Public hearing set for ordinance on changes to the Downtown Master Plan

Scenic Virginia friends and supporters —

On Monday night, the Richmond City Council will consider Councilman Bruce Tyler’s proposed amendments to the Downtown Master Plan.

Scenic Virginia needs your assistance TODAY in opposing amendments to several critical portions of the Downtown Master Plan. Read below for full information on how you can help.

AT RISK — RICHMOND’S DOWNTOWN MASTER PLAN
Last fall, after more than a year of citizen meetings and calls for input from interested parties, the Richmond City Council unanimously adopted a new Downtown Master Plan.

Almost immediately afterward, Councilman Bruce Tyler (1st District) introduced several pages of proposed amendments for consideration. While many are relatively minor in nature (and could have easily been addressed prior to passage of the Plan), several strike at the very heart of the Plan that Richmond’s citizens have so strongly supported.

On Monday evening, City Council will consider these proposed amendments. If passed, they could indeed do great damage.

Scenic Virginia — having participated in the process since the beginning — strongly urges Richmonders to insist that several key items remain in the Plan. In particular, we are most concerned about threats to the following items:

1) Preservation of the historic panoramic viewshed of the James River from Libby Hill Park.

2) Creation of a riverfront park along the James east of Downtown to provide an amenity for citizens and tourists, while enhancing the historic view from Libby Hill Park.

3) Creation of an Architect of the Commonwealth, a state-level position.

This Master Plan was historic in its engagement of Richmond citizens. City Planning staff received hundreds of comments and worked to incorporate good ideas into the Plan. Our Planning Commission toiled tirelessly for months and properly vetted the components of the Plan.

It’s unfortunate that we have to revisit this process. Now is the time to start implementing this citizen-supported Plan — not to chip away at the heart of it on behalf of a handful of special interests.

We need to preserve language that supports a public park and access along the James River, preservation of our historic viewsheds, and proper consideration of stated-owned property in downtown Richmond.

HERE’S WHAT YOU CAN DO:

1) Send an email as soon as possible to all members of City Council, and urge them to oppose changes to the Downtown Master Plan.

Note: Contact information follows, with email address blocks further below:

RICHMOND CITY COUNCIL

President Kathy Graziano (4th District):
Vice-President Ellen Robertson (6th District):
Councilman Bruce Tyler (1st District):
Councilman Charles Samuels (2nd District)
Councilman Chris Hilbert (3rd District):
Councilman Marty Jewell (5th District):
7th District – To be filled on Monday night

Councilwoman Reva Trammell (8th District):
Councilman Doug Conner (9th District):

COUNCIL EMAIL ADDRESS BLOCKS
To send a message to all Council members, please cut and paste the following email address block into a new email message:

Kathy.Graziano@RichmondGov.com; Ellen.Robertson@RichmondGov.com;
Bruce.Tyler@RichmondGov.com; Charles.Samuels@RichmondGov.com
Chris.Hilbert@RichmondGov.com; Marty.Jewell@RichmondGov.com;
Reva.Trammell@RichmondGov.com;
Doug.Conner@RichmondGov.com

If your email system needs a comma, not semi-colon, between addresses, here is that email block:

Kathy.Graziano@RichmondGov.com, Ellen.Robertson@RichmondGov.com,
Bruce.Tyler@RichmondGov.com, Charles.Samuels@RichmondGov.com
Chris.Hilbert@RichmondGov.com, Marty.Jewell@RichmondGov.com,
Reva.Trammell@RichmondGov.com, Doug.Conner@RichmondGov.com

2) Attend the Richmond City Council meeting on Monday at 6:00 pm in City Council Chambers(located on the 2nd floor of City Hall, 900 East Broad Street, with on-street parking usually available along Marshall, Ninth and Tenth streets). We need a large crowd to make the point that citizens want action — and not further delays — on our Master Plan.

3) Thank Mayor Dwight Jones for expressing his support of the Downtown Master Plan, and particularly for mentioning the importance of our viewsheds. It’s clear that he wants the City to move forward with implementation of the Plan, so let him know that you approve. Mayor Jones’s email address is AskTheMayor@RichmondGov.com.

Please contact City Council as soon as possible, and try to be at the meeting on Monday night.

Let us know if you have any questions. We’ll let you know what happens tomorrow night.

— Leighton Powell, Executive Director

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