Richmond Planning Commission Meeting - May 20, 2026

The Richmond Planning Commission met on May 20, 2026, at 6:00 PM in the 5th Floor Conference Room of City Hall. Eight commissioners were present (Burchell Pinnock, Brian White, Ellen Robertson, Elizabeth Hancock Greenfield, Victor Mckenzie Jr., Rebecca Rowe, Sharon Ebert, and Dakia K. Knight), with one absent (Rodney Poole). The meeting adjourned at 8:13 PM. The agenda included a consent calendar, a special use permit for garages, a street closure and property conveyance for the Richmond Waldorf School, a preliminary community unit plan for Mosby Court South redevelopment, and a presentation on the Richmond Connects transportation plan.

Consent Calendar

• Items 3-10, 12-13 were approved unanimously. These included special use permits for various properties (e.g., 310 N. 25th St., 908 N. 30th St., 4201 Corbin St., 3300 Delano St., 1117 W. Franklin St. modifications, 2208 Y St., 1301 N. 27th St. amendment), a $2,002,659.00 grant acceptance for Broad Rock Creek Stream Restoration, and a concept review for a new riverside park at 3021 Dock Street.
• Ordinance 2026-109 (closure of a portion of public right-of-way near Brookland Park Blvd.) was initially on the consent agenda but was moved to the regular agenda after a request from a public speaker and a unanimous vote.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Consent Agenda (Item 11): Two speakers addressed item 11. Chris Banks (Sherwood Park resident) opposed combining the street closure with property conveyance, preferring separate evaluation. Andre Ross (Richmond Waldorf School Executive Director) expressed support, citing extensive community outreach.
• Regular Agenda – Item 11 (Street Closure): Multiple residents spoke, all supporting the slip lane closure but raising concerns about future use:
  • Laura Stevens (Wakefield Rd. resident) worried about traffic safety from a planned 34-space parking lot, including potential left turns onto Robin Hood Road.
  • Robert Hood (Brookland Pkwy. resident) objected to destroying a pocket park designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and creating a parking lot.
  • John Gass (Whipporwill Rd. resident) asked to strike the specific number of parking spaces (34) from the ordinance to allow for later reconsideration.
  • Tara Fitzpatrick (Brookland Pkwy. resident) cited environmental concerns, potential future infrastructure needs (e.g., Diamond District), and the risk of disabling future multimodal improvements.
• Regular Agenda – Item 15 (Mosby Court): No public speakers appeared. A late attempt by a remote participant (Mr. Olinger) failed due to technical issues; his written comments were acknowledged.

Discussion Items

• Item 14: ORD. 2026-102 (13 attached garages at 3415 Crenshaw Mews Alley): Staff and applicant (Syd Shoaf, Baker Development) presented. The request seeks a special use permit to allow garages to be rented to individuals outside the block and to increase height from 12 to 16 feet for lofted storage. Commissioner White supported the use; Commissioner Rowe expressed concern about proposed siding material not matching the neighborhood. The item was recommended for approval to City Council unanimously.
• Item 11: ORD. 2026-109 (Street closure and property conveyance to Waldorf School): Staff from Planning (Director Vonck) and Public Works (M.S. Khara) explained the closure of an 11,105± sq. ft. slip lane closed to traffic since 2023. The ordinance authorizes closure and subsequent sale to the adjacent Waldorf School for approximately $100,000, conditional on future site plan approval. Commissioner Rowe questioned what future uses would be permitted, given that the ordinance does not specify land use details. Multiple public comments opposed the conveyance without a defined parking plan. The commission voted 7-1 to recommend approval to City Council, with Commissioner Rowe voting nay due to lack of clarity on future site improvements.
• Item 15: ORD. 2026-106 (Mosby Court South preliminary community unit plan): Staff (Shaianna Trump) and applicants (Steven Nesmith, Sherrill Hampton, RRHA) presented. The plan permits up to 500 dwelling units, 600,000 sq. ft. residential floor area, and 25,000 sq. ft. commercial on 12.84 acres. Income mix ranges from 0-30% AMI (deeply affordable with vouchers) to 50-80% AMI. The existing 106 units (97 occupied) will be replaced one-for-one across three phases. Staff recommended an amendment to add the missing residential floor area maximum. The commission discussed:
  • Commissioner Robertson raised concerns about vinyl siding as a permitted material, but others noted affordability implications.
  • Commissioner White asked about income limits; staff confirmed a range from 0-80% AMI.
  • Commissioner Rowe questioned building heights stepping down toward existing neighborhoods; staff clarified the site plan is attached and specifies heights.
  • Commissioner Robertson also asked about open space; applicant noted a community center and innovation center but no minimum open space in the ordinance.
  • A motion passed unanimously to recommend approval with amendments: 1) Remove vinyl as a permitted building material; 2) Add that the permitted total residential floor area is up to 600,000 sq. ft. The motion also included encouragement for greener inner parking field.
• Item 16: PDRPRES 2026.008 (Richmond 300: Richmond Connects): Deputy Director Pitts presented a proposal to amend the master plan by incorporating the Richmond Connects multimodal plan, including additional greenways, bike facilities, and an enhanced transit line on the 14 Hermitage route. The plan was presented for information; no vote was taken.

Key Outcomes

• Consent Calendar: All items approved unanimously.
• ORD. 2026-102 (Garages): Recommended approval to City Council (unanimous).
• ORD. 2026-109 (Street Closure): Recommended approval to City Council by a vote of 7-1 (Commissioner Rowe nay).
• ORD. 2026-106 (Mosby Court): Recommended approval to City Council with amendments (unanimous). Amendments: (1) Remove vinyl as a permitted building material; (2) Add a maximum of 600,000 sq. ft. of residential floor area; (3) Encourage greener inner parking fields.
• Richmond Connects Presentation: No action taken; the official resolution to amend the master plan is expected at a future meeting in June 2026.
• Council Action Update: Four new special use permits were introduced at the May 11 City Council meeting and referred to the June 2 Planning Commission meeting. The Tuxedo Boulevard case remains pending at City Council.