The Angel of Hope ceremony in Hollywood Cemetery honors the many children who have passed away.
The ceremony will take place on Monday, December 6th at 6:00 p.m. at the Angel of Hope statues in the Idlewood section.
Please click here or more information.
This abandoned bulletin board at the bottom of Oregon Hill Parkway receive some attention this morning as someone added a yarn lattice to it. This artist was different from the one who had originally made and put the bulletin board in place.
This Wednesday is a “Red Wednesday”, which hopefully means trash and recycling pickup. I say hopefully, because the Central Virginia Waste Management Authority has struggled to maintain its schedule due to a shortage of workers and has missed some pickups recently and had to reschedule. That said, as neighbors, we should do our best to help.
One tool that might help ameliorate the situation if pickup does not come is this online form:
https://cvwma.com/programs/residential-recycling/recycling-service-request-form/
Please go over what can be recycled. 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 tomorrow night.
If you have not done so already, don’t forget to sign up for your Recycling Perks.
In order to take your recycling to the next level, read this: 10 ways to improve your recycling.
In recycling news…
There’s still a lot of public interest in a bottle bill…
https://richmond.com/opinion/letters/letters-to-the-editor-for-nov-14-2021-bottle-bill-could-improve-recycling-in-virginia/article_5ca1c73d-3dfa-58a1-81ff-1afc477a4a12.html
There’s also a lot of hope and expectations for the recently passed infrastructure bill.
Recycling and waste groups say other infrastructure bill-related funding for recycling education grants could be “years” away. Advocacy groups are particularly focused on the infrastructure bill’s inclusion of the RECYCLE Act, which aims to improve residential recycling by authorizing up to $15 million per year in recycling education grants over five years, through 2026.
Stakeholders have long said the bill’s funding for recycling projects shows the Biden administration recognizes recycling as critical to national infrastructure, but they say the true litmus test will be in how successfully the EPA actually rolls out the grant programs the bill promises.
From email announcement:
Monthly Meeting Agenda
Tuesday 16 November 2021
7:00PM
Location: St. Andrew’s Church
St. Andrew’s Church has kindly allowed us to use the church for this meeting.
(Zoom meeting info redacted; Please email OHNA at OHNARva@gmail.com if you need that information.)
They ask that all participants remain masked and socially distanced during the meeting.
We ask that invited guests limit their presentations to no more than 5 minutes.
We ask that questions, comments, and suggestions be kept to no more than 3 minutes.
This meeting will be recorded.
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. Mr. Tito Luna, VCU Liaison
4. Ms. Stephanie Lynch, 5th District Councilperson
5. Ms. Colette McEachin, Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney
Updates
1. Proposed all-way stops on South Pine Street at its intersection with China Street (at Open High School) and South Pine Street at its intersection with Albemarle Street
· The paper has been submitted.
2. New no parking area around stop signs at Pine and China (Tuesday 9 November), and Pine and Albemarle Streets (Monday 15 November).
3. Proposed Amendments to the Richmond 300 Land Use Plan / Neighborhood Coalition Update
· Move Oregon Hill from Neighborhood Mixed Use to Residential land use category (Randolph is in this category).
· If Planning will not move Oregon Hill to Residential, then change the maximum height in the Neighborhood Mixed Use category from four stories to two stories.
· Remove the clause that allows taller buildings along major streets.
o Idlewood and South Laurel between VCU and Idlewood are designated major streets
o The amendments were continued by Land Use Committee. City Planning staff have recommended that no amendments be adopted.
o It was continued, yet again, to Tuesday 16 November 2021.
4. Updates on 105 and 116 South Laurel SUP Applications
· Both applications were heard at the Planning Commission on Monday 4 October
· We supported the SUP for 105 South Laurel Street, as per OHNA vote. This project was on Council’s 9 November agenda.
· After agreeing at the OHNA meeting to place a preservation easement on 103 South Laurel Street, the applicant later reversed course and refused to place the easement. It was agreed to as a condition of the neighborhood supporting the SUP. I asked the Planning Commission to delay the SUP to allow us to work with the applicant to meet the conditions that they agreed to, or to make such an agreement a condition of their motion. We lost, unanimously, despite letters from adjacent landowners objecting to applicant’s refusal to do what they agreed to do. I do not see this paper on Council’s 9 November agenda.
5. New SUP, 617-719 China Street
· We should see this at our December meeting.
Continued Business
1. Sculpture for Pleasant’s Park, by local artist Mickael Broth (image at the end of the agenda)
· The sculpture will be installed in Pleasant’s Park.
· The artist has offered it to us for $600; OHHIC has offered to donate $300, at our last meeting, OHNA was authorized to provide up to $300 for the purchase, and to seek donations to augment the cost.
· We can accept donations here at the meeting with our Square account!
· The artist has offered to help with installation
· If approved, we will begin the process of location approval with Parks & Recreation and the Urban Design Committee.
2. VCU student party issues
· There have been several large, loud parties in the last few weeks. There are problematic, repeat issues in the 200 block of South Laurel, and the intersection of South Laurel and China streets.
· Report issues to both RPD and VCU. Keep track of: date, time, location, fraternity / sorority affiliation, names of individuals involved, names of landlords, etc.
· OHNA is setting up an online form to track problem party locations, so that we may follow up with RPD and VCU. We will keep a spreadsheet of problematic locations and fraternity / sorority locations, and regularly report this information to VCU.
3. Potential dog park in the linear park
4. Bulletin board for Pleasant’s Park
5. Holly Street Playground cleanup to be scheduled for December. We are trying to put together a date, and will let everyone know once it is settled. We will focus on clearing brush just beyond the south and west fence lines.
New Business
1. OHNA officer elections.
The Next OHNA meeting is scheduled for 7:00pm Tuesday 28 December 2021. Please note that the meeting is a week later to avoid conflict with holiday-related travel. That meeting will be held in person with the Zoom option; the location will be announced later — hopefully, it will still be St. Andrew’s, and a link will be sent separately.
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
Announcement from 821 Cafe:
Since we have had a few people ask…We’re not gonna be doing our vegan Thanksgiving meals like last year, but will be offering them for Christmas again.
Question: What are some good, local Thanksgiving restaurant and/or take out options for Thanksgiving dinner this year?
Richmond Marathon is this Saturday.
From announcement:
Friends Fall Book Sale is November 5th and 6th.
Not a member? You can join us at the door.
First come first serve appointments at 1-hour increments. If you want more than 1-hour sign up for two 1-hour increments.
Masks required.
This Wednesday is a “Red Wednesday”, which hopefully means trash and recycling pickup. I say hopefully, because the Central Virginia Waste Management Authority has struggled to maintain its schedule due to a shortage of workers and has missed some pickups recently and had to reschedule. That said, as neighbors, we should do our best to help.
One tool that might help ameliorate the situation if pickup does not come is this online form:
https://cvwma.com/programs/residential-recycling/recycling-service-request-form/
Please go over what can be recycled. 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 tomorrow night.
If you have not done so already, don’t forget to sign up for your Recycling Perks.
In order to take your recycling to the next level, read this: 10 ways to improve your recycling.
In recycling news…
High aluminum prices, supply chain issues create ‘best of times and the worst of times’ for recyclers is the headline for a waste dive.com industry report. In it, Michael Benedetto, president and owner at TFC Recycling in Virginia is quoted:
“Aluminum seemed to be the laggard behind paper and some other commodity prices going up, and we were baffled by that… It’s been refreshing to see all commodity prices improved from where they were in 2019 and part of 2020.”
But the piece goes on to say that complicating factors like transportation and supply chain difficulties are creating a bittersweet moment for many aluminum recyclers that can’t easily get their product to market.
Reuters has an article about how
‘Consumer goods giants are funding projects to send plastic trash to cement plants, where it is burned as cheap energy. They’re touting it as a way to keep plastic out of dumps and use less fossil fuel. Critics say it undercuts recycling efforts and worsens air quality. One said it was “like moving the landfill from the ground to the sky.”’