Category Archives: government

Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association Meeting Tonight

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From email announcement:

Good evening OHNA members,

I look forward to seeing everyone Tuesday at 7pm for our monthly OHNA meeting. This meeting will be Zoom only.

The Zoom link is provided below. This will allow for full remote participation.

I have attached to this email
1. the agenda for the 27 September meeting (also pasted in below),
2. the minutes for the August 2022 meeting, and
3. the 2022 meeting schedule.

As you know, our amendment to the Richmond 300 plan was not approved by the Planning Commission last week. While we will talk about it at our next meeting, I just wanted to thank everyone who took the time to write a letter to the planning commission (we had 47 letters of support, and none in opposition), or took the time to speak in person or via Microsoft Teams at the planning commission meeting. While we were not successful last week, I want to thank each and every person who took the time to support this effort. The fact that we were not successful makes me no less grateful for your support.

We look forward to seeing everyone Tuesday evening.

Thanks,
Bryan

Monthly Meeting Agenda
Tuesday 27 September 2022
7:00PM
This meeting will be by Zoom only.

Topic: OHNA Monthly Meeting – September
Time: Sep 27, 2022 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

(Editor’s note: Zoom link and passcodes redacted. Please email OHNA at ohnarva@gmail.com in order to receive those items)

Welcome
• Treasurer’s Report

Community Updates:

1. Lt. Brian Robinson, City of Richmond Police Section Lt, 4th Precinct
2. Officer Luke Schrader, Police Liaison, VCU
3. Ms. Verenda Cobbs, VCU
4. Ms. Stephanie Lynch, 5th District Councilperson
5. Ms. Colette McEachin, Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney

Updates:

1. Update on shooting, Monday 5 September 2022
2. Update on the fall festival, Saturday 22 October 2022
· If you would like to volunteer in any capacity, please email ohnarva@gmail.com
3. Meeting with VCU and Randolph on 6 September 2022

Continued Business
4. Proposed Amendments to the Richmond 300 Land Use Plan / Neighborhood Coalition Update
• This item passed unanimously by City Council on 27 June 2022
• The Planning Commission hearing on 18 July 2022 was informational only; no vote taken.
• Planning Commission voted on this issue at the 15 August 2022 meeting (1:30pm).
o Despite the fact that we had 47 letters in support, and none in opposition, and had several speakers in support, and none in opposition, the Planning Commission voted unanimously against our amendment.
o Next steps

5. Amphitheater planned for Tredegar Green.
· It is slated to seat 5,000 people and accommodate and additional 5,000 standing, as per our meeting with the developer’s representative. No additional parking is planned.
· When the previous amphitheater plan was proposed, the neighborhood raised questions about hours of operation, noise levels, and parking, none of which were ever answered.
o Applicant has not yet scheduled a meeting with OHNA

6. An SUP application has been filed with the City of Richmond for the demolition of 708 China Street, and its replacement with a building.
· The Zoning Committee met with the applicant, and asked them to reconsider demolition and incorporate the historic building into their new construction
· The applicant has not yet come back to the neighborhood with a revision

7. An SUP application has been filed with the City of Richmond for the construction of a two-family of 823 China Street, a vacant lot
· The Zoning Committee met not yet met with the applicant

8. An SUP application has been filed with the City of Richmond for the sponsorship signage to be placed around the field owned by St. Andrew’s School.
· The Zoning Committee met not yet met with the applicant

9. Proposal to replant the Idlewood traffic circle.
• The city has creatively applied a layer of red mulch to the traffic circle

10. Recurring issues with fireworks from rental property near Pine and Albemarle streets.

11. Traffic issues along Idlewood at Cherry and Pine Streets
· There have been a number of recent accidents at these two locations.
· These two intersections suffer from poor visibility and the high speed of cars exiting 195 east onto Idlewood

New Business
12. An SUP application has been filed with the City of Richmond for the construction of a two-family of 823 China Street, a vacant lot
· The Zoning Committee met not yet met with the applicant

13. An SUP application has been filed with the City of Richmond for the sponsorship signage to be placed around the field owned by St. Andrew’s School.
· The Zoning Committee met not yet met with the applicant

14. Any other new business?

Bryan Clark Green, President
David Cary, Co-Vice-President
Jennifer Hancock, Co-Vice-President
Chris Hughes, Co-Vice-President
Harrison Moenich, Secretary
John Bolecek, Treasurer

OHNA: Meeting Schedule, 2022 Fourth Tuesday of each month
Zoom information to be sent before meeting, while meeting remotely
Tuesday, 27 September 2022
7:00pm
Tuesday, 25 October 2022
7:00pm
Tuesday, 15 November 2022
7:00pm [moved up one week to avoid Thanksgiving]
Tuesday, 27 December 2022
7:00pm

Pool’s Presentation To Planning

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On July 18th, neighbor Charles Pool, on behalf of the Oregon Hill Home Improvement Council, made a presentation the City’s Planning Commission.












Since that presentation…

The Planning Department is tasked with drawing a revised master plan land use map to correspond with the Res. 2022-R033 that was unanimously approved by City Council in advance of the next August 15th meeting of the Planning Commission.

Please provide a copy of this revised master plan land use map as soon as possible so that we can check to be sure that your map accurately represents the unanimously approved Resolution of City Council 2002-R033.

Thank you for your assistance.

Sincerely,

Charles Pool

Examples of R-7 and R-48 with Residential future land use in Richmond 300

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At the Planning Commission meeting on Monday, the Planning Director stated that the Residential future land use designation in the Richmond 300 master plan was not appropriate for R-7 or higher zoning. But a quick look at the zoning map indicates that they have designated an R-7 zoned area on Southside with the Residential future land use designation. And a large area of Randolph is zoned R-48 with the Residential future land use designation. (Please see attached maps.)

Apparently, these arbitrary rules apply only to Oregon Hill!

(Oregon Hill residents continue to strongly urge the Richmond Planning Commission to adopt Councilperson Lynch’s amendment to the Richmond 300 master plan (Res. 2022-R033). This would wisely amend the master plan to indicate that the area of Oregon Hill already under the Residential R-7 zoning would be designated with the appropriate Residential future land use.

In no way does this amendment undermine the integrity of the Richmond 300 master plan, The Residential future land use amendment for Oregon Hill is the same future land use that was approved for our sister Randolph neighborhood.

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. In the unanimous vote, the City Council has made it crystal clear that it is the desire of the city’s elected City Council that this amendment be approved by the Planning Commission.)

New Fire Station Art

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The art component of the new Cary Street Fire Station 12 may include art glass of a photo of Oregon Hill Fire Station 6.
This will be heard today at the City’s Planning Commission as well as a “discussion” of the proposed Richmond 300 amendment for Oregon Hill.
A “ladder chandelier “ is proposed for the open tower space, though some were hoping the plans would include an original, antique bell.

City Profiteering From Rising Gas Prices

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The Times Dispatch is reporting that the City is expecting residential gas bills to increase 40% due to rising fuel costs.

https://richmond.com/news/local/richmond-gas-bills-expected-to-increase-40-due-to-rising-fuel-costs/article_ec3cedd7-bfc5-514f-a7e1-34aba1f9f98d.html

What the newspaper and other mainstream local media are not reporting is the expected bonanza the City government is anticipating from this energy price spike.

The highly questionable, if not illegal, ‘PILOT’ (Payment In Lieu of Taxes) in the City’s residential utility bills continues to pad the City’s ‘General Fund’, while hitting the City’s poorest residents the hardest.

Of course, this may be even more egregious when it comes to the water utility…

We don’t hear much about this resolution!
https://richmondva.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=5329677&GUID=812DB37B-E05C-4C4A-BAFC-297DCE1B04DB

AYES: 9 NOES: 0 ABSTAIN:
ADOPTED: JULY 24 2017 REJECTED: STRICKEN:
INTRODUCED: June 26, 2017
A RESOLUTION No. 2017-R049
To request that the Chief Administrative Officer cause the Department of Public Utilities to prepare and submit to the Council a plan to phase out Payments in Lieu of Taxes from the Department of Public Utilities over a ten year period.
Patron – Mr. Agelasto
Approved as to form and legality by the City Attorney
PUBLIC HEARING: JULY 24 2017 AT 6 P.M.
WHEREAS, the Council of the City of Richmond, by adoption of this resolution, establishes its intent to eliminate Payments in Lieu of Taxes (“PILOT payment”) from the
Department of Public Utilities; and
WHEREAS, eliminating or reducing the PILOT payment would require an amendment to
section 13.06 of the Charter of the City of Richmond (2010), as amended; and
WHEREAS, the Council believes that the elimination of the PILOT payment would best
be accomplished by an approach that gradually phases out the payment over several years to provide for budget adjustments due to the lost revenue; andWHEREAS, the Council believes that it is in the best interests of the citizens of the City
of Richmond that the Council request that the Chief Administrative Officer cause the Department of Public Utilities to prepare and submit to the Council a plan to phase out PILOT payments from the Department of Public Utilities over a ten year period;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND:
That the Council hereby requests that the Chief Administrative Officer cause the
Department of Public Utilities to prepare and submit to the Council, no later than November 1, 2017, a plan to phase out PILOT payments from the Department of Public Utilities over a ten year period and that contains, at a minimum, the following:
1. A requirement that during the ten year phase out period, the Department of Public
Utilities will continue to make PILOT payments to the General Fund and will assess alternative
fees to City departments designed to recapture the amount of the PILOT payments.
2. A requirement that the alternative fees collected by the Department of Public
Utilities will be used to decrease the utility rates charged to the residential and commercial customers of the Department of Public Utilities.
3. A requirement that the ten year phase out plan will only apply to PILOT payments
and all other payments required or assessed by the City shall continue to be paid into the General Fund.
4. A requirement that during the ten year phase out period, the Department of Public
Utilities shall submit annual reports showing the fees and taxes on each utility paid through PILOT payments.
5. A requirement that the ten year phase out plan begin in the fiscal year commencing
July 1, 2018, and ending June 30, 2019, with the exact amount of the revenue reduction to be determined by the phase out plan schedule and the alternative fees proposed by the Department of Public Utilities.

VICTORY: City Council Passes Amendment Resolution Unanimously!

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Oregon Hill residents were surprised and delighted last night when 5th District Councilperson Stephanie Lynch’s resolution to amend the City’s Richmond300 plan passed by 9-0 vote.

After months of waiting, the neighborhood can breathe a sigh of relief, as the resolution strongly suggests and helps move the neighborhood into the new Residential land use category instead of Mixed Use (though not officially yet). Residential would allow buildings of one to three stories in height, conforming to the current R7 zoning yet eliminates the ability to build to an unspecified additional height on portions of South Laurel and Idlewood streets.

Neighbors feared if the amendment did not pass, Richmond300 would have made Oregon Hill permanently Mixed Use. That would have changed the current R7 height limit of 35 feet (effectively two- to two-and-a-half stories) to a new height limit of four stories.
It would have allowed even taller, unspecified heights on portions of South Laurel and Idlewood Streets. This new height limit would have incentivized developer-driven tear-downs to build new, taller buildings (An application for just such a teardown in Oregon Hill has already been filed with the City Planning office) and ruined Oregon Hill’s streetscapes and stature and character as a historic neighborhood.

Thankfully, Councilperson Lynch worked with neighborhood leaders to craft the amendment resolution, and last night, it came to fruition.

Award presentations, a boisterous discussion over collective bargaining (Council further delayed voting on matters), and a lengthy vote on items in the ‘Consent Agenda’ made for a long night. But around 9:30 pm, City Council finally took up the resolution, RES. 2022-R033. Councilperson Lynch gave a quick introduction which referenced the neighborhood’s decades-long battle for survival in the shadow of Virginia Commonwealth University. Neighbors lined up and spoke, some in person and some over online Zoom connection.

Some themes quickly emerged- neighbors love and cherish the current character of the neighborhood, which has become more diverse and family-friendly in recent years. They are not anti-business or against affordable housing. In fact, the neighborhood has a record of supporting small businesses and affordable housing. And, lastly, and perhaps most importantly, neighbors, despite participating in the Richmond 300 planning from the start, have felt ignored and disrespected. OHNA President Bryan Green, speaking virtually, summarized the re-zoning issues well.

Vice president of City Council, Ellen Robertson, called for the administration to give their stance on the amendment, and Maritza Pechin, City planner, spoke in support of Mixed Use designation for the neighborhood. She clumsily compared Oregon Hill to other neighborhoods like Westover Hills and Windsor Farms, and under questioning about height differences from 1st District Councilperson Addison and others, was visibly shaking.

Councilperson Lynch, while complimenting Pechin and other planners on their overall work for the City, made it clear that the neighborhood’s objections were not ‘NIMBY’ in nature and deserved to be incorporated in the plan.

At that point, Council took a vote and passed the resolution. (It was clear that this was not the only amendment to the Richmond300 that City Council is considering).

The Oregon Hill residents who did attend in person walked out of Chambers in stunned silence but were happily elated during their walks/drives homes. Neighbors who attended online quickly spread the news on neighborhood social media.

What comes next will be a subject of tonight’s (Zoom-only) Oregon Hill neighborhood association meeting. Celebration and appreciation for Councilperson Lynch has got to be part of it.

The Richmond300 planning and neighborhood proposals will certainly wind up back at the Planning Commission, but this unanimous decision sends a strong message.

‘Richmond300’ Amendment For Oregon Hill At City Council

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If you don’t know the background, you may want to read previous posts here and here.

Remember that City Council passed the ‘Richmond300’ plan over a year ago, during the holidays when most people were pre-occupied with family matters, in a pandemic emergency, during which the Virginia Attorney General called on municipalities to suspend all non-life-threatening business, and specifically land-use issues.

Also remember that City Council voted for this despite opposition from many different parts of the City, but especially from this neighborhood, which has taken part in the process from the beginning, put up with bad online ‘presentations’, and has consistently asked for changes in the plan.

Most importantly, remember City Council passed it with the promise to amend it.

Some neighbor’s statements:

http://richmondfreepress.com/news/2020/nov/05/oregon-hill-neighborhood-open-speculation-destruct/

https://www.styleweekly.com/richmond/opinion-let-us-succeed/Content?oid=16786088

Now, here we are in 2022, and Councilperson Lynch has put language in anan amendment resolution before City Council, on the agenda for this coming Monday meeting.

It may decide on whether this historic neighborhood survives in the long term.

The City administration promised that it would be easy to amend the Richmond 300 master plan, and it is important for the city to keep this promise! The Richmond 300 committee ignored the request of the Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association and our City Councilor Stephanie Lynch that Oregon Hill be designated with a RESIDENTIAL future land use designation.

RESIDENTIAL future land use conforms to Oregon Hill’s current R-7 zoning that we fought hard to achieve. The Mixed-Use designation would undermine our R-7 zoning because an aim of the master plan aims to change zoning to match the future land use designation.
RESIDENTIAL future land use designation matches the function of 99% of the homes within our R-7 zoning and is consistent with the function of the dense historic neighborhood.
RESIDENTIAL future land use designation has a 1-3 story height limit that conforms to the R-7 zoning with a 35′ height limit, while the Mixed-Use designation has a much higher height limit of 2-4 stories and even higher on major streets like Idlewood and Laurel.
RESIDENTIAL future land use designation would encourage Special Use Permit applications to conform the existing R-7 zoning.
RESIDENTIAL future land use designation was approved for our sister neighborhood in Randolph, with which Oregon Hill has much in common.
RESIDENTIAL future land use designation promotes a cohesive neighborhood of families living in Oregon Hill, while the taller Mixed-Use designation would encourage developers to demolish Oregon Hill homes for dormitories for students at the adjacent Virginia Commonwealth University.
RESIDENTIAL future land use designation does not discourage the adaptive re-use of corner storefronts which have always been encouraged in Oregon Hill.

It’s also worth noting that there is no question that renovating and retrofitting a building has significantly lower upfront carbon emissions than demolishing and replacing a building. Oregon Hill residents who have worked hard for historic preservation over decades are fully supported by environmental reasoning.

City Council meets at 6 pm, on the second floor, at City Hall, 900 E. Broad St.

5th District Town Hall Meeting On Thursday

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Councilmember Stephanie Lynch is hosting an IN PERSON meeting at the Byrd Park Round House.
The meeting agenda includes many representatives of city departments who can answer citizens’ questions.
– Department of Public Works – Deputy Director Gail Johnson
– Department of Public Utilities – Deputy Director – Acting Stephen Morgan and Capital Project Manager – Bill Boston
– Parks & Rec – Capital Projects Deputy – Nissa Dean

It is scheduled to begin at 6 pm and it also includes an online Zoom webinar component for those who cannot attend in person.

For more information, here is the link to the FaceBook event page:
https://www.facebook.com/events/792912882068751

The meeting email notice included Lynch’s logo:

5th District Town Hall On Zoom Wednesday Evening

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Councilmember Stephanie Lynch will be hosting an online, 5th District ‘Town Hall’ meeting on Wednesday, April 27 at 6 pm.

Draft Agenda:
o Budget Discussion
o Q&A

To get the Zoom link and/or phone call info, go to this FaceBook page,
https://www.facebook.com/events/297863402520623
or contact Councilmember Lynch’s liaison, Amy Robins at amy.robins@richmondgov.com or by calling 8046465724.

Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association Meeting Tomorrow Night

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The Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association (OHNA) is meeting tomorrow night at 7 pm. The agenda includes VCU liaison, proposed amendments to the Richmond 300 land use plan, and traffic issues.

From meeting announcement:

Good evening OHNA members,

I look forward to seeing everyone Tuesday at 7pm for our monthly OHNA meeting.

St. Andrew’s Church has kindly allowed us to use their chapel again. They have asked that we remain masked and socially distanced during the meeting. We will also make the meeting available by Zoom, for those who choose to join us that way.

The Zoom link is provided below. This should allow for full remote participation.

I have attached to this email
1. the agenda for the 26 April meeting (also pasted in below),
2. the minutes for the 22 March 2022 meeting, and
3. the 2022 meeting schedule.

We look forward to seeing everyone tomorrow evening.

Thanks,
Bryan

To receive the rest of the email, including the actual Zoom link and minutes and things, please send an email to ohnarva@gmail.com