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Petition launched in support of Stone Brewing project
03/01/2015 8:39 AM by John M
Juliellen Sarver has launched a petition on change.org urging City Council to move on the Stone Brewing project:
Certain members of the Richmond City Council are balking at the opportunity that Stone Brewing Company brings. It is just the kind of public-private partnership that cities around the country would give their right arm to be a part of. Richmond’s history of provincial and small-minded actions has cost the city in the past…let’s not lose this chance at the greatest opportunity for revitalization that the city has seen in…decades or longer.
[…]
Please support Stone and the Greater Fulton community and Richmond. Thank you.
I’m confused, I thought this was a done deal? Aren’t they already clearing the land? What in the heck is going on?
So the city council goes against CAR on projects such as the lofty and approves it, but yet there is hesitation to bring this awesome money making brewery to Fulton? Wtf.
I have the same question as Vanya. I thought this was a done deal. They clearing the land already. I wonder if Juliellen Sarver is doing some pot stirring??
Since when did you have to pay to sign a petition? Someone’s at it…
Explain to me again why the city needs to stack the deck against the home-grown breweries/jobs, that did not require public assistance. Also I’d like to know, given the city’s record in picking winners, why would anyone assume this project will be gainful or even break even. I’ll sign the petition to halt the project.
@Katheen & @Vanya –
Juliellen isn’t stirring things up, the Stone project is not a done deal. She is just a Fulton resident who strongly supports the development in her community.
The project is behind schedule, and dependent on Council approving a piece dealing with the restaurant part of the project slated for over by Sugar Pad. Council was supposed to vote on the issue at their last meeting, but delayed the vote until the next meeting.
As Frank succinctly puts it, there is opposition to this part of the project.
Graham Moomaw had an article in the RTD 2 weeks ago that is a dog description of where the project stands right now: http://m.richmond.com/news/local/city-of-richmond/article_759c8a82-a25b-56b5-b1bb-b4c68fe38f6d.html?mode=jqm
Kathleen Sanders, all you need to do is read the paper and watch the council meetings to know that this deal is not set in stone, so to speak. I have spoken at every council meeting regarding Stone and read every article. The brewery and the restaurant are connected; Stone will not have one without the other. This is not about beer; this is about economic development for the entire city and, more important to me, the community in which I live and in which I have worked for years to improve. Monday’s council meeting will be the vote on the transfer of the Intermediate Terminal to the city so that the restaurant (and therefore the whole thing) will be able to move forward. It takes 7 of the 10 council members to vote for the transfer for it to move forward. So no, it is not a done deal.
I’ve signed the petition and will write to all members of the City Council today. I knew the terminal portion was up for a vote but I never heard what had happened. If other restauranteurs and brewers have an issue with the deal negotiations for this project, don’t screw it up for the area and region as a whole. We need revenue generation on this side of town, as well as visual improvements to a forgotten part of our city.
Juliellen and John – My bad. I signed the petition and have shared it on my Facebook page. Thanks for educating me.
@15 – doesn’t matter that Escondido gets a fair bit more sun than Richmond does it? If you build it, the sun will come? Or is building an altar to the sun gods sufficient enough.
This’ll be embarrassing for the city if this goes sour so late in the process.
I too hope this is just a strategic move. I am also tired of all of these ultra-conservative anti progress moves in the city leaving us way behind other cities and at a loss of important revenue.
So the city approves things like the Redskins training camp, where they end up owing 250k a year to the skins, even after all the money they put into it? But yet wont approve this brewery in Fulton on basically junk land? This land NEEDS to be developed into something that brings people to the city, where they can have a good time and spend money! They should post the names of these council members to the residents of the city!
Such BS
Hope alone won’t do it. Meeting is tonight 5pm at City Council chambers.
I wonder how many of the people that run the city actually live in the city, vs. Short pump/West end? (Which may as well be another country).
Juliellen, I wish I could be there this evening but cannot. Good luck and I appreciate you spearheading this!
Karen, thanks for your words of support. I hope there will be others to speak tonight, as everybody already knows my spiel. Other voices of support need to be heard. Thank you.
The times for these meetings are almost impossible.
I mean 5:00pm on a monday, late notice, fighting rush hour to get there and park. Most people just cant take off work to go support things like this unless it involves your career.
Im sure if it was 7/730 it would be a packed house
I’m also in favor of the Stone development, and feel haggling over the details could potentially throw the baby out with the bathwater. But at the same time I understand the position of local restaurant owners who disagree with that piece of it. Don’t their voices deserve to be heard, too? I think so.
Jim, of course not everyone can attend the meetings. There have been many meetings that have been later and the same people show up. I have no control over the meetings. This meeting was scheduled last week and there’s been lots of publicity about it. If past experience is any indication, the actual discussion will be later. I hope folks show up when they can. If you cannot, you can always email the council members. Do what you can if it matters to you.
@katherine
True small businesses should be heard. But those “small” business weren’t buying 25 million in brewery gear and signing a 25 year lease at 1 million a year w the city, AND offering the economic book that the city needs
Per Graham Moomaw’s Twitter, the land transfer passed unanimously!
The restauranteurs who are against Stone are heard loud and clear. No one is shutting them up. Stone will bring more foodies and craft beer aficionados to Richmond to the benefit of all.
And, exactly ZERO of those restauraneurs have come to Greater Fulton. If they wish to locate here, there are at least 11 economic incentive programs to help them do so. And we would welcome them.
No vote yet. Premature indication.
Over 500 supporters. Thanks to all who participated.
Passed 9-0 in favor. Thank you Council and supporters. I cannot think of a better corporate neighbor to have in Fulton.
Regarding comment 30 and 31, your tone is not appreciated or necessary.
There’s been controversy around this deal for more than just the restaurant funding. City Council was criticized for rushing in and now that they’re taking time to blue-sky it, they’re criticized for that too. I want to see the deal go through as much as anybody, but taking a 100% polarizing position is not the way politics works.
Thank you for the updates Juliellen!
#35 huh? The restaurants who are opposed are being heard and there are incentives for them and others to locate in Fulton…not getting the issue with that.
Katherine J. I don’t see anything wrong with what Juliellen said in #30 and 31 either by content nor tone. It is just simple facts being spoken.
For someone who doesn’t drink and never liked beer when I did drink, I do not see what all of the fuss is about with a glut of Craft Beer places anyway, some seemingly trying to force themselves upon the public?