Category Archives: editorial

Richmond Citizens $45, VCU Nothing?

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Hopefully there will be more coverage of the City’s budget process soon, but from what I heard at this morning’s meeting at the Main Street Library, the City’s new stormwater utility fee will cost Richmond homeowners about $45 each more every year, while VCU, as state property, will be exempt. Hopefully, I am wrong about this, but I am afraid that is what is coming down the pike. Keep in mind that under the current system, VCU already pays a much smaller rate for water use than Richmond citizens, who pay what is possibly the highest minimum water rate in the country. There are still a lot of questions as to what commercial property owners will be charge for stormwater vs. residential, and what developer property vs. undeveloped means.

As I have said before, I am not against a stormwater utility fee, as long as it is fairly applied and it goes towards actually preventing stormwater runoff problems in the City. The Public Utility is at least starting to dress the new entity more green, and they deserve some credit for that.

To find out more about the situation, citizens may want to attend City Council’s Finance Standing Committee Budget Work Session, Wednesday, April 8, from 2 to 5 pm in Council Chambers at City Hall.

There is a lot more going on with the City budget as more economic devastation comes to bear and I urge citizens to get involved.

Support Trees For Monroe Park

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Did you know that during its period of “historic significance” in 1904, Monroe Park boasted 362 trees of 26 species? Today, the Park has only 155 trees of 23 species- less than half of what they had back then. The Monroe Park Masterplan calls for replanting treestock to replace many trees both on the sidewalk perimeter (which will become brick sidewalk) as well as the Park’s interior. Trees benefit us all by shading us from the heat, filtering pollutants from the air and decreasing stormwater runoff by absorbing rainwater. It has been said that “the best time to plant a tree is 10 years ago”. While documents are being prepared for the infrastructure needs of the Park, the replanting of new trees in construction safe areas should begin NOW. The cost TO THE CITY is relatively low and the sooner we plant, the sooner we can enjoy the benefits. We need to get the message out that TREE REPLANTING AND MAINTENANCE is of major importance to the lovers of Monroe Park. SO I ASK THIS FAVOR! Please take a minute now and email your SUPPORTIVE COMMENTS ON REPLANTING and MAINTAINING TREES in MONROE PARK to:

information@monroepark.com

and CC it to:

Rachel.Flynn@richmondgov.com

We have another month to plant this season and we can get a lot done next season but these people need to know how important an issue this is to you. It will take many years to recover the historic canopy IF WE START NOW. so thanks for showing your TREE love. Please pass it on and thanks again.

Todd Woodson.

And Here We Go…Proposed City Budget Has Higher Water fees

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The Times Dispatch reports

In addition, residents would pay more for gas, water and waste-water disposal. Property owners would pay a new annual storm-water fee to fund utility projects.

No surprise here, we tried to warn our fellow citizens. I guess we can join SaveRichmond.com in saying, we told you so.

And we continue to ask: What will be VCU’s rate?

As usual, white elephant schemes distract from this and other important issues.

Stormwater Rising

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From the Times Dispatch:

State officials hold meetings to discuss bacteria in James
These meetings are TODAY.

This post on the local Sierra Club’s blog is important.

A couple of quick thoughts:

One way that Oregon Hill residents can help keep bacteria out of the James River is by cleaning up after their pets properly. We can also use less lawn and garden fertilizer. Hopefully, growing our own food lessens agricultural runoff overall. Of course trees are also important in this. All Richmond neighborhoods should be taking measures.

As for the City’s proposed stormwater utility fee, there’s no doubt that Richmond needs to do more to lessen its stormwater runoff. And for environmental reasons, it should be supported. However, it still needs more scrutiny. The local Green Party has it clear that the City has been overcharging its citizens for water for years. In fact, though the water rates were slightly reformed this past year, the City’s minimum water rates are still among the highest in the country (while it sells water to the surrounding counties, who in turn, charge their citizens LESS than the City does!). So where is all this money going? We are talking tens of millions of dollars, maybe more, of taxpayer dollars for a PUBLIC utility. And if the City starts charging residents the stormwater utility fee, again, where is all THAT money going? Is it really going towards preventing and not just piping and controlling stormwater runoff?

Citizens need to start asking more, better questions of their local civic leaders.

“Street Beat” (Traffic Along Cherry and Idlewood)

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It would almost be funny if it was not so damn sad.

As VCU has continued to bulldoze and expand into the neighborhood despite protest, Oregon Hill residents warned VCU and City officials that increasing commuter traffic was becoming more and more of a concern on Cherry and Idlewood. And its not just VCU, more riverfront development such as the Dominion trading floor and MeadWestVaco has put a lot of strain on Idlewood, where VCU and young St. Andrew’s students walk.

The Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association even championed a plan to create a traffic circle on Idlewood near Hollywood Cemetery that would slow down traffic coming of the Expressway and allow it to have a choice between east or west. It would make it safer and easier for Oregon Hill residents (yes, remember us?) and commuters alike. VCU President Trani ‘promised’ to contribute to this plan.

But, nothing has happened with it. And we continue to see stuff like this, in columns like this Sunday’s Times Dispatch’s Street Beat, that only partly answer questions:

Q:I frequently drive through Virginia Commonwealth University by way of Oregon Hill. There is a light at the intersection of Cherry and Main streets — where you can go only left or straight. When school is in session, it is hard to make a left turn because of all the pedestrian traffic. I often have to wait through several light cycles to get through. Please see if they will consider putting a left-turn signal for people turning left to Main from Cherry. — A reader

Answer: Sometimes you can’t catch a break.

Here is what Jemila M. Woodson of the Department of Public Works said about this intersection:

“Pedestrians crossing West Main Street at this intersection are crossing simultaneously with northbound traffic on Cherry Street.” Therefore, an additional traffic phase to accommodate Cherry Street traffic would not improve traffic flow and would increase delays for pedestrian and vehicular traffic, she said.

“To improve pedestrian safety at this intersection, crews will install a ‘Turning Traffic Must Yield To Pedestrians’ sign for northbound traffic turning left on Cherry Street. They will also repaint the faded pedestrian crosswalk. These improvements will be completed within 30 days.”

In Praise of Small Houses

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It is sad that City Council continues to put the wishes of developers and corporations over that of residents and historic neighborhoods. Council members have sometimes justified their decisions by claiming that people no longer want to live in small houses. Some of the counties even use such prejudices as an excuse to spurn affordable housing.

The fact of the matter is they are wrong. A global movement continues to grow that recognizes small houses for their desirability and sustainability. As more and more McMansions go up for foreclosure and energy conservation becomes more and more important, small, affordable houses are due for a serious comeback in the Richmond area.

City Council Turns Back on CAR (But Supports River Park Conservation)

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I have been watching this case unfold in our neighbors’ lap up in Church Hill.

Without commenting specifically on the developer or the proposed development (because we have seen what can possibly happen if we do), I will say that it sadly reaffirms what Oregon Hill neighbors have long suspected- voting to put our neighborhood under the Commission for Architectural Review will not protect Oregon Hill’s historical assets as long as City Council continues to live by its undeclared ‘Leave No Developer Behind Act’. We always knew that VCU is exempted from City code, but evidently so are others. In other words, our own City Council does not live by CAR’s decisions, so why should we?

As King, I have already declared my own version of historic preservation protection. I swear to do my best to defend the neighborhood from disrespectful development and I continue to ask my neighbors to join me in doing so. Of course, the door is still open if my neighbors do eventually decide they do want to become a “City Historic District”.

By the way, even though I already annexed Belle Island, I will honor City Council’s decision to support the James River Conservation Easement.

Asking More of Dominion Power, Verizon, and City

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img_0024If you follow politics, you know one of the major subjects that is being discussed right now at federal and state levels is the need for more energy efficiency, including smart grid technology. This policy conversation is trickling all the way down to the neighborhood. For years, Oregon Hill has had, shall we say, an interesting relationship with Dominion Power. But what this post is about is the simple service of electric voltage. No doubt it is a challenge with all of the new heat pumps/air conditioning and explosion in computers and appliances in the midst of a historic, working class neighborhood. Yet, the time has come for Dominion Power to spend the money to upgrade the network in Oregon Hill and fulfill its obligations to citizens, as according to the State Corporation Commission. Too many neighbors have their lights flicker, too many neighbors have their hard drives fail, too many have to replace their heat pumps far too soon.

And its not just Dominion Power. Verizon has promised Richmond more choices and competition with its new FIOS service. Since many of the utility poles in Oregon Hill are in fact owned by Verizon (with the City managing many of the right-a-ways), if Dominion is adding transformers and additional service, so should Verizon. Ideally, we would have buried utility lines to add beauty and reliability for our historic neighborhood, but we have been told its too expensive (yet it does not seem to be a problem for VCU). This neighborhood is right next to downtown and has seen property rates and taxes go up considerably. Although it has prided itself on its independence and continues to push for more self-sufficiency (expect more on this soon), Oregon Hill demands and deserves better services. If our City representatives are worth a damn, they would be all over this.

VCU Takes Away Parking

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VCU has closed ALL parking on the 00 block of S Pine (Just South of Main). This is a hardship to businesses on the Cary business corridor. It has been like this for too long. I don’t understand how the City allows indefinite closures like this at the expense of taxpaying citizens. They could easily move the construction fence over. Makes you wonder.

Wouldnt it be great if VCU and City worked together to help each other instead of them continually knifing us in the back?

No Alternatives?

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Remember when VCU told Oregon Hill, the city, and the state that there was no alternative to demolishing the historic stables and encroaching further into the neighborhood in order to build the massive student recreational center? Now they just happen to buy most of a city block less than a year later from starting the rec center construction?

The VCU Real Estate Foundation purchased the former Ukrop’s store and parking lot at Grace and Harrison streets for more than four times what a previous investor paid in 2002.

Does anyone believe anything the VCU admin says anymore? Will any state legislators listen to citizens who keep asking that VCU and its private Real Estate Foundation be investigated for their continued misrepresentations?

It did not have to be that way and it’s never too late for positive change. And yes, this does matter for the future of the Downtown Master Plan.