From FaceBook announcement:
Come by Mocha Gourmet Market at 700 Idlewood Ave. to make a difference in your community today! Something as simple as a T-shirt and even a can of corn goes a long way! Happy holidays to all!
From email announcement:
Dear Neighbors:
OHNA: December Meeting Dec 17 at 7pm at Pine Street Baptist Church
Please join us for the December meeting of OHNA, which will be held in person at Pine Street Baptist Church! An online option will also be provided. Please bring a snack to share! NON-alcoholic beverages will be provided. Note that the meeting is being held early to avoid conflict with the holidays. An agenda with zoom link will be shared prior to the meeting.
Of Interest:
Apply to be on the Public Art Commission!
The Public Art Commission (PAC) is looking for new members!
The PAC is composed of nine members, with one appointed by the mayor and eight by City Council. Four of the appointees must be arts professionals, one must be a member of the Urban Design Committee or City Planning Commission, and one must be a City Council member. Learn more about the PAC duties and composition and apply to serve by December 15th: https://www.rva.gov/planning-development-review/public-art-commission
Zoning Advisory Council Meeting • December 11, 4-6pm
The Zoning Advisory Council is tasked with advising the City Planning Commission on the zoning ordinance rewrite, Code Refresh. The December Zoning Advisory Council meeting will be held at City Hall, 900 East Broad Street, in the 5th floor conference room. The meeting will also be available virtually. These meetings are open to the public and will be recorded. For more information visit: https://www.rva.gov/coderefresh
Virtual link: https://richmond300.us16.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5da7612bb3a773958ea388527&id=f494c42209&e=8b715bf9ce.
Public Education Advocacy Meeting • Wednesday, December 11 – 7:00 pm
The League of Women Voters of the Richmond Metro Area (LWV-RMA) invites you to join an important conversation about the upcoming Virginia Legislative Session from the perspective of local school districts. This is a unique opportunity to engage with the advocacy leads in Chesterfield, Richmond, and Henrico as we discuss key issues that impact our schools, students, and the future of education in Virginia.
Registration link – https://rvaschools-net.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_bJLrLPzQQI2skiGC_olY9Q#/registration
Latino Communities Code Refresh Roundtable • December 12, 6-7:15pm
The City of Richmond is updating its zoning code following the goals set in the Richmond 300 Master Plan. This update is an opportunity to align zoning with the city’s vision for future development, affordable housing, sustainability, and more.
La ciudad de Richmond está actualizando su código de zonificación siguiendo los objetivos establecidos en el Plan Maestro Richmond 300. Esta actualización es una oportunidad para alinear la zonificación con la visión de la ciudad para el desarrollo futuro, la vivienda accesible, la sostenibilidad y más.
Invitamos a los residentes de habla hispana de Richmond a participar en una mesa redonda virtual de 75 minutos sobre la actualización de zonificación el jueves 12 de diciembre, de 6:00 a 7:15 p. m. a través de Zoom (https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwucO-sqzMuEtyglg4qpVEStnqKfmug9dGB).
For OHNA,
Valerie L’Herrou
—
Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association
Valerie L’Herrou, President
Bryan Clark Green, Co-Vice President
Jennifer Hancock, Co-Vice-President
Harrison Moenich, Co-Vice-President
Mike Mathews, Secretary
John Bolecek, Treasurer
JOIN OHNA: https://forms.gle/joCpHqcPrShu8qf86
From announcement:
For the 19th year we are collecting toys for Richmond Fire Dept toys drive and items for
Richmond Animal Care and Control…!!! Toys !!!
Thank you friends and neighbors for your donations! Keep’em coming!
Now accepting unwrapped toys (kids under 10 years old, no clothing) and items for RACC
Contact me if you’re dropping off at 519 S. Pine St
Party on Sunday, December 1st @BasicCity
Sunday, December 1
Noon until 4pm or later….come-n-go open house style
Volunteer musicians wanted!!!
(Sunday afternoon on Thanksgiving weekend)
19th Annual toy collection party, benefitting Richmond Fire Department and Richmond Animal Care & Control (RACC)
COSTUME CONTEST categories with PRIZES….so dress up!
(1) Greatest Grinchy Green (most festive)
(2) Wildest Who’s from Whoville (best couple/group)
(3) Maximum Max (best dog)
Basic City Brewing, Southside
212 W. 6th Street – RVA
Noon-4:00pm++
Follow me on Facebook for further details
https://www.facebook.com/stephenie.harrington
From email announcement:
AGENDA:
Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association
Monthly Meeting Agenda
Tuesday 19 November 2024 – 7:00PM
This meeting will be held by Zoom, at the link below.
(Editor- Meeting information redacted from this post. Please contact ohnarva@gmail.com if you need it.)Welcome:
Community Updates:
1. Lt. Bill Brereton, City of Richmond Police Section Lt, 4th Precinct
2. VCU Police: Chief John Venuti, Major Nicole Dailey
3. Ms. Verenda Cobbs, VCU
4. Ms. Stephanie Lynch, 5th District Councilperson
5. Ms. Colette McEachin, Richmond Commonwealth’s AttorneyDiscussion:
Student code of conduct violation processes (Dr Aaron Hart, VP of Student Affairs at VCU)Announcements:
Bulletin Board in Pleasants Park
Pedestrian Beacon finally installed on Belvidere
Street Paving: make plans
Caring for the Community Day at St Andrews School
Street Art Festival
“Annual Town Meeting,” December 17–planning for in personUpdates and Continued Business
Committee Reports:
Treasurer Report
Zoning Committee
Friends of Oregon Hill Parks (FOOHP)
Bylaws Committee
Richmond Public Budgeting Liaison CommitteeNew Business
OHNA elections.
Current leadership roles under OHNA bylaws (President, Treasurer, Secretary, “one or more Vice Presidents.”)
Terms are for one year, to begin Jan 2025
Please nominate yourself or another to stand for an OHNA leadership role!See you all on Tuesday!
Valerie L’Herrou
—
Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association
Valerie L’Herrou, President
Bryan Clark Green, Co-Vice President
Jennifer Hancock, Co-Vice-President
Harrison Moenich, Co-Vice-President
Mike Mathews, Secretary
John Bolecek, Treasurer
JOIN OHNA: https://forms.gle/joCpHqcPrShu8qf86
Style magazine has published a rousing tribute to Lance Koehler’s Minimum Wage Recording Studio, which is relocating to Staunton, Virginia, after 20 years of making music right here in Oregon Hill.
The piece also promotes a fundraising concert scheduled for this coming Sunday at The Broadberry concert venue.
Microphones, cables and rows of knobs and dials — every recording studio has ‘em. A stated goal, on the other hand? Not all studios have one of those, but Minimum Wage Recording did: “To make it affordable enough that bands could take more time in the studio and really dig into doing some art.”
That’s how owner Lance Koehler describes the mission he sought to fulfill during Minimum Wage’s two-decade run operating in Oregon Hill. Now the gifted engineer, founding member of No BS! Brass Band and overall pillar of Richmond’s music community is packing up his studio and moving to Staunton, and some his former clients are stepping up to honor his contributions — and pay forward his generosity.
On Sunday, Nov. 17, the Broadberry will host A Celebration of Minimum Wage Recording Studios. The concert — part send-off, part benefit event — was the brainchild of fellow drummer Scott Clark, who was among the first to record at the studio when it was founded shortly after Koehler moved from New Orleans to Richmond in 2001. Upon learning Koehler was planning to move again, Clark was immediately inspired to put a bill together.
Needless to say, many neighbors will greatly miss Koehler and the great creativity emanating from Albemarle Street.
Event description as it appears in Style:
A Celebration of Minimum Wage Recording Studios will take place on Sunday, Nov. 17 at the Broadberry. Bio Ritmo, No BS! Brass Band and Justin Golden will perform. Doors open at 7 p.m. and music starts at 8 p.m. Proceeds will benefit Minimum Wage Recording Studio. Tickets are $15 in advance ($20 at the door) and can be purchased at thebroadberry.com.
The Friends of Oregon Hill Parks are holding a park clean up event at Robert Pleasants Park (401 S. Laurel Street) this coming Saturday from 10 am to 2 pm.
From the FaceBook event page:
Join the Friends of Oregon Hill Parks and Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association as we clean up/make updates to our beloved Pleasant’s Park. Refreshments will be provided. Thank you in advance!
https://www.meetup.com/rva-clean-city-sweep/events/303790887/
Note: help may also be needed loading flower bed bricks on Friday.
Photos courtesy of RACC
Oregon Hill is, sadly, somewhat used to abandoned/lost pets. It’s heartbreaking. This week, neighbors found two small birds that were on the ground and seemed very scared.
Thankfully, this story ends on a positive note. The birds were retrieved and brought to Richmond Animal Control. Adoptions are pending.
A welcome follow up to a previous editorial–
As reported by Richmond BizSense yesterday, Virginia Union University’s decision to revise its apartment plans and fully preserve the Richmond Community Hospital building represents a major win for community activism. This victory is largely credited to the grassroots efforts of locals Viola Baskerville and Farid Alan Schintzuis, who formed the ‘Save Community Hospital‘ group. Their efforts began with Baskerville’s letter to the Richmond Free Press in February. Shortly after, Michael Paul Williams’ editorial in the Richmond Times-Dispatch further amplified the issue, bringing it into the spotlight and rallying broader community support.
It should be noted that Farid Alan Schintzius also is one of the citizens who tried to prevent the Jacob House from being moved from its original location (possibly an “Underground Railroad” site) and ultimately helped save the Jacob House itself. He also deserves credit for helping found community radio station WRIR.
Oregon Hill can only hope that these senses of historical preservation and community activism will also be felt during the City’s rezoning process, as the City begins to truly enact its Richmond300 Plan.
2024 OHNA zoning resolution –
Whereas, the Oregon Hill Historic District is listed on the National Register of Historic places and the Virginia Landmarks Register as a rare intact historic district built as a working class neighborhood, and
Whereas, Oregon Hill is a built-out neighborhood of two-story dwellings with great density, having the majority of the homes attached on one or both sides, and
Whereas, Oregon Hill residents fought long and hard to obtain our current R-7 residential zoning, and
Whereas, the current R-7 zoning with a 35 foot height limit matches the neighborhood’s historic fabric and helps to protect the historic character of Oregon Hill, and
Whereas, the current R-7 zoning has allowed the Oregon Hill Historic District to thrive, with very few empty lots, and
Whereas, Section 17.05 of the Richmond City Charter states that a duty of the Planning Commission is to, “… preserve historical landmarks …”, and
Whereas, Oregon Hill is adjacent to and has faced encroachment by the adjacent Virginia Commonwealth University, and
Whereas, the City of Richmond values the character of its unique historic districts which make Richmond a special place to live, and must protect the character of our historic district through appropriate zoning,
Therefore, be it Resolved that the Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association strongly urges the Richmond Planning Commission and the Richmond City Council to respect and maintain the R-7 zoning or its equivalent with a 35′ height limit within the Oregon Hill Historic District, in keeping with the current designation’s purpose in preserving the character of older urban neighborhoods in the city’s inner areas.
Of course, a lot of Richmonders overlook the small places that families lived in like the historic John Miller House. “John Miller, a free black cooper and minister, built this house about 1858. It is significant as a rare surviving antebellum house in Richmond constructed by and for a free African American family. More than two thousand free blacks lived in Richmond at the time of the Civil War; at least two hundred of them were homeowners. Miller was an influential member of the small free black community that existed in present-day Oregon Hill. Originally erected at 614 S. Laurel Street, the dwelling moved to its present location in 1917, two blocks to the west of here at 617 S. Cherry Street, by Richmond businessman Moses Nunnally.”
From Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association announcement:
The first of two community engagement meetings will take place on 10/28 at 5:30pm in Holly St. Playground. We want community input on the first design of a full park renovation, as well as new ideas! Please come share your thoughts. This first draft will be discussed as well as other ideas.