The Tax Relief for the Elderly & Disabled Program application is now available on the city’s website. The program provides assistance to the elderly and disabled homeowners with their real estate taxes.
Tax Relief For Elderly
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Sunday Walk
Pine Street neighborhood Stephenie Harrington, following up her New Year’s Day walk, has scheduled another community walk to Belle Island.
**Group Walk to Belle Island**
Sunday, January 6th
10amWe plan to meet up with friends and neighbors for a group Walk this Sunday.
Start at gazebo
(700 block S. Pine St) at the overlookI will have my dogs with me so we walk a bit slowly….but others will be a brisk pace
We plan to do two loops around the island but just do as you please…no set pace or distance. We will start down the hill at 10am
Hope to see more neighbors this week…on Jan 1st we had 8 walkers and 3 pups
New All-Way Stop at S. Harrison and Idlewood
NEW TRAFFIC PATTERN!!! An all-way stop was installed this morning at Harrison & Idlewood. Please use caution has drivers on Harrison learn they need to stop.
From Councilperson Agelasto:
EW TRAFFIC PATTERN: The Department of Public Works performed an all-way stop analysis for intersection of Idlewood and South Harrison Street this past Fall and determined it met MUTCD guidelines.
The new stop signs along Harrison were installed this morning. Please use caution has you traffic through the area as people adjust to the new all-way stop.
ORD 2018-312 to erect an all-way stop sign at the intersection of Idlewood Ave & South Harrison Street is no longer needed and will be withdrawn.
Top Issues For Neighborhood
I have been meaning to do this post for a while and the start of the year seems to be a good time to actually get it done… I have done a little bit of surveying with neighbors, but some things, frankly, have not changed…
1. Establishing an anti-demolition City overlay for the neighborhood- how to protect historic assets and character took on new emphasis and concern with what happened with the 800 block of W. Cary Street this past year. This could be a precursor for making Oregon Hill an official City Historic District.
2. Establishing a signed, binding agreement that VCU will not encroach into Oregon Hill any further. Note: VCU administration shamefully refuses, despite having agreements with other neighborhoods and even foreign countries. The disrespect is intolerable and distrust remains.
3. Encouraging more neighborhood contacts and social connections. Many neighbors, especially new ones, want better ways to get to know the people who live around them. Oregon Hill has traditionally been seen as very ‘tight-knit’, but it has also seen many residents come and go. More public events geared towards the neighborhood that are family friendly and inclusive- think block parties with performances and attractions. Who remembers the pony rides? How about an annual neighborhood-wide yard sale?
4. Advocating for brick sidewalk repairs. Yes, we need to make sure our historic brick sidewalks are brought back to acceptable standards and maintained that way.
5. Getting new trees for tree wells and elsewhere (including Monroe Park!)
6. Ending the lease for the Monroe Park Conservancy and returning the park to public (City) control. Despite all the changes, Monroe Park has historically been and will always be one of Oregon Hill’s parks. Let’s not allow anything like ‘the Conservancy’ to happen to any more of our parks.
7. Public trash/recycling receptacles. With all the foot traffic that the neighborhood gets with its proximity to the river, it’s important that more public trash/recycling receptacles are made available.
7. More litter clean ups. In the past, we have had volunteer neighborhood leaders work with the City and other groups like VCU Green Team and RVA Cleansweep to do community litter pick ups. We need new blood to step up to coordinate these efforts.
8. Encouraging more proper recycling. While I am confident that Oregon Hill has a better than average recycling percentage per household than many other places, we can always do better- part of that is making sure recycling receptacles are kept out of sidewalk right aways when not awaiting collection.
9. Potholes- despite the City’s efforts, there are still a few spots where potholes are a constant problem- especially in some of our alleys.
10. Neighborhood watch/porch pirate prevention- thankfully the neighborhood is relatively safe, but there are still very serious concerns about interlopers. One problem we have seen more of in recent years is porch piracy- the stealing of package deliveries and porch items.
Some other worthy topics:
Better traffic enforcement
More park renovations and improvements for parks, including Holly Street Playground
More enforcement of dog poop pickup
More engagement with landlords about rental properties
Bike lanes
More small businesses that cater to the neighborhood
Fire safety/disaster preparedness
And of course, I will put in a word for more solar in the neighborhood…
Burglary On 200 Block Of S. Laurel
From CommunityCrimeMap.com:
BURGLARY/B and E/RESIDENTIAL
2XX S LAUREL ST
Dec 31, 2018 at 6:20 pm
Data provided by Richmond Police Department
Also..
THEFT FROM MOTOR VEHICLE
5XX TREDEGAR ST
Jan 1, 2019 at 3:00 pm
Data provided by Richmond Police Department
Happy New Year! Trash/Recycling Pickup Tomorrow (Or Maybe Thursday)
Happy New Year! This Wednesday is a “Red Wednesday”, which means trash and recycling pickup, or maybe it will be Thursday due to recent holiday. Ideally, rolling recycling containers are stored and deployed in the back alleys along with trash cans. Please make sure you pick up containers after pickup.
If you have not done so already, fulfill that resolution, and sign up for your Recycling Perks.
In order to take your recycling to the next level, read this: 10 ways to improve your recycling.
ALSO: The City of Richmond Department of Public Works and the Richmond Clean City Commission will be hosting its 10th annual “Bring One for the Chipper” on Saturday, Jan. 12, 2019 from 10 am -2 pm at 1710 Robin Hood Rd and N. Blvd. (field across from the Arthur Ashe Center. In addition to Christmas Tree recycling, the city is hosting household hazardous waste (HHW) collection, electronics recycling ( fees may apply on certain items) and document shredding ( up to 5 boxes) and city recyclers can drop off their 24 gallon green bins for reuse in city schools since now have 95 gallon recycling cart with a blue lid.
In recycling news, mounds of holiday boxes and improper recycling practices caused the City of Virginia Beach to temporarily close one of its recycling sites. Remember, flatten cardboard boxes — and only recycle paper, bottles, and cans. Leave out plastic and bags that are not recyclable.
New Year’s Brunch At Mojo’s
Mojo’s restaurant is advertising a New Year’s Brunch (might be good after the First Day Walk)…
Two Important Activist Events This Thursday
This Thursday evening there are two events that local activists may find enticing. First is a protest against the influence of money on our government from corporate interests, and in particular Dominion Energy.
From the event description:
Governor Northam is holding a fundraiser with Dominion Executive Bob Blue and Dominion’s Law Firm McGuire Woods (among other corporate interests) for his “The Way Ahead” PAC – this is corruption on display, and this corruption is the reason projects like both the Atlantic Coast and Mountain Valley pipelines, Tom Farrell’s Navy Hill proposal, and others that harm Virginia communities for private profit are allowed in our state.
PLEASE JOIN US for a demonstration outside of the reception to send a message to Governor Northam and any future candidates in Virginia: Corporate corruption in our government will not stand – The Way Ahead for Virginia will be free of corrupt money, like from Dominion, and free of corporate shills like Northam!
We will demonstrate outside of the McGuire Woods building (800 E Canal St – where the fundraiser reception is being held), from 5:30-7:30 (the time of the fundraiser). Bring your signs and banners to make the message visible (we will have some signs to share).
Come for all or part of the event and send a clear message to Northam and any future politicians – this type of corruption will no longer stand. Dominion’s days in our government are over!
#NoACP #NoMVP #NoPipelines #DumpDominion
One future possibility to consider is a constitutional amendment for both the Virginia and federal constitutions against corporate money, a la www.MoveToAmend.org It’s noteworthy that Mayor Stoney has evidently gone in an opposite direction- stating just this past month that he would continue to accept donations from Dominion Energy.
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A second progressive event that should also generate a lot of political discussion is a Ranked Choice Voting Info Session at the Richmond Main Library, hosted by FairVote Virginia. That begins at 6 pm.
From event description:
Our Richmond local action group is officially up and running! Join us at the Richmond Public Library to meet local FairVote supporters, debrief on our latest legislative efforts, and learn how you can help bring ranked choice voting to Virginia in 2019.
FairVote Virginia is VA’s chapter of the national FairVote movement to advance ranked choice voting. Visit our website at fairvoteva.org to learn more.
CEO of Civil War Museum Recognized By Time Magazine
Richmond Times Dispatch columnist Michael Paul Williams recently caught up with Christy Coleman, the CEO of the American Civil War Museum. She has just been recognized by Time Magazine as one of “31 People Who Are Changing the South.”
Included in the piece is some of what’s new at Tredegar:
Five years after the merger of the American Civil War Center and the Museum of the Confederacy, the American Civil War Museum is preparing to open a new building in May at Historic Tredegar. The nearly 30,000-square-foot space will house the museum’s collections, including a new core gallery called “A People’s Contest: Struggles for Nation and Freedom in Civil War America.” The new building will also include storage space and five offices. The Tredegar foundry building will be converted from an exhibit space into an events venue. The exhibits are being installed now in the new space.
“Every day I go in there, I’m just so ecstatic to see this vision we’ve worked on for years now really come into fruition,” Coleman said. “This is another game-changer.”
The Museum continues to chin out some noteworthy events. It’s Foundry Series is pretty weighty. On January 24th it will have a program on Politics and the Supreme Court that features Dr. Timothy Huebner, Rhodes College, Memphis and will be moderated by Dr. Henry L. Chambers, University of Richmond School of Law. But it’s (free) “History Happy Hours” should also not be overlooked. On January 14, the Museum’s own Morgan Floyd will be hosting one called “Fight Like A Girl” at the Capital Ale House.
Zoning Appeal
From the agenda for the January 2nd meeting of the Board of Zoning Appeals:
(CONTINUED FROM NOVEMBER 7, 2018 MEETING) An application of Tim Farrow for a special exception from Sections 30-300, 30-413.2(2), 30-413.7. & 30-620.1(c) of the zoning ordinance for a building permit to construct a one-story addition (13’ x 15’) on the rear of a single-family (attached) dwelling at 622 HOLLY STREET (Tax Parcel Number W000-0139/039), located in an R-7 (Single- and Two-Family Urban Residential District). The side yard (setback) and lot coverage requirements are not met.