Category Archives: government

REMINDER: TONIGHT, 5th District Facebook Live

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Does not have quite the same ring as ‘Saturday Night Live’, but ‘Stephanie & Amy’ might still be the best pairing since Tina Fey and Amy Poehler.

From the Facebook event page:

Dear 5th District Residents,

We will be holding our second Facebook Live meeting on Thursday, May 28 at 6pm. The agenda will include COVID information, businesses relief efforts, extended tax deadlines, budget review, and community outreach/volunteering while practicing social distancing.

Please comment in the event if you have a specific topic you would like covered. If we can not get to it we will try to include it in the June newsletter and on social media.

We’ll be loading a bunch of PSAs in this event for review and sharing.

We are thinking of all of you.

Best,
Stephanie & Amy

Cloudy VHDA

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Photo and comment by neighbor Charles Pool.

Clouds reflected in the Virginia Housing Development Authority (VHDA) building across Belvidere Street from Oregon Hill. The VHDA has applied for exceptions to the zoning code to build a large parking deck adjacent to the Va. War Memorials new deck. Since there is a shortage of parking to visit Belle Isle, will the VHDA allow the public to park in the deck on the weekends?

Voting By Mail, Ballot Access, and RCV (During A Plague)

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The Richmond Free Press has an article this week on Virginia Attorney General Mark R. Herring’s announcement this past Tuesday that he agrees with a federal lawsuit seeking the temporary suspension of the state’s current requirement that voters casting mail-in ballots have someone present as they open the letter containing the ballot and sign the envelope in which the ballot is returned.

The Virginia American Civil Liberties Union and the Virginia League of Women Voters celebrated the decision – “We are thrilled that today’s agreement means voters will not bear the burden of finding a witness for their absentee ballots during a global pandemic,” said Deb Wake, president of the League of Women Voters of Virginia. “We are optimistic the judge will rule favorably so that Virginia voters do not have to choose between their health and their vote.”

At the same time other groups have expressed concern about the possibility of voting by mail becoming the standard during the pandemic. The California Republican Party is suing Governor Gavin Newsom to prohibit the practice of ballot collecting or “ballot harvesting” during two upcoming special elections in the state, arguing it stands “in direct conflict” with social distancing guidelines and Newsom’s shelter-in-place mandate to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Just to the north, the state of Oregon continues to use mail-in voting exclusively.

But lest you think this is just about battling voter suppression or usual political corruption, recognize that many independent voting rights activists have their own concerns and are lobbying for any VBM (voting by mail) to be ‘temporary’ with safeguards put in place to somewhat minimize fraud and disenfranchisement. So, the debate over VBM is most likely going to intensify, pandemic or no pandemic.

Furthermore, this community news site has steadfastly advocated for ranked choice voting (RCV) and will continue to do so, especially as we see American election pressures mount. If Virginia is going to risk voting by mail this year, why not also implement ranked choice voting at the same time? As Fair Vote Virginia has noted, Governor Northam has already signed bills allowing some RCV to proceed. Use emergency powers during the pandemic to give voters more voice!

But getting back more to this week’s developments… of course, what the Democratic Virginia Attorney General and the Democratic Party-leaning ACLU and League of Women Voters have not concerned themselves with is good ol’ fashioned ballot access during this pandemic. They have ignored the Green Party of Virginia’s appeal to waive the petition of qualified voters requirement for ballot access in light of the Governor’s declaration of a state of emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Collecting ballot petition signatures requires close physical contact on the part of both voters and petitioners and the state burdens ‘independent’ or ‘minor party’ campaigns with collecting these petitions, while exempting ‘major party’ candidates. And if you think this is just a state Green Party problem, consider how local campaigns are desperately struggling with these requirements. Some Oregon Hill neighbors have already tried to help Mayoral candidate Justin Griffin with signature by appointment. Electoral reforms like VBM and RCV can only help so much to improve voter choices if candidates are thwarted by ballot access (but perhaps that is the plan by the PTB,’Powers That Be’).

Circling back to the Richmond Free Press… it had this short thought in their editorial section- Something to think about.

Authorities Issue New Orders In Response To Pandemic

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March 30, 2020— Governor Ralph Northam today issued a statewide Stay at Home order to protect the health and safety of Virginians and mitigate the spread of the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19. The executive order takes effect immediately and will remain in place until June 10, 2020, unless amended or rescinded by a further executive order.
The order directs all Virginians to stay home except in extremely limited circumstances. Individuals may leave their residence for allowable travel, including to seek medical attention, work, care for family or household members, obtain goods and services like groceries, prescriptions, and others as outlined in Executive Order Fifty-Three, and engage in outdoor activity with strict social distancing requirements.

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Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney announced the city would restrict access to certain public spaces in response to Gov. Ralph Northam’s stay-at-home order.

In a release, Stoney announced playgrounds and courts at public parks, as well as on Richmond Public Schools properties, are closed beginning Monday at 5 p.m. Access to the James River would be limited as well. Certain activities – swimming, sunbathing or congregating in groups – are now forbidden. Residents can still exercise along the river.
Police will enforce the restrictions, the release stated.

Editor’s comment- history does tend to repeat.

City COVID-19 Hotline For Seniors

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From City press release:

The City of Richmond Office of Aging and Disability Services has opened a hotline to answer questions seniors or those with disabilities in the city may have, as well as direct them to vital resources available through partners.

Hotline number: 804-646-1082
Hours: 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday

The city also reminds residents that Senior Connections, the capital area agency on aging also offers information and referral services at 804-343-3000. They are currently seeking volunteers to deliver food to seniors, who are being cautioned to isolate in their homes.

If you are interested in volunteering, call Senior Connections at 804-343-3000.

“VCU, and not Richmond residents, stands to gain from Navy Hill project”

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Laurel Street neighbor Charles Pool has a letter to the editor in this week’s Richmond Free Press. For some people, it will clarify how this SHAMEFUL VCU/Dominion sponsored scam is distracting from truly public priorities like fixing our schools.

VCU, and not Richmond residents, stands to gain from Navy Hill project
The main beneficiary of the proposed Navy Hill project is Virginia Commonwealth University, not Richmond’s residents.
Dominion Energy Chief Executive Officer Tom Farrell II, who also heads the Navy Hill Development Corp., sat on VCU’s Board of Visitors, and his son, Peter Farrell, recently was appointed to the VCU board by Gov. Ralph S. Northam.
The newly approved VCU Master Plan quietly includes plans to partner in the Navy Hill development: “VCU and VCU Health System support the project and are exploring potential partnerships.”
There exists a tremendous pent-up demand for housing and office space near VCU’s land-locked medical campus. However, the Navy Hill Development Corp. would have us believe that the city-owned land adjacent to the VCU campus is of depressed value and won’t be developed without their help. The city-owned land adjacent to VCU is worth many times the value stated in the Navy Hill proposal.
It is unseemly that the city accepted only one bid for the $1.5 billion Navy Hill project from Mr. Farrell’s group. Then, after the bids were closed, the Tax Increment Financing (TIF) zone morphed by 800 percent from 10 blocks to 80 blocks to include Mr. Farrell’s new Dominion tower south of Broad Street.
Richmond should not be duped into thinking that the proposed dorm-like studio apartments will help our low-income residents. The project’s ballyhooed 480 new affordable housing units would be occupied largely by students at VCU’s medical campus, which has a large shortage of dorm rooms.
Likewise, VCU needs the office and research space that would be built by the growing university, regardless of the Navy Hill project.
A new Richmond Coliseum would be a venue for VCU commencements, sporting events and concerts. So why is VCU, which pays no city real estate taxes, putting no “skin in the game” toward building the new Coliseum?
It is worth noting that the much-heralded John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville was built by the University of Virginia and not by the City of Charlottesville.
The unintended consequence of the Navy Hill District proposal would be to starve city schools of funding while subsidizing a development bonanza for VCU. It would be reckless for Richmond to mortgage all new revenue from 80 prime blocks of its Downtown for the next 30 years for this project.
Let’s hope that Richmond City Council votes down this Navy Hill boondoggle.
CHARLES POOL
Richmond

A couple of quick notes-

Don’t forget VCU President Rao’s disgraceful letter from last year.

There’s already talk that this ‘much-studied’ scheme will morph yet again, from an 80-block TIFF back to a 10-block TIFF. It has intentionally become a moving target.

Beyond state delegate Bourne’s bill, there is other possible boondoggle support coming from the General Assembly- as political activist Paul Goldman notes-

Is Speaker Filler-Corn’s Bill HB1414 creating new all powerful transportation agency a way to help Coliseum proponents bypass opponents to the development project, indeed city officials should the boondoggle get passed? Read lines 569-571. This would have been very helpful, if applicable, for Mayor Jones and his Council cronies in pushing through Shockoe Bottom Baseball Stadium despite overwhelming public opposition.

Which bring us to a longstanding question- Is it ‘unintended’ that that these proposals distract from properly funding Richmond schools? The ongoing record suggests otherwise. (See previous editorial, ‘Broken Promises: Richmond’s Leaders Don’t Want To Put Schools First’.)

Board of Zoning Appeals Notice

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BZA – February 2020 Agenda

An application of John & Mandy Tennyson and Amber Reitz for a special exception from Sections 30-300 & 30-413.7 of the zoning ordinance for a building permit to construct an addition to a single-family detached dwelling at 521 SOUTH PINE STREET (Tax Parcel Number W000-0119/025), located in an R-7 (Single- and Two-Family Urban Residential District). The lot coverage requirement is not met.

Their representative will be at the upcoming OHNA meeting.

RVAH2O Storm Drain Art Project Announces Its Fifth Year

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From press release:

RVAH2O, a public education initiative of the City of Richmond’s Department of Public Utilities (DPU), is seeking the talents of local artists ages 18 and up to help communicate the importance of keeping city storm drains litter-, leaf- and pollutant-free. The annual Storm Drain Art Project, which calls for artists to paint on city storm drains, is kicking off its fifth straight year. The deadline for submissions is Sunday, February 2, 2020, at 11:59 PM.

Twenty painted storm drains from previous contests currently adorn City sidewalks in Tredegar, Carytown, Northside, and Scott’s Addition. The City estimates that, each year, several thousand people walk by and view the drains. “Our goal is for artists to harness their talents to communicate a message that resonates with every Richmond citizen – that only rain should go down these drains,” reports Jenn Clarke, DPU’s stormwater outreach coordinator. “It’s creativity for a cause.”

This year’s chosen artists will paint their designs on storm drains in Shockoe Bottom. The art should reflect the goals of the RVA Clean Water Plan – the City’s five-year roadmap for reducing pollutant discharges into the James River, starting with wastewater, stormwater, and the combined sewer system. Artists are encouraged to think creatively and design a drain that will inspire Richmonders to keep our waterways clean.

An independent panel of judges from DPU will select four designs to be painted on designated drains in April 2020. Selected artists will receive a $400 stipend for their work and materials; DPU will provide non-slip paint, water and water tubs, and basic brushes.

Now in its fifth year, the RVAH2O Storm Drain Art Project has earned an award from the National Association of Clean Water Agencies and inspired similar programs in municipalities throughout the country. It has also earned recognition in two consecutive years from the Richmond Ad Club.

“We’re excited to continue this tradition for another year,” adds Clarke. “It’s a tremendous opportunity for local artists to display their work, and it’s an important environmental message for Richmond’s citizens and visitors.”

The Storm Drain Art Project is being conducted with permission from the Richmond Department of Public Works, the Richmond Public Art Commission, and the Richmond Planning Commission.
Visit RVAH2O.org for details. Submit art at http://www.RVAH2O.org/submit-art.

Public To Pay For More Corporate Takeover Of Riverfront

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From (recently re-elected) Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association President Todd Woodson:

On Monday, December 16th at 1:30PM, the City Planning Commission will hear a conceptual plan presented by Venture Richmond for a $17 million, taxpayer funded “improvement plan”, including a CORPORATE HELICOPTER PAD and DYNAMIC LIGHTING PLAN for publicly owned Browns Island, located on a flood plain in downtown Richmond. Venture Richmond and 3north held a planning charrette last April and invited DOMINION ENERGY, ALTRIA CORPORATION, NEW MARKET CORPORATION, certain developers, attorneys and City planning staff yet excluded the stake-holding public from the conversation. After being approved by only 3 members of the ten member Urban Design Committee last week, the proposal is poised to be approved “under the radar” by the planning commission on Monday. If you aren’t interested in building a corporate helipad on public property with taxpayer funds, I would urge you to attend and speak out against this ill conceived plan!

Of course, the corporate media has been silent about this, as they do not want to raise the ire of Venture (aka Vulture) Richmond. Remember, Richmond’s leaders don’t want to PUT SCHOOLS FIRST! Remember, corporate corruption takes from the public– even if most citizens agree with the improvements being made, they should not be excluded from the public planning process!