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Oakwood Heights looks to keep high-density zoning
05/12/2010 6:37 PM by John M
An email circulating says that the Planning Commission will be taking on the zoning on the block around the Oakwood Heights property at their next meeting:
City lawyers have recommended that Margaret Freund’s property stay at its current high-density zoning designation (R-53), while the rest of the area be re-zoned for single family housing (R-8).
Opponents of the projects are rallying against the move to not rezone Freund’s property to match the rest of the immediate area.
In addition to the Public Hearing on Monday, May 17, 2010, at 1:30 PM at City Hall 5th Floor, the email also says that the rezoning will come before City Council on Monday, May 24.
Send letters and rally all you want, the Hunt project will get the alley and will be built. Freund’s Oakwood Heights haciendas will keep the zoning she wants and it will be built.
Enjoy the view from Libby Hill while you can for it too will be obscured one day.
Our City Council and its subgroups dance to the songs played on the developer’s lyrical pipe. The developers, my friends, have money to fling at the self-serving politicians. Our city council fears none of us, for all we have are votes to fling at them. I say these things not to encourage despair but to evoke a fire of resentment and anger. Richmond is a divine city historically, geographically, and inspirationally. It is time to chase out the moneychangers so that we may all worship and live freely. Hold your councilperson accountable. Make them hear your voice and respect your vote. It has been said before, Richmond is our home and each neighborhood is but one room in that home. We are a family by geographical choice. Look out for one another. Speak up. Stand up.
From the email above: “while the rest of the area be re-zoned for single family housing (R-8).”
Not true. Big portions of Church Hill are slated to become R-63. The city has already stated that R-53 is an inappropriate zoning overlay for Church Hill, hence the plan to rezone. R-63 is R-53 on steroids. R-63 would allow for an Oakwoods and Hunt type project that is much taller, more dense, with less parking allocated.
Union Hill is already lamenting their R-63 blanket zoning and wishes they had the wisdom and foresight that residents of Church Hill had in asking for R-8.
The devil is in the details and developers will always leverage the most they can out of the worst aspects of any zoning overlay.
The worst features of R-8 are much more appropriate for our area than the best features of R-63. Keep the R-63 on 25th Street where it belongs and zone the rest of Church Hill R-8. R-8 restores corner stores to commercial usage and allows for single-family/duplexes. New commercial corners and four plexes are also allowed with a conditional use permit.
Old and Historic District overlays will not protect our area from the negative features of R-63/R-53. Look to the Oakwoods and the neighbors’ failed lawsuit, my friends.
The lawsuit against the city re: overturning CAR’s ruling is continuing and will be appealed to the Virginia Supreme court.
#2- I believe your statement that” R 63 is R53 on steroids” is incorrect. R63 is actually more restrictive.R63 has been applied successfully in the Fan,Manchester, and soon in Northside. Not everyone looks at this rezoning as a negative. I think the City has made an exhaustive effort to address the wishes of Residents. I look forward to an influx of small businesses and the creation of a walkable neighborhood.As for your statement that Union Hill laments R63,Says Who? And remember,Ms Freund had R53 zoning from the get go and could build “By Right”.She still has R53 zoning and no one can change it.
I hope this project gets built. It’s a total improvement over whats there now…a vacant lot. When has that been historic? The lawsuit against Oakwood is frivolous. Im surprised the Court would even review the case let alone hear it. The case im waiting for is when Freund sues the people who have been making this process so difficult. OMG someone wants to built something that is cool, different, and while it may not be historic its a new building and has its place among the other buildings in the neighborhood.
@observer, don’t try to draw Union Hill into your complaints about R-63. There is no buyer’s remorse on this side of the neighborhood.
I think you will come to appreciate R-63 in time. It could allow for much-needed access to goods and services, perhaps even a snazzy mystery dinner theater.
Houdon, (Bill)
I assume you think Observer is me. While I agree with their points, they did not come from 28th street.
Sigmond,
Let’s quit saying “less or more restrictive” The terms are vague.. R63 does allow more density and taller corner buildings (except in R53 you can have 60ft IF you have a 2 acre or more lot otherwise the limit is 35 ft))
In agreement with Observer
I have had one of the main proponents of R63 in Union Hill tell me he thinks that R8 is a better idea, and wishes they had thought of that possibility before they pushed for R63.
Jim Daab
@observer, to echo the earlier comments by Houdon and Sigmond Floyd, Union Hill actively sought R-63 zoning. I’m certainly not complaining, and I haven’t heard complaints from any of my neighbors. With this designation, we’re welcoming small, neighborhood-level commercial uses, preserving walkability, ensuring a mix of housing types, and making sure that setbacks and building heights are consistent with what’s already in the neighborhood. To get a better understanding of the R-63 designation, I encourage you to check out the City of Richmond Zoning Ordinance; it’s chapter 114 of the City Code, which can be found here: http://search.municode.com/html/16118/index.htm
#4, #6, #8: I guess you don’t know your neighbors as well as you thought you did. A few people from the civic association doesn’t speak for everyone. You fucked up your neighborhood with R-63.
#9 observer. You should have written ” A few people from the civic association don’t speak for everyone” If you are going to be opinionated at least use good grammar. Besides opinions are like assholes, everybody’s got one.
@observer – I’m not sure what the beef is, unless you need to knock R-63 in order to achieve whatever you think R-8 is going to give you. R-63 enjoys a lot of support in many areas of the City notwithstanding the mystery key supporter’s turn-around. In any event, Union Hill is closer to areas with more vitality than the central and eastern parts of the neighborhood where you apparently are, so it probably makes sense for there to be less R-63 the further east you go. Except, of course – that the farthest eastern areas of the neighborhood could have a higher density because of the vitality that is coming from the direction of Rocketts in time.
please, the fact that old and historic CITY district overlay was rammed up the neighborhoods collective keister is now coming back to bite everybody on their aforementioned asses. despite the fact that the city ignored the wishes of a significant portion of residents to fulfill the wetdreams of a politically astute minority this zoning brouhaha has only begun to cause trouble. the day of the urban pioneers are gone. people who know the price of everything and the value of nothing are now at the wheel. cynthia(i like old houses more than old people)newbille allowed bad facts,bald assertions,and political ploys to go unchallenged in her zeal to carry out the agenda of her backers. carrying water for political supporters ms. newbille effectively tanked a fight that had far reaching side effects that are only now coming to light.ignoring citizens who just wanted to be left alone to enjoy the fruits of their hard work ms. newbille sold out longtime residents in favor of developers,speculators,and others who claim to know whats best for unionhill. when you go to paint your house,put up a fence or install a new front porch light thank ms.newbille for the extra hoops you now get to jump thru. oh thats right this new histerical(spelling intentional you wankers)district wont have anyeffects on ua common folks . thats why acorn started a charitable fund to help out those who cant afford to live up here anymore. it would be funny if it werent so sad. buddycorbett p.s. vote ms.newbille out she is no friend of the avg. citizen