April 9 Newsletter: The next 50 years
Weather: This morning will mark the coldest temperatures until fall. High of 56 today.
On this date in 1974, City Council discusses allocating $9 million towards the construction of a courts building at the site of the John Marshall House on 9th Street. The move frees the Old City Hall building, which is acquired by the state.
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THE NEXT 50 YEARS: Richmond’s zoning overhaul envisions a denser city. What will that look like?
Reporter Sarah Vogelsong takes a detailed look at Richmond's first zoning code update since the 1970s.
Residents and lawmakers agree that more affordable housing is needed in the city, and the Richmond 300 master plan calls for increased density across the city.
- But while those ideas enjoy wide popularity in the abstract, feelings can get more complicated when the density moves in next door and residents feel its impacts in real time.
Leaders of the effort say density will mean different things in different neighborhoods.
"You can have density without it looking scary," said a member of a recent panel.
Wednesday meeting will discuss Fall Line Trail’s route through Bryan Park
In August, city officials broke ground on the Fall Line Trail at Bryan Park, but debate continues over how the trail should intersect with the park.
The city's Urban Design Committee has approved a route that runs the trail through the heart of the park.
- A group of neighbors has protested, citing concerns of added traffic in a busy area, among other objections.
Both sides have attempted to rally supporters to attend Wednesday's meeting, though it remains unclear when official decisions will be made. Read more, and see maps of the proposed routes, here.
Richmond budget proposes small increases in fees for parking, recycling and trash pickup
Several small fee increases have been baked into the city's newest budget.
- Street parking will rise from $2 an hour to $2.50, while standard parking tickets go from $25 to $30.
- Recycling is now $4.33 a month, up a little more than a dollar.
- Solid waste collection is up a dollar as well.
The city said trash and recycling fees do not fully cover the cost of providing those services.
Some council members were unhappy with the increases, and asked pointed questions about the need to give raises to managers who already make six figures. Read more about the budget negotiations here.
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In other news
- Virginia would have had to pay $360,000 to be in Michelin's dining guide (Axios)
- Mary Munford principal is taken off ventilator as he continues to improve (CaringBridge)
- South Richmond News author is stepping away from the site (South Richmond News)
The editor's desk
Today's piece on zoning is an excellent primer on one of the biggest changes to the fabric of the city in years. Adding density can help alleviate affordable housing issues, but creates its own issues around transportation and parking. There are, indeed, many pieces to this puzzle.
Michael Phillips, founding editor
mphillips@richmonder.org
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