Category Archives: government

More Street Closings

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The City sent this message:

Note: Due to weather conditions, Idlewood Avenue and the off ramp will remain closed until 4 p.m. on Tuesday, February 6.

For Immediate Release
February 1, 2018
For more information, contact:
Paige Hairston – (804) 646-3659

Street Closure – Idlewood Avenue and Belvidere Street Off-Ramp
WHO: City of Richmond Department of Public Works

WHAT: Street Closure

WHEN: Starting at 9 a.m. on Monday, January 29 through ending at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, February 6

WHERE:

· Idlewood Avenue from Harrison to Cherry streets and

· Belvidere Street off ramp at the I-95 Downtown Expressway

BACKGROUND: The aforementioned areas will be closed to complete the final stages of paving and to convert two-way traffic and pavement markings for the roundabout construction at the intersection of Idlewood Avenue, Grayland Avenue and the I-95 off ramp. Please use caution and follow the detour signs.

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In addition, as related by neighborhood association president Todd Woodson:

The following message was just received from the location manager of the Showtime TV series Homeland:

“The 2nd Street downtown exit off the Lee Bridge and S 2nd Street between S Pine and Spring St will be closed next Monday, Feb 5th from 4am until about 2pm.The bike path going underneath the Lee bridge from Oregon Hill will remain open.”

A bit cryptic with the 2nd street location between Pine and Spring but you get the gist. The show must go on!

Thanks, Todd.

More Depressing Local Politics – Taxes & Water

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An email has been circulating which reportedly calls for a boycott of restaurants that are resisting Mayor Stoney’s meals tax increase proposal. I would hope that Mayor Stoney would disavow this email and tactic, but perhaps he does not recall how bitter the last meals tax increase debate was. The Virginia Performing Arts Foundation and Center Stage backers told City Council that they would personally lobby to rescind the increase once the Carpenter Center was fully renovated. They dishonorably lied, and on top of that, the City has had to continually bail out that private project. Now, once again, citizens are being told it is ‘for the children’ and must hurry and approve a meals tax increase.

We were hearing about an impending tax increase this past October, but it is becoming more obvious that this current proposal is more about distracting from the original Put Schools First referendum, which received overwhelming support from Richmond voters. I urge folks to continue to support the referendum in the General Assembly.

Sadly, there are still dishonest people spreading disinformation about the original referendum. Two very important points for people to understand- One, If the referendum had included language about raising taxes, it would not have been allowed on the ballot. Two, the referendum language does require the City leadership to first come up with a plan to modernize ALL the schools without considering a tax increase in their budget wrangling, HOWEVER, that does not preclude the City leadership from coming up with a second plan that does include a tax increase.

What’s even sadder is that the City leadership continues to ignore other income sources. Consider the Larus Park deal. What a waste of an opportunity to fairly increase revenues. Why is Mayor Stoney going to lease park land to Chesterfield County for only $1.00 per year? Why is the Mayor not willing to increase the mark up on the water sold to the counties from 5% to 10% (from $0.035 per ccf to $0.07 per ccf). So what if Chesterfield has to raise it’s water cost to $1.88 per ccf, Richmond residents are paying $4.04 per ccf. We have covered the need for water utility reform here before, yet City leadership would rather we hurry up and support another(!) ridiculous meals tax increase.

Speaking of the Larus Park deal, its worth watching City Council Monday (if they can get their microphones to work this time) and see how they handle it. The deal is a lose, lose, lose, for City parks, water reform, and residents, but evidently it is a City leadership priority that Chesterfield County get its cheap water.

A scorecard of sorts:

There are five ordinances and one resolution (some are relatively good and some are bad) regarding the Larus Park issue that are to be considered at the special February 5th City Council meeting:

Ordinance 2017-208: this ordinance authorizes utility PILOT money for the purchase of the 18 acres

Ordinance 2017-209: this is the “stinker” ordinance that allows Larus Park to be leased to the county, along with the lease agreement that is unfavorable to the city

Ordinance 2017-221: this is the ordinance that declares a public necessity to purchase the 18 additional acres

Ordinance 2017-253: this is the “stinker” ordinance that states that “not withstanding” city code section 8-2 (c) [which specifically prohibits leasing Larus and other parks] the city is leasing Larus Park

Ordinance 2017-254: this is the “stinker” ordinance “notwithstanding” city code section 8-2 (c) AND city code section 8-57 granting easements by the county to work in Larus Park [passing this ordinance would mean that all of the city parks are just one vote away from being sold]

Resolution 2017-R097: this is the “excellent” resolution to authorize the conservation easement on Larus Park.

Neighborhood Association Meeting Tomorrow Night

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From email announcement:

Good morning neighbors!

Here is the agenda for our first OHNA meeting of 2018 which will be held tomorrow, Tuesday night 1/23/2018 at 7 PM at the ST Andrews Parish House next to the church on S Laurel. The times are most certainly not set in stone but I want to keep things moving to make the most of your valuable time. Lots of important people to meet and things to discuss so please come if you can and tell/bring a neighbor. ALL residents are welcome!

Todd.

Agenda 1/23/2018

7:00 Welcome

7:05 Introduction to new sector 413 leader Lt Roberts and update from RPD

7:15 Update from VCU PD Officer Greg Felton

7:20 Update fro Councilman Agelasto’s office- Amy Roberts

7:30 Introduction to Planning Director Mark Olinger followed by presentation on Richmond 300 Master Plan and discussion regarding inappropriate B3 Zoning on Oregon Hill Cary Street Corridor (Cherry to Belvedere and Belvedere to Cumberland)

7:55 Discussion of Holly St playground stabilization and improvements

8:05 Proposed development 800 block W Cary

8:20 New business
1. $200 grant for clean up/improvements discussion

8:25 Closing remarks

8:30 Adjournment

Plan Ahead- Off-Ramp Closing Next Week

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From City of Richmond:

Street Closure – Idlewood Avenue and Belvidere Street Off-Ramp
WHO: City of Richmond Department of Public Works

WHAT: Street Closure

WHEN: Starting at 9 a.m. on Monday, January 29 through ending at 4 p.m. on Friday, February 2

WHERE:

· Idlewood Avenue from Harrison to Cherry Streets and

· I-95 Downtown Expressway/Belvidere Street off ramp

BACKGROUND: The aforementioned areas will be closed to complete the final stages of paving and to convert two-way traffic and pavement markings for the roundabout construction at the intersection of Idlewood Avenue, Grayland Avenue and the I-95 off ramp. Please use caution and follow the detour signs.

Water Issues

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As Richmond thaws from this past week’s cold weather, infrastructure problems are rearing their ugly heads. Please report to City as soon as possible before things refreeze. Call ‘311’- its as simple as that.

This photo is from the 600 block of S. Laurel, where water is seeping up through cracks in the street.

Thank You, Shamin Hotels

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On bitterly cold mornings like this, most Americans are fortunate to have warm beds and functioning sources of heat for their homes. And while Oregon Hill homeowners have seen their property values climb to precipitous levels in the last two decades, residents here tend to be not as wealthy as those in some other places. For many of us, most of our personal financial value is tied up into our modest two story homes, with their warm beds and functioning sources of heat.

So it is very disturbing for us to read in the local newspapers and hear and watch on local radio and television about households that are lacking in functional sources of heat at this time of year. I am referring to news reports about the roughly 50 families living in Creighton Court apartments with broken heating systems. The owner of these apartments, the public Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority (RRHA), knew back in October of the failures (and that emergency clauses in Virginia housing code allows for quicker actions if needed). In comparison, when a boiler failed at City Hall, it did not go months with space heaters; a temporary system was installed in under a week.

Like many other locals, I contacted RRHA management and City Council members about this matter, demanding relief for these poor people. Our 5th District Councilperson Parker Agelasto quickly wrote back with a good, thoughtful response. In his conclusion he wrote,

I am sorry that this was not better anticipated and work scheduled more timely. What’s most telling about this situation is that the old infrastructure is failing and needs to be replaced soon. This is a matter of public health and safety. City Council is doing its best setting aside funding for public housing replacement. The issue with RRHA is that they fall under HUD rules and HUD has not provided sufficient maintenance funding. Currently, RRHA receives $750 per year per housing unit for maintenance. The HUD budget doesn’t look to get any better. This is why public/private partnerships appear to be the option to move forward with providing affordable housing.

Of course, I wrote back, thanking Agelasto for his response and asked what private entities are stepping forward to be possible partners. He replied with ideas about real estate developers and amending tax abatement programs in order to gain more affordable housing. Again, very good and thoughtful, but what about the immediacy of Creighton Court families going without proper heating systems at this time of year?

I am very happy to learn that a local hotel owner offered free rooms to affected families yesterday. Shamin Hotels, lead by CEO Neil Amin, generously donated rooms in their Richmond Airport Hotel. They also said they would help with meals if needed. It’s not a perfect solution and some residents may still be reluctant to temporarily leave their homes, but it is certainly a welcome offer for many cold people.

As a citizen and as a grassroots media outlet, I will continue to criticize undue corporate influence on our government and declare ‘corporate personhood’ an abomination, but that does not mean I cannot also celebrate and praise private sector members that step in when the public sector has so clearly failed. On that note, thank you Shamin Hotels. You are helping many Richmonders sleep better, and not just the ones from Creighton Court.

Neighborhoods In Bloom Retrospective

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From the Federal Reserve’s Community Development website:

The City of Richmond, Virginia’s Neighborhoods in Bloom (NiB) initiative invested federal grant funding in seven target neighborhoods from 1999 to 2004. The majority of the city’s federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) funding, as well as, significant amounts of capital improvement funds and other resources were spent in the strategically selected target neighborhoods. Through NiB, the city planned to concentrate public resources in these neighborhoods until they achieved the critical mass of public investment needed to stimulate self-sustaining, private-market activity.

Oregon Hill was one of the seven target neighborhoods. Click here for the part particular to Oregon Hill.

City Shelter Available

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From City press release:

City’s Cold Weather Overflow Shelter Open December 24 – 26

Richmond, VA – EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, DECEMBER 1, 2017 UNTIL APRIL 15, 2018 THE COLD WEATHER OVERFLOW SHELTER HOURS OF OPERATION WILL BE 7 P.M. UNTIL 10 A.M.

The Cold Weather Overflow Shelter will be open Sunday, December 24 – Tuesday, December 26, 2017 as temperatures are forecast to remain at or below 40 degrees.

Residents in need of overnight shelter are asked to report to Commonwealth Catholic Charities (511 W. Grace Street) during operational hours for a comprehensive intake and referral to the appropriate shelter. Shelter registration is from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. For individuals who are not eligible for existing shelter space or if all available beds have been filled, Commonwealth Catholic Charities will provide a referral to the Cold Weather Overflow Shelter.

The Cold Weather Overflow Shelter is located in the City’s Public Safety Building at 505 North 9th Street. The shelter opens each evening at 7 p.m. and closes the following morning at 10 a.m. Individuals seeking access to the Overflow Shelter must have a referral. Food will not be provided and pets are not allowed.

City residents are also advised the Department of Social Services provides emergency assistance with gas and electric disconnection notices for residents who qualify. Residents may also call the Fuel Line at (804) 646-7046.

The elderly or residents with disabilities should contact Senior Connections for assistance at (804) 343-3000, Monday through Friday; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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