Board of Zoning Appeals Notice

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

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

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!

Proposed Cell Phone Tower Is Still An Issue

Neighborhood representatives recently received this ‘Section 106’ note in regard to the proposed cell phone towner on the 800 block of W.Cary that the neighborhood association has opposed.

This is to notify you that a new comment has been added to the following filing:
Comment Source: BirchCo, Inc.
Comment Date: 11/19/2019
Comment Text: Please note that the request to provide mock ups and photo documentation of same is still being considered and worked on by the applicant. Additional information will be provided to all parties as soon as it is available.

File Number: 0008777730
TCNS Number: 188256
Purpose: Update
Original Purpose: Collocation Submission Packet
Has the Communications Tower or Non-Tower Structure been the subject of SHPO/THPO review? No
Notification Date: 7AM EST 10/02/2019

Applicant: T-Mobile Northeast, LLC
Consultant: BirchCo, Inc.
Positive Train Control Filing Subject to Expedited Treatment Under Program Comment: No
Site Name: VA71951C / 805 West Cary
Site Address: 805 West Cary Street
Detailed Description of Project:
Site Coordinates: 37-32-40.0 N, 77-27-7.0 W
City: Richmond
County: RICHMOND CITY
State:VA
Lead SHPO/THPO: Virginia Department of Historic Resources

Presentation To ‘Richmond 300’

Laurel Street neighbor Charles Pool, on behalf of the Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association, made a presentation to the Richmond 300 Advisory Committee at the Main public library Wednesday afternoon. Charles shared strong concerns that new planning would lead to allowing 8-story tall buildings to be built in Oregon Hill and other historic inner-city neighborhoods. Before making the presentation, he passed out copies of OHNA’s recent letter to committee members.

Special Use Permit (SUP)

ORD. 2019-295 To amend Ord. No. 2012-200-2013-4, adopted Jan. 28, 2013, which authorized the special use of the property known as 407 South Cherry Street for the purpose of permitting multifamily use and the property known as 811 Albemarle Street for the purpose of establishing a single-family dwelling lot and a lot to be used for surface parking accessory to a multifamily use, to modify the number of bedrooms in the multifamily dwelling and to allow balconies, upon certain terms and conditions.
This ordinance was introduced and referred to the Planning Commission meeting on Monday, November 4, 2019, at 1:30 p.m.
Gay Blundon (Victory Apartments) presented his plan at a meeting of the Oregon hill Neighborhood Association back in September. The group voted to support his request for an amendment to his SUP.
After the Planning Commission it’ll go to City Council on November 12.

Richmond 300 Continues To Ignore City Residents

Laurel Street neighbor Charles Pool went to the Richmond 300 meeting this evening but was unable to give a presentation on behalf of the Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association. Few of the committee members were there, and chairperson Mr. Olinger suggested that the presentation be postponed to a later meeting. The electricity went out and Pool was not even able to make some comments.

The Richmond 300 Committee and City staff are seemingly determined to give Oregon Hill a Neighborhood Mixed Use designation with an 8 story limit, despite multiple statements from the neighborhood association that this is not acceptable.

This tyranny has been going on for over a year now, and like the unpopular coliseum scheme, the City continues to show disregard for citizens. There’s very little reason for trust at this point.

5th District Newsletter and Master Plans
OHNA Letter To ‘Richmond300’ Planners
Planning Commission Presentation
‘Single-Family’ To Be Removed?
Mandatory Homework Assignment For Candidates
OHNA Letter To City Council and Richmond300 Committee

Councilmember Agelasto to Hold Meeting Thursday

From City Council press release:

Councilmember Agelasto to hold meeting for the Richmond Central 5th Voter District

WHAT Richmond, Virginia – The Honorable Parker C. Agelasto, Councilmember, Richmond City Council, Richmond Central 5th Voter District, will hold a meeting for the Richmond Central 5th Voter District. This will be the final individual event Councilmember Agelasto will personally host in the District, as he is voluntarily stepping off Council as of November 30, 2019.

The planned agenda for this meeting includes the following:

AGENDA

· Proposed Richmond Navy Hill Development Project: Presentation with Questions & Answers
– Representative, Richmond Economic Development Authority
– Representative, Navy Hill District Corporation

· Richmond Central 5th Voter District Updates

WHEN Thursday, October 24, 2019
6:30 – 8:00 p.m.

WHERE St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church
240 S. Laurel Street; Richmond, Virginia

CONTACT For more information, please contact: Amy Robins, Liaison for The Honorable Parker C. Agelasto, Councilmember, Richmond City Council, Richmond Central 5th Voter District, at 804.646.5724 (tel), or amy.robins@richmondgov.com (email).

Councilmember Agelasto holds individual meetings that include his goals and accomplishments, topical agendas, and special guests. He invites all Richmond Central 5th Voter District residents to attend. Meeting dates, times, locations, agendas, and special guests are subject to change.

OHNA Letter To City Council and Richmond300 Committee

OHNA President Todd Woodson sent this letter yesterday:

Dear Richmond City Council and Richmond 300 committee members,

In good faith, the Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association participated in the planning process for the Richmond 300 Master Plan. We are therefore troubled to see that our input in the process has been ignored and that the future land use designation proposed for the Oregon Hill Historic District is the inappropriate “Mixed-Use” designation with an 8 story height limit.

This “Mixed-Use” designation is not acceptable for Oregon Hill. We insist that this inappropriate designation be replaced with the “Medium-Density Residential” future land use designation with a height limit of 35 feet. We note that over 90% of the Oregon Hill Historic District now has the R-7 residential zoning with a 35 foot height limit that corresponds with the “Medium-Density Residential” future land use. We fought hard for this appropriate R-7 residential zoning, and we do not want it to be undercut by an inappropriate “Mixed-Use” future land use designation in the Richmond 300 master plan. Any non compliant development can be judged on its merit with the Medium Density Residential designation.

We note that representatives of the Oregon Hill neighborhood were not allowed to serve on the Richmond 300 committee. As a result, a “Mixed-Used” future land use designation, which conforms neither to current conditions or to the aspirations of the historic neighborhood, was selected.

Please let us know as soon as possible that the future land use designation for the Oregon Hill Historic District will be corrected in the Richmond 300 plan to “Medium density residential” with a 35 foot height limit.

Thank you for your prompt consideration of these important concerns.

Sincerely,

Charles T Woodson, president, Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association.