From last night’s CHA meeting?

First, the meeting was interminable, but some good things were accomplished. We were greeted by Rev. Marilyn Heckstall who hosted the meeting at Asbury United Methodist Church. Next we received presentations from Delegate Jennifer McClellan and GRTC. Del. McClellan discussed the bill she was most proud of sponsoring during this past General Assembly session, HB1776, requiring a duty of care from mortgage brokers, among others. http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?ses=091&typ=bil&val=hb1776

GRTC gave a lengthy presentation on the proposed bus transfer site at Main Street Station. It is presently at the 30 percent design phase and GRTC is seeking federal stimulus money to fund its completion. From my observation, this was not well-received by the majority of attendees, irrespective of their opinion on the ballpark development. There were a couple young folks sitting by me who were obviously supportive of it from a mass transit, environmental impact standpoint.

After a report from the 1st precinct, Mr. Johnsen announced that the CHA would ask city planning staff to start the rezoning process from scratch after the membership reached a tie vote on whether to approve R-63 for much of the neighborhood at a previous meeting. He unveiled a six-step plan that involved seeking further polling of the community.

Finally, the CHA approved expenditures totaling over $8k on various requests. They approved $5000 for improvements to Chimbo park, including community gardens, a shed, sun sails, a bat house, and a marlin house. They also approved $2000 toward the printing and production costs of an updated Church Hill architecture book (the one that’s on everyone’s coffee table and apparently available for sale at Church Hill Herbs). The books are currently out of print and Historic Richmond Foundation is undertaking the reprinting at cost. They wanted a sign of good faith from the community they are promoting and it was given.

The membership also approved $1000 to support Historic Richmond Foundation’s support of the citizen-driven appeal of City Council’s decision overturning C.A.R. on Oakwood Heights. This was the most contentious part of the evening, by far. There was some confusion as to whom the money would be supporting, because a Mr. Carter is the only named party in the case among the neighbors on that end of the neighborhood. It was explained that he was chosen by the neighbors as their representative because he had the greatest legal “standing” among them and was also financially capable of withstanding “slap suits” from vengeful developers. Once that was explained, and after some of the usual unnecessary yelling from one of the Daabs, the expense was approved by over 2/3 of the attendees.

It is Joe Carson.

SLAPP suit

A Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation, in which a corporation or developer sues an organization in an attempt to scare it into dropping protests against a corporate initiative. SLAPP suits typically involve the environment–for example, local residents who are petitioning to change zoning laws to prevent a real estate development might be sued in a SLAPP suit for interference with the developer’s business interests. Many states have “anti-SLAPP suit” statutes that protect citizens’ rights to free speech and to petition the government.

Thanks for the details on the meeting you all. It was so dreadfully long and in the end so contentious. I would hope in the future if some one is angry or confused about an issue they would contact the individual/s involved and hash it out before the meeting as opposed to turning the meeting into a shouting match. But that’s just me…

Just an FYI…According to the Virginia State Police’s web site, two of the four sex offenders that live at the aformentioned address are guilty of offenses against children.

I know we have halfway houses in the neighborhood but shouldn’t the neighbors be informed. Doesn’t it take a special use permit? One of the sex offenders produced kiddie porn.

easr – What were the facts that you pointed out?

CHA Giant Yard Sale — can someone tell me how it works, please? Do you have to be a CHA member to participate/sell? Is there an additional cost to participate? Any details would be helpful as I have some stuff that needs out of my house 🙂

Call Chuck Wrenn at 788-1715 for info. And no, by no means do you have to be a member of CHA to join in. You just have to show up at Libby Hill Park with your ‘stuff.’ Earlier is better, usually it starts around 9 a.m. but you can show up earlier, as Chuck usually says, the shady spots in the park get taken early!

That was not the site that I meant to post. For free access to pertinent info through the VA State Police registry, go here instead.
http://www.sex-offender.vsp.virginia.gov/sor/

Thanks eds and Celeste. I’ll definitely be participating 🙂