/

In order to take your recycling to the next level, read this: 10 ways to improve your recycling.

Dominion Sends Power Outage Notification

Posted on March 16, 2025 by Scott

Probably in relation to the installation of new poles, Dominion has been texting customers in parts of the neighborhood in regard to planned power outages.

‘Is Oregon Hill Under Attack?’

Posted on March 16, 2025 by Scott

The Richmond Times Dispatch ran a front page follow up to an earlier article about how homes in Oregon Hill were deemed ‘nonconforming’ by City planning officials.

“If you ask Valerie L’Herrou, she’ll tell you that there is a “historical feeling that Oregon Hill is under attack.”
L’Herrou, who is president of the Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association, attributed that feeling to decades of mistreatment — from racist redlining that denied financial resources to residents, to Ethyl Corp.’s acquisition and demolition of historic homes, to being rent in two by the Downtown Expressway, to Virginia Commonwealth University’s attempt to snap up land and tear down significant landmarks.
Oregon Hill’s residents managed to weather Ethyl and the interstate, and to stave off VCU’s expansion bid. Had they not done the latter, the parcel of land on which L’Herrou’s house is built would now host a college soccer field.
But 43 years later, she said it seems as if the war is back on.
L’Herrou said residents are anxious about the city’s zoning overhaul process, which has deemed more than 80% of Oregon Hill’s buildings out of conformity with the current zoning ordinance. The so-called nonconformities will influence possible zoning changes, which L’Herrou and others fear could result in the demolition of the quaint historic homes that define the neighborhood in favor of large, modern developments.”

Many residents are very thankful for this attention by reporter Sam Parker and urge him to keep investigating. For Planning Dept. officials to not seem to care about the accuracy of the ‘pattern book’ that Richmond taxpayers paid for is shocking. This sadly corresponds with incorrect data from the ‘Richmond300’ team that declared that Oregon Hill was ‘mixed use’.

Hopefully the media spotlight will continue when the neighborhood is barraged later this spring, summer, and fall by crowds and noise from the new amphitheater and Brown’s Island concerts. It’s not lost on Oregon Hill residents that their stages are pointed right at the neighborhood.

The feeling is certainly one of being ‘under siege’.