From email announcement:

The Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association will meet on Zoom Tuesday evening, 10/22, at 7pm. The agenda is below and attached.

O T H E R N E W S :

Potential housing relief: The city of Richmond is considering providing some relief to low-income home owners and residents, including a property tax rebate for all property owners, and grants and tax relief for low-income renters and homeowners. Learn more about these proposals here: https://rva.gov/finance/rva-stay. They will be considered at City Council’s Oct 28 meeting.

Richmond Parks Survey: let the city know how you use city parks and what you’d like to see included in a city-wide parks and recreation plan: https://www.richmondinspire.com/

Get involved in zoning: Richmond is revising its zoning codes. This revision could have a big impact on Oregon Hill. Learn more about plans here: https://www.rva.gov/planning-development-review/code-refresh and view a webinar here: https://www.rva.gov/sites/default/files/2024-07/Zoning%20101%20Webinar%20-%20June%2024-25%202024.mp4

Hallowe’en: get ready for Halloween! If you are new to Oregon Hill, prepare for lots of trick-or-treaters, and the 19th annual All the Saints Theatre Co Parade, beginning 7pm in Monroe Park.

Election day: Nov 5. Vote at Clark Springs elementary school., 6am-7pm. You may also vote early, at the Office of Elections at 2134 West Laburnum Avenue or at satellite locations including City Hall at 900 East Broad Street the following days and times: 8:30am – 5pm, Monday through Friday until November 1st. You may also vote at these locations on the following days: 9am – 5pm Saturday, October 26th and November 2; and 1pm – 5pm Sunday, October 27th. The fifth district ballot: https://www.rva.gov/sites/default/files/2024-09/FULL%20-%20District%205.pdf

Pleasants Park workday: November 9, 10-2. Please join us in weeding, mulching, and completing the brick borders around the beds.

November OHNA elections: at its November 17 meeting, OHNA will hold its annual elections. Consider getting more involved! Attend the meeting on Tuesday to learn more.

Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association
Monthly Meeting Agenda
Tuesday 22 October 2024 – 7:00PM
This meeting will be held by Zoom, at the link below.

(Editor’s note: Zoom meeting link redacted. Please contact ohnarva@gmail.com to obtain that link)

Welcome:
Community Updates:
1. Lt. Bill Brereton, City of Richmond Police Section Lt, 4th Precinct
2. Officer Cain Green, Police Liaison, VCU (greenc4@vcu.edu)
3. Ms. Verenda Cobbs, VCU
4. Ms. Stephanie Lynch, 5th District Councilperson
5. Ms. Colette McEachin, Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney

Q&A on street safety issues in OH:
Representative of Traffic Engineer Department of DPW.
Announcements:
Next Pleasants Park workday, November 9
Annual Town Meeting, December 17
All the Saints Halloween Parade
City “zoning refresh” process

Updates and Continued Business
1. Report Fall Festival Block Party, Halloween parade and activities (Harrison Moenich)
2. Friends of Oregon Hill Parks (FOOHP):
Next Pleasants Park workday
Planning process for Holly Street Playground updates
3. Update from Bylaws committee

New Business
Carter’s Dry Goods: discuss support for Jake Urbanksi to open a coffee shop?
November OHNA elections. Please consider taking on an OHNA leadership role!

—
Valerie L’Herrou, President
Bryan Clark Green, Co-Vice President
Harrison Moenich, Co-Vice-President
Jennifer Hancock, Co-Vice-President
Mike Matthews, Secretary
John Bolecek, Treasurer

From email announcement:

Please plan to attend the OHNA meeting this Tuesday. The agenda is attached and below.
NOTE there will likely be a long discussion regarding recent events in the neighborhood such as out-of-control parties and the recent incident at Riverside park with dirtbikes and ATVs.

Be advised: after many complaints from multiple neighbors, parking enforcement will be coming through the neighborhood soon, and will be ticketing cars blocking alley access, in front of fire hydrants, on crosswalks, by no parking signs, and too close to intersections.

OREGON HILL NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION
Monthly Meeting Agenda
Tuesday 24 September 2024 – 7:00PM
This meeting will be held by Zoom, at the link below.
(Editor’s note: The Zoom link has been redacted. If you wish to attend, please email ohnarva@gmail.com in advance of meeting)

Welcome:
Community Updates:
1. Lt. Bill Brereton, City of Richmond Police Section Lt, 4th Precinct
2. Officer Cain Green, Police Liaison, VCU (greenc4@vcu.edu)
3. Ms. Verenda Cobbs, VCU
4. Ms. Stephanie Lynch, 5th District Councilperson
5. Ms. Colette McEachin, Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney

Candidates:
Harrison Roday; Mamie Taylor
Announcements:

Updates and Continued Business
1. Fall Festival Block Party, Halloween parade and activities (Harrison Moenich)
2. Action: vote on Zoning Resolution (Charles Poole) (see attached, introduced at August mtg)
3. Richmond Participatory Budget news https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/rvapbideas (Justin Liang)
4. Data collection: Events at Brown’s (Valerie L’Herrou)

2. New Business

Valerie L’Herrou, President
Bryan Clark Green, Co-Vice President
Harrison Moenich, Co-Vice-President
Jennifer Hancock, Co-Vice-President
Mike Matthews, Secretary
John Bolecek, Treasurer

2024 OHNA proposed 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.

From email announcement:

Next Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association meeting: Tuesday, August 27 at 7pm via zoom. Agenda is attached and pasted below.

OH Events:
Next Pleasants Park clean up day: Sept 21
Fourth Annual OH Halloween Block Party: Oct 19

Other News:

JOIN a City of Richmond board, committee, or commission, and represent Oregon Hill. There are multiple openings, including the Civilian Review Boarrd (police oversight), Ethics Reform Commission, Social Services Committee, Sister Cities Commission, City Planning Commission, Participatory Budget Steering Commission, and Community Transportation Commission. Some commissions have slots for particular populations, so read the requirements before applying.
Find openings and apply: https://www.rva.gov/office-city-clerk/boards-and-commissions

Community Health Survey: City of Richmond and Henrico County Health Districts: https://redcap.vdh.virginia.gov/redcap/surveys/?s=HWRH78RCMDWKDRPD&fbclid=IwY2xjawEvHKVleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHcNq0NlbpZsBMXHCk0gGeXOZoEkpTPeQxFhIbGFs38GNaO_x2LjWopJPHg_aem_A6oVDWvLPWiyKQ1-8ftkHA

Monthly Meeting Agenda
Tuesday 27 August 2024 – 7:00PM
This meeting will be held by Zoom, at the link below.

Join Zoom Meeting (Editor’s note: Zoom link has been redacted. If you wish to attend, please request from ohnarva@gmail.com)

Welcome:
Community Updates:
1. Lt. Bill Brereton, City of Richmond Police Section Lt, 4th Precinct
2. Officer Cain Green, Police Liaison, VCU (greenc4@vcu.edu)
3. Ms. Verenda Cobbs, VCU
4. Ms. Stephanie Lynch, 5th District Councilperson
5. Ms. Colette McEachin, Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney

Candidates:
Harrison Roday; Stephanie Rizzi
Announcements:
1. Fall Festival Block Party

Updates and Continued Business
1. The Friends of Oregon Hill Parks
b. Pleasants Park cleanup: weeding, mulching, cleaning sidewalks: Sat Sept 21

2. New Business
1. Discussion: Form an Ad Hoc Committee to review bylaws?
2. Discussion: Should we ask for a speed camera on Belvidere at Holly (within 1,000’ of Open High, where there was a pedestrian fatality in 2021) under new definition of “high-risk intersection segment”? Va Code § 46.2-882.1: “Use of photo speed monitoring devices in highway work zones, school crossing zones, and high-risk intersection segments; civil penalty.
A. For the purposes of this section: “High-risk intersection segment” means any highway or portion thereof located not more than 1,000 feet from the limits of the property of a school that is part of or adjacent to an intersection containing a marked crosswalk that is identified in the manner provided in this section as one in which a traffic fatality has occurred since January 1, 2014.”

Valerie L’Herrou, President
Bryan Clark Green, Co-Vice President
Harrison Moenich, Co-Vice-President
Jennifer Hancock, Co-Vice-President
Mike Matthews, Secretary
John Bolecek, Treasurer

Again, from the start of Richmond300, the neighborhood has been concerned because code usually reflects land us decisions.

Before approving the Richmond 300 master plan, the Richmond City Council was assured by the Stoney administration that their voice in amending the master plan would be respected.

The question remains…Is this setting up the neighborhood for success (to use previous OHNA Preisdent Todd Woodson’s wording) or failure?