City Council approves acquisition for Virginia Capital Trail, sets the stage for debate on a new ballpark

After their slugfest last meeting and the day’s excitement surrounding the release of Mayor Jones’s Shockoe redevelopment proposal, City Council gave everyone a gift on Monday evening by choosing to continue all but one of the ordinances being considered.

November 12, 2013; 6:26 AM • by John Murden

After the slugfest that was their last meeting and the day’s excitement surrounding the release of Mayor Jones’s Shockoe redevelopment proposal, City Council gave everyone a gift on Monday evening by choosing to continue all but one of the ordinances being considered to later meetings.

The one ordinance adopted transfers “any and all rights” that CSX Transportation, Inc. has at 3101 Wharf Street to the City of Richmond. The quit claim of the railroad easement provides a route for a section of the Virginia Capital Trail and will allow the bicycle and pedestrian trail to extend to the eastern City limits along the former rail line. The Richmond portion of the trail is expected to be completed by June 2014.

An ordinance (Ord.2013-255) relating to the Mayor’s Shockoe plan was introduced at the end of the meeting. The ordinance will be first considered at the Council’s Land Use, Housing & Transportation Standing Committee Meeting on November 19th at 3:00 PM and their Finance & Economic Development Standing Committee Meeting on November 21st at 3:00 PM. Both meetings will be held in Council Chambers on the 2nd floor of City Hall and will offer public comment periods on the ordinance. This should put the discussion on the Shockoe ballpark front and center at the next City Council meeting on November 25.

Three ordinances transferring control of the land under and around The Diamond from the RMA to the City of Richmond were among the seven ordinances rescheduled to later meetings.

The liveliest moment of the evening was easily L.Shirley Harvey questioning the sexual orientation of Mayor Jones and Council representatives Agelasto, Baliles, Samuels, and Newbille because of the passage of the same sex marriage ordinance at the last meeting. She was warned by Charles Samuels.

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CONSENT AGENDA

The following item was approved:

Ord. No. 2013-226 (Patron: Mayor Jones) – To declare that a public necessity exists for and to authorize the acquisition by gift from CSX Transportation, Inc., of any and all rights of CSX Transportation, Inc., by way of quitclaim, in the property, or a portion of the property, identified as 3101 Wharf Street for the public purpose of the construction of the Virginia Capital Trail Project

APPOINTMENTS/REAPPOINTMENTS

The following 35 items were approved:

Res. No. 2013-R212 (Patron: All Members of Council) – To appoint Lana Agostini as a member of the Board of Directors of the Central Virginia Waste Management Authority for a term commencing upon adoption of this resolution and terminating Mar. 22, 2014, succeeding Matthew D. Benka, resigned.

Res. No. 2013-R213 (Patron: All Members of Council) – To appoint Robert Birdsey as a member of the Capital Area Partnership Uplifting People, Inc., for a term commencing upon adoption of this resolution and terminating Mar. 24, 2016, succeeding The Honorable Willard H. Douglas, Jr.

Res. No. 2013-R214 (Patron: All Members of Council) – To appoint John Bolecek as a member of the Highway Safety Commission for a term commencing upon adoption of this resolution and terminating Mar. 24, 2015, succeeding Clarence L. Newcomb.

Res. No. 2013-R215 (Patron: All Members of Council) – To appoint George Brock as a member of the Building Code Board of Appeals, Plumbing Division (certified journeyman plumber), for a term commencing upon adoption of this resolution and terminating Jan. 12, 2015, succeeding Steven Wayne Dalton.

Res. No. 2013-R216 (Patron: All Members of Council) – To appoint Gordon S. Burke as a member of the Advisory Board for the Assessment of Towing Fees and the Storage of Vehicles (towing and recovery operator) for a term commencing upon adoption of this resolution and terminating May 24, 2016, succeeding Charlie B. Woodson, Sr.

Res. No. 2013-R217 (Patron: All Members of Council) – To approve the designation of Deputy Chief John Buturla to represent Chief of Police Ray Tarasovic at meetings of the Community Criminal Justice Board.

Res. No. 2013-R218 (Patron: All Members of Council) – To appoint John Cain as a member of the Building Code Board of Appeals, Plumbing Division (Professional Engineer), for a term commencing upon adoption of this resolution and terminating Jun. 25, 2016, succeeding Samuel M. Carmack, Jr.

Res. No. 2013-R219 (Patron: All Members of Council) – To appoint Thurman S. Cash, III as a member of the J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College Board for a term commencing upon adoption of this resolution and terminating Jul. 1, 2017, succeeding Benjamin L. Alexander.

Res. No. 2013-R220 (Patron: All Members of Council) – To appoint Doug Cole as a member of the Urban Design Committee (City Planning Commission Representative) for a term commencing upon adoption of this resolution and terminating Mar. 11, 2016, succeeding William M. Hutchins.

Res. No. 2013-R221 (Patron: All Members of Council) – To appoint William Cooper as a member of the Board of Commissioners of the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority for a term commencing upon adoption of this resolution and terminating Mar. 26, 2016, succeeding Orlando C. Artze, resigned.

Res. No. 2013-R222 (Patron: All Members of Council) – To reappoint C. Michael DeCamps as a member of the Board of Directors of the Richmond Ambulance Authority for a term commencing upon adoption of this resolution and terminating Oct. 24, 2015.

Res. No. 2013-R223 (Patron: All Members of Council) – To appoint Thomas Farleigh as a member of the Building Code Board of Appeals, Electrical Division (Professional Engineer), for a term commencing upon adoption of this resolution and terminating Jun. 25, 2016, succeeding Henry Tuck.

Res. No. 2013-R224 (Patron: All Members of Council) – To appoint John Paul Goode as a member of the Building Code Board of Appeals, Electrical Division (professional engineer), for a term commencing upon adoption of this resolution and terminating Nov. 11, 2016.

Res. No. 2013-R225 (Patron: All Members of Council) – To appoint Joseph Gurley as a member of the Personnel Board of the City of Richmond for a term commencing upon adoption of this resolution and terminating Apr. 26, 2016, succeeding Olive M. Chambers.

Res. No. 2013-R227 (Patron: All Members of Council) – To appoint Robley S. Jones as a member of the Board of Commissioners of the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority for a term commencing upon adoption of this resolution and terminating Jan. 12, 2017, succeeding James A. Carleton.

Res. No. 2013-R228 (Patron: All Members of Council) – To appoint Anne Leigh Kerr as a member of the Board of Directors of Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, Inc. for a term commencing on Apr. 1, 2014, and terminating Apr. 1, 2018, succeeding Suzette Denslow.

Res. No. 2013-R230 (Patron: All Members of Council) – To appoint Roger Minter as a member of the Building Code Board of Appeals, Electrical Division (representative of an electrical contractor), for a term commencing upon adoption of this resolution and terminating Jun. 25, 2016, succeeding Joseph B. Guedri, III.

Res. No. 2013-R231 (Patron: All Members of Council) – To appoint Julie Molloy as a member of the Community Criminal Justice Board (local educator representative) for a term commencing upon adoption of this resolution and terminating Mar. 26, 2014, succeeding Robyn Lynn Diehl.

Res. No. 2013-R232 (Patron: All Members of Council) – To approve the designation of Tricia Muller to represent the Honorable Richard B. Campbell at meetings of the Community Criminal Justice Board.

Res. No. 2013-R233 (Patron: All Members of Council) – To appoint Arcillious D. Redding as a member of the Clean City Commission (Ninth District representative) for a term commencing upon adoption of this resolution and terminating Mar. 22, 2014, succeeding Thomas E. Barnes.

Res. No. 2013-R235 (Patron: All Members of Council) – To appoint Ira R. Seay, Jr., as a member of the Building Code Board of Appeals, Electrical Division (representative of an electrical contractor), for a term commencing upon adoption of this resolution and terminating Mar. 21, 2014, succeeding Charles P. Wilson.

Res. No. 2013-R236 (Patron: All Members of Council) – To appoint Timothy L. Smalls as a member of the Aging and Disabilities Advisory Board for a term commencing upon adoption of this resolution and terminating Nov. 11, 2016.

Res. No. 2013-R238 (Patron: All Members of Council) – To appoint George Ben Waldrup as a member of the Building Code Board of Appeals, Electrical Division (manufacturing industry), for a term commencing upon adoption of this resolution and terminating Nov. 11, 2016.

Res. No. 2013-R239 (Patron: All Members of Council) – To reappoint Joseph W. Boatwright, III as a member of the Board of Directors of the Richmond Ambulance Authority for a term commencing on Nov. 28, 2013, and terminating Nov. 28, 2015.

Res. No. 2013-R240 (Patron: All Members of Council) – To reappoint Kenneth Daniels as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Richmond Retirement System for a term commencing on Nov. 22, 2013, and terminating Nov. 22, 2016.

Res. No. 2013-R241 (Patron: All Members of Council) – To reappoint Robert L. Easter as a member of the Building Code Board of Appeals, General Division (licensed architect), for a term commencing upon adoption of this resolution and terminating Sept. 28, 2015.

Res. No. 2013-R242 (Patron: All Members of Council) – To reappoint Joseph Patrick Farley as a member of the Green City Commission (energy efficiency member) for a term commencing upon adoption of this resolution and terminating Oct. 25, 2016.

Res. No. 2013-R243 (Patron: All Members of Council) – To reappoint Terone B. Green as a member of the Board of Directors of the Richmond Ambulance Authority for a term commencing upon adoption of this resolution and terminating Oct. 24, 2015.

Res. No. 2013-R244 (Patron: All Members of Council) – To reappoint Michael N. Herring (Attorney for the Commonwealth) as a member of Community Criminal Justice Board for a term commencing upon adoption of this resolution and terminating Nov. 11, 2015.

Res. No. 2013-R245 (Patron: All Members of Council) – To reappoint Elizabeth Matish as a member of the Board of Directors of the Richmond Ambulance Authority for a term commencing upon adoption of this resolution and terminating Oct. 24, 2015.

Res. No. 2013-R246 (Patron: All Members of Council) – To reappoint KC McGurren as a member of the Green City Commission (green high performance building standards) for a term commencing upon adoption of this resolution and terminating Oct. 25, 2016.

Res. No. 2013-R247 (Patron: All Members of Council) – To reappoint Jeffrey E. Odell as a member of the Board of Directors of the Richmond Ambulance Authority for a term commencing upon adoption of this resolution and terminating Oct. 24, 2015.

Res. No. 2013-R248 (Patron: All Members of Council) – To reappoint Marilyn B. Olds as a member of the Board of Commissioners of the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority for a term commencing upon adoption of this resolution and terminating Nov. 24, 2015.

Res. No. 2013-R249 (Patron: All Members of Council) – To reappoint Oliver R. Singleton as a member of the Minority Business Enterprise and Emerging Small Business Advisory Board (MBE representative) for a term commencing on Nov. 28, 2013, and terminating Nov. 28, 2016.

CONTINUED

The following 7 items were continued:

Ord. No. 2013-205 (Patron: Mayor Jones, By Request) – To authorize the special use of the properties known as 705 and 709 Libbie Avenue for the purpose of a bank with a drive-up facility and accessory parking, upon certain terms and conditions. Recommendation from Planning Commission to continue to Monday, December 2, 2013 Planning Commission meeting. (Continue to Monday, December 9, 2013 Council meeting)

Ord. No. 2013-211 (Patron: Mayor Jones) – To transfer and appropriate funds in the amount of $394,855.00 from the School Planning & Construction project in the Education category within the Fiscal Year 2013-2014 Capital Budget to the Fiscal Year 2013-2014 School Budget for expenditure by the School Board for technology purposes in accordance with the technology major classification for the purpose of providing for the installation of specific technology infrastructure and equipment in the new Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School. (Continue to Monday, November 25, 2013 Council meeting)

Ord. No. 2013-214 (Patron: Mayor Jones, By Request) – To amend and reordain Ord. No. 75- 309-302, adopted Dec. 15, 1975, as most recently amended by Ord. No. 2010-200-187, adopted Oct. 25, 2010, pertaining to the “Stony Point Community Unit Plan,” for the purposes of (i) authorizing multi-family residential, office, restaurant, and retail uses in Northern Map Section L, (ii) amending the 2009 Development Plan and the 2009 Development Summary, and (iii) amending the Development Standards and Conditions.

Ord. No. 2013-199 (Patron: Mayor Jones, By Request) – To authorize the special use of the property known as 1110 Grove Avenue for the purpose of permitting up to seven (7) multifamily dwelling units, upon certain terms and conditions.

Ord. No. 2013-221 (Patron: Mayor Jones) – To accept from the Richmond Metropolitan Authority a release of easement for the purpose of parking located in the vicinity of North Boulevard, Robin Hood Road and Hermitage Road.

Ord. No. 2013-222 (Patron: Mayor Jones) – To authorize the Chief Administrative Officer, for and on behalf of the City of Richmond, to execute an agreement between the City of Richmond as lessor and the Richmond Metropolitan Authority as lessee to lease certain real property located at 3003 North Boulevard and real property adjacent thereto for the management, maintenance, and operation of the stadium commonly known as the Diamond and the provision of parking ancillary thereto by the Richmond Metropolitan Authority.

Ord. No. 2013-223 (Patron: Mayor Jones) – To declare a public necessity for and to authorize the acquisition of the parcel of real property owned by the Richmond Metropolitan Authority and known as 3003 N. Boulevard for the purpose of owning, maintaining or operating a stadium, arena, or sport facility.

Photo courtesy of Virginia Capital Trail Foundation