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?
From email announcement:
Monthly Meeting Agenda
Tuesday 23 July 2024
7:00PM
This meeting will be held by Zoom, at the link below.
Join Zoom Meeting (Editor’s note: Zoom meeting information has been redacted. If you wish to join the meeting and receive the Zoom link, please contact ohnarva@gmail.com)Welcome
Community Updates:
Lt. William Brereton, City of Richmond Police Section Lt, 4th Precinct
Officer Caine Green, Police Liaison, VCU
Ms. Verenda Cobbs, VCU
Ms. Stephanie Lynch, 5th District Councilperson
Introductions: Richmond Mayoral Candidate Harrison Roday
All announced mayoral candidates were invited to attend a meeting of OHNA to introduce their platforms. Each will have three minutes to speak, followed by questions from OHNA members. We have previously heard from Andreas Addison, Danny Avula, Michelle Mosby, and Maurice Neblett.Updates:
Discussion with Amphitheater developer’s representative re the amphitheater at Tredegar Green.
It is slated to seat 5,000 people and accommodate and additional 2,500 standing. No additional parking is planned for the Amphitheatre.Continued Business
New Business
From email announcement:
Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association
Monthly Meeting Agenda
Tuesday 25 June 2024
7:00PM
This meeting will be held by Zoom, at the link below.Topic: OHNA Monthly Meeting – January 2024
Time: June 25, 2024 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
(Editor’s note: Zoom meeting information redacted. Contact ohnarva@gmail.com)Welcome:
Community Updates:
Lt. Brian Robinson, City of Richmond Police Section Lt, 4th Precinct
Officer Caine Green, Police Liaison, VCU
Ms. Verenda Cobbs, VCU
Ms. Stephanie Lynch, 5th District Councilperson / Amy RobinsIntroductions: Richmond Mayoral Candidates
All announced mayoral candidates have been invited to attend a meeting of OHNA to introduce their platforms. Each will have three minutes to speak, followed by questions from OHNA members.Updates and Continued Business
Grants from 5th District Council Fund to FOOHP and OHNA
Venture Richmond email to note Brown’s Island noise complaints: brownsisland@venturerichmond.com
The Friends of Oregon Hill Parks (FOOHP) update
Pleasants Park:
Ongoing need: watering
Upcoming weeding workday June 30 9am
Bulletin Board
Holly Street:
New Business
Any other new items?Valerie L’Herrou, president
Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association
From email announcement from ohnarva@gmail.com:
The next OHNA meeting will be Tuesday, May 28 at 7pm. A link will be emailed along with the final agenda on the weekend, but the draft agenda includes:
Updates: from community partners, city & VCU police and community liaisons, & city council representation
Candidate introductions: Richmond Mayoral Candidates
All announced mayoral candidates have been invited to attend a meeting of OHNA to introduce their platforms. Each will have three minutes to speak, followed by questions from OHNA members.Announcements:
OHNA Participatory Budget Delegate Committee members. Next Participatory Budget Richmond participatory budget committee presentation: May 29th 6-9pm, Southside Community Service Center. Participate in a mock participatory budget process.Updates and Continued Business
The Friends of Oregon Hill Parks
Pleasants Park update & request for watering volunteers
Report: Oregon Hill Open Garden Day: May 18
Other Friends of OH Parks news
New Business
Action: Join Richmond Citizens Coalition?
Action: Ask city council to change the day/time so meetings of city council and school board are not at the same time?
The Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association meets tonight.
From email announcement:
Topic: OHNA Monthly Meeting – April 2024
Time: April 23, 2024 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
(Editor’s note: meeting information redacted. If you would like to join the meeting, please email ohnarva@gmail.com )
Welcome:
Community Updates:
Lt. Brian Robinson, City of Richmond Police Section Lt, 4th Precinct
Major Nicole Dailey, VCU Police Dept
Ms. Verenda Cobbs, VCU
Ms. Stephanie Lynch, 5th District Councilperson and Amy Robins
____ from DPU
Announcements:
1. Vision Zero Survey: https://arcg.is/01GC1n.
Five Vision Zero projects to improve safety on the High Injury Network. Those in Bold are in the 5th district; those in ital are adjacent to the 5th district.
A. Reconfiguration and Bike Lanes on Franklin Street
B. Reconfiguration and Bike Lanes on Hopkins Road
C. Curb Extensions on Main Street & Cary Street
D. Bicycle and Pedestrian Improvements on Forest Hill Avenue
E. Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon on Hull Street at 29th Street
2. Speed Management Symposium, May 14 5:30 – 8:00 p.m. at Main Street Station,
Updates and Continued Business
The Friends of Oregon Hill Parks
Volunteer signup: Pleasants Park watering duty
Oregon Hill Open Garden Day: May 18, 11a-2p, centered in Pleasants Park
Results of speed table survey; second infrastructure walk; flood spreadsheet (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Nnn7o7ilJ00f9DKyhHvQg7ApMOJBVu4qCrjDpXGkqE4/edit?usp=sharing)
Action Item: Forming an Ad Hoc OHNA Budget Delegate Committee to represent us in the RVA Participatory Budgeting process that will begin in the fall.
New Business?
Discussion: do we want to hear from candidates for 2024 city elections?
Richmond City Council, along with VCU and Venture Richmond officials, have announced a new solution for citizen and neighborhood noise concerns.
With the usual upsurge of public and private complaints at this time of of year involving loud student parties, large sporting events, and a growing number of outdoor concerts, City authorities have long looked for a general panacea.
Many are nervously watching how in other localities across the country, noise complaints have spurred citizen lawsuits.
The local search for a different response had taken on new urgency as the population has grown and new venues like the Tredegar riverfront amphitheater and a new Diamond stadium are constructed and planned.
Now, these officials say, that search is over.
“We have embraced technology, and believe stylized, noise cancelling headphones for individuals will work for most, if not all situations,” a City spokesperson announced at this morning’s news conference at City Hall.
Noise-cancelling audio devices use a built-in microphone to analyze the ambient sound waves and generate the opposite sound waves to reduce surrounding sound. Noise-cancelling devices have a built-in microphone which produces the opposite reversed sound waves to neutralize surrounding noise.
From the joint press release:
“Every household in the City of Richmond can request up to four sets of headphones. Mass quantities of these headphones are being procured using a combination of leftover federal funding for pandemic public health programs and various private investment funds, many of which are related to venue operations. As with what happened with masks and coronavirus testing kits during the pandemic, public libraries and community health centers will help with distribution.”
In addition, James River Park will have headphones for rent at self-service kiosks, similar to the RVA Bike Share program.
In addition to cancelling outside noise, these new headphones have the capability to play stored sound files for wearers. For example, if headphone wearers are not only trying to stop bleedover outside concert noise from reaching their ears, but are also searching for something to listen to, they can choose from pre-loaded files like music recorded by VPM of previous Richmond Folk Festival sessions, VCU classroom lectures, or previous City Council meetings and public service announcements.
“We not only want to solve problems, but we are looking to enhance residents’ lives” gushed part of the press release for the program. “In the future, we may partner with VCU hospital system to experiment with new brain–computer interface (BCI) technology instead of relying on the physical headphones.”
At the end of the morning press conference, some braver reporters asked pointed questions.
One asked about going back to noise sources and negotiating stronger decibel limits, to which a City Councilperson replied, “Our corporate partners are not interested in entertaining anything like that at this time.”
This goes in line with what neighborhood leaders are hearing. For example, the Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association has made simple, direct requests like banning fireworks from shows at the new Tredegar riverfront amphitheater, only to be met with stoney silence.
Another reporter asked about how officials planned to protect birds and other wildlife from new noise sources. The answer: “We expect them to move on.”
Another exasperated City Councilperson, tired of questions, simply pointed to the new headphones she was modeling, and said “Sorry, I can’t hear you. I have my headphones on.”
Along with more funding and new employees for the City’s Sustainability Office, the mayor recently announced new planting efforts with neighborhood equity and beautification in mind.
As with the larger efforts, the new program could “help Richmond work with private organizations to target specific burdens.”
Mayor Stoney, in his remarks, said he was responding to Richmonders who want more shade and pride in their neighborhoods, while at the same time, he expressed adamance that new construction and public spending must also continue at a strong pace.
To that end, the City, recognizing how long it takes to nurture trees and vibrant greenery, is now buying artificial plants as a stopgap measure. In a City-run, Northside warehouse, thousands of plastic items imported from China are assembled and inventoried on its concrete floor, being made ready for immediate deployment.
A DPW spokesperson stated that Richmond residents can expect these new type of adornments to start appearing in public parks, streetscapes “within the week”, though he did not reply when queried about new ‘plantings’ for Monroe Park. He also hinted that the City might partner with Dominion Energy to supply ‘uplighting’ for these new plantings in certain locations.
Richmond residents who do want to make requests for their own neighborhoods and parks should inquire with their Councilperson’s office.
When asked, a Richmond Tree Stewards member opined that while she was thankful for the funding allocations that the Mayor’s Office is making to her group, the Richmond Tree Stewards will only be involved in ‘planting and caring for real, natural trees’.
The Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association has scheduled an ‘infrastructure walk’ with Councilperson Lynch’s office.
From announcement:
Last fall’s Infrastructure Walk was a great success, with many long-standing issues reported to 311 and addressed within weeks. Join us for Round 2 on Friday, April 12, at 4pm in Pleasants Park, where will document those things we missed, as well as new problems. If you cannot attend, please email OHNArva@gmail.com the issues you’d like to see included (photos and exact location are helpful!)
From email announcement:
Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association
Monthly Meeting Agenda
Tuesday 26 March 2024
7:00PM
This meeting will be held by Zoom, at the link below.
Topic: OHNA Monthly Meeting – February 2024
Time: March 26, 2024 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting (Editor’s note: Meeting information redacted, please contact OHNA at ohnarva@gmail.com for that information)
Welcome:
Community Updates:
Lt. Brian Robinson, City of Richmond Police Section Lt, 4th Precinct
Officer Luke Schrader, Police Liaison, VCU
Ms. Verenda Cobbs, VCU
Ms. Stephanie Lynch, 5th District Councilperson
Ms. Colette McEachin, Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney
____ from DPU
Announcements:
Oregon Hill Open Garden Day: May 18, 11a-2p, centered in Pleasants Park
Open Garden Day Signup: put your garden on the itinerary, volunteer!
Updates and Continued Business
The Friends of Oregon Hill Parks
Volunteer signup: Pleasants Park watering duty
Volunteer workday #2: planting flowers in Pleasants Park, March 30
Second Infrastructure walk
New Business?
1. Forming an Ad Hoc Committee OHNA Budget Delegate Committee to represent us in the RVA Participatory Budgeting process that will begin in the fall.
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