Special Use Permit for Carriage House on Northside Stirs Neighborhood Debate / Towing Rates Retroactively Increased with Little Public Opposition

Part 1/6 - Richmond City Council - Opening & Awards Period - Nov. 22, 2010 - Richmond, Virginia from Silver Persinger.

This portion of the meeting included an opening prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, the Awards Period, and amendments to the evening's Agenda.

Awards

(1.) To Sgt. David Naoroz [RPD, 4th Precinct, Sector 11], Sgt. Jean-Guy LeGouffe [RPD, 4th Precinct, Sector 11], Officer Jill Simons, Capt. Melvin V. Liverman, III [Fire & Emergency Services], and Mr. Daryl and Mrs. Glenda Nelson, who reported the fire and attempted to help.

For saving the life of an 80 year old woman whose house was on fire at 1004 Edge Hill Road in Richmond's Northside.

Presented by Mayor Dwight Jones, Councilman Chris Hilbert [3rd District], and President Kathy Graziano [4th District].

(2.) Official Community Service Award presented to Homeward's Richmond Regional Project Homeless Connect, presented by Councilman Hilbert [3rd District] and Councilman Charles Samuels [2nd District].

Part 2/6 - Citizens Speak in Support of Community Gardens on City Land - Richmond, Virginia City Council - Nov. 22, 2010 from Silver Persinger.

Though the papers had been continued, a public hearing was held on the papers because people had come to the meeting to speak on the papers.

Three citizens spoken in support of Ordinance 2010-229 and Resolution 2010-R181. The ordinance establishes a permitting process by which community groups may utilize city owned real estate for community gardens.

The resolution charges the City to determine what parcels of City-owned real estate are already devoted to and not immediately needed for public use and may be used for community gardens for periods not to exceed one year at a time.

Part 3/6 - Special Use Permit for Carriage House on Northside - Richmond, Virginia City Council - Nov. 22, 2010 from Silver Persinger.

Above, Ordinance 2010-130 received the most attention of the night. Many neighbors were present to both support and opposed the special use permit which would allow a Northside carriage house to be used as a four-unit multifamily dwelling.

Part 4/6 - Regular Agenda Cont'd - Towing Fees, Maggie Walker, End of CDA, Legislative Agenda - Richmond, Virginia City Council from Silver Persinger.

Ordinance 2010-230 - To retroactively increase towing fees from public property. The city's towing services are contracted with Seibert's Towing. The city has contracted with Seibert's for over 25 years, and Seibert's has operated as the City's impound lot for the last 17 years.

I was the only person to speak in opposition to this bureaucratic mistake that Council sought to legitimize the criminal behavior of Seibert's Towing. Seibert's Towing was illegally over-charging Richmonders $95 when they were only legally authorized by the Council to charge $65. Remember this was an issue last year when Council raised the towing rate from PRIVATE property, towing companies were charging more than the allowable $65, the new ordinance [Ordinance 2009-227-223 adopted Dec. 9, 2009] made it a Class 1 misdemeanor for anyone that charged over the legal maximum rate.

From June 1, 2010 to November 12, 2010, it was stated that Seibert's had charge the higher fee on 1713 vehicles (if that is an accurate number) for a total of $51,390 in illegal profit which the city received its additional cut of $5139.

Ordinance 2010-213 - To purchase assets from the Broad Street CDA.

Resolution 2010-R171 - To support Maggie L. Walker statue.

Resolution 2010-R174 - To support Richmond's Legislative Agenda to the General Assembly

Part 5/6 - Citizen Comment Period/Consent Agenda/Expedited Resolution - Richmond, VA City Council - Nov. 22, 2010 from Silver Persinger.

Speakers:

Richard Worssam on "Sustainable Development."

Lillie Waller on GRTC.

Wayne Baker on James River Bus strike.

My Two Cents - Silver Persinger @ Richmond, Virginia City Council - Nov. 22, 2010 from Silver Persinger.

A compilation of comments I made during the citizen comment periods at Richmond City Council's Nov. 22, 2010 formal meeting on a wide range of subjects including retroactively increasing the towing rate, gross incompetence, instant runoff voting, representative government, marijuana decriminalization, roundabouts, "love lights," and much more.

Turning a Circle Around a Confederate Monument / Curb Cut in the Museum District is a Big Deal

Land Use, Housing & Transportation Committee Sept. 22, 2009 - Confederate Roundabout / Museum District Driveway / Part 1 of 2 from Silver Persinger on Vimeo.

In video above you can hear comments made during the Citizen Comment Period to Richmond City Council's Land Use, Housing, and Transportation Committee chaired by Councilman Doug Conner [9th District]. Other members of the committee are Council Vice President Ellen Robertson [6th District, 3:08 PM] and Councilman Charles Samuels [2nd District, 3:07 PM]. Councilman Bruce Tyler [1st District] was present when Mr. Conner called the meeting to order at 3:05 PM. Council President Kathy Graziano also joined the meeting at 3:54 PM, during the discussion of Ord. 2009-80 to revoke a permit to install a driveway on Stuart Avenue issued by the Dept. of Public Works.

Mrs. Robertson explained the reason she was late was because she had been attending the Audit Committee's meeting which began at 2:00 PM. Ron Jordan, Managing Partner, Advantus Strategies and the City's hired lobbyist to the General Assembly presented to the committee a brief report on Council's 2010 Legislative Agenda.

Next was the citizen comment period which was mostly made up of individuals speaking to an item that had been removed from the Agenda and continued, Ordinance 2008-189 to prohibit the installation of a roundabout at the intersection of Hermitage Road and Laburnum Avenue sponsored by Councilman Chris Hilbert [3rd District] were the intersection is located. I also spoke to complain about short notice on the Committee's Agenda, it had just been sent out via email 22 minutes before the meeting. And I complained again about the meeting starting at 3 PM instead of after 5 PM.

At 35:45 begins the story Ordinance 2009-80 where the City granted a building permit and a permit to encroach on the "public right of way" [AKA "the sidewalk" and "23 feet of on street parking"]. It's a long and interesting story. What do you think the Council should do? It would be great to get some comments on this story.

Land Use, Housing, & Transportation Committee - Part 2 - Sept. 22, 2009 from Silver Persinger on Vimeo.

In the second part of the meeting they discuss the following:

Public Works

Res. No. 2009-R118 (Patron: Mr. Tyler) - To impose enhanced speeding penalties pursuant to the City Code *** to authorize the placement of signs giving notice thereof on the portion of Cary Street Road located between Cameron Street and Three Chopt Road.

Ord. No. 2009-154 (Patron: Mayor Jones, By Request) - To amend *** Ord. No. 94-17-32 *** which authorized the special use of the property known as 5409 Hull Street Road as a Single Room Occupancy housing facility, to authorize a building addition with 21 additional units and other site improvements ***.

Real Estate

Ord. No 2009-162 (Patron: Mayor Jones, By Request) - To *** acquire, at a tax delinquent judicial sale, the property located at 1209½ West Leigh Street and to authorize the conveyance of such property to the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority for the purposes of eliminating blight and making such property available for redevelopment.

Rec. & Parks

Res. No. 2009-R137 (Patron: Mr. Conner) - To express support for the Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities’ application for a reimbursement grant from the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation’s Virginia Recreational Trails Program for the development and protection of the Reedy Creek Greenway.


Board Vacancies

City Planning Commission –Robert C. Burns, Doug Cole, Mark S. Linsey, Lynn McAteer, Jonathan W. Shultis and Fara E. Jenkins Steves, Meghan Z. Gough and Dom Nozzi

Building Code Boards of Appeals – General Division – John L. Bock

Monroe Park Advisory Council – John Peters, Terence Britt Smith

Greater Richmond Transit Company – Paul W. Kreckman, David Rennolds, R. Webb Moore, Robert C. Burns, Staci L. Boone, Robert P. Englander, Jr. , Mark Romer, Peter Chapman