RVANews

Kristen Larson Officially Launches Campaign for Richmond 4th District City Council Seat

Richard Hayes — Tue, 03 May 2016 12:38:43 +0000

Press release:

Kristen Nye Larson has officially launched her campaign for Richmond’s 4th District City Council seat for the November 2016 elections. Larson currently holds the position for Richmond School Board in the same district.
Larson spoke to a group of supporters last week and voiced the following vision for Richmond:
“We must have a strong focus on financial accountability and transparency so that we can support the city’s core needs. We must stop the annual battle of educational funding versus leaf collection or public safety. We can and should be able to provide all of these services,” she said.
“Economic development and a strong educational system go hand-in-hand. I will commit to making sure new initiatives are fully vetted to benefit our entire city and show a strong return on investment.”
“And the most important role of this future position is that I provide you – the people the I work for – with a level of trust and transparency that you not only expect but also deserve,” Larson said.
To see more details on Larson’s campaign and to read her complete remarks, visit her campaign website at www.electkristenlarson.com.
Larson first became involved in public service in Richmond by serving on the board at Patrick Henry School of Science and Arts, Virginia’s first elementary charter school, in 2009. This experience led her to want to get more involved in Richmond's educational system and in 2012 Kristen launched a campaign for Richmond School Board's 4th district. She won the election in a 5-way race and started her 4-year term in January 2013. She currently serves as the co-chair of the RPS Facilities Committee and is the RPS board liaison to the Greater Richmond Chamber. She also sits on the Richmond City Early Childhood Action Team.
Kristen has been featured in Style Weekly's Top 40 Under 40 in 2012. She was also featured in Style's top Richmond Power List in 2014.

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Parker C. Agelasto Running for Re-election to City Council

Richard Hayes — Tue, 26 Apr 2016 13:03:40 +0000

From Facebook:

I am honored to announce my intention to seek re-election as the 5th District City Council representative. I am fortunate to have the full support of my wife, Katherine, and my family in this decision. I have worked diligently, over the last few years, to understand the issues that come before City Council for a vote and to develop solutions to the challenges we face in our neighborhoods and to communicate regularly with constituents in our communities.
We are privileged to live in a district with tremendous diversity. I will continue to strengthen communication between stakeholders and across our neighborhoods. During this campaign, I look forward to a meaningful dialogue about the critical issues facing our city - public education, public works and public safety and helping the economically disadvantaged.
The City must become more effective and efficient with its limited resources. We need to expand job creation, workforce development, economic development and access to public transportation. Most importantly, I am committed to restoring transparency and trust in local government.
Together, we can and will move Richmond forward.

Image: Parker C. Agelasto Facebook

School Board Member Kristen Larson announce bid for City Council

Richard Hayes — Tue, 19 Apr 2016 13:04:17 +0000

It's official Kathy Graziano is not seeking re-election this year. So far the list of known candidates is one. Yesterday morning Kristen Larson who is currently the 4th District School Board representative filled the paperwork and has officially announced her desire to fill the seat.

Kristen Larson will be hosting a meeting at Zata (formally Taza) at 5047 Forest Hill Avenue at 6 pm on Monday, April 25th to share her vision for this new position.

Image: Kristen Larson

Councilman Parker C. Agelasto Hosting 5th District Meeting

Richard Hayes — Tue, 05 Apr 2016 14:56:09 +0000

All Richmond Central 5th Voter District residents invited and encouraged to attend

WHAT (Richmond, Virginia U.S.A.) – The Honorable Parker C. Agelasto, Councilman, Richmond City Council, Richmond Central 5th Voter District, will hold a district-wide meeting for the Richmond Central 5th Voter District. This is part of regular meetings Councilman Agelasto holds, which include information on his Richmond Central 5th Voter District goals and accomplishments; a thematic agenda of current interest; and, special guests. These meetings are free and open to the public and all Richmond Central 5th Voter District residents are invited and encouraged to attend. The planned agenda/discussion topics for the upcoming meeting include:

· Richmond New Lawn Maintenance Laws
Richmond Community Assisted Public Safety (CAPS) Program -
Code Enforcement Representative

· Richmond Department of Public Works: Operational Issues, Status Updates and Concerns
Mr. Bobby Vincent, Deputy Director of Operations, Richmond Department of Public Works

· Richmond Network Planning Presentation
Ms. Amy Inman, Senior Administrator of Multimodal Transportation and Strategic Planning, Richmond Department
of Economic and Community Development

· Legislative & Budget Updates
The Honorable Parker C. Agelasto, Councilman
Richmond City Council, Richmond Central 5th Voter District

WHEN Thursday, April 7, 2016
6:30-8:00 p.m.

WHERE Richmond Southside Community Services Center
4100 Hull Street; Richmond, Virginia

WHO The Honorable Parker C. Agelasto, Councilman
Richmond City Council, Richmond Central 5th Voter District

CONTACT For more information, please contact:
The Honorable Parker C. Agelasto, Councilman
Richmond City Council, Richmond Central 5th Voter District, at 804.646.6050 (tel), or parker.agelasto@richmondgov.com (email)

Councilman Agelasto hosting 5th District Meeting

Richard Hayes — Fri, 29 Jan 2016 16:51:47 +0000

Councilman Parker C. Agelasto to hold a meeting for the Richmond Central 5th Voter District
All Richmond Central 5th Voter District residents invited and encouraged to attend
WHAT (Richmond, Virginia U.S.A.) – The Honorable Parker C. Agelasto, Councilman, Richmond City Council, Richmond Central 5th Voter District, will hold a district-wide meeting for the Richmond Central 5th Voter District. This is part of regular meetings Councilman Agelasto holds, which include information on his Richmond Central 5th Voter District goals and accomplishments; a thematic agenda of current interest; and, special guests. These meetings are free and open to the public and all Richmond Central 5th Voter District residents are invited and encouraged to attend. The planned agenda/discussion topics for the upcoming meeting include:
Richmond Real Estate Tax Abatement Program for Seniors and People with Disabilities
Ms. Valerie Weatherless, Revenue Manager
Richmond Department of Finance
Short-Term Home Rental Laws
Mr. Mark Olinger, Director
Richmond Department of Planning and Development Review
Richmond Public Art Master Plan: Presentation
Ms. Ellyn Parker, Project Management Analyst
Richmond Department of Planning and Development Review
Introduction to Granicus: Richmond City Council's New Legislative Tracking Database/Software
Ms. Jean Capel, City Clerk, Richmond City Council
Office of the City Clerk
Updates
The Honorable Parker C. Agelasto, Councilman
Richmond City Council, Richmond Central 5th Voter District
WHEN Thursday, February 4, 2016
6:30-8:00 p.m.
WHERE Richmond Public Schools -Binford Middle School
1701 Floyd Avenue; Richmond, Virginia
WHO The Honorable Parker C. Agelasto, Councilman
Richmond City Council, Richmond Central 5th Voter District
CONTACT For more information, please contact:
The Honorable Parker C. Agelasto, Councilman
Richmond City Council, Richmond Central 5th Voter District, at 804.646.6050 (tel), or parker.agelasto@richmondgov.com (email)

City’s Chief Administrative Officer hosting town hall meeting November 17th

Trevor Dickerson — Fri, 13 Nov 2015 14:15:39 +0000

From Richmond City Councilman Jon Baliles:

We are excited to welcome the City's Chief Administrative Officer Selena Cuffee-Glenn to our Town Hall Meeting on Tuesday, November 17 at 6:00pm at Albert Hill Middle School (3400 Patterson Avenue - map).
I have enjoyed geting to know and working with and have great confidence in Mrs. Cuffee-Glen's work at the City so far in turning around delivery of basic services and operations, and I have been encouraged by our meetings in the last few months since her arrival. This will be a great chance to hear from her directly and get to know her better.
We will also get a report from Mark Olinger, Director of Planning and Development (and my former boss), about the City's effort to work with AirBnB and its effect on City neighborhoods, especially those in the First District.
We will also have a send-off for our School Board representative and Senator-Elect, Glen Sturtevant, as he transitions from local to state office, but remains on the job through the start of next year. Albert Hill Principal LaShante' Knight will also join us!
We will discuss a variety of District and City issues, as well as our regular updates from Police, Fire, and other issues. The November meeting is usually held on the 4th Tuesday of every other month but is being rescheduled due to the Thanksgiving holiday week. If you have any questions prior, please contact my office at 804-646-5349. We look forward to seeing you then!

Photo: HamptonRoads.com

Sixth district meeting with Councilwoman Roberston on Saturday

Richard Hayes — Wed, 11 Nov 2015 14:30:19 +0000

The planned program/agenda for this meeting includes the following:
PROGRAM/AGENDA
“Turning Trash Into Cash”
Environmental and Safety Ambassadors Actions
Changing the way we Collect Bulk Trash
Mr. Anthony Harding, Richmond Department of Public Works
Best Practices to Turn Trash into Cash and
Environmental Ambassadors’ Role Councilwoman Ellen F. Robertson
WHEN Saturday, November 14, 2015
10:00-11:30 a.m.
WHERE Richmond Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities, Hotchkiss Field Community Center
701 E. Brookland Park Boulevard; Richmond, Virginia 23222, 804.646.4466 (tel)
WHO The Honorable Ellen F. Robertson, Councilwoman, Richmond City Council, Richmond Gateway 6th Voter District
CONTACT For more information, please contact Mr. Kiya Stokes, Liaison for The Honorable Ellen F. Robertson, Councilwoman, Richmond City Council, Richmond Gateway 6th Voter District, at 804.646.7964 (tel), or kiya.stokes@richmondgov.com (email)

The Annotated City Council: Agenda for October 12th, 2015

RVANews staff — Mon, 12 Oct 2015 16:44:22 +0000

Photo by: Al Fed

Here's what we know (or could find out) about tonight's City Council agenda. As usual, there are some really fascinating diamonds in the more tedious rough.

How to help us annotate

If you have other notes, feel free to annotate directly on this piece using Genius (you may know it as "Rap Genius," but its platform and community have now been opened up for whatever use you want!). You'll have to create an account, but it takes the usual two seconds. The article here will automatically reflect your annotations.

The annotated agenda!

Read "City Council Agenda -- October 12, 2015" by City of Richmond on Genius

What your new/old School Board and City Council leadership has to say

Susan Howson — Fri, 09 Jan 2015 12:18:45 +0000

The School Board side of things

Chair: Donald Coleman (7th District)
Vice-Chair: Kristen Larson (4th District)

Both Larson and Coleman are incumbents, I know. But the very fact that they were re-elected (unanimously) is a change in itself--a very unusual move towards continuity. In statements to the Times-Dispatch, other board members kept invoking that word, "continuity"--a continuum of word usage, you could say.

And as Superintendent Dana Bedden (a relative newcomer himself) announced his new Academic Improvement Plan, with a partial focus on giving teachers more training and time to plan. In that sense, and with the Board's penchant for heated disagreements, it may very well be a good thing to keep its leadership in place and see these changes through.

"I see this year as the year where it really starts to trickle down and impact more people at the school level, including the teachers, who are the most important employees at our schools," said Kristen Larson in an interview with RVANews on Wednesday, referencing the couple of years the Board has been trying to make major change. "It's about giving the teachers an extra minute so that they can develop themselves and share best practices. There hasn't been anything in place to really foster that sense of growing leadership."

I asked both Larson and Donald Coleman how they saw communications between the Board and the Mayor's office moving forward. Things haven't been so smooth lately.

Coleman responded via email that they simply have to get smoother.

"The School Board continues to work strategically to invite and encourage greater collaboration with the Mayor's office and City Council. Presently communications between the three entities has increased substantially, yet the need for even more engagement for long-range planning will be a process we continue to work towards. The School Board's Facilities Taskforce (which has had representation from the Mayor's office and City Council) will be making a final report which will require a collaborative approach in order for the recommendations to be carried out.

The Superintendent recently presented his Academic Improvement Plan. We will be proactive in making sure the Mayor's office and City Council are given a presentation of key details of this plan, as it very comprehensive and critical to the future success of RPS. A "Better Richmond" is directly connected to a successful school system, thus continued progress where all three entities are working together is the way we must move forward to greater success for all."

Speaking separately, Larson's thoughts aligned. "I'm really optimistic...I think with the nature of the structure of our government, there's always going to be a tug-of-war. The School Board has to depend on City Council and the Mayor to give us the funds we need, but Dr. Bedden has really tried to keep them in the loop on the big issues."

Being under the public's microscope has ultimately had a positive influence on the Board and RPS as a whole, even though tensions have been high. To Larson, there's a message of hope in there. "You have to start the conversation somewhere. The public appreciates honesty, and I think we've been missing that for the schools for awhile... People love Richmond, they want to stay here, and they want to invest in our city and invest in our schools. And as far as the leaders of our schools, we need to fight for them when we can, while also honoring our public and what we're hearing from them."

— ∮∮∮ —

The City Council side of things

President: The Honorable Michelle R. Mosby (9th District)
Vice President: The Honorable Chris Hilbert (3rd District)

Big changes here, with Mosby skipping a couple of traditional rungs on the ladder, atop which she sits as the first African-American woman to be Council president. Mosby calls for an end to the bickering so that real change can be made before city elections in 2016. Economic growth, housing opportunities, updating infrastructure--Mosby and Hilbert have a lot to do. And what about the dang stadium? Mosby has usually seen the Mayor's side, whereas her predecessor, Charles R. Samuels, did not.

Both corresponded via email with me, promising to emphasize a spirit of collaboration.

"We are all in this together. We will win some and we will learn some in 2015, but we will do it united," said Mosby who also said she expects to "lead by example and keep both an open door and an open mind for all ideas and discussions, large and small."

Hilbert believes the entire Council is in agreement that moving forward is the name of the game, and that there's no more time to be wasted in arguments. "Time has a way of focusing attention on what is important, which includes collaboration when possible with the administration."

His priority lies in a "back to basics approach to city government...Safe streets, improving our schools and funding the infrastructure (streets, sidewalks, parks, etc.)." And regarding his colleague's appointment, as well as his own, he had some good things to say:

"I believe that the appointment of Ms. Mosby as the first African-American woman to lead our city council is important in that it breaks down another 'glass ceiling' in our city. "It makes a statement that leadership will be based upon a meritocracy and not something that is limited by race or gender. I have a great deal of respect for Ms. Mosby and it speaks very highly of her in that she is still in her first term on Council. My appointment as Vice President says that we still value experience on Council. Both President Mosby and I have stated that we value communication and collaboration with the Mayor and his administration. That should not be been seen as "going along to get along," but making open and honest communication the foundation of our relationship."

This time next year, we'll be able to test these statements against history. For now, we will wait. And watch. (And read tweets and whatnot).

City pedaling toward first bike-share program

Nathan Cushing — Wed, 17 Dec 2014 14:37:39 +0000

City Council's Land Use, Housing, and Transportation Committee unanimously voted yesterday on a proposed funding agreement between the City and the Virginia Department of Transportation that would establish Richmond's first bike-share program, reports the Richmond Times-Dispatch:

The city is considering a $1.34 million agreement to use mostly federal funding to deploy an initial wave of 300 bikes to 30 docking stations throughout the city. Pending City Council approval, the system is expected to be in place by the time the UCI Road World Championships come to town next September.

With the unanimous approval of the council committee, the full council is expected to vote on the plan next month.

While no details exists for what the bike-share program would look like for riders, the RTD discussed pricing with a City official:

Though the city has not finalized a fee structure, typical prices are around $75 for an annual membership, a one-day pass could cost around $6, and a three-day pass could cost about $15, said Jakob Helmboldt, the city's bicycle, pedestrian and trail coordinator.
There would be no additional fees for trips of 30 minutes or less, but riders would be charged extra for longer trips, the goal being to encourage turnover and bike availability.

Should Council approve the plan next month, the body would also have to approve a contract with a vendor that would deploy and manage the bicycles.

Photo of a DC bike-share dock by Teresa Grau Ros

Samuels abandons bid for second term as Council president

Nathan Cushing — Wed, 10 Dec 2014 15:13:00 +0000

Charles Samuels (Councilman - 2nd District) announced this morning that he won't seek a second term as City Council president, which means it's all but certain Councilwoman Michelle Mosby (9th District) will be elected president early next year.

Here's the statement from Samuels:

"Yesterday I informed my colleagues on Richmond City Council that I am withdrawing my name for consideration as Richmond City Council President. I have also spoken with Councilwoman Mosby on her expected nomination and installation as Council President in January and congratulated her.
"It has been a privilege and honor to serve as the chair of the governing body of the City of Richmond these past two years. I appreciate all the support from my colleagues on Council and in the greater Richmond community. As we move forward, I am confident we will continue to provide the necessary checks and balances our form of government requires."

Get to know your city government with RVAGOV

Nathan Cushing — Mon, 08 Dec 2014 11:00:14 +0000

Officially launched last month, RVAGOV is already flying high.

"We got a shout-out at the last Richmond City Council meeting," said Ben Panko, a journalism student at the University of Richmond and co-editor of RVAGOV. Two council members even offered their own suggestions. "Charles Samuels [District 2] and Parker Agelasto [District 5]...met with us and offered advice on the website."

Billing itself as a "hub for engagement in Richmond City government", RVAGOV explains how City government works,¹ as well as previewing and recapping Council meetings (and soon School Board meetings).

"We realized that a lot of people want to be involved in the democratic process, but they may not have the time to go and dig through ordinances and codes to try and figure out what exactly what is going on, or what is being debated at tonight's [City Council] meeting," Panko said. "We're not trying to dumb it down for people, or tell them what they should think about 'this', we just want to make it as easy as possible for any citizen who wants to participate to be able to participate."

RVAGOV is the idea of UR student Peter CampoBasso. He was in a class taught by Thad Williamson called Research Workshop on Contemporary Richmond Politics. Students were required to attend City Council meetings.

"When I went to the first one, I found it quite difficult to follow, and I had no idea of what was even being discussed," said CampoBasso. "The next day, I...decided to start working on a City Council guide."

"I at first envisioned it to just be a simple guide to City Council to outline for students things like the meeting procedure, basic powers and duties of the Council, the difference between an ordinance and a resolution, etc," he said. Eventually he got the idea for a website that went beyond a Council explainer.

He spent this past summer developing the website with fellow UR student Andrew Talbot. "At first, we viewed it as just being for students; we thought that it would be a useful tool for professors who were sending classes to City Council meetings, and for students who were interested more broadly in government to more easily get engaged," CampoBaso said. "Then we started to think that it could be used by the greater community as a whole once we started adding certain sections."

Ben Panko said a hallmark of the website² is its minimal aesthetic. "We definitely strived from the beginning to keep it as clean and simple looking as possible," he said. "We wanted you to be able to click around the website in as few clicks as possible and be able to get to everything important really easily."

Panko said the site's easy navigability shouldn't shame the City's official website. "I don't think that they would be able to have the same kind of website that we do," he said. "They have a lot more stuff that they have to include. And we have the luxury on focusing on, very narrowly, a few things."

RVAGOV will eventually expand those things now that the site's wrinkles are nearly ironed out. "We've been focusing on the content of the website and just the mechanics of it. And now we've gotten those mostly figured out, starting next semester is when we're going to be able to work on fine-tuning stuff and adding features," Panko said. RVAGOV staff have discussed including maps and graphics.

But new features aside, what happens when Panko and the other editors and contributors graduate next year, and possibly leave Richmond for good? "We have a good team of correspondents working with us right now, and any of them could definitely run the website well," Panko said. While there's no transition plan in place, he's confident the site will endure.

"We're going to try and keep working on it, improving it," Panko said. "I hope that citizens and students, and anybody who's interested in it, will be able to get good use out of this website."

City Council, School Board, Mayoral office, and City budget. ↩
Created with Wix. ↩

City Council roundup

Ross Catrow — Tue, 11 Nov 2014 15:36:08 +0000

Agenda

You can download last night's agenda here (PDF). Just five items on the regular agenda, and all of them were continued or moved to the consent agenda.

Recaps and resources

RVAGov is a thing that exists. Run by UR students as a part of the Bonner Center for Civic Engagement, they hope to "provide a platform to educate and empower full participants in Richmond City Government." Read their preview and recap of last night's meeting.
Of course you'll want to read the RTD's Graham Moomaw's recap as well--he is a paid professional after all. It's mostly a discussion of how much say the City has in the upcoming Stone Brewing Co. development.
Also of note: Council approved the Flying Squirrels' lease through 2016.

Tweets from last night

#RVAgov launches as a platform to "educate & empower full participants in #RVA city government" http://t.co/KatLDbvQyO #RVACouncil— Bonner CCE At UR (@urengage) November 10, 2014

City adopts Complete Streets Policy

Nathan Cushing — Mon, 10 Nov 2014 13:28:23 +0000

Last month, City Council passed a resolution (PDF) putting City officials on the hook to create and implement guidelines that'll ensure future transportation improvement projects will be planned, designed, and constructed with pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit passengers in mind, in addition to motorists.

Called the Complete Streets Policy, the resolution binds all City departments and employees to follow guidelines that encourage multi-modal transportation options across Richmond. City officials now have one year to create those implementation guidelines, which will be included in the City's construction standards manual.¹

One of the people that pushed Council to adopt the policy is Jakob Helmboldt, the City's Pedestrian, Bicycle, and Trails Coordinator.

"This is about changing a paradigm," Helmboldt said by phone last week. Adopting the Complete Streets Policy means the City must now approach every transportation project with eyes on integrating, or improving existing aspects of, every feasible mode of transportation.

"Making sure that we're looking at each project and each street in that context-sensitive manner and doing the best we can to...make this a city that is great for whatever mode [of transportation] you choose to get around."

Richmond is the latest city that's forayed into complete-streets thinking. The National Complete Streets Coalition was founded in 2004 to help bolster transportation networks across the country. Over 650 agencies have adopted Complete Streets policies since.

In 2004, the Virginia Department of Transportation adopted a statewide complete streets policy. "It basically said when you're scoping a project--whether it's a maintenance project, a construction project, [or] reconstruction--you will consider the needs of bicyclists and pedestrians," Helmboldt said.

While a state policy is helpful, Helmboldt said the "rubber meets the road" when individual municipalities get on board. "That's where you get your bang for the buck in terms of the ability to walk, bike, and use transit as opposed to being reliant on your single occupant vehicle."

In 2010, the pedestrian, bicycle, and trails commission (appointed by Mayor Jones) submitted a report on how to make Richmond a more bicycle- and pedestrian-friendly city. One of their recommendations² was that the City adopt its own complete streets policy.

Helmboldt worked with Alicia Zatcoff, the City's Sustainability Manager, to put the complete streets policy before Council.

Essentially, the policy affects the City more than the general public, at least in that it holds departments and officials accountable to consider transportation in a more holistic sense. "Making sure people are getting training on current best practices or current requirements say, for example, the Americans with Disabilities Act. That can be challenging sometimes, either to understand the regulations or keep up with the changing regulations," Helmboldt said.

Even seemingly trivial projects stand to benefit. "Giving people [who work at the City] an understanding of how simple projects like signal timing and signal phasing, if you're doing a maintenance project or a signal upgrade, can have a big impact on the ability to cross the street as a pedestrian, whether you have convenient crossing locations or crossing times," Helmboldt said.

City Council passing the Complete Street Policy formally declares that the City will consider Richmond roads in a more holistic way. Now Helmboldt and others have one year to create the written guidelines for implementing that encompassing approach.

And while those guidelines still need to be completed, Helmboldt said Richmonders shouldn't expect dramatic changes in the short term. "I don't think it would necessarily be really visible in terms of some of the more nuanced things, again because a lot of it is really aimed at good policy and procedure on our end," he said. "But certainly for someone on the street, I think it's going to be more noticeable and more reliant biking and walking."

He said people can expect subtle yet helpful changes, like new pedestrian signals, longer intervals to cross streets, and, for those in wheelchairs, curb ramps compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. He hopes people don't discount little changes. "Little details, a lot of times, add up to a cumulative benefit," Helmboldt said. "I think it's one of those things where every now and then you'll see a big project that's very visible. But a lot of this stuff will be that cumulative effect."

He also said the City's complete streets policy should assist other notable projects, like the Bicycle Master Plan and the Riverfront Plan. Although both plans have complete streets elements already in them, they can easily be overlooked when it comes time to implement those aspects. The Complete Streets Policy "streamlines these things and bakes those into the process so it becomes more of a routine, it becomes a tool to implement those other initiatives that have been laid out as a vision," Helmboldt said.

With paving projects lined up for this fall and next spring, Helmboldt said people can expect a steady trickle of new bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure. "I think we're finally on a roll, and I think we're going to continue to see that pace pick up," he said.

But as with the complete streets progress, the city's bicycle and pedestrian friendliness will be a gradual occurrence. "One day you step back and say, 'Wow. Five years ago, or ten years ago, things were a lot different.' But you may not necessarily see it day-by-day because it's incremental," he said.

Photo of a complete street in Stockholm by EURIST e.V.

Called the Right-of-Way Design and Construction Standards Manual. ↩
The commission also recommended hiring a full-time pedestrian, bicycles, and trails coordinator, which led the City to hire Helmboldt. ↩

Another office-to-residential redevelopment project slated for Museum District

Trevor Dickerson — Tue, 21 Oct 2014 13:26:04 +0000

Yet another Museum District office building could be razed for an apartment complex if a local developer's vision is realized.

Richmond BizSense reports Carter Snipes of Snipes Properties has a 14,000-square-foot office building at 3410 Cutshaw Avenue under contract and would like to construct between 19 and 25 condos or apartments on the property.

Just last month, developer Justin Oliver of Oliver Properties announced his intentions to raze another office building at Patterson Avenue and Nansemond Street, mere blocks away.

Snipes told BizSense approval for his project could take between 18 and 24 months and will involve seeking approval from both City Council and the neighborhood association.

BizSense has more details on the cost of the venture and size of the project here.

Photo: Google Maps

City Council roundup

Ross Catrow — Tue, 14 Oct 2014 14:33:02 +0000

Agenda

You can download last night's agenda here (PDF). Watch out, it's a big one: 11 pages, 68 items in total, 53 of which were on the Consent Agenda.

Recaps and resources

Here's the estimable Graham Moomaw's recap in the Richmond Times-Dispatch. You gotta scroll down past the news that the mayor has reluctantly agreed to fund some of Richmond Public School's emergency maintenance to get to the bits about last night's council meeting.
Council passed Ordinance 2014-94 (PDF) which allows The Camel to operate as a night club and host (loud) live music until 2:00 AM every night.
They also passed Resolution 2014-R172 (PDF), the "Complete Streets Policy," which modifies the City's design and construction standards so that all transportation improvement projects "be planned for, designed, and constructed to provide appropriate accommodation for persons of all ages and abilities, including pedestrians, bicyclists, transit passengers, and motorists, while promoting safe operation for all users." Hit page seven in the linked PDF to read about what it all means.

Tweets from last night

Two references so far at #RVACouncil to stuff in limbo because Byron Marshall is gone— Graham Moomaw (@gmoomaw) October 13, 2014

Photo of Cardinal Compass playing The Camel by Eli Christman

Day #075: Replace GEO Group with a restoration center

Aaron Williams — Fri, 10 Oct 2014 13:01:57 +0000

Inspired by Michael Bierut's 100 Day Project, 100 Days to a Better RVA strives to introduce and investigate unique ideas to improving the city of Richmond. View the entire project here and the intro here.

Idea: Create a Restoration Center
Difficulty: 3 -- The program is highly successful in San Antonio, but it's tough to get people who don't know criminals--and don't ever plan on being criminals--to support accommodating policy.

America's justice system is broken. Nearly 1-in-100 Americans are incarcerated; roughly 945 inmates occupy Richmond's brand new jail. A huge cause of the American prison problem is the dismantling of our nation's mental health system. In response to an overcrowded prison system, San Antonio started the ground breaking Restoration Center. It's saving money and emptying cells while helping some of the city's neediest residents.

Like many cities across the country, San Antonio's police officers were dealing with mentally ill individuals who committed minor misdemeanors like trespassing and public intoxication. Many of the individuals needed help. Faced with the choice of waiting 12 hours in an emergency room or 20 minutes at the jail, police would lock up individuals so they could quickly get back to patrolling the streets.

Across the country, an estimated 356,268 people with mental illnesses including bipolar disorder and schizophrenia are in prisons and jails, compared to just 35,000 in state hospitals--a tenfold difference.

Five years ago, San Antonio started requiring 40 hours of Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) for all officers, and they created a six-person, plain-clothes unit for responses to misdemeanor calls related to mental illness. At the same time they started the Restoration Center, a sixteen bed psychiatric unit with a sobering unit and a medical clinic.

18,000 people pass through the Restoration Center each year, and the program has saved San Antonio roughly $10 million per year for the last five years in police overtime, emergency room visits, and jail resources.

The center offers a 48-hour inpatient psychiatric unit, outpatient services for psychiatric and primary care, centers for alcohol and drug detox, and a 90-day recovery program. Felons are still immediately jailed, and the center isn't a free pass for those who broke the law, but it offers help to individuals suffering from drug and alcohol addiction as well as homelessness.

— ∮∮∮ —

The Richmond Police Department has a head start on where San Antonio was five years ago. Thanks to a state grant, the department is working its way toward 100% of officers being CIT trained. Richmond also has an "award winning" Homeless Outreach Partnerships Enforcement unit.¹

In response to having too large of a population for the larger new jail,² the City has also instituted an electronic monitoring program and a program for making bond easier to obtain for non-violent criminals. Finally, the City has created the day reporting center:

Participants in the program will report to the center for an average of 180 days, where they will be subject to daily check-ins, drug and alcohol testing, and case management. Participants also receive ongoing treatment to help break the cycles of criminal behavior, taking classes that include behavioral therapy, employment readiness, GED prep, and life skills.

The program is run by GEO Group, a publicly traded corrections company from Boca Raton, Florida. The City signed a two-year $800,000 contract with the company whose history is checkered at best. GEO Group has been fined for chronic mismanagement and staffing shortages as well as being accused and sued for horrifying conditions.

This one finding from the United States District Court in Mississippi (PDF) is particularly disturbing, "WGYCF (a GEO Group run facility) has allowed a cesspool of unconstitutional and inhuman acts and conditions to germinate, the sum of which places the offenders at substantial ongoing risk."

Those findings are shocking, but they are not unbelievable. Hiring private contractors for prison work is directly at odds with society's goals of rehabilitation and public safety. It is the definition of an agency problem: "a conflict of interest inherent in any relationship where one party is expected to act in another's best interest."³

Many of the goals of the day reporting center are admirable and necessary, but shouldn't many of these be covered through other city services and parol officers? Instead of giving $800,000 per year to a private company, the city should team up with surrounding counties to build a program similar to the Restoration Center in 2016.

— ∮∮∮ —

Some policy is ineffective and costs lots of money. Some policy is effective and costs lots of money. San Antonio's Restoration Center is effective policy that saves money. Richmond should take notes from the Alamo City and replace the day reporting center with a Restoration Center.

Love this idea? Think it's terrible? Have one that's ten times better? Head over to the 100 Days to a Better RVA Facebook page and join in the conversation.

Although their bullet points raise some questions. How are the police equipped to "provide longterm solutions to reduce instances of homelessness?" As my professor Leon Debben always says, "Policing is not neighborhood building. It's chasing people from one place to another." ↩
Why policies weren't pushed to reduce overcrowding before building the new jail is beyond me. Either way, the city probably needed a new jail. ↩
Residents opposed to Wal-Mart coming to Grace Street because of bad labor practices should consider focusing a little more energy on GEO Group. ↩

Councilman Agelasto hosting 5th District meeting on October 8th

Richard Hayes — Wed, 01 Oct 2014 13:29:27 +0000

Councilman Parker C. Agelasto will meet with constitutes of the 5th District on Wednesday October 8th, from 6:30 to 8:00 PM at the Swansboro Elementary School Auditorium (3160 Midlothian Turnpike). As always everyone in invited to attend to share their concerns and hear from their elected representatives.

A fairly busy meeting is planned with several guests/topics including:

JenCare -Brief Presentation
Rebuilding Together Richmond - Ms. Mary Kay Huss, Executive Director, Rebuilding Together Richmond
Estate Planning Presentation - Ms. E. Yvette Jones, Human Services Manager, Richmond Office of Human Services
Healthy Corner Store Initiative - Ms. Claire Sadeghzadeh, Program Coordinator, Tricycle Gardens
Updates: Councilman Parker C. Agelasto - Emergency Preparedness and Priorities for the Richmond Central 5th Voter District

Councilwoman Graziano to hold 4th District meeting

Richard Hayes — Thu, 25 Sep 2014 13:59:40 +0000

On Tuesday, September 30th between 7:00 - 8:30 PM the citizens of the 4th District have the opportunity to sit down with Councilwoman Kathy Graziano and discuss what's going on in the district and the city as a whole. As always, the meeting will take place at St. Luke Evangelical Lutheran Church (7757 Chippenham Parkway).

The agenda for this meeting is short, which is bit surprising considering the brouhaha with the departure of Chief Administrative Officer Byron C. Marshall questions about the state of schools, ongoing baseball stadium saga, and, of course, the current game of road paving roulette that nearly every neighborhood is going through.

The planned agenda will look at the upcoming 2015 Virginia General Assembly Legislative Session and will feature Manoli G. Loupassi, Virginia State Delegate, 68th Voter District and Betsy B. Carr, Virginia State Delegate, 69th Voter District.

City Council roundup

Ross Catrow — Tue, 09 Sep 2014 13:18:15 +0000

Agenda

You can download last night's agenda here (PDF). Remember, Council creates this agenda before the meetings. Almost half of the items on this month's agenda were continued until a later date, and this document does not reflect that.

Recaps and resources

Read Graham Moomaw's recap in the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
The big news is the withdrawal of the Pear Street condo project. Here's Moomaw earlier in the week on how faced with lack of support from both the public and Council the developer asked the project be withdrawn.
Councilman Baliles introduced resolution 2014-156 which would authorize the City to pursue acquiring some land in Shockoe Bottom for development--whether that be a baseball stadium or something else. This resolution was continued.
Council passed resolution 2014-155, which funds the Floyd Avenue Bike Boulevard (aka "RVA bike-walk street") to the tune of $417,418. The final plan for the boulevard is still up in the air.
Here's our quick piece about the evolution of Richmond's interest in its City Council

Tweets from last night

I don't always like Mondays, but when I do, it's because #rvacouncil is back.— Mark Robinson (@__MarkRobinson) September 8, 2014

For the record, he went with "Pear Street condo plan withdrawn by Richmond council".

Photo by: Marc Tomik

#rvacouncil reinvigorates Council meetings

Nathan Cushing — Mon, 08 Sep 2014 12:59:50 +0000

Who to follow

@nedoliver • Style Weekly reporter
@gmoomaw • Richmond Times-Dispatch reporter
@taber • Librarian and data master
@jonbaliles • Councilman for 1st District
@georgeae • Bicycle advocate

Amy George believes the nature of City Council changed shortly after the 2012 election.

"We were starting to pull out of the recession, the political landscape was altered with Jon Baliles and Parker Agelasto shaking up the status quo and Samuels replacing [Kathy] Graziano as council president," said George, founder of Modern Atelier and a bicycle advocate.

But George discovered the real fun wasn't with Council itself. "I started to see Council meetings more as political theater or farce," she said. "You have these colorful characters, a set formula, and suddenly it's a live-action sitcom."

That sitcom likely hit its theatrical zenith back in April when police escorted Council gadfly Chris Dorsey out of a meeting for allegedly motioning to his holstered gun while disputing Council's public information manager, Steven Skinner, during proceedings (see the 1:38 mark in the video below).

Chris Dorsey getting carried out of #RVAcouncil meeting pic.twitter.com/HWFmFa2EFz
— Ned Oliver (@nedoliver) April 14, 2014

George hopes the new interest will motivate devout #rvacouncil followers to visit Council and champion their civic opinions.

"I always get frustrated when people complain about decisions after the fact. The could have gone and spoken for/against an issue they're passionate about, but they don't do the work to get informed about the decision-making process," George said.

"I hope that citizens will stay engaged, either by speaking directly to their council member or at council meetings, because this is one case where your voice can actually make a difference."

City Council reconvenes its monthly meetings tonight, September 8th, at 6:00 PM.

Stone Brewing considering RVA for new brewery

Nathan Cushing — Mon, 04 Aug 2014 19:09:05 +0000

Richmond is among a short list of cities to become the East Coast base of operations for Stone Brewing Co., reports the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

From the RTD:

The Richmond City Council has called a special meeting Tuesday regarding permits for publicly owned land near the James River between downtown and Rocketts Landing, and several City Hall sources said the measures were being brought forward to clear the way for the Stone Brewing project.
The council typically takes August off, and had cancelled all its meetings for the month.
The San Diego-based company was the 10th largest craft brewery in the United States as of last year, and has been named to several annual lists of fastest-growing private companies since its founding in 1996.
The company has gone public with a request for proposals for a facility east of the Mississippi River that could serve as a production brewery and distribution center for the eastern U.S.

Richmond -- along with Norfolk, VA; Columbus, Ohio; and others -- are among the brewery's top choices.

Stone Brewing Co. said it expects to spend $20 million on the East Coast facility and to create hundreds of jobs.

Virginia aquaculture benefits the Bay and beyond

Stephanie Ganz — Mon, 28 Jul 2014 10:00:12 +0000

It sits in its shell, a quivering seabooger, swimming in its own brine. It will be gone before I have the chance to rest my cocktail fork on the plate. Gulp! A memory now, the faint taste of salt and sea lingers briefly as I consider the remaining half dozen. Two years to harvest, two seconds to consume. That's the short, happy story of the oyster, but for the folks that take them from spat to shell to the plate, the story goes much deeper.

Virginia has experienced a major resurgence in oyster production over the past few years, and the industry continues to grow. According to a press release from Governor McAuliffe's office last week, "Virginia's oyster harvest jumped another 25 percent last year, surging past 500,000 bushels, the most in nearly a generation."

But Virginia oyster cultivation has a long way to go before it will ever reach the numbers of its estimated former 17th-century glory. The current oyster population represents only 1% of its pre-industrialization numbers, due to over-harvesting, pollution, and disease. Recently, history and tradition have met with preservation and innovation, at the hands of folks like Anderson's Neck Oyster Company, Shooting Point Oyster Company, Rappahannock River Oysters and several others in an attempt to revitalize the economy and ecology of the Chesapeake Bay.

Shooting Point Oyster Company -- The Gallivans

Tom and Ann Arsenieu Gallivan, owners of Shooting Point Oyster Company, are never far from the water. Nestled in the hamlet of Bayford, the Gallivan home overlooks Shooting Point, at the mouth of Nassawadox Creek. They farm many of their oysters here, where the waters of the Atlantic and the Eastern Shore mingle to create a balance of saltiness and sweetness in their Nassawadox Salts.

Balance is essential to the Gallivans. Each day is an exercise in balance: from the production of oysters and clams to the division of responsibilities between Tom and Ann. Tom is up with the sun; he's remotely managing a six-man team already on the water while tumbling and grading oyster seed. He's already checked on the pumps in the nursery and the orders on the fax machine. Tom must stay tuned in to the weather, incoming orders, and other factors all day, staying flexible to take care of business as it comes in.

Meanwhile Ann, a well-educated aquaculturist, is CEO and hatchery manager of JC Walker Brothers, "a very large, vertically-integrated company with hatchery and nursery facilities." Under Ann's direction, the company produces somewhere around 150 million clams each year. She's earned a reputation as one of the top hatchery managers in the industry.

Tom describes the way Ann manages her dual roles with obvious respect: "Annie has a ton of responsibility with JCWB; there are a number of companies who are very dependent on the clam seed she produces, and [she] has to run all the other aspects of JCWB. She's also involved in every major decision on the oyster farm, helps us whenever we need it on the water and in the nursery, and handles the bookkeeping responsibilities. Last night I was washing seed at 7:00 PM as she was doing payroll...Farm life--it never ends, but we love it."

Anderson's Neck Oyster Company -- The Hilds

Michael and Laura Dyer Hild take a more directorial approach to oyster farming. They oversee operations at Anderson's Neck Oyster Co from their Church Hill home, trusting daily operations to a team of three dedicated students: "They're at the farm each and every day, putting in the blood sweat and tears," says Michael. "Were it not for them and their hard work, we would not have what we do."

For Michael, founder and CEO of mortgage lender Livewell Financial and self-described serial entrepreneur, "mortgages are what pays the bills; oysters are what feed the soul." Michael paints a very Wes Anderson picture of his early years, during which he inherited a curiosity for the natural world during birding expeditions with his father: "I'm the kid, at eight years old, looking for a great horned owl in the trees."

The Hilds came to the Eastern Shore thinking "vacation home." Little did they know that they would become the current stewards of Anderson's Neck, caring for 300 acres of land and 2.5 miles of waterfront. Michael explains they couldn't resist the opportunity to preserve a part of the Chesapeake Bay: "We thought, 'wow what an awesome piece of VA history!' We knew we could prevent it from being developed by buying it."

An autodidact with no formal education in marine science, Michael read up on everything related to the Eastern Oyster--history, science, preservation, and practical study: "I'm a bit of a weird bird. Once I see something I'm interested in, I just can't get it out of my head. I go in full research mode and try to learn from as many people that know about it to garner as much info as I can."

He quickly established himself as a well-respected expert, raising oysters from seed to shell, using a unique method that Michael describes proudly: "We place the seed in solar-powered floating upwellers, where the tiny oyster babies are in a protected environment. Here they can feed and grow on nutrient-rich water. Upwellers provide the ideal environment given that the seed is protected from the wind and waves of the York River, and the nutrient rich water allows the oysters to grow quickly."

Anderson's Neck eschews the traditional bottom aquaculture, used by many of their peers, in favor of floating cages which avoid excess sedimentation and predators. The process is much more costly and involves even more red tape in what is already a heavily-regulated industry, but Michael feels confident the results are worth the effort.

The environment, the economy, and the food

The Chesapeake Bay gets its name from the Eastern oyster, aka Crassostrea virginica; the Native American Algonquins called it "Chesepioc," translating to "great shellfish bay." A keystone species, the oyster acts as a filter feeder, sucking in water and filtering plankton and detritus. Each oyster can filter over a gallon of water per hour! By itself! Like a boss!

The Anderson's Neck crew estimates having filtered nearly 35 BILLION gallons of water since opening their farm in 2012: "We take conservation seriously. Dutch and Co. had an oyster celebration for the first 10 billion gallons...We're going to really celebrate at 50 billion."

Coupled with the ecological impact is a staggering economic effect. According to Governor McAuliffe's press release, "The ripple effects through the economy from last year's harvest resulted in an estimated $58.4 million in economic value."

"Through the efforts of a number of growers like me and folks like Rappahannock Oyster Co beating the Virginia oyster drum, we are now considered a quality oyster," Tom Gallivan explains. Now is the perfect time for oyster farmers to come together as one voice, representing their own interests as small business owners and conservationists. Tom and Ann are very involved in politics on this level, working with farmers and specialists to create a growers association: "Doug McMinn of Chesapeake Bay Oyster Co. and I have long advocated for a growers association and now we have one - Shellfish Growers of Virginia with Mike Oesterling, formerly of VIMS and Sea Grant, as our Executive Director."

— ∮∮∮ —

A small Sam Rust Seafood truck rides along the length of the Eastern Shore on Wednesday afternoon. By Thursday morning, chefs at The Roosevelt, Lemaire, and Heritage are accepting their orders and preparing the fresh seafood for that evening's menus. It would be prohibitively expensive for farmers like Tom Gallivan to get their oysters to Richmond any other way. The fuel costs and time away from the farm would mean higher prices for customers and limited access for chefs.

Bruce Edmonds is a third-generation seafood distributor. His grandfather started Sam Rust Seafood in 1938, and Bruce has been a part of the business since 1982 when he started working for the company at the age of 14. He's witnessed the evolution of dining trends over the past 30 years: "Right now, everything is about farm-to-table. We're the ones that connect these farms to the table efficiently and at a low cost."

The company deploys small trucks across Virginia and into West Virginia and Maryland, delivering a range of seafood from shellfish to tuna loin to cod from points across the state and country. "One of these small oyster farms might make $10 or $20 on a box of oysters, but it would cost them $100 to get it to Richmond. So, we do it for them." By combining shellfish and fresh fish from local and national sources, Sam Rust Seafood is able to meet chefs' demands and keep costs and environmental impact down.

Demand for high-quality cocktail oysters from chefs is one of the factors that has contributed to these farmers' ability to thrive. Michael Hild attributes his early success to enthusiastic chef support: "Lee at the Roosevelt did a soft opening for Anderson's Neck before we officially launched. It got us off and running and on the right foot." Restaurants like The Magpie, Dutch and Co, Saison, The Hardshell, and notably Burger Bach--with an unexpectedly vast oyster selection--consistently offer Virginia oysters on their menus.

These chefs are looking for some specific qualities in their oysters, which influences harvesting practices: "Our oyster is 'designed' for a cocktail, half-shell market. We wouldn't put all the labor in the process for an oyster that's shucked and thrown into a stew. I love those preparations, but we have a real bias toward eating oysters on the halfshell," says Michael. Andersons Neck oysters are tumbled every couple of weeks to chip down oyster shells, leading to a cuppy shell that holds its liquor as well as an oyster that can focus on glycogen production, resulting in a plump, sweet oyster.

Michael describes the Eastern oyster as the ''pinot noir of the oyster world," capable of taking on the unique merroir of its creation the way pinot noir grapes reflect the terroir of their origin. Anderson's Neck oysters, called Eagle Flats, embody the bright, fresh flavors their name suggests. A rich, pleasantly minerally taste leads to a crisp, slightly salty finish. They are meant to be eaten as unadorned as possible; every time someone puts cocktail sauce on a raw Eagle Flat, Michael Hild cries a little inside. These oysters demand a malty stout accompaniment and little else.

Shooting Point's two oyster varieties are opposite sides of the same coin. The Shooting Point Salts, grown at the northern end of the famous Hog Island, deliver on their name, with a bold salty brine and green-apple sweetness, suspended in a perfectly cupped honey-colored shell. Nassawadox Salts, harvested from the lower Eastern Shore, embody the concept of balance that's so essential to the Gallivan's. Tom says, "Balance is our mantra. Balance between salt and the essence of an oyster, balance between traditions of the past and techniques of today."

City Council roundup

Ross Catrow — Tue, 15 Jul 2014 13:40:47 +0000

Agenda

You can download last night's agenda here (PDF). Note that this agenda changes as Council decides to continue or withdraw ordinances. Here's a map of last night's ordinances that are associated with an address:

Recaps and resources

This pro-Shockoe Stadium flyer was circulated before the meeting. The RTD's Graham Moomaw says that the Loving RVA folks didn't pay for them and don't know who circulated them.
Sudden Rush: Four big developments in the ballpark debate heading into tonight's City Council meeting.; Style Weekly
As activists reemerge, council declines to take up stadium issue; Richmond Times-Dispatch
Plan for late-night Camel shows must wait for fall vote; Richmond Times-Dispatch
Council delays vote on Pear Street condo for 4th time; Richmond Times-Dispatch

Tweets from last night

Stadium opponents mingling with high-rise opponents as we wait on #RVACouncil. Hope they don't cross the streams— Graham Moomaw (@gmoomaw) July 14, 2014

Councilwoman Newbille’s monthly meeting this Monday

Eric Steigleder — Thu, 26 Jun 2014 16:41:33 +0000

Councilwoman Cynthia Newbille will be holding her monthly meeting this Monday, June 30 from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at the Peter Paul Development Center.

The Agenda of the meeting will include:

An update on the 71st House District by Del. Jennifer McClellan
An overview of the 2014-2015 city budget
A crime update by Lt. Dan Minton of Sector 111 and Lt. William Blackwell of Sector 113.
Summer safety tips from Chief Robert Creecy, of the Richmond Department of Fire and Emergency Services
A discussion of code enforcement by the Bureau of Permits and Inspections, a part of the Richmond Department of Planning and Development Review.

City Council sets a new date to consider the high-rise proposal

Eric Steigleder — Tue, 03 Jun 2014 17:53:59 +0000

The Richmond City Council will vote on the controversial condominium proposal next Monday, June 9. 180RVA updated their Facebook page with the following announcement:

COUNCIL MEETING UPDATE: The new date for the decision on the developer's proposal is now set for:
Monday, June 9th - 6.00pm at City Hall - 900 E. Broad St. in the Council Chambers, 2nd Floor
Please turn up in force - We need all our supporters to come to City Council to show that the citizens are angry to see this proposal before them - it's just not right !
Please wear something GREEN so they can see we are united - Your presence will make a difference!

The sixteen-story (thirteen would be visible above ground) high-rise that has been proposed has been attacked, in part, due to it's height.

However, in April, developer David White told Richmond BizSense that the height was "nonnegotiable":

"“I can’t make the numbers work,” White said. “The only way I can afford to build this building is to get the money from the height.”

180RVA’s reaction to the delayed vote on the Pear Street high-rise

Eric Steigleder — Wed, 28 May 2014 18:16:09 +0000

I had a chance to speak with John Whitworth from 180RVA following the City Council meeting yesterday.

180RVA is an organization focused on preserving the 180 degree view of the James, specifically from Libby Hill.

Here is what he had to say regarding the vote's delay:

The delay was unexpected but understandable. Councilwoman Cynthia Newbille kindly phoned us this morning to inform us and we were able to call off all our supporters, which was much appreciated by all. Our position is that the downtown master plan for this plot must determine what can be developed here. Our research indicates very solid support for a 5 story development which would bring similar tax revenues to the City but respect the local historic area and the views of the James River. The panoramic views of the James River from Libby Park, which was purchased by City Council in 1851 for all the citizens of Richmond, not just a few. We wish Councilwoman Cynthia Newbille success in her endevours.

You can find each part of the Downtown Master Plan that Mr. Whitworth mentioned here.

Vote on the controversial thirteen-story condo proposal has been delayed

Eric Steigleder — Tue, 27 May 2014 20:11:13 +0000

From 180RVA's Facebook page:

***IMPORTANT UPDATE***
Per information from Cynthia Newbille and Charles Samuels, the Pear St high rise SUP is NO LONGER on the city council agenda tonight 5/27/14
PLEASE SHARE!
More details to come later.

Here is a link to the complete City Council agenda for tonight's meeting, not including the above changes.

The luxury high-rise plan has been a matter of fierce debate in recent months.

Photos courtesy of: Style Weekly and Alex Beaty, Naomi Sidmok, Shawn Winter/Urban Planners and Designers, VCU

City council approves rec center, park for 9th district

Liz Butterfield — Tue, 13 May 2014 15:26:09 +0000

Richmond city council on Monday voted to develop a public park, rec center, and athletic fields in the 9th district among other items during their formal meeting.

The ordinance will allow the city to acquire property owned by the Richmond Outreach Center on Warwick road to develop the community project. Council also voted to increase speeding fines by $200 on sections of W Cary Street and Semmes Avenue, and authorized the Chief Administrative Officer to create a plan for accepting about $7.8 million in federal funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Several members of the public spoke against the council's plan to acquire the ROC property on Warwick Road. Moriah Karn criticized the city's "seemingly irrational behavior regarding parks," given the city's recent move to lease Monroe Park near VCU for $1 per year.

Councilwoman Michelle Mosby (9th District) said the park would allow for a safe and supervised place for children.

"I have four apartment complexes off of Carnation full of children ... They need somewhere to go," Mosby said.

"The ninth district does not have a place for our young people," Mosby said. "They are doing all of the things in the street where it is not supervised. What we need is a supervised place for our children."

Mosby later said she felt the project is the best plan for taxpayer money, even if some members of the public disagree.

"A lot of times I don't think the people have all the information ... they [the public] have to begin to trust the people that are elected," Mosby said after the meeting.

Although a continuing theme for council meetings is criticizing the administration's role in city politics as well as the workings of council itself, Mosby said the public's complaints do not really interfere with the work of the council or how council members work together. "Even if we disagree we try to disagree amicably," Mosby said.

The council listened to a stream of complaints during the meeting from members of the public about the council's perceived lack of productivity and issues in decision making.

A relatively low number of protesters were present for Monday's meeting, including a small group that wore pink and black and held signs that read "Dwight Jones is $elling our city."

Richmond resident Darryl Badley offered "professional development training" to the council. During the public comment period Badley held a plastic box filled with dice representing a cap that he said is holding back the council's progress.

"It is your task, your mandate, to figure out who's holding the top on," he said.

Frequent council attendee Chris Dorsey also made an appearance for the first time since his controversial expulsion at the April 14th meeting, and spoke against the entire consent agenda.

The only item that failed on the consent agenda was an ordinance to change the authorization of Retreat Hospital to modify signs and parking garage use. Councilpersons Jonathan Baliles (1st District), Kathy Graziano (4th District), Michelle Mosby (9th District), and Chris Hilbert (3rd District) voted against the item.

The council also honored The Virginia Cooperative Extension on their 100th anniversary of the Smith-Lever Agricultural Extension Act of 1914; recognized the work week from May 19th to May 23rd as Richmond Emergency Medical Services Week; and recognized May 17th to 23rd as Richmond Safe Boating Week.

The council will continue to discuss city budget papers, which will likely include the Shockoe Bottom redevelopment project, at a special meeting to be held on Wednesday, May 14th at 5:00 PM.

City council punts budget, other items during Monday meeting

Liz Butterfield — Tue, 29 Apr 2014 13:19:58 +0000

The council postponed several items from the regular agenda and postponed voting on the budget papers until later meetings.

Early in the meeting Council President Charles Samuels (2nd District) told the audience that the council would take a serious look at the openness of the council dais and will be temporarily closing the press gallery. Samuels referenced the expulsion of audience member Chris Dorsey from the April 14 meeting. During the previous meeting Dorsey was sitting in the media section when he was asked to leave by staff; police later forcefully removed Dorsey.

During the public comment period Glenwood W. Burley, a retired police officer, expressed concern for the integrity and qualifications of police officers present at council meetings as well as the safety of the council members when weapons are brought into the chamber.

Burley referenced the recent incident with Dorsey, who was carrying a gun in a holster on his hip at the time of his expulsion.

Carrying a gun openly is allowed in several public buildings in Richmond.

Also during the public comment period Open High School student Isabelle Arias spoke to protest the conditions of some Richmond Public Schools, including reports of pest infestations and decaying ceilings.

"At Open we don't have rats like Carver does, at Open we don't have snakes in our school like Armstrong does, and at Open we don't have black water dripping from our ceiling like at Thompson ... We want to have all Richmond schools be like Open or even better."

About a dozen other local students came to support Arias's plea. Arias said about 200 students marched to city hall earlier in the day in protest.

"This city cares more about commercial endeavors than enhancing our educational system," she said.

Samuels responded to Arias's plea by encouraging her and other students to reach out to the school board.

"We cannot tell the school board how to spend their money; we can only provide what they have asked for," Samuels said.

Speaking against papers in the consent agenda, Silver Persinger, Moriah Karn, and others spoke out on what they perceive as increasing complexity of language in the descriptions of bills on the agenda. Karn said the vaguely worded description of Item 10, an ordinance to approve the work plan and budget for the services in the Downtown Richmond Special Service and Assessment Districts, misled Richmonders from understanding the item would allow a grant of $700,000 to Venture Richmond.

"Anyone who read what is on this agenda would have no idea what that was about," Karn said. This vaguely worded ordinance on the agenda is misleading to residents."

The grant is for the Downtown sidewalk cleaning, landscape maintenance, and other cleanliness related services and is funded through a special tax on business and property owners as well as city funds. Venture Richmond is awarded the grant for its Clean & Safe program in the special district. The council approved this item and others unanimously.

Although it postponed the budget papers and other items on the regular and consent agendas, the council passed 22 other items, including:

Ord. No. 2014-72 (Patron: Mr. Agelasto) - To donate sheds, together with any salvaged material, located at the 17th Street Farmer's Market, to the Enrichmond Foundation to benefit public schools, parks or other cultural or recreational aspects of life in the city.
Ord. No. 2014-80 (Patron: President Samuels) - To approve the Work Plan and Budget for
the fiscal year ending Jun. 30, 2015, for the provision of services in the Downtown Richmond Special Service and Assessment Districts.
Ord. No. 2014-83 (Patron: Mayor Jones) - To authorize the Chief Administrative Officer to accept funds in the amount of $400,000 from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and to appropriate the increase to the Fiscal Year 2013-2014 Special Fund Budget by increasing estimated revenues and the amount appropriated to the Department of Economic and Community Development by $400,000 for the purpose of providing for the assessment of vacant and underutilized commercial and industrial properties with perceived or actual environmental contamination.
Ord. No. 2014-84 (Patron: Mayor Jones) - To amend the Fiscal Year 2013-2014 budget
adopted by Ord. No. 2013-103-72, adopted May 15, 2013, as previously amended by Ord. No. 2013-242-223, adopted Dec. 9, 2013, for CDBG, HOME, ESG and HOPWA funds received from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development by transferring HOPWA funds in the amount of $120,714 from the William Byrd Community House and by appropriating funds in the amount of $80,714 to the Fan Free Clinic and in the amount of $40,000 to Virginia Supportive Housing.
Res. No. 2014-R61 (Patron: Vice President Robertson) - To encourage the citizens of the City of Richmond to practice random acts of kindness, in the spirit of compassion, kindness and goodwill toward all persons.

The council appointed Susangeline Strickland to the Board of Directors of the Richmond Ambulance Authority and honored city clerks ahead of the May 4 to May 10 Municipal Clerks week.

The council also recognized in advance the 20th anniversary of the Museum District Association's Mother's Day House and Garden Tour that will happen on May 11.

RVANews

Kristen Larson Officially Launches Campaign for Richmond 4th District City Council Seat

Parker C. Agelasto Running for Re-election to City Council

School Board Member Kristen Larson announce bid for City Council

Councilman Parker C. Agelasto Hosting 5th District Meeting

Councilman Agelasto hosting 5th District Meeting

City’s Chief Administrative Officer hosting town hall meeting November 17th

Sixth district meeting with Councilwoman Roberston on Saturday

The Annotated City Council: Agenda for October 12th, 2015

How to help us annotate

The annotated agenda!

What your new/old School Board and City Council leadership has to say

The School Board side of things

The City Council side of things

City pedaling toward first bike-share program

Samuels abandons bid for second term as Council president

Get to know your city government with RVAGOV

City Council roundup

Agenda

Recaps and resources

Tweets from last night

City adopts Complete Streets Policy

Related

Another office-to-residential redevelopment project slated for Museum District

City Council roundup

Agenda

Recaps and resources

Tweets from last night

Day #075: Replace GEO Group with a restoration center

Councilman Agelasto hosting 5th District meeting on October 8th

Councilwoman Graziano to hold 4th District meeting

City Council roundup

Agenda

Recaps and resources

Tweets from last night

#rvacouncil reinvigorates Council meetings

Who to follow

Stone Brewing considering RVA for new brewery

Virginia aquaculture benefits the Bay and beyond

Shooting Point Oyster Company -- The Gallivans

Anderson's Neck Oyster Company -- The Hilds

The environment, the economy, and the food

City Council roundup

Agenda

Recaps and resources

Tweets from last night

Councilwoman Newbille’s monthly meeting this Monday

City Council sets a new date to consider the high-rise proposal

180RVA’s reaction to the delayed vote on the Pear Street high-rise

Vote on the controversial thirteen-story condo proposal has been delayed

City council approves rec center, park for 9th district

City council punts budget, other items during Monday meeting