Can you do this?

I think people sit down and members, if you will join me on a dance.

Spanish interpretation is available in the council chamber.

Please see a representative at the rear of the room to receive the appropriate equipment.

This evening, the invocation will be provided by Pastor Peter Dumont of Eternity Church, after which I'll invite you to join me in the Pledge of Allegiance, Pastor Damont.

PSTPont Thank you for the invitation to offer the invocation this evening.

Dear Lord, thank you that you promise to give wisdom to everyone who asks you for it.

I ask that you would give wisdom to each council member present tonight, each staff member, each citizen.

Thank you, Father, that you teach us what it means to love our neighbor.

Teach us how to love our neighbor tonight.

Give us wisdom to use wise stewardship of the resources that you've given to our city.

Its places, its beauty, its people.

Thank you, Pastor Damon.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Madam Clerk, we would proceed with the emergency evacuation plan and public speaker guidelines at this time.

Upon activation of the emergency alarm signal, all persons should immediately exit the building.

Please use the exits to the left or right front of the council chamber or the north or south stairwells outside the rear doors of the chamber.

Do not use elevators or escalators.

After exiting the building, security will direct everyone down 9th Street to the fenced area located between Clay and Lee Streets.

Able persons should assist visually and hearing impaired visitors with exiting the building.

Individuals speaking during public hearings and the public comment period are generally allowed three minutes to speak.

Persons appearing before council are not allowed to campaign for public office, promote private private business ventures, use language of a personal nature which insults or demeans any person, including comments directed at public officials or staff members that are not related to their official duties, or address or question staff members directly.

All questions are to be directed to the President of Council.

Failure to adhere to the guidelines may result in speakers forfeiting any remaining time and further disciplinary action as necessary, which could include barring from attendance at future meetings of City Council for a period of six months.

Also, if there are individuals standing in the rear that are not authorized personnel or law enforcement are asked to be seated where seats are available at this time.

Also, applause is only permitted during the awards and presentations portion of tonight's meeting only.

Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

At this time, we'll proceed with the award and proc slash proclamation for this evening.

Tonight's recognition being presented by the honorable President Cynthia Newville, Councillor Nicole Jones, and Mayor Danny Avullah is to recognize the month of August as Richmond Black Business Month to celebrate the Black owned businesses that have long been a cornerstone of our city.

Originally established in 2004 by historian John William Templeton and engineer Frederick E.

Jordan Sr.

Black Business Month serves to recognize the unique challenges faced by minority business owners and also highlights the city's commitment to fostering an inclusive economy by expanding opportunities while honoring the resilience of the Black community.

Hello, everyone.

Uh this evening for this recognition.

And I am going to um I'm going to punt to my colleague, Miss Jones, to kick us off.

Thank you, Dr.

Newbill, President New Bill.

Tonight we are here to honor uh Richmond Black Business Month, which is normally celebrated in the month of August.

Am I going to be here to get some points out of here?

You'll get some points out of this.

Okay, good.

All right.

But tonight we just really want to honor the businesses that really make our city a place to live, a place to be, um, boost our economy.

There we want to talk and celebrate the vision and the resilience that our black businesses hold in this city.

Um, and we just wanted to honor and take a moment to be able to share and show you that while black business is just a recognition tonight, it is all year for us.

It is black is our 365.

And so we want to really just name just a few things.

Um go here, working diligently and on behalf of that commitment.

The Richmond Office of Minority Business Development serves as our city's flagship agency for supporting the capacity for the growth, sustainability, and competitiveness of minority-owned businesses through capacity building, procurement readiness, business development and services, and collaborative partnerships.

And whereas in 2004, historian John William Templeton and engineer Frederick E.

Jordan Sr.

created and established the month of August annually as Black Business Month to recognize Black owned businesses and the unique challenges faced by minority business owners and to celebrate the resilience of the Black community.

Thank you.

And I point it to my colleague because oftentimes we forget the history unless we forget, and in this case, she was pretty adamant that we did not overlook this month and the importance of it and the importance of you to our city and the difference that you make in terms of the businesses that you bring.

I uh reminded of Black Wall Street of the South, uh, our Jackson Ward neighborhood.

Those are the kinds of things, unless we continue to remember to acknowledge, we will forget.

And we want to make sure that history is never forgotten, and that again, the extraordinary businesses that I look out in this audience, and if I started calling names on the great artists and food places and other kinds of businesses throughout the city, I I would be here all evening.

You're extraordinary.

We greatly appreciate your choosing the city of Richmond.

You could have chosen any place, but you chose this city, which makes us the best city.

And so we thank you for your choice, and we ask that uh Ms.

Scottisha Hurt, if she's here, she's gonna come up and accept the proclamation.

Oh no, that is welcome, Ms.

Hurd.

Thank you.

And we're gonna ask all of the incredible businesses behind you to stand up so everyone can see them once you provide comment.

Well, they're gonna do that now.

If you would stand.

Thank you.

Before I begin, I really would like to recognize and invite to the podium with me representatives of several organizations that work every day to strengthen support and champion black owned businesses throughout our region.

Arnesia Hall with the Virginia Black Chamber of Commerce.

Would she please come down?

Floyd Miller with the Metropolitan Business League.

Please come down, Floyd.

Tamika Jackson with the Richmond Region Region Tourism and Black RVA.

Rashida Creighton with the Black Street, formerly Jackson Ward Collectives.

Shamika Bowen with the Richmond Urban League.

Adrian Whittaker with the Office of Minority Business Advisory Board.

And also also Irvin Clark with the Central Virginia African American Chamber of Commerce.

August carries white.

158 years ago, it was during this time of the year that the 14th Amendment promise of equal protection would meet its practical test in the marketplace.

It's also the month we mark the anniversary of the Voting Rights Act signed August 6, 1965, which protected more than the right to vote.

And to say have a say in the community's future, including its economic future with black businesses.

My name is Scottessa Hurt, and I am one of the charter members of the African American CEO Roundtable, and I'm also the proud CEO and president of medical staffing 360.

Tonight's proclamation is about much more than recognizing Black Business Month.

It is about recognizing the entrepreneurs, innovators, employers, and community leaders who continue to invest in Richmond and help shape its future.

Black owned businesses are powerful economic engines.

They create jobs, generate tax revenue, strengthen neighborhoods, and bring investment to communities that have too often been overlooked.

They don't simply build successful companies, they build stronger communities.

When black owned businesses thrive, our entire city benefits.

More local jobs are created, more dollars are reinvested right here in our neighborhoods.

Equally important, business ownership creates pathways to generational wealth.

It allows families to build lasting assets, invest in education, create financial stability, and leave opportunities for the next generation.

That impact extends far beyond a single business.

It transforms families and communities for years to come.

This proclamation also honors the resilience of black entrepreneurs who, despite historical barriers, continue to innovate, create opportunities, and strengthen our economy.

Their success is a testament to perseverance, vision, and unwavering commitment to this community.

On behalf of the African American CEO roundtable, I want to sincerely thank Mayor Vula and the Richmond City Council for recognizing the importance of Black Business Month and for affirming the vital role Black owned businesses play in the continued growth and prosperity of the City of Richmond.

And I'll say something.

Okay.

I was because I knew that.

I see some people in the audience that I know.

We've been together for 25, 30 years, and he's a business owner, and I appreciate him.

Never giving up, he fought hard to battle as long along with all of you.

And from the bottom of my heart, I say thank you for what you do in the city of Richmond with the high taxes and all that.

You still stay here and you still fight.

And again, I am so grateful for all of you.

Thank you.

Amen.

Amen to that.

Because it's not easy.

It's it's actually one of the most challenging things to operate a business that's like starting a family and having a family, and you've done that, and you've nurtured that family, and you've grown people under your leadership, and you've given back and you've paid for it in your communities.

And again, it's not always been easy to operate in the city of Richmond, but you persevered and stuck with us, and for that we thank you for the bottom of our hearts because every seed that you plant, you're growing 10 more trees ahead of you.

And that's the most beautiful thing.

So thank you for what you've done for our community.

Thank you.

I want to say again, thank you for making us the great city that we are through your presence and your investment.

It does not go unnoticed.

And I want to invite, even though it's gonna be an interesting picture, all of those businesses who are in this audience to come up, and we're gonna try to get pictures with you all together.

Steve, you want to direct us?

Ms.

Hurt.

Okay.

Just want to say thank you and want to have a memento.

And while you're coming up, all right.

CAO, Mr.

Odie Donald is coming forward.

He wants to also make comment.

Wow, we're almost there.

Okay.

Mr.

Donald, are you coming this way?

Unless you want me to speak.

Okay.

Can you pass this to Mr.

Donald wants to?

All right.

Well, then I'll just be really quick.

I think for me on behalf of Mayor of Wool, I'm excited to stand with you today, a bunch of amazing, beautiful faces.

Oh no, I see Ken Ampy, maybe not that big.

I'll mess with you, Chan.

But no, amazing group of leaders who really make Richmond go.

It's been an honor for me to stand with you in this council.

I won't read off all of the things that they've done, but whether it comes to facade grants that they made sure we're in the budget, always making sure that the lowest we can make our tax rates, they're fighting for reductions in the meals tax.

I mean, they're just a ton of different things that they've been focused on to make sure that the business environment remains something that's viable and great for Richmond.

So it's an honor to stand with them, support them as well as the mayor, but most importantly, their commitment to you.

So today is another momentous day, especially for black business enrichment, and so I'm just proud to stand and be a part of again.

Thank you.

And I look forward to we haven't had the picture yet, but I want to just say I'm looking forward to visiting the restaurant, you know, the various eateries.

I see some in my right on Nama Road.

Yeah, okay.

Just want you to know looking forward.

Listen, thank you all so very much for making Richmond again the phenomenal city that we are because of who you are and the fact that you've chosen to.

So with that, Mr.

Skinner, are you gonna try to get us a memorial picture?

We got it.

Thank you so much.

Good seeing you.

Well we all go like thank you.

And Madam President, that it concludes the awards and recognition ceremony docket for this evening.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

Let's proceed.

Uh again.

I want to thank all of the businesses and really appreciate all of your commitment to our city.

And Madam Clerk, let's proceed with the uh public comment speakers.

The first speaker for public comment is Aurora Britt.

Welcome, Miss Britt.

Hello.

Uh I'm sure that you know what I'm here to talk about.

Uh it's flock cameras.

Last week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, you had a press conference denouncing far left terrorism in the United States.

Here's some of the groups that they uh claimed were terrorists.

DSA, Black Lives Matter, Students for Peace, uh first Univarian Churches, and of course the ever-present and undefined Antifa.

They also discussed locking up political opponents, election workers, uh people like the governor of Illinois, the mayor of Chicago, both were mentioned by name.

Obviously, the feds have many ways of tracking down these people, right?

Like we're we're well aware of that.

But why make it easy for them?

Why use the city's taxpayer dollars to give access to the to put cameras that track every single person on every single street corner and just let them have access?

And I know that people say the feds don't have access to the flock cameras.

Last month there were 15 cases of Antifa charged in Minneapolis.

In those indictments, they cited flock cameras for part of the evidence.

But the city and the state of Minnesota don't allow federal agents to have access to the flock cameras.

So obviously the feds have access to the cameras when they're not supposed to.

All right.

Right now, we are getting lucky in that the authoritarian who's trying to end democracy in America is a moron, right?

We are getting lucky.

We are thank you.

We're not gonna get lucky for much longer, right?

So why make it easy for them?

I all I'm well aware that cameras are good for solving crimes.

Uh Catherine Jordan and I had a great conversation about it.

Why just for before the midterms?

Why don't we dis the the city of Richmond disable the cameras, look at how they're being used, how they're being accessed, and if we make it through the midterms without a loss of democracy, then we can look at reinstating them.

Simple.

Thank you.

The next speaker is Jalma Plume Planas.

Hi, my name is Chama Plumplanus.

Uh, I'm gonna try to make this as quick as possible.

City Council has not been transparent, honest, or accountable about its usage of mass surveillance, particularly on the issue of Flock LPR cameras.

Rather than focusing on any other community need, over a million dollars have been spent on mass surveillance in the form of AI-powered cameras such as Flock.

Our local policy on ALPR data sharing only theoretically restricts access to ICE and other federal agencies for the purposes of immigration enforcement.

As I've already pointed out to the mayor, ICE can access our data at any time using the federal subpoena process.

Our coalition has pointed to the documented precedents showing that the few safeguards put in place to prevent the rampant misuse of ALPR technology have not been enforced in practice.

Before state ALPR law took effect in 2025, Richmond provided direct access to the ATF, which used our ALPR data for immigration enforcement.

During such time, RPD also used Flock ALPRs to track down protesters.

In April, the city reported that an RPD officer had sent our city's ALPR data to the FBI in violation of state law.

Based on what the city has said, all we know is the FBI wanted someone's LPR data.

The city says it was for a murder investigation, but all the officer needed to make a search as a case number.

The RPD sergeant broke policy and state law by sending the data and did so without permission.

The search was caught after the fact in a routine audit.

The AG declined to press any charges in this case, and detailed information has not been given to the public to establish the veracity of the Avula admins press release.

Several weeks prior to this press release, Sam Parker from Richmond Times Dispatch published that the Avula admin had been planning since September 2025 to flood the narrative on Flock.

It is clear that Flock will do nothing to prevent this use of their own technology.

Flock has lied about ICE accessing its LPR data.

Flock initially said it was accessed by proxy.

Three months later, the company confessed they had given DHS access as part of a pilot program.

Their surveillance products have been accessed by foreign hackers and anyone who can use a search engine.

Their surveillance tech has been involved in numerous, around 30 publicly reported stalking cases since 2023.

There have been reports of police targeting people seeking abortions in other states using their tech.

There have also been multiple reports of police around the country brutalizing and falsely arresting people over platiness reads while using the Flock LPR system.

In spite of the concerns and violations, the only reason our coalition had been given for the contract renewal are that businesses have lobbied to keep them, that the police can make arrests more quickly, and that the problem hasn't gotten bad enough yet for the city to warrant canceling the contract.

It has repeatedly been said that the costs and benefits were weighed in the decision to keep Flock.

What sort of audit or analysis was done to determine the future risks and benefits of renewing the flock contract?

30 seconds.

In spite of the persistent and ever increasing scandals enabled by privatized mass surveillance.

Under the Stony administration, was any public or private audit of the system done to assess the potential risks of this particular system or partnering with this particular company?

Was anything done to audit or investigate the system under a VULA or city council's transfer in 2025?

And finally, how long and what specifically is the city council going to wait for before it decides to end the mass surveillance of its constituents?

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Pomplanus.

Okay.

Thank you.

The next speaker is Morgan Haefer.

Welcome, Mr.

Hafer.

Welcome.

Um I want to talk about bike infrastructure and the time since 2009 when Mayor Dwight Jones took the uh the uh decision to bring the bike race here to our city and uh claim that we're gonna have a transformative city with all this bike infrastructure that we don't have yet.

Well, members of your council sit on here for how long?

Twenty years.

Haven't noticed any improvements in our city in 20 years, but I noticed the bike deaths.

Um I notice a lack of accountability.

I uh notice a lack of uh proper punishment of people who run down our pedestrians and our cyclists, um, you know, giving tickets to people who run down Bill Martin and and cyclists, it's not it's not or anybody really is not uh a punishment, it's not going to uh bring the infrastructure, the the money, the uh quality of life that we deserve, and that we were promised starting in 2009 when that bike race was you know um pronounced and um many members of our council also went for two years in a row with our bike planners.

Where are bike planners today?

Um, to Europe, two years in a row to see what they were supposed to bring back to our city.

Do you see anything that looks like Europe or Washington DC bike lanes here in our city after how many years?

16.

I mean, what are you guys doing up here besides stealing our money and taking our lives for it?

You know, I mean, I'd like to reflect on how great our city is and how business friendly it is with the taxes upon taxes year over year over year over year.

You buy something for your business, and five years later you're paying a percentage of taxes to the city on it because the city can't, you know, figure out how to do smart business.

Uh, you know, we have a bilingual translator.

How come we don't have Spanish in our public school system in 2026?

I mean, what is going on here?

Uh besides corruption and death.

You guys really need to wake up before the national media decides to do something like wake up and put your asses on the news and in jail for um.

Mr.

Corruption, I will ask.

I know.

Thank you.

Thank you very much, sir.

The next speaker is 16 years.

I was here at City Council 16 years ago to tell you I don't have bike lane.

Thank you.

The next speaker is Macy O.

Jones.

And then the Michael, all those part of it.

Macy O.

Jones.

The next speaker is S.

M.

Tula Jones.

Welcome, Miss Jones.

Good afternoon.

Thank you for having me here.

I'm here to uh address Jones.

Can you pull the mic down just a little bit?

Thank you.

Good afternoon.

I thank you for having me here.

I'm here to address my neighborhood where I live in at with the um the crime and stuff we had going on in there.

Just um just a couple of weeks ago, a guy came driving down the back of the alley.

He was shot two times, one in the back and one in his head, and he hit my wall and tore it up, and he went across the street and hit the neighbor's uh shed and tore that down.

Before that, I think about a couple of years ago, a guy had got robbed out there, he was shot several times in the alley where I live at.

The city came in before I moved into my in-laws house.

They tore the private wall.

Damn, the wall stood about this tall.

And they kept off the crime and stuff of saying people what I have in my yard.

I have a group that I don't even use because I feel uncomfortable about that, because I feel I may get hurt, get shot or whatever.

It is unfair that they tore the wall down, and my house is shifting.

The sink is about that far apart from the from the wall.

When I walk outside, the only that the only security I have out there is my bushes, but the bushes that I walk by up against the house.

I'm this far from falling off the edge of the my yard onto the street.

I found a couple months ago, and I bust my head very badly.

I still have a little small crack between my eyebrow here for me falling.

Because the wall, when they took the wall down, it took part of the foundation for the house for the dirt and stuff, you know, for the sidewalk and stuff.

We have down the street, we have uh a drug rehabilitation center down there.

What was happening with that?

They come in, they trash the streets, they trash the yard, let it throw beer cans in your yard, wind bottles in the yard.

It's unsafe.

It's unsafe.

I'm looking for somebody to have some type of something for me who sits up there to help me out.

My neighbor has trees very tall, taller than the house.

When the wind blows, it's drive rotten, the limbs fall on top of my house.

My insurance had gone up because they say my roof need to be fixed.

They got to get clogged up with pine needles and stuff.

It is unfair that I have to live somewhere that I have to climb up the roof.

30 seconds.

My time is up.

It is unfair that I had to climb up on the roof.

I'm 77 years old.

I got no business on a ladder.

My grandkids and stuff, they come down to sit with me sometime.

I have one grand hidden kitchen out here now, coming from Ohio.

She come down because I live alone.

My other granddaughter should go to VBCU.

She's living with her grandmother right now to help her out to make some money.

But I'm here in the house by myself.

The police come bang on the door every now and then looking for some drug dealer who used to hang out in that back of my shed before I moved there.

Thank you, Ms.

Jones.

Thank you, Ms.

Jones and Councilwoman Trammell, and then I'm going to ask the administration.

Ms.

Jones, I want to say thank you and your husband who reached out to me.

We've had conversation in reference to this and some other things we have spoken about.

And right now, our police chief is here.

He's in the back.

He's going to talk to you.

And I also want to thank Mr.

Al Wiggins, who came down before the meeting and spoke to you.

Also, I'm going to ask them to please help you fill out the claim with risk management so that we can help you get your the brick wall and all that fixed.

And you know you can call me late at night, you and your husband both have, and I appreciate that.

And we're going to get this corrected for you.

And like I said, our police chief is right in the back.

Thank you.

And call me tonight.

Call me tonight.

Okay.

Thank you.

Thank you, Ms.

Jones.

And the chief is approaching you in the back there, and I believe Mr.

Wiggins has had conversation already.

Thank you.

Madam Clerk, next speaker.

The next speaker is Selden Richardson.

Welcome, Mr.

Richardson.

Thank you.

Thank you, Madam President, and uh ladies and gentlemen of City Council.

My name is Selden Richardson.

I'm a local historian and a Richmond taxpayer.

The historic neighborhood of Westwood is again under attack, and it's remarkable how often this tiny African American neighborhood community has faced destruction and persevered.

Richmond has a terrible record destroying its black neighborhoods.

Jackson Ward was gutted by I-95.

Fulton was turned into an urban prairie.

And Navy Hill was bulldozed to the Shaco Valley.

Mr.

Richardson, uh, just point of clarification.

Are you speaking to uh just zoning in general or the resolution?

I am speaking about Westwood in general, if I may.

Okay.

In an attempt to heighten the awareness of this neighborhood and its plight.

Okay.

Thank you.

As horrific as all that sounds, none of these disasters of civic planning was fueled by the same degree of racial prejudice that once drove an effort to erase the entire Westwood neighborhood and disperse the families who had been there for generations.

And yet Westward prevailed and survived.

In recognition of its astonishing past and fragile present, the community has been recently named the list of preservation Virginia's most endangered list.

This once again underlies a truism of Richmond's past and present, and most historic neighborhoods are often the most endangerous and the most vulnerable.

Mashing more density into Westwood's existing housing stock will forever alter the character of the neighborhood, and rising taxes will disperse the current residents.

The triumph of the belt developer is the result of insensitive and poor planning on the part of the quote code refresh proponents.

Places like Westwood desperately need to be exempted from the one-size fits-all planning and Richmonders look to your office to provide this kind of leadership and vision to understand this basic fact.

Members of council, there's a growing myth in our country that real estate developers are kings.

Let's not allow Richmond Future to become yet another victim of this horrid idea.

Revise code refresh to accommodate our past.

It is honest to have or lose, and as they will know in Westwood, it's up to us to defend our history.

We need your help and your support.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Richardson.

The next speaker is Jamie Monaskalko.

The next speaker is Charles Poole.

Welcome, Mr.

Poole.

Thank you.

Honorable Councilpersons, my name is Charles Poole, and today I respectfully address you on behalf of the board of the Oregon Hill Home Improvement Council with grave concerns regarding the shockingly inappropriate upzoning proposed for the Oregon Hill Historic District with Code Refresh.

OHIC is celebrating her 50th year in supporting historic and affordable housing in Oregon Hill, having renovated and built new 37 homes for first-time homebuyers, some with a mortgage as low as $30, $350 a month.

By contrast, Code Studio, the out-of-town consultant for Code Refresh, told us that they spent only two hours in Oregon Hill.

And two hours may have been an exaggeration since their pattern book for Oregon Hill and accurately described the neighborhood as having 100% detached homes built in the 20th century.

They have now proposed outrageous MX-5 zoning in areas of Oregon Hill that would allow 75-foot-tall five-story buildings.

There is no other MEG zoning proposed for the entire two-mile Carey Street corridor.

Just as unreasonable is their proposed RMA spot zoning, which targets some of the most historically sensitive properties in Oregon Hill, such as the Grace Errant's Housing, the first and finest subsidized housing built in Richmond.

And the 1850s, John Andrews' house on his property in 1865, was the first school for black children in Richmond.

Code Refresh continues a pattern of disrespect that Oregon Hill has received from redlining from the downtown expressway that cut through the neighborhood, and from BCU encroachment.

In 2002, we finally received a break when City Council approved our hard-fought R7 zoning, which up to now has provided stable zoning that reduced speculation and allowed families to move back.

But code refresh would gravely undermine all of OHIC's efforts to reform and thrive our neighborhood.

The upzoning proposed in Code Refresh would actually incentivize the demolition of the city's remaining pockets of affordable housing found in established neighborhoods like Oregon Hill and Westwood.

The Board of OHIC implores City Council to protect Oregon Hill from the shockingly inappropriate MX5 and RMA upzoning proposed in Code Refresh.

Let's uh let our relatively affordable neighborhood continue to thrive with zoning that respects the Oregon Hill Historic District.

Thank you.

And Madam President, if I could possibly uh distribute a flower of the map of proposed changes that are needed in Oregon Hill.

Thank you, Mr.

Poole.

And Madam President, I just want to thank Mr.

Poole for his continued advocacy.

And we took a very long walk in the rain.

We appreciated that.

And Mr.

Poole with his neighbors described the changes that they wanted to see.

And I'm committed to making those changes.

Thank you.

You know I am, but we need to say that again.

Um, so I look forward to seeing that the changes come out in the Madam Clerk.

Next speaker.

The last speaker is Anas El Khatan.

Hello, Madam President.

I have some packets tech us from you.

Thank you.

Welcome.

Good afternoon, evening.

My name is Ennis Elkaten, and I am here tonight because this council approved the special use permit for the development at 1401 through 1407 Hall Street, 2024-020.

When you voted to approve this project, you did so after hearing representations that neighboring properties would be protected and that this development could move forward responsibly.

Those representations mattered because they were part of the basis on which this project received your approval.

Tonight, I'm asking you to compare those representations with what has actually occurred.

This is not just another property to my family.

This is our home.

This is our neighborhood.

My parents have been part of this community more than 40 years.

Me, 30 years.

And our family has been on Hall Street for over 30 years.

Before construction even began, plans were submitted to the city that contemplated work extending onto our property.

We never granted permission.

We never signed an access agreement, yet those plans moved forward.

Then X then excavation began immediately adjacent to our building.

According to the independent engineering opinion included in the packet, I have provided.

The excavation undermined portions of our foundation and recommended that the backfill be removed and replaced with property with properly designed concrete underpinning.

That engineering opinion is included for your review.

When these concerns came to light, the city issued a stop work order.

The excavation was then backfilled at the direction of the city inspector because of safety concerns.

Later, the stop work order was lifted after the city received documentation from the project structure.

The project the one who wrote the initial plans for the project wrote a letter stating that wrote a letter stating that the that the backfill, the remediation effort that was done by the developer without consulting us.

They just received the letter saying that that was sufficient.

So they let them move forward with the project.

Construction moving forward did not resolve what happened to our property.

We documented cracking and other damage.

We retained our own engineers.

We lost our commercial tenant.

We lost our residential tenant.

We experienced additional impacts after the neighboring buildings were demolished.

While this project continued moving forward, my family was left dealing with the consequences.

Members of council, I believe your responsibility does not get once a special use permit is approved.

When developers come before you seeking special approval, they ask for your trust.

They make commitments about how their projects will affect the surrounding community.

Commitments should not end the moment construction begins.

If they are not being carried out in practice, I believe this council deserves to know.

I'm not asking you to decide a lawsuit tonight.

Members of council, when concerns are raised, there was a stop work order, but after that, construction resumed.

From from our perspective, there was no independent review of the engineering dispute, no independent evaluation of whether the commitments made during the special use promise permit process had been fulfilled.

Thank you and no meaningful follow-up from the city regarding those commitments.

Thank you, that's the one that we're going to do.

Repeatedly told that these issues were matter by somebody sitting on my back left-hand corner right here.

Thank you, Mr.

Alcatan.

Madam President, Mr.

Alcatan.

The city correspondence and the timeline substance is a package.

This is our family home.

Wait a minute.

Madam President Alcatan.

Madam President.

Yes, I'm okay.

Thank you, Madam President.

He came to our meeting on Thursday, July the 9th.

He waited until like after 8 o'clock to speak with me.

I did not know about all of this.

I asked him to please come to the council meeting so he could let us know.

I don't even know who exactly would.

I thought it was in mine, but it's not exactly in my district.

But I would like to know more about this because like I said, he's very upset.

He has every right to be, especially if he thinks that we're doing something behind his back and his family's back.

So please, you know, if we can help him or give him the right person if it's Kevin, if we will have the administration to direct thank you.

Yes.

Ms.

Frammel, thank you.

First of all, Mr.

Alcatan.

Um and I'll reach out to the administration.

I guess Mr.

Donald, if you will designate someone who can interface with Mr.

Alcatan relative to this matter.

Thank you.

And Madam President, that concludes the list of public comment period.

Speakers for this evening.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

Um let's go on to the amendments to tonight's agenda.

The amendments to tonight's agenda are as follows.

Item one, ordinance 2026 093 will be continued to the Monday, September 14th council meeting.

Item two, ordinance 2026-102, item four, ordinance 2026-113, and item five, ordinance 2026-120 will all be amended later this evening and then continued to the Monday September 14th Council meeting.

Item nine ordinance 2026 155 will be continued to the Monday September 14th Council meeting.

Item 27, resolution 2026 R024 will be amended and considered later this evening.

Item 30, resolution 2026 R029 will be continued to the Monday September 14th council meeting.

Item 31, Ordinance 2026 081 will be amended later this evening and then continued to the Monday September 28th council meeting.

And item 32, resolution 2026 R019 will be continued to the Monday September 28th council meeting.

Madam President, those are all the amendments to tonight's agenda.

Thank you.

Mr.

Clark, are there additional amendments to the agenda this for this evening?

Miss Gibson.

Thank you, Madam President.

Discuss item 2026-109.

My we've continued that item.

So now we've continued it today.

Not specific as much to the closure, but um but some apprehension on the site plans, which would come later.

Um the ordinance notice identifies that there would be 34 parking spaces in the proposal.

Um it's my understanding that the most current uh proposals have 24 spaces, and so I'd like to see that language amended to remove concerns about kind of something predetermined or pre-approved ahead of looking at any site plans.

I also know that there are a number of folks from the community that are here and would like to speak, and so um I uh am wondering if I if we were to continue this item now for an amendment to amend the notice if that would still allow folks who have come this evening to be able to speak, or if I should hold on amending the agenda and do that afterwards so that the folks who came this evening are still able to speak.

Okay, so do we have can I get a show of hands of persons present desirous of speaking to this paper?

Okay.

So I would say we'd go on and proceed with your talking about uh continuing for amendment four, but allowing the individuals who are present to so um so what I would like to do is move this to the regular agenda and then um after we hear comment from the community, then we can determine we can vote on a potential continuance.

Okay, but you'll be asking for a continuance subsequent to the comments.

Most likely, yes.

Okay.

I was just trying to get clarification that was it.

Okay.

Thank you.

Madam Clerk and or Mr.

Clark.

We have that registered.

Is there a second to the motion?

Council is now voting on the motion to move item three, ordinance 2026-109 from the consent agenda to the regular agenda.

Mr.

Breton?

Aye.

Ms.

Gibson?

Yes.

Ms.

Jones?

Aye.

Miss Robertson?

Aye.

Ms.

Lynch.

Aye.

Ms.

Trammell.

Aye.

Ms.

Abubacher.

Aye.

Vice President Jordan.

Aye.

And President Newbil.

Aye.

That motion has been approved.

And I will need a motion to uh amend the agenda as read.

Uh Councilor Jones, will you make that motion?

So move.

Second.

Council is voting on this evening's remaining agenda amendments as read.

Mr.

Breton?

Aye.

Ms.

Gibson.

Yes.

Ms.

Jones.

Aye.

Ms.

Robertson.

Aye.

Miss Lynch?

Aye.

Ms.

Trammel.

Aye.

Ms.

Albenbacher.

Aye.

Vice President Jordan.

Aye.

And President New Bill.

Aye.

The amended agenda is now before you.

And this evening's consent agenda consists of the following items.

Item six, ordinance 2026-152.

Item seven, ordinance 2026 153.

Item 8, ordinance 2026 154.

Items 10 through 17, ordinances 2026, 156, 157, 158, 159, 160, 161, 162, and 163.

Items 18 through 26, ordinances 2026, 164, 165, 166, 167, 168, 169, 170, 171, and 172.

Item 28, Resolution 2026 R026.

And item 29, Resolution 2026 R027.

Those are all the items on tonight's consent agenda.

Thank you, Mr.

Clark.

At this time, we will proceed with a uh opportunity for public comment on the consent agenda items.

Those persons present desirous of speaking in opposition to any of the items that were just noted on consent agenda.

If you would proceed to come forward.

Good evening, President Newbell, members of City Council.

Well my name is Cindy Anderson and my and I'm a resident of the first district.

And I'm here tonight to speak on the possibility of the one um percent tax increase for our RPS.

Ms.

Anderson, we're not at that point in the in the agenda yet.

Oh, we have to wait.

Yes, I'm sorry.

But it's good to see you.

Thank you.

Madam Chair, do I have a question about the consent agenda?

Yes.

I'd just like to verify that um resolution R024 related to the Westwood Node Plan will be voted on and considered immediately after the consent agenda.

Is that correct?

That's correct.

Thank you.

Again, I am uh inviting those present who would like to speak in opposition to any of the consent agenda items that were read if you would come forward.

Saying none, I would invite those who are desirous of speaking in favor of any of the consent agenda items if you will come forward.

Welcome.

We're together.

Good evening, and thank you for having us.

My name is Murray Withrow.

I work full time for Servant Partners, and in partnership with Urban Hope, I oversee the residential mentorship program that is seeking the special use permit for 1110 Oakwood Avenue.

This SUP would allow up to six young men to live in the home.

I am encouraged to report that after presenting our plan to the Church Hill Central Civic Association as well as the Planning Commission.

Both entities have endorsed our proposal.

We are grateful for their support, and we are now seeking your support from City Council as well.

I've been invested in Church Hill for the past 24 years and have called it home for the last 20.

My wife and I have had the privilege of raising all three of our children here and sending them to local schools.

After mentoring a group of boys from sixth grade through high school, I felt called to deepen my investment in these young men by starting a residential mentorship program.

This program is a one-year residential commitment designed to serve as a stepping stone toward thriving adulthood with the opportunity to renew for a second year.

In fact, two of our three current residents have already committed to returning next year.

This work is made possible through our partnership with Urban Hope.

For the past 25 years, Urban Hope has provided safe, quality, affordable housing in Church Hill for individuals and families.

They also offer housing advocacy, financial health education, and one-on-one financial coaching for the broader community.

Together, we provide a structured pathway toward thriving adulthood through affordable housing, intentional mentorship, genuine friendships, and meaningful accountability.

More specifically, our residents work, pay rent, sign a formal 12-month lease, participate in weekly house dinners with a house leader and staff member, and attend bi-weekly community meals and spiritual formation gatherings with individual mentors who help them pursue personal SMART goals.

We also conduct monthly check-ins and room inspections, and everyone agrees to a household covenant that includes chores, quiet hours, and a prohibition on smoking and alcohol on the premises.

In many respects, our residents are held to an even higher standard than a typical lease requires.

It is my firm conviction that both these young men and this program are tremendous assets to the neighborhood, and we are grateful for the strong support we have received from many members of the community.

Our home has been operating successfully since September 1st with three residents.

30 seconds.

And we welcome anyone who would like to learn more about what we are doing.

For these reasons, I respectfully ask your approval of the special use permit.

And now I would like to introduce one of our residents, George, to say a few words.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Hello.

My name is George White, and I'm one of the residents of the discipleship house on Oakwood.

I recently turned 20 years old as of late April in a part of last year's 2025 graduating class via Armstrong High School.

I've lived in Richmond all of my life, primarily for my mother's residence in the Mosby Court Housing Projects.

Leaving my mother's home was one of the inevitable outcomes of many financial and physical challenges I faced living in Mosby Court.

The discipleship home has sold me well and will only continue to do so for the foreseeable future.

It is for those reasons I am here today, and it's for those reasons that I believe other young men like me deserve the chance to have access to such a golden opportunity.

The approval of the special use permit will not only grant young men like me access to affordable living, but will also grant others who are at a disadvantages to the ability to join the housing market from a stable foundation.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you both.

With that, the public hearing on the consent agenda is now closed.

Bring it back to council for any discussion.

Seeing none, please call the question.

Council is now voting on the consent agenda as presented.

Mr.

Breton?

Aye.

Ms.

Gibson.

Yes.

Ms.

Jones.

Ms.

Robertson.

Aye.

Ms.

Lynch.

Aye.

Ms.

Trammell.

Aye.

Ms.

Alpenbacher.

Aye.

Vice President Jordan.

Aye.

And President New Bill.

Aye.

Those papers have all been adopted.

Thank you.

Let's proceed now as uh we amend it to the uh number 27 R resolution 2026 R024.

First is a motion to amend and consider resolution 2026 R024, which requests that the CAO cause the Department of Planning and Development Review to one, collaborate with the residents and stakeholders of the Westwood neighborhood to recommend appropriate land use zoning and policy tools.

Two, develop design guidelines to preserve the character of the Westwood neighborhood, and three, provide a written report of such findings and recommendations.

The proposed amendment would modify the substance of the collaboration and the neighborhood borders by changing the streets and roads that serve as boundaries.

Councilor Breton, would you make a motion to amend resolution 2026 R024 as stated?

So moved.

Councilor Robertson, would you second?

Second.

Council is now voting on a motion to amend resolution 2026 R024 as stated.

Mr.

Breton?

Aye.

Ms.

Gibson.

Yes.

Ms.

Jones?

Aye.

Ms.

Robertson?

Aye.

Ms.

Lynch?

Aye.

Ms.

Tramell.

Aye.

Ms.

Abubacher?

Aye.

Vice President Jordan.

Aye.

And President New Bill.

Aye.

That motion has been approved and that paper is now before you as amended.

Thank you, uh, Mr.

Clark.

At this time, uh, if there I'm not sure.

If there is any comment.

Mr.

Brighton.

Uh, thank you.

Yes.

So this is a resolution that I am honored to bring here tonight.

A request for the Department of Planning and Development Review to work alongside the residents of historic Westwood to develop a community-driven neighborhood plan that identifies the best tools to preserve the neighborhood's historic and cultural character, support long-term neighborhood stability, and guide future investment.

Um, I'm glad we bring this.

I've been working on this since uh February of 2025 to introduce this resolution because I believe Westwood is one of Richmond's most historically significant neighborhoods, and it is overdue for this kind of focused planning effort.

So this paper will represent an investment of the city's time, expertise, and attention in a community whose history and resilience deserve to be recognized and preserved and celebrated.

So this paper also enters into the public record a history of the outstanding story and contributions of this neighborhood.

Um, this paper did come out of land use committee um with unanimous recommendation to support, but we are hearing it separately today because of the text amendment that we are hearing today.

Um I'm also happy to uh to uh welcome the many neighbors from my district here, Westwood who are here to speak in support of this paper as well.

And I'm glad that they are here and they all came on a beautiful church bus um tonight, and I was really glad we were able to get parking for them.

Thank you, Mr.

Breton.

At this time, we'll proceed with a public hearing on the paper.

All of those persons present desirous of speaking in opposition to the paper, if you would come forward.

Okay, seeing none, all of those persons desirous of speaking in favor of the paper, if you would come forward.

Welcome.

Good evening, Madam President, and to the entire council.

Thank you for the opportunity to come and speak on behalf of our beloved Westwood community.

My name is Jeanette Brown, Jeanette Lyttleton Brown, and uh I'm on I am the uh president of the Westwood Civic League and also associate minister at Westwood Baptist Church.

Our history is rich.

What I saw today with the recognition of the black businesses, let us not forget, we're asking also that the city not forget Westwood.

We go back a ways.

Since night the 1940s, we have been in a fight with the city for our existence.

Sadly to say, we're still fighting.

While the issues are a little different, they still are the same.

And so we're here to say save historic Westwood, not just for now, but forever.

Um you've received at least 90 pages of comments in support of this resolution from people all over the city and the country.

People who have lived in Westwood, born and raised in Westwood, have moved out but still call this place home.

Our history is significant.

In my submission, I've provided pictures of Patterson Avenue.

There's only three homes still left.

And if those are taken, Westwood from that standpoint will be erased.

Nobody will ever know that this was a part of our community.

And we're here to say we were here 154 years ago.

We still stand now.

We are asking that you pass this resolution to help us come up with and work with the city for real this time in meaningful changes that will sustain and keep us where we are.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Good evening.

Good evening.

Welcome.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I write today on behalf of family members who helped shape historic Westwood, but are no longer here to raise their voices.

I write for my cousin Frances Warden Lambert, Virginia's 1974 Mother of the Year, her son, Virginia State Senator Benjamin Lambert III, and my aunt Elizabeth B.

Cooper, and proud mother of Daisy Jane Cooper, the courageous African American student who integrated Richmond Public Schools after a lengthy court battle.

And my great-grandfather's family, whose enduring legacy is reflected in Pearl Street, named for our families, where two of our families' historic homes still stand today.

My name is S.

Norwood Thornton.

Although my career has taken me across the country as a marketing professional and corporate magician, representing several Fortune 500 companies, my roots remain firmly in Westwood.

I was born and raised in this remarkable community and was the first person baptized in the new sanctuary of Westwood Baptist Church by Reverend Dr.

Dwight C.

Jones, who later became mayor of Richmond.

Westwood has overcome tremendous challenges throughout its history.

Our community fought for basic necessities, such as public water, resisted efforts to transform my neighborhood into a city park and endure the painful divisions that surrounded Daisy Jane Cooper's integration of Westwood, excuse me, West Hampton Junior High.

Through every challenge, Westwood persevered because his residents believed that our neighborhood was worth protecting.

Today I respectfully ask the city to support the resolution introduced by Councilman Andrew Gumby Bretton and members of our community to launch a six-month study of historic Westwood.

If approved, this study will lead to recommendation for neighborhood overlay that will help preserve the unique character, rich history, and identity that have made Westwood one as Richmond's hidden jewels for generations.

This resolution is not simply about protecting buildings.

It is about preserving the stores, sacrifices, and legacy of the families who built this community and ensuring that future generations inherit a neighborhood whose history is honored rather than forgotten.

My name is Vicky Rosell Hinton.

I'm reading on behalf of my cousin Stephen, excuse me, S Norwood Thornton.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Good evening, President New Bill and all council members.

My name is Brianna Princess, and I am a member of Westwood Baptist Church.

I've been a member of that church since the day I was born.

And it only made sense that way, considering my mom has been a member since the day she was born.

And that only made sense because my grandmother has always lived inside of the Westwood community.

Now church is a major part of my life, but Westwood is much more than that.

There's community within Westwood, and that community is something very special.

Something that can't be fully understood until you step within it.

For me, Westwood was the babysitter when my parents couldn't get off of work.

Westwood was the ice cream store on a hot summer day.

Westwood was a basketball tournaments way beyond the season.

Westwood was knowing every kid in the neighborhood that can come outside and play, and which one of their parents to ask.

Westwood is, was and still is community.

And community is something that must be protected and preserved.

In Westwood lies a rich and thriving one that should be cherished.

And it is imperative that designs within Westwood be done with all residents in mind first.

And this is why I came here today to say the resolution 2026-RO24 should be passed as amended.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Hi, I'm Ron Skinner.

Live in the Honorable Gumby's district.

Um Westwood, I'm speaking towards this resolution, which we discussed in several meetings.

I wish it had more teeth in it, but you guys will give it to you because you'll stand behind it.

I got to Westwood by accident.

There was a house on auction.

I fixed it up and restored it, and I really love it.

It's it's unique neighborhood.

The streets are 20 feet wide.

You don't go there unless you're lost for going home, which is kind of nice.

You know, you walk down the street, people walk to the dogs, you can say, Hey, how's it going?

Chat them up because you know them, you know.

This it's not I lived lots of other streets, and it did not have that same community.

It was truly sweet, and I think that's the piece you really want to keep in Richmond because Richmond has a lot of histories, some of it you don't want to repeat, some of it you want to maintain, you know.

This is the kind of thing that really makes people say, I'll buy a house in that area.

It's a cool place to live, you know.

And I can it's kind of like a walking mall.

I can walk within 10 minutes to be an optometrist, a chiropractor, several banks.

I mean, everything is just down the street.

It's the old version of a community.

You know, you can just walk somewhere.

It is totally, totally cool.

And please preserve it because this is what you want people to come to Richmond for.

And I don't want to can't say this version on a cold refresh, but I think they're just kind of blundered into how to get a lot of housing built fast.

And I think you have to take care of preserve the pieces that are there.

It's like when you when you build a neighborhood, and all of a sudden people who literally can't afford it anymore.

You know, that's a mistake.

And I hope you all have the vision.

I know Mr.

Brenton does have the vision to keep that kind of stuff going because that's why people want to come to Richmond and want to stay.

And that's why I plan to.

Thank you for listening.

I'm not gonna run out of my time.

Just kidding.

Thank you good evening.

My name is Cyan Crump, and I'm the executive director of Historic Richmond, and I'm here to speak today in support of the Westwood neighborhood and resolution 2026 R-RO 24 as amended.

We support the Westwood neighborhood and their request for a design overlay to help protect the neighborhood from planning decisions that are leading to displacement.

And we want to thank Councilman Breton for introducing, introducing and championing this paper, and want to thank each of its co-patrons as well.

Westwood was founded more than 150 years ago by the recently emancipated workers from the Patterson family plantation.

They bought a parcel of land, they built their community around a church, they built their own school and their own stores and their own homes.

Their self-sufficient, small community thrived.

In 1944, it was annexed by the city of Richmond as suburban Richmond development encircled them.

You have heard how the city took their taxes but refused to connect them to the city water and sewer infrastructure.

Claiming that the community was unsanitary, the city tried to demolish the entire neighborhood to make a park.

The city bust their kids across town rather than allow them to attend the West Hampton school across the street.

We worked with this neighborhood and the Virginia Department of Historic Resources to see this neighborhood officially recognized as historic.

But this does not mean that there are any protections to help save them from encroaching development.

This community's land has been taken for commercial development over and over again.

The federal government took their land to build a post office.

The city took their land to build the West End library.

Market dynamics driven by the densification of the Patterson Libby corridor and this small neighborhood's proximity to higher value real estate today are leading to displacement.

Because of these developments, the city tax assessments on Westwood's land values have increased 50% between 2024 and 2025.

So the city tax assessor is essentially saying we don't want you to stay here in your generational home.

Speculative developers see these small cottages not as affordable homes to be preserved, but as ripe for demolition and replacement by a mix mansion.

The neighborhood is suffering death by a thousand cuts.

We are pleased to see the city recognizing that its planning decisions have impacts on the historic Westwood neighborhood.

This place is special and its people deserve a say in its future.

Thank you for supporting this resolution.

Thank you, Ms.

Crom.

I want to uh thank all who've come out, but I think I can see some with green signs.

But all of those, if you would raise your hand so that we can see all of those.

Thank you for coming out to make sure your voices are heard.

With that, the public hearing is closed.

Bring it back to City Council.

Councilwoman Crammel, then Councilwoman Albacher.

Madam President, I like to add my name to the paper, please.

And also I want to thank all of you for coming down here tonight.

And thank you, Gummy, for working with them.

Because I know that our meetings that we've had in reference to code refresh, you all have brought this up over and over and over.

And I'm so glad that you all make sure that your councilperson understood your feelings and what you want.

And um I'm quite sure all my colleagues are going to support this.

Thank you, Councilwoman Trammel.

Councilwoman Alba Bacher.

I want to thank everybody for coming down and speaking.

I know it is no easy task to get down here, and you all have come down on multiple occasions for your community.

So thank you for showing up for continuing to show up.

Um I would like to have my name added to this paper, and I would also like to ensure that we are committed to making sure, as you said, that this has teeth to it.

Um, that this is not just a resolution in spirit and in words, but that we are actually following through on this.

So you have my commitment, and you can always reach out to me as well.

Thank you, Councilwoman Alba Backer.

And I'm going, and Councilwoman Trammel has already taken my statement.

Is there any member who is desirous of not having their name added in support of this paper?

Seeing none, all members will add their names in support of this paper and thank all of you for coming down.

And we certainly certainly appreciate your so with that.

Oh, I think Councilmember Gibson and Councilman.

Um Councilwoman Lynch, you got you, I think.

Yep, and Councilmember Gibson, I think I had her hand raised.

Um, and I and I don't I don't want to let this meeting go by without making this extremely well, three extremely important points.

And one is that you all are the greatest reminder that community voices matter so much, and thank you for being a living, walking example of that.

It takes courage, strength, tenacity, and perseverance and a lot of patience to deal with getting change through the government and what your community has been through is not unlike or dissimilar what other neighborhoods in our districts have been through.

It's horrific.

It carries pain.

And thank you, thank you, thank you for continuing to walk the journey and see this ball across the finish line.

The second point is this is probably the best example of why passing um the cultural uh heritage stewardship plan before we pass code refresh is so critical.

That plan, the underpinnings of which is to ensure that underrepresented histories, underrepresented communities are preserved, um, that we have tools like the design overlay and other um zoning tools that are disposal to make sure that no neighborhood does die by a thousand cuts that that is sanctified and solid, and and we need to pass that plan uh before we pass uh code refresh, and thank you for being again another living reminder as to why that is so so critical.

And lastly, I think lastly, Councilmember President New Bill lastly, I just want to say um uh councilmember Bretton.

And lastly, I think lastly, councilmember President New Bill lastly, I just want to say um uh council member Bretton, I think you're gonna see some copycatting um from some of your colleagues because I want to say hats off to you for putting forward such a thoughtful plan.

I look forward to maybe a wash prince with Pete and some of my districts that that need it as well.

So thank you for bringing up.

Thank you.

Um Councilwoman Jones and then Councilwoman Gibson.

Thank you, Madam President, and uh like my colleagues, thank you everyone for coming.

Sorry.

Thank you so much for coming down tonight and sharing your story.

Um I just wanted to add as we did last week in land use, the very, very important um meaning behind what this is actually about because while we recognize that this is I mean, exposed because of cold refresh and the things that we are attempting to do.

I think you said it in the beginning of this meeting, let us never forget.

And we can name, you know, at a minimum 10 neighborhoods that have experienced the exact same thing and is still experiencing them.

And so when we are bringing forth legislation that we say impacts the people that are most marginalized, we can look at an example to be able to say that um this is why we need to be we need to be a little more diligent um and not waiting for folks to come to us because we knew and we know that these neighborhoods exist.

So I just want us to continue to always instead of being reactive, how can we be proactive?

Because there are plenty of neighborhoods that we don't even need to come here that we can go and address this to my colleague um Miss Lynch is saying to be able to do this.

So I want to thank you all for being here, and I want to um continue to say, you know, as you move forward, um, keep pushing us to to be better and to do better because this is something that should not just rest at Westwood.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilwoman Jones.

Councilwoman Gibson.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um and I I also want to thank the community for um uh for for their engagement.

Um residents across the city, I think have been um really focused uh a good number of them on decisions that impact um you know how our city looks as we look uh look ahead.

I um this uh resolution um has some of the same ideas that the there's a node in the third district, a node in the in the sixth district, um, and those nodes are uh the papers we adopted in 2025 uh were directed to inform the master plan, which I believe is due for review.

And so um I want to uh this this area too should be part of that, although it's less formal as a resolution, it should be part of that same larger engagement.

Um and I want um essentially to voice my um my belief uh that that we should not adopt any citywide change to the code ahead of these investigations, um, because the learnings that we see in uh the Westwood neighborhood would also be relevant in many other historic uh neighborhoods across the city um in the third district.

I'm thinking about Washington Park, I'm thinking about Providence Park.

Um, and uh and I know that um you know Jackson Moore, there are many, there are many of these communities citywide.

And so again, I I applaud the efforts of um of our residents, um, and I look to this body to ensure that um we and you know we we make sure through the cultural heritage plan, um, our master plan process that we ensure that we have crossed all our eyes, you know, you know that's the cliche I'm trying to do.

Thank you.

Councilwoman Robertson.

Thank you, Madam President, and I want to uh take my hat off to Westwood community.

Um it's a little it's quite embarrassing, really, and shameful that for all of these years we are just at the place where we are today.

So my apologies, first of all.

Um this uh your community came down in big numbers uh not too long ago to the planning commission.

And at the time when we had this um development that was taking place that raised a lot of concerns.

Um we had expressed at the planning commission at that time that we need to do something to protect this neighborhood.

Um thankfully, um I'm grateful that uh my colleague is um allowed us not to drop the ball again.

Thank you and I'm also encouraged by my time up already.

I'm sorry, I thought you paused, so I please very sensitive subject, so yeah, I do have to take a breath every now and then on this subject matter.

I do.

Um, but you know, I'm really grateful that this is happening, and I want to say to you, um, regrettably where your neighborhood and what your neighborhood have experienced.

I want to say to you that what you are doing sends a very, very big loud voice to Richmond.

Because right now Richmond is facing huge displacement of African Americans in neighborhoods that are being they're being displaced, they're being displaced, not just because values of properties.

There is an industry that intentionally discriminate against African American homeowners.

We've had studies done, we've asked for action to be taken to the to address that displacement.

It's on the books to get a plan, is four years behind the study being done.

These things just seem to just not have a fast pace to them.

So my comment that I would ask you guys to continue to do.

Don't let us drag our feet on this, okay?

Don't let us come back with a plan that takes forever to happen, okay.

Hold us to the fire, because not only are we interested in protecting your neighborhood, we've got to prevent the loss of the many neighborhoods that are taking place right now, and it's African Americans that are being displaced.

So thank you.

Thank you.

Your sacrifice is going to gain great, great rewards.

And I want to be a partner with you in any way I can to help make sure that we don't go to sleep on this and that we face the displacement that is currently taking place so that we don't continue to lose neighborhoods and they get to the state that where you are to just preserve and do a wonderful plaque.

No, we want to keep people in their neighborhoods where they live with the spirit of community like none other that we experienced in the city of Richmond.

Thank you so much.

And thank you, Mr.

Brenton from the first district.

Appreciate it.

Thank you.

Uh well, I want to once again thank all the residents who came to speak and tell the story of Westwood.

I want to thank my colleagues for supporting this resolution.

As I said, um the the timing of this is mostly a coincidence.

I've been trying to get this done since February of 2025, one of my very first months here in the seat.

I started trying to get a resolution for a node plan for Westwood.

It's something that a lot of neighborhoods have had.

Every plan is specific to that neighborhood, and the plan for Westwood will be specific to the needs and goals of this neighborhood.

So I thank everyone for the support.

I thank you all so much for making such a special night.

Um I'm gonna remember this is you know something I'm very proud to have been a part of, so I appreciate your help getting us done as well, and I appreciate everyone's support on this.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Breton.

Again, I would just like to well, let me just say Richmond is a historically rich city.

We have neighborhoods throughout.

You name them some were named by some folks and many more.

And so I want to thank uh Mr.

Breton for his due diligence in making sure that this came forward, and I want to thank you for your commitment and your advocacy to make sure that this community continues to exist and this history continues.

And uh with that, I am going to ask uh our clerk to call the question.

Council is now voting on resolution 2026 R024 as amended.

Mr.

Breton.

Aye.

Ms.

Gibson.

Yes, Ms.

Jones.

Aye, Miss Robertson.

Aye, Miss Lynch.

Aye.

Ms.

Trammell.

Aye.

Ms.

Obenbacher.

Aye.

Vice President Jordan.

Aye.

And President Newbow.

Aye.

That paper has been adopted.

Thank you.

With that, no.

We know you're excited, but we hold the clap clapping for the proclamations and recognitions.

But thank you.

Thank you all for making time to come and to have your voices heard and your concerns.

And yeah, thank you.

With that, Madam Clerk, I believe, or Mr.

Clerk, we have the next item will be the resolution 2026-109.

Is that correct?

That's correct.

And then that is item number three, ordinance number 2026-109.

And that's to close the public use and travel a portion of public right-of-way located south of Brooklyn Park Boulevard and east of Robin Hood Road, consisting of approximately 11,105 square feet upon certain terms and conditions.

That paper is before council.

Is there desire anyone from the administration to speak to this item?

No.

No, I'm sorry.

I was asking if there was a representative from the administration desirous of speaking to the paper before we get underway with the public hearing, etc.

No?

Okay.

With that, we will see with the public hearing.

Do we have persons present desirous of speaking in opposition to this paper?

If you would come forward, excuse me one second.

Okay.

Good evening, members of uh City Council.

I am speaking up.

My name is Chris Banks.

I'm in the third district.

I live in Sherwood Park.

I'm speaking on behalf of the Sherwood Park Civic Association's Government Affairs and Safety Committee, of which several of the members are behind me.

And this is about an issue that actually affects all districts.

I'd like you all to evaluate it as such.

The um the lighter quicker cheaper program uh administered by uh Darona Clark, uh championed by Transportation Director, sorry, uh Drona Clark, who's the uh direct deputy director and um leader of the Office of Equitable Transit Mobility and uh championed by uh Transportation Director Andy Bonau describes lighter, quicker, cheaper and as a and similar methods as a way for the public to capture space and hold it in the public right of way for immediate change and also for some long-term planning process and funding that can take years and years and years to figure out what the best and highest use might be of that public space.

Um that redesign should share the best and highest use.

So consider the dozens of um pedestrian and cyclist fatalities that we've had over the past years, the the recent uh bicycle hits uh that have occurred, recent recent crashes that have occurred.

Would any of you want to give away one foot of public space if it could be better used to protect the people who live, work, and yes, even commute to any school uh in our city?

Uh one hundred and eighty public parking spaces currently exist within one block radius of this place.

Some of those parking spaces were designed by um transportation uh engineer Emily Delphi who's not here today, to facilitate a parking protected bike lane, which functions best when people park in that space to protect cyclists and also to narrow the street to slow down traffic.

That's what it is for.

Um a pedestrian is hit walking to the diamond district in the future, when uh someone is biking to the fall line is hit or is just trying to get to a neighborhood park like like uh my own daughter will be in a few years.

Uh would you want to say, well, 34 parking spaces was more important, of course, clearly.

Um this will set a precedent that public space is up for limited private convenience, uh up for grabs.

Consider for a second if the Maggie Walker statue would have been built if Max is on broad decided to buy that little triangle in front instead of let it at some point in time be future developed.

So, in closing, and I have so much more to say, but I can save it for the next time we have public comment, is that school directors, uh, schools themselves, planners, council members come and go, but uh neighborhoods, residents, and infrastructure last generations.

These decisions have consequences.

I can talk about some of them, but one of them is that we don't have sidewalks because in 1955 we took a hundred thousand dollars out to put it into Pine Camp and then closed it a year later.

So we don't have sidewalks on Robin Hood because of that decision seventy-five years ago.

Thank you.

Thank you.

You can proceed here.

I'm gonna refer to the packet if I can't.

Madam President, members of the council, thank you for the opportunity to speak today.

My name is David Mayer.

I live at 1406 Brooklyn Parkway.

I'll just say it.

Brooklyn Parkway is a beautiful street.

It was part of the uh Frederick Olmsted design.

He's the man who designed Central Park, uh, the Emerald Nexus Necklace in Boston, Jackson Park in Chicago, and the Capitol Grounds in Washington, D.C.

This is one of his designs.

The first four pages of the packet I just passed out to you.

I had originally prepared a two-minute video.

Uh unfortunately, the council doesn't have a way to show a video in public comment, so this is the best I could do.

These are snapshots from that video.

The first four pages show driving down Brooklyn Parkway, a gentle meandering road, uh with a huge tree canopy and blossoming uh crep myrtles.

Uh the fifth page shows an overhead view of the site we're talking about.

You'll notice there's the slip lane, which is closed.

And next to the slip lane, before you get to Brooklyn Parkway, is this triangular pocket park that is owned by the city.

Uh there is this, I think misconception that this ordinance is only about transferring property.

It's really not, because that pocket park is currently owned by the city.

Once both that slip lane and the pocket park get transferred to the school, the school has industrial zoning, which means it can put a parking lot right there.

And it doesn't matter whether 34 or 24 parking spaces, that's going to be a parking lot.

And as you drive down from Hermitage in those first four pages, you come to page four, then you go to page six, you'll see where I've outlined where that parking lot is going to be.

Page seven, you've come out of the canopy, and there you're gonna be squarely faced with this parking lot.

And then page eight is the end of it.

If you look on page eight, off in the distance, there is parking for a VCU um hospital facility, which is a good thirty to forty yards off Brooklyn Parkway.

This is the only place where there will be a parking lot right on Brooklyn Parkway.

Even the Hermitage at the beginning of Brooklyn Parkway has this beautiful green green space and parking well off of Brooklyn Parkway.

Um I personally, I'm not speaking for the committee on this.

I personally have no objection to the slip.

30 seconds to the slip lane being transferred to the to the school.

But that park is is a city park.

And uh it's part of the original Olmstead design.

And to quote Joni Mitchell, you don't know what you've got till it's gone, you pave paradise and put up a parking lot.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next speaker, please.

My name is uh Robert Hood.

I live in the uh third district across the street from the school.

And um this and uh across the street from the school and the park and the pocket park, and I am against this proposal.

While uh most people wouldn't want to look out their front window and see a huge parking lot where there was never one before, I have a larger concern.

Our neighborhood and that property is significance as an Olmstead landscape.

Our neighborhood Sherwood Park was designed in 1891 by Frederick Law Olmsted, who is considered to be the father of landscape landscape architecture.

Some of his more famous works include Estage previously, Central Park and Prospect Park in New York City, U.S.

Capitol Grounds of Washington, D.C., and the Piltmore State in North Carolina.

He also personally designed two neighborhoods in the United States, one in Albany, New York, and our neighborhood Sherwood Park.

The only portion of that design that currently remains 100% intact from his original design in 1891 is Brooklyn Parkway, including the wedge-shaped green space that the school wants to turn into a parking lot, parking lot, which I believe would also become the first and only street-facing parking lot in a north side neighborhood.

If passed, this will carve out a piece of our legacy, our history, and the identity and significance of our neighborhood and destroy an Olmstead design landscape.

Brooklyn Parkway, including the piece of land in question, is currently recognized by the Cultural Landscape Foundation and National Park Service as a national historic site.

We are recognized by the Olmstead Network as an official Olmsted landscape and feature on their website.

We have also begun the process with Virginia DHR for additional historic recognitions and designations.

The school wants to dismantle and pave over this green space and pocket park in 135 years of history at the objection of residents of our neighborhood and the Olmstead network, not for the matter of necessity, but for the convenience of not having to park in the street, of which, as previously stated, there is already an abundance of designated spaces in front of and down the entire parkway, including in front of my house, which is fine.

This follow the following is uh from the school's own website.

Waldorf schools integrate nature into their mission to cultivate well-rounded self-aware individuals by emphasizing outdoor play, gardening, and hands-on environmental exploration.

Waldorf education aims to nurture children physically, emotionally, and spiritually while fostering a lifelong sense of wonder and environmental stewardship.

This plan runs counter to those core ideals.

Finally, this letter of support from a year ago is completely irrelevant as stated in the communications that your council has received in the past few months.

Our neighborhood initially agreed to the conceptual draft framework for development change a year ago, which was always contingent on their final plan.

When we received that final plan in April, this is when we and I raised serious objections.

Please or not let them acquire this green space and permanently mark the history and beauty of our neighborhood.

Thank you.

That's your time.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Welcome.

Hi, thank you.

My name is Tara Fitzpatrick, and I'm a resident of Sherwood Park in the 3rd District.

The following views that I'm expressing tonight are from my perspective as a resident mom and a person who bikes, walks, and uses transit while also occasionally using my car to get around as transportation.

A week ago, the city renamed a section of East Clay Street in the late Bill Martin's honor.

And while this is a lovely sentiment, Bill should still be with us.

And if the city is truly going to honor him, this body needs to acknowledge that he died by traffic violence, and our lack of safe infrastructure enabled it to happen.

Every time a paper is approved that undermines master plans like Richmond 300, the Vision Zero Action Plan, Richmond Connects, RVA Green 2050, the neighborhood traffic management program, created through extensive community engagement with content experts, it all makes us all vulnerable.

My neighbors and other community members have detailed safety, environmental, and historic preservation concerns in their communications, both tonight and through many emails and other conversations over the past couple of months.

We just heard from most of you about your commitment to preservation.

In my email to you in late May, I outline in detail how this paper is unsupportive of the sections of Richmond 300 it purports to support.

It involved my son and I.

And as we were riding to an appointment at children's next door, we were almost hit.

The addition of at least another ingress egress, bisecting bike lanes and sidewalks, will increase the likelihood of more dangerous conflicts.

My neighbors and I have had to serve as first responders in life-altering and life-ending crashes on Brooklyn Parkway, which is included on the high injury network.

If I'm injured or killed on our city's streets, I've asked for the community to politicize my death.

So let's go ahead and avoid that and start making the right decisions.

Please oppose ordinance 2026-109.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Welcome.

Good evening, Council.

My name is John Gass.

I'm a resident of Sherwood Parks.

I'm here speaking on behalf of the Safety and Governmental Commission of the Sherwood Park Civic Association.

You will probably soon hear that our association wrote a letter of support for the Waldorf plan that you're considering tonight.

I signed that letter.

So listen to me when I tell you what it was and what it wasn't.

It reflected a straw vote following the Waldorf 2025 presentation to our association, the members that were there in the room.

And that was 16 months ago.

So much is different now.

Our association has no formal process for issuing approvals or disapprovals in our bylaws, nor do the bylaws even specify what a quorum is.

We issued a report of a straw vote that happened one evening in our group.

We're not even the applicable neighborhood association group to be factored into this proposal.

Since Waldorf's 2025 presentation to us, we've heard from many neighbors who don't want a parking lot in a front yard on a city designated Great Street.

We've heard from local bike and pedestrian advocates who see an already dangerous intersection threatened by another busy curb cut on Robin Hood Road, which will be a major route to and from the Diamond District.

We heard from the city's sustainability stewards who plead for dehaving whenever possible, especially considering all the combined sewer troubles that our city is struggling with now.

We heard from Frederick Wall Olmstead Foundation, who was perplexed that Richmond, one of America's great historically astute cities, would consider allowing a parking lot on Homestead's only designation.

30 seconds.

So our committee representing the taxpayers who live here is in opposition to the no-bid sale of the city property for the tax-exempt entity to construct a parking lot on our arguably most beautiful street or boulevard in the city.

We've had multiple meetings between the school and our neighborhood, hoping to understand the need for more on-site parking when there is ample on-street parking nearby.

We hope to work to a safe and respectful compromise, but Waldorf is not backed away from the parking lot plan.

Thank you.

That's your time.

Thank you.

With that, the public hearing is now closed.

Bring it back to the Madam President.

I do believe you need to call for the speakers in support of this ordinance.

Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

In fact, I thought we had had that conversation.

So we did.

If you would, those who are in favor, if you would come forward.

I think so oftentimes we have to consider what questions we are asked.

And this chamber here, I'm sure is asked a lot about considering what is right and what is best.

And those are hard questions to sometimes come down to one particular way to resolve that.

I think you have to consider what it is to do good with what is presented to you.

These are difficult decisions, and we recognize that as we have worked closely with our neighbors.

I know all of them by name that just spoke in opposition to this, as we've met together on multiple occasions over the last 16 to 18 months.

And we'll continue to do that.

We have shared with them that we are willing to write a memorandum of understanding in relation to that partnership.

And we will do that if that's something that they are willing to do.

We recognize that the ordinance in front of you has two main pieces relative to the right-of-way closure as well as the acquisition with conditions.

We continue to partner with planning and zoning, working with all directors in meeting the necessary requirements.

We recognize that's going to require an update to an institutional master site plan.

That is part of the condition.

That is part of what the next 18 months will provide for us.

So in what was presented that does show in this ordinance of 34 parking spots was relative to an initial design.

It is something that we have shared with the Civic Association as well as with others that we are open to other design considerations for buffering.

For obviously, we will uh have the necessary sidewalks, the consideration of honoring the Olmstead landscaping into the city as well as it relates to this particular location.

But as a part of it, I hope that the city can recognize it is stretching 300 feet in front of our doorstep.

There's not another single spot in this neighborhood that has this much proximity to this slip lane that has been closed for four years.

30 seconds.

It has been indicated by safety personnel that there is zero interest in reopening this road.

It is directly on our doorstep, and we will invest and make the necessary steps and continue to work with Shore Park as we are their neighbors.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Welcome, City Council members.

Uh, my name is Pete Markham.

I'm a parent at the Richmond Waldorf School for 11 years.

I presently serve as a PA chair, representing the school's parents association.

I was a parent of a child when the Waldorf School moved to its present location.

I remember when the slip of Robin Hood Road in front of our school was closed.

And I think that it closing it has alleviated some of the traffic safety issues, but it's not perfect.

The school purchasing this property would be increasing traffic safety on many levels.

Pedestrian, biking, vehicle travel, and parking, along with increasing traffic safety, the closed road and triangle property will be turned into a more vibrant, welcome, and useful corner at no expense to the city.

Community involvement is a practice that our school tries to teach our students at the Waldorf School and learn through practice.

We, the parents and the leaders at the school are willing to listen to thoughts, ideas, and designs from our neighbors to help create a more functional school and social space in our community.

We the Richmond Waldo School PA ask that you vote yes to this ordinance so that we may be a part of a positive lasting change in our wonderful city.

Thank you.

Good evening, President Newville, Vice President Jordan, and members of council.

My name is Lori Markham, and I am an urban planner by training and a proud parent of three students at the Richmond Wardorf School.

We started this process about a year and a half ago.

Even though this these slip lanes in front of the school have been closed to traffic for four years.

So instead of asking the city to spend your limited resources on fixing this two lanes of pavement in front of our front door, we have gone through this extensive process to try to acquire the property so that we may fix it ourselves and create a safer, more welcoming environment for our school and for the neighborhood.

We are we're disappointed in the pushback from the neighborhood after receiving their initial sort of voice of support for it.

If we had heard that at the beginning, we might not have spent so much time and resources getting this far.

Um so we are committed to continuing to work with them on what are the is the best plan for safety and um maneuverability around this intersection, and we would ask that you support this ordinance so that we can move forward with those plans.

We are here to answer questions if you if you have any.

So thank you for your time and consideration this evening.

Thank you, Ms.

Morkham.

At this point, the public hearing is now closed.

Bring me back to council for discussion.

Councilmember Gibson.

Thank you, Madam President.

So as I mentioned earlier, my hope is to continue this item so that we can for two things.

One, um, I there is language in terms of the number of parking spots in the notice that is different than what I believe the current plans show.

So I think that correcting that would be beneficial to do.

Um there are documents that I have requested from the administration to provide more guidance and an understanding in terms of traffic studies and such.

So I think that material which we requested in June would be helpful to have.

You know, if there is a way to formalize a you know, some type of collaboration.

Um I think the the piece that is um I think everyone is on board with is the understanding that this is uh an awkward intersection and there is an interest in ensuring that it's safe.

Um I am encouraged by the fact that um we have received uh input from city administration experts in regarding to transportation safety, um, including our new head, that that the overall plan in terms of closing the street permanently um is uh is something that they believe is is safe.

But um, but I my hope is that with some additional time and and a minimum the the modification in terms of the parking spaces in the in the ordinance um that we can get um get more folks on board um with this with this item.

So um so my motion is to continue this to the uh September 28th formal meeting um and hopefully with an amended version.

Is there a second?

I second that council is now voting on the motion to continue ordinance number 2026-109 to the September 28th council meeting as stated.

Mr.

Breton?

Aye, Miss Gibson, yes, Ms.

Jones, Ms.

Robertson, aye, Ms.

Lynch, aye, Ms.

Trammell.

Aye, Miss Abubacher, aye, Vice President Jordan, and President New Bill.

Aye.

That motion has been approved.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

Let's proceed with the uh regular agenda item 2026 R028, please.

That item is item number 33, resolution number 2026-R028 to order the submission to the qualified voters of the city of the question of whether the city should levy a local sales tax rate not to exceed one percent, the revenues from which shall be used solely for the construction or renovation of public school facilities for a referendum thereon.

That paper is before council.

Thank you.

And I would uh ask if the lead patron would like to provide comments at this time.

Thank you so much, President Newbell and colleagues.

Um so just as a refresher, uh, for the last several years, the city council, mayor's office, and our school board have been asking the General Assembly for a tool that's exist in other localities in Virginia.

That tool is to levy a one percent sales tax to go towards new school construction and major innovations.

Um before us tonight is the paper that, if passed, would then facilitate a referendum for our constituents to vote on whether or not they want to accept this additional tool for our toolbox.

Um as mentioned, nine other localities have this implemented.

Chesterfield just voted on it, other localities are pursuing it.

If passed, and I believe we will hear a presentation from Davenport, it would bring in upwards of 45 million dollars a year in new funding.

Um very importantly to me, it would diversify our tax base.

I feel um very committed to our small restaurant businesses to try and alleviate the meals tax burden that they have.

And if we have another tool, like this one percent sales tax, I think it allows us to diversify what we're putting on their backs.

And a couple other points.

The revenue is collected by the state, not by City of Richmond, it's collected by the state.

And it is an effectively in a lockbox only for these purposes.

So again, this is something that we are considering to put forward as a referendum for the voters of Richmond to decide.

Um look forward to hearing from Davenport.

Um, you know, we were kind of in a rush with the way the General Assembly wrapped up and was extended to get the information that would help us make the most thoughtful decisions.

So I think we will have some analysis to to further dive into how much money would be generated.

And then also the the reality is if we do not add this extra tool, what we're looking at when it comes to continuing to fund the needs of our schools.

So with that, I will turn it over.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Um I'll just uh add very brief remarks.

Richmond's future, 22,000 students.

Uh we have a total of approximately 44 schools.

Approximately 25% of those schools, 10 of them are more than 100 years old.

And I'm all for preservation and all of that.

But when we're serious about readying our future to be successful in a highly very global technological AI society, a 100-year-old school is not it.

We also have new schools, which is good.

We have about 10 of those.

Okay.

And so the 1% sales tax referendum that Richmond voters would decision.

This is not council.

Richmond voters would get to decision.

Ms.

Jordan has already mentioned the amount that that would give us that would allow us to more swiftly deal with the challenges of our schools.

And I I would um I'd hope that we would have support for that.

Our children deserve the best.

Where we are now, and we've made progress.

I have a new school, hadn't had a new school in my district for decades.

In real marsh elementary school.

But I have a school that's over 100 years old in my district as well, and there are nine others across the city.

And I'm saying our children need to have the kind of environments that allow them to learn, thrive, all of that.

And so I'm gonna press pause there.

Um we will proceed with a public hearing.

Madam President, yes, I'm gonna have presentation.

Yes, I want to um Mr.

Donald.

I'm sorry, I got a little example.

Mr.

Donald.

Yeah, good to meet you.

Thank you.

Council President.

Yes, you know, I can know I'll be quick too.

I mean, I think this is an issue.

The mayor of the council, the General Assembly, our partners on the school board, uh, and their staff have all kind of been extraordinary champions of you know for our youth for the future of Richmond.

I'm excited to see the major levels of collaboration, I think tonight.

We partner with Davenport, and I'll just share the mayor's uh ultra-enthusiastic position uh in alignment with all of you, uh, and just kind of highlight while why this is very important to us, and then I'll turn it over from Mr.

And then I'll turn it over from Mr.

David Rose, who y'all are more familiar with uh than me.

This is this is our guy who crunches the numbers and brings, you know, the the authority that we need to have confidence in what our future looks like.

And so, you know, just want to highlight that there are a ton of competing priorities.

We've talked today about everything from water conservation and some of our meetings together.

Uh, you know, the courthouse most recently we looked at our infrastructure, we had a train going to the canal.

I mean, there are tons of infrastructure activities for which we are focused on, committed to, and have to provide for with little to no resources many of the times.

This is a unique opportunity that does not come along often.

I think the most important piece, especially from what I've been hearing from council almost from day one, is that you want to provide relief to our taxpayers and not build the city on their backs and you know, do it with our residents, not to our residents.

And so this opportunity is just a unique opportunity for us to do that.

It's one percent sales tax when you crunch the numbers and the experts will bring those to you.

But personally, I've been a part of ten different special local option sales tax activities.

And in the lowest one that was brought forward, 45% of all of those revenues were paid by folks from outside of the community.

You don't get a better opportunity or an option to deliver for your community and not on their backs than when bringing an opportunity like this to the table.

I think even more so, what I would highlight here is that you know, when we think about the shared cost is also in a dedicated funding source.

So I've heard all of the things, whether before I got here, even since I've been here about the sleight of hand when it comes to financial delivery and things of that nature.

Well, here, the General Assembly has made sure we don't have to worry about that because there's a dedicated funding source that will be collected by the state and then returned to the city for the specific reason that these funds are to be utilized for, which is just another step in accountability, which again, when speaking to this council, is something that you and the mayor are fully aligned on that we should provide that.

And then I think the final thing is that there are some things that the subject matter experts, the things that we lead in, and then things that others lead in.

And I think of all the questions that have come forward for me personally, I take great uh respect and provide a strong commitment to this effort based on the actions that have already taken place by the unanimous support of our school board, who when it comes to our young people and the things and the resources they need are our subject matter experts.

And so I think you have them, you know, in front of us today.

And the final piece, which is important, but I think those other pieces are just as important.

You know, affordability safeguards, again, this council, because I I definitely want to always listen to and acknowledge the things that you are unified and committed to.

And affordability is something that y'all have taken on head on.

We talked earlier today when we had our group here and we highlighted some of the decisions that you made to support them.

Even your commitment to our downtown and how we use funds and how we don't, you know, making sure that they don't have a negative impact.

Well, again, in partnership and mainly because of your advocacy, this effort on affordability doesn't include groceries, doesn't include medicine and hygiene project products.

Those are exempt from the one um sent.

That is important as well, because when I look at this, I see a full alignment, you know, with our mayor and with our council.

And we have that type of alignment, and you add in our partners and champions at the school board.

It is just something that makes this once in a lifetime opportunity for which we didn't know how we would come up with these resources, something that is very tangible.

And then I think the final thing that for me, I'm really excited about, which is not as much of a fiscal impact, but your approval is taking it to our residents, so ultimately they get to make the decision.

And so look, I often give kudos to the council, but I think this is one of those times where the political will matches the need of our community.

And so I'm honored today to introduce uh Mr.

David Rolls, who I have come to not only consider a friend and colleague, but a strong subject matter expert, and he'll take you through what the numbers say.

Welcome, Mr.

Rose.

We look forward to hearing how this opportunity will be a great win for a city.

Thank you, uh Madam President, uh members of council.

Again, David Rose with Davenport, and we have the good fortune of serving as your financial advisor.

Um what I'd like to do this evening is just provide some context to some of the comments that both you and the vice president have made, as well as Mr.

Donald in front of you.

You should see this supplemental information.

Uh by all means, just stop me if there's something that uh you'd like me to uh to readdress or if there's some questions, by all means.

I'm not going to be too long this evening.

Uh, but the hope is to just provide some context of what the opportunity is, uh, as you've seen and heard, uh, up to one percent of the total sales.

Again, a significant portion, although I do not know that number, uh, will be coming from folks that do not live uh in the city.

So again, from a balance perspective versus you think about it, uh, real estate that is totally uh paid for by city residents.

Um as you can see here, I'm not going to read every line, uh, but just to provide, again, a little bit more information.

Uh, if enacted, we think it would occur in FY 2028, and that would be roughly 47 million dollars in year one.

So, again, uh a game-changing number uh in the roughly 30 years I've had the good fortune of working with the city, this is the single largest number increase of a source of revenue uh that I've ever seen, uh and I think it holds true.

Uh the good news here, it'll last for upwards of almost 20 years, some 19 years, given a little bit of the technique of of getting it done uh post the resolution.

Uh in addition, what we've done here, and you'll see in a moment, is we have grown those revenues, while the history of uh has been with regard to growth trends, about 3 percent.

We have grown that a 2 percent, and you'll see what that does.

So that 47 million literally goes up about 50 percent by the time the end of the 20-year period is over.

A couple of important things for those that may be skeptical.

Um, these dollars can only be used to pay for existing renovation or new improvements of a material scale for schools.

Uh that's important, as they said.

I think one of you mentioned the lockbox, and indeed uh that's what will happen.

It will be remitted uh to the city by the Commonwealth, and that's how it's been for the other roughly nine entities, eight of whom we represent, by the way, uh, in doing this already.

So it's been quite successful, and of course, it can be used for debt service, and I'll talk about that in a moment.

So, as I indicated a moment ago, uh we started about 47 million dollars.

That's the estimate in fiscal year 2028, and if grown at just 2 percent, uh it'll go to almost 70 million dollars by 2046.

And that's the way the legislation would be set up to allow you to, in effect, collect these dollars for almost 20 years.

It's important to realize, again, that this is at 2 percent.

The history has been closer to 3 percent.

So you can see that number maybe even considerably better than that over the period of time.

So let's talk a little bit, if we could, about the current school plan.

Um, that's current school plan, uh, which was created roughly about seven or eight years ago, uh, envisioned about 800 million dollars in four phases.

Um we've already funded phases one and two, but the phases three and four there uh would not get completed for literally another eight to almost ten years.

Uh that contemplates another 450 million dollars.

That's what we'll call the current plan.

Um that current plan, as I could tell, based upon superintendent cameras and others' discussions are seemingly inadequate in terms of just the number of dollars.

And the timing, again, is going to take again upwards of some eight plus years just to get that done.

Really don't have any funding sources yet.

That will rely on the growth of the general fund.

And I'll show you how material and how important that's going to be.

So hopefully I can cut down on all my verbose discussion here.

This is only phases one and two.

What you can see there is right now.

The dark green is bonds that had already been issued.

They have already been spoken for.

That's what came from the approval several years ago of that increase of the one and a half percent.

That's also spoken for.

That's taking care of projects that are uh again have been funded.

That first, if you would, some $350 million.

Uh that has been uh part of that.

Uh then you see the the brownish, the tannish, if you would.

Um, those dollars uh again, they're coming from existing general fund dollars that you put into the 2027 fiscal year budget.

And then lastly, uh that light blue, uh that's the remaining part of that second phase.

That's going to need that's about seven and a half million annual debt service, and that's going to need some growth from the general funds.

So while this phases one and two are largely already baked into your overall budgets, uh there is still going to be a few dollars necessary that will come from some growth in the general fund.

That said, um, if we don't get this one percent, that red series of bars, that is roughly an additional thirty-four million dollars at its apex of general fund revenues that will be necessary to take care of phases three and four.

That is not yet been accounted for.

Those will be again necessary and come from future dollars and growth in the revenues of the general fund.

However, lastly, if we're able to get that one percent, you'll notice there we have that slight bump in the light blue over a couple of years, but in the grand scheme of things, those are really very small dollars, and you'll notice that by the end of 2034-2035, as we finish up this overall plan, uh the city's overall debt profile as it relates to schools, is actually stronger in seven or eight years than it is today in 2027.

What that means there is that we are building the basis for future debt capacity for the next wave of schools to come beyond that $850 million.

So, again, this from an overall perspective is both prudent financially, it helps the schools, it helps us get schools done faster and not have to worry about even increased inflation per schools, uh, and it also puts the overall general fund in a much better position to take on other capital needs as we go into the next uh decade.

So, lastly, I'm happy to answer any questions.

Uh appreciate that.

Uh, Council President Newville and uh again, hopefully I can uh be some help.

Okay, so you will remain with us.

What I'd like to do is go on and have our public hearing, and then if there are questions, you'll be here.

Okay.

At this time, I will ask uh and invite those present who is who are desirous of speaking in opposition to the paper if you would come forward.

Seeing none, I'd like to invite those present who are desirous of speaking in favor of the paper, if you would come forward.

Welcome.

Good evening.

Good evening.

President Newville, Vice President Jordan, and esteemed council members.

My name is Shivonda Fernandez.

I'm a chair of Richmond Public Schools and also the 9th District School Board representative.

On behalf of the board, I want to thank you all for adding the 1% sales tax referendum for consideration this evening.

This shared effort reflects collaboration among the governor, state, school board, city council, and the mayor's office.

It is no secret that there's a great facilities and maintenance need in RPS.

In the 9th district alone, we've been in the news of the past couple of years because of concerns of abestis.

This could be life-changing for our students.

This is about leaving the next generation with schools that reflect the value we place on their education.

Students should be able to focus on learning, not on leaking roofs, outdated HVAC systems, or aging facilities.

This is a transformational opportunity for the city of Richmond to make a substantial impact in the lives of our students.

Most of our buildings average 60 years old.

I'm 44 years old, and when I wake up, my knees ache.

Can you imagine how the schools feel?

And we have tens of millions in deferred maintenance.

The funding would provide a steady, decorated stream towards school modernization, easing the burden on the rest of RPS and the city budget.

This referendum is an investment into our children, our workforce, and the future of the city of Richmond.

Every student deserves a safe, modern learning environment that prepares them to succeed.

Why does this matter, you may ask?

Many RPS school buildings are decades old and require significant repairs and modernization.

The referendum provides a dedicated local funding source for school infrastructure without relying solely on the city's general fund, which we are so appreciative of.

Investing in education supports workforce development and contributes to Richmond's long-term economic vitality.

30 seconds.

When we invest in our students, we invest in our future for our entire city.

Thank you for your consideration tonight.

Thank you.

Welcome, Superintendent Camers.

Good evening, Madam President, members of Council.

My name is Jason Cammer, Superintendent of Richmond Public Schools.

I wanted to read you a student quote.

Student writes, in winter, the school was very cold.

And a lot of times we had to put on our jackets.

And the ones who sat furthest away were very cold.

That's from Barbara Johns in 1951.

Despite our very best efforts, we still sometimes have young people who experience similar conditions in their classrooms.

And so today I come before you, as did the chair, to thank you for considering putting this referendum before the voters of Richmond so that we can once and for all ensure that no child in the city of Richmond attends a school or is in a classroom that is too cold, too warm, doesn't have the proper roofing, or any of the other incredibly important amenities that children deserve in the 21st century.

My commitment to you as superintendent of the school system is that as we create a new facilities plan that would be the roadmap for how to use those funds, that it will be done transparently, and we will aim to be as efficient as we possibly can with every single dollar to ensure that every child gets the very best chance to be in a modern facility.

We look forward to engaging with you, with the public, our families, our students, about how to prioritize these dollars to make sure that we set all of our young people on a trajectory for success.

Again, thank you so much for your support over the years because of the city's investments.

We have a new Henry Marshall Elementary School.

We have a new River City Middle School, we have a new Cardinal Elementary School, and we are about to open a new Richmond High School for the Arts in just a couple of weeks.

I know like you, we love to have similar facilities for all 22,000 children in the city of Richmond.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Welcome.

My good afternoon, evening, uh President Newgall and Council members.

My name is Dr.

Jackie McDonough.

I'm a 38-year resident of Richmond, a former RPS teacher and a former VCU School of Education faculty member.

I am in full support of the resolution that, if passed, would put a referendum on voters' ballots in November for a 1% sales tax for schools construction.

This is democracy in action.

This my neighborhood high school, John Marshall, that my children went to is 66 years old and sorely in need of replacement.

I think that Richmonders would enthusiastically support the additional 1% sales tax for school construction if their questions about current school spending were put to rest.

I, for one, have questions about some line items in the May 2026 financial report.

According to RPS's own financial reporting, 0% of the 20 million dollars allocated for school improvement projects was spent in the 2026 fiscal year.

Our schools are filled with mold, leaky roofs, and crumbling infrastructure.

So why are we not currently spending the funds allocated specifically for those for fixing those issues?

In another entry, other professional compensation, spending was over budget by 9.6 million dollars.

Additionally, RPS is required to submit a five-year facilities plan under state law.

The school board set a goal to produce the plan two years ago.

No plan has been completed.

This isn't this is an example of mismanagement.

And knowing that it isn't being spent, that it's being spent wisely.

And say, yes, the money is absolutely necessary and it will be managed properly.

In short, this system isn't working for Richmond.

We need a change from the status quo.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Good evening, Madam President and City Council.

Welcome.

I just want to say that I do agree with the uh with the motion of putting it on a referendum for construction and renovation for RPS, but I think it needs to be legally earmarked exclusively for RPS construction and existing renovation.

Um I saw this happen in 2018 and 2019.

The meal tax was voted on 2018 for the school infrastructure and the cigarettes taxes was voted in 2019.

And the city taxpayers believed it was going to RPS to build schools, but instead is being used as a part of the city's general fund right now.

So it should have been an audience or referendum to create change on how that meal taxes was supposed to be allocated right now.

So I would like to see more transparency on that as a taxpayer, as a mother with two children in Richmond Public Schools.

We are concerned about our children at education.

But my biggest thing about this referendum is that everybody can have transparency.

Everyone can see what Richmond Public Schools needs.

But what happens if this referendum fails?

Thank you.

Thank you.

Seeing no other persons who stood to speak in favor.

Well, hold hold on, Madam President.

Let's just I do think that our former school board member and colleague raised a really good point.

I'm not hearing you well.

I'm sorry.

I'm I think she raised a really good point.

I just want to just want to put this point of clarification that the legislation requires the city to hold that the that tax revenue in a special reserve fund.

So there is it's not unlike the meals tax and any other tax for it, actually it's requirement.

This noted, there no others.

The public hearing uh is now closed.

Bring it back to the body for discussion.

Councilwoman Gibson.

Thank you, Madam President.

So this evening we've had several discussions that uh focus and are centered in racial justice.

We we celebrated black businesses in Richmond.

Um we celebrated uh movement towards protecting a historic black neighborhood in Richmond.

These are these are exciting things to do.

Um but but there are a couple places in which the reality of how much work we have to do is very tangible.

Um, and that has both to do with the state of our public schools and the state of our public housing.

Um it's uh I don't know any other way to say it except that the the state of our school buildings is deplorable.

Um I uh we we had a you know meeting and in John Marshall recently, um our superintendent was talking about cold spaces on this particular day, it was hot and and residents um were struggled to stay in the space.

Um it is uh a sad reality.

We've had to close schools because it was too hot to learn in them.

Um we've had staff voice issues with health concerns because of concerns with mold and air quality.

So I I support this uh resolution wholeheartedly.

Um sure the the revenue stream is not as progressive as I think our residents deserve.

Umfortunately we are limited, but I am thankful that we have an option.

Um we we need this funding desperately, so um so my focus is how can we make sure that we win.

Um anyone who's run a race knows uh time is of the essence, and to adopt this now in July, you know, this is in the reality of early voting.

Um this is not a slam dunk.

I um I reached out to the mayor's office um uh uh last month and and made several requests from him.

Um one was that uh he commit to ensure that any revenue generated through the this funding source would be additive and not replace existing funding.

Um so while the uh state law prohibits us from applying it towards um uh existing debt, what um what can happen is we have other uh funding that goes towards capital improvements.

Um there are ways that we could be able to bait and switch.

I I I want to believe that that's not the the intent to do, but I think that the public deserves a promise, a promise that the funding will be additive and and so that we can do more because the uh the need is is extensive.

Um to that same end, we need to show the public the numbers.

And so um this evening we received uh some presentations.

I I would like to note that these presentations are not yet public.

Um they were not uploaded, and so I request to the clerk that those materials be shared so that the public can see them.

Um I've not had substantial time to review myself, but in the quick review I've done, um, there's a lot of charts and not a lot of numbers.

What I've specifically asked the mayor was for an annual accounting from 2019 to present of the both the revenue generated by the 1.5 of the percent of the meals tax that's um been directed to go towards schools, and to see exactly what we spent it on.

So the presentation that we did not go through that um was prepared by uh I'm not sure by by the administration.

Um there there does show charts with what we received, but what we want to show the public is that we spent it as we said we would.

Um and so I I humbly request that we receive that um documentation.

Um I also requested to get um an understanding of the revenue.

We've received that now.

Thank you.

I appreciate Davenport for putting that um document together.

Um and then I also asked that the administration uh provide an outline in terms of how we can ensure we're not gonna fumble this one.

Um there have been headlines regarding um issues with how the meals tax program was managed, and we owe the public uh a some clear understanding to ensure that um that that this will be handled appropriately.

Um this is a large sum of money that we're talking about and it needs to be managed correctly.

Um the other request was that uh the mayor and the school board work to adopt a comprehensive school facilities plan.

Um I understand that that's something that's on their to-do list and and appreciate that they are are looking to do that, but it is unfortunate that we're not going to receive that plan until after voters are asked to vote.

And um, you know, I would say that voters are are are far more likely to support something when they know, for instance, that that means when they vote yes, that we will be rebuild John Marshall, for instance, in my district, Ginter Park Elementary School.

Um there are many in my district and throughout the city.

That that helps to win support.

And so to to ask the public to get a check essentially for um rebuilding something when they have not yet been told what that is, um is uh you know, is not ideal.

Let's say that.

Um I worry about the approach that the administration has taken by pinning uh future tax cuts on the success of this.

I think that we can win when um when we show the public that we will do right by them, that we will rebuild the schools and we will put the money where we said we would.

Um pinning the support on on a future cut for the property tax, for instance, in my opinion, this is contradictory of what we've what the administration has already said.

Um the administration has said that um you know they were open to a 2% property tax cut.

Um we told residents that once we aligned the timing of the calendar, we would have a more accurate way of being able to budget, which would also help to ensure that potential rate increases are or you know, and or cuts are aligned with what our financial needs are.

And so um, and so I'm just not sure that what we want to do is to suggest that if they don't support it, we're gonna punish residents because at the end of the day, what I don't want us to do is to punish the students.

We need this to win, and I think that um through transparency and and collaboration and and and doing the homework, we can ensure that um that the schoolwork is done in in safe and healthy buildings.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Um Councilwoman Jones.

Thank you.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um thank you for um to my colleagues that put this paper forward.

Um I have a couple of um maybe statements I think um that kind of builds upon what my colleague Ms.

Gibson is saying.

Well, I definitely support the one percent tax.

Um tonight is not just about let's vote on this.

You know, it really it is really more about what now, you know, and I constantly say that, and not just about the what now, but the how.

And so how are we going to do this?

How are we going to ensure that if we have 22,000 students that we're gonna make sure that their families know about this?

Because when I look at this presentation, it got a city logo on it.

It don't have a school board logo on it.

So I would like to know how we plan to actually implement this so that we can make sure that folks understand what it is that we do and why we're doing it and the benefit of us doing it and why we need their support and ensuring that that information is clear, that it the messaging does not speak to, you know, a you get this, we get that.

Like we want to be clear about why we're doing this and the benefit that the families in the communities are going to receive by supporting this resolution.

And then also making sure, and I raised this a little earlier, but I'm very concerned about our renters and making sure that we are getting to those folks that are not just homeowners to really understand what it is that we are proposing, because this is something that is a game changer, and it is something that can really elevate what we're attempting to do.

I remember when we were on school board and and advocating for Richmond High School of the Arts and how challenging that was.

Thank you, Dr.

Newbill.

Um I I don't have a lot to add to the comments that have already been made.

I do want to uh make it known that I fully support uh this uh going as a referendum uh to the voters to make that the final decision.

Uh I do think that it's important that in the interim between now and the vote being cast in November, we do a really good job of informing the public what this referendum means.

Um the fact that once this referendum is passed, this obligates the city to live up to the law of this resolution.

I mean, of this ordinance that we look forward to making sure that everybody's fully informed as to how those funds are gonna be used, and the partnership with Richmond Public Schools is significantly important, very, very important that we work with Russian public schools.

Um, you know, is it's painful for teachers and for school board members and others to come before us, and you all have been doing this for the entire time I've been on city council.

You know, there has been complaints about the overall condition of schools, where we are, and making those corrections and providing the facilities that are needed.

And, you know, unfortunately, I really do think that at some point, um, Madam Chair, we council cannot fund everything.

Um the citizens of the city of Richmond cannot put enough money in the budget to cover the costs for everything that needs to be done.

But some way or the other, when we do our priorities from one year to the next as far as budget is concerned, you know, the time has come that we just have to make some really, really tough decision as to what is a priority.

And everything cannot be a priority.

Um and you know, we've we've talked about a facility plan.

I've been through the schools, I've been through the you know, the ballar rooms, I've been through uh many of the conditions.

I've actually been a part of the team that did a lot of the survey, and when you guys were still on the school board and others before you, and those conditions have not been corrected, they've only gotten worse.

And the cost is a lot more.

And as hard as it is to make the right kind of budget decision, I really want to encourage our colleagues.

Um, you know, this is gonna be challenging for our residents.

Many of our residents are having an extremely hard time.

We have fought hard to try to uh cut real estate tax.

Um, you know, every year that I've been on city council almost have put in a paper to cut the real estate taxes.

Um so it's a real concerted effort and working with the administration and looking at our total budget as well as working with schools and looking at ways to how we can tighten our belts where we can tighten our belts.

Um there have been some recommendations for some actions that I would dare to say anything about consolidating schools because that's like a impossibility to have that discussion of.

But I do think that we really do have to work very closely together to do everything we can to close this gap and get to a place.

And it is important that as these revenues of this resolution is passed, the referendum is passed, uh, and we begin to receive this 47 plus million dollars that hopefully that we have the capacity to look at the majority of this fund being used to pay debt service and not cash construction and rehab.

Otherwise, we're gonna be way, way, way behind the eight ball in getting this done.

So it's really important that we look at that.

And then the other thing, we've talked about how this could help the city to have less of a demand for capital improvement dollars in for school.

I would want to see uh our financial advisors look at a way that we do not see this as an opportunity of less money that has to be continue to put in the budget to cover the debt service that we already have, that this is added on money that which means that the appropriation that is needed to cover the current debt service remain an obligation of the city and not this become an alternative of taking care of the debt service because if it does, we're really not adding any we we will still be adding some, but nowhere near the charts that we have before us.

So there's a lot of work that needs to be done.

I am hopeful the school board members, uh superintendent.

Um let's roll our sleeves up.

Let's do what we got to do to make this happen.

And um city council members that we have to make some hard choices and say at some point uh with a dedicated source of revenue, we can definitely project where we can go from here.

And so I'm looking forward to the opportunity of seeing the facility plan, the priorities that you all have determined for schools, um, and how we can work together to appropriate those funds and a schedule for work to be done.

So looking forward to that.

And again, I'm grateful for the General Assembly giving us this opportunity, and uh let us work together to help the citizens be prepared to vote on the referendum in November.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilwoman Robertson, Councilwoman Lynch.

Oh, thank goodness.

I am just elated to be at this point.

And I think um councilmember Robertson, you you had the nail on the head.

We we've got to make some tough choices and buckle down.

Um I think all my colleagues made excellent points.

I don't I don't know if at nine almost 9 p.m.

at night we'll be able to really solve all of the world's problems.

However, I do think that we should use our various committees, um, finance, uh, EHS, GovOps.

We should we should really dig into this um issue, and I look forward to the superintendent bringing the facilities master plan to us or some draft version of it by September if possible.

I know we've been talking about that.

Um, but you know, I think this is this really is an issue for their voters to decide.

And um, again, thanks to our General Assembly members, they get to do that.

So, with that, I move to approve this um paper.

Second.

Thank you.

Councilwoman Trammell.

I haven't called the vote yet, but I appreciate that, Ms.

Lynch.

Thank you, Madam President.

I'm not I'm not gonna be long.

Um I'm not gonna take no five minutes.

I trust the um school superintendent, the school um board members, you know, we did the right thing, we're giving it, we're giving it to the citizens, let them vote it up or down.

And I appreciate that.

I appreciate you all saying, get let's do a referendum, let the citizens decide.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Um this is a great opportunity uh for joint work, council and school board.

Council and school board.

And so I we are in.

Um our children uh deserve it.

It's gonna take a lot of work.

Uh many of the questions I know you asked, Ms.

Gibson, as well as Councilman Robertson, I think, Jones.

We're recording to make sure we get those responses back and items requested from the administrative side, and then of course the facility plan.

And so uh look forward to our work together and all leaning in.

And with that, Madam Clerk, let's call the question.

Council is now voting on resolution number 2026-R028 as read.

Mr.

Breton?

Aye.

Ms.

Gibson?

Yes.

Ms.

Jones?

Aye.

Ms.

Robertson?

Aye.

Ms.

Lynch?

Aye.

Ms.

Trammel.

Aye.

Vice President Jordan?

Aye.

And President New Bill?

Aye.

That paper has been adopted.

Thank you.

Thank you, board members, superintendent, advocates, supporters, uh, for.

Not just for this evening, because this is the beginning of the work.

And also for the work too, and I think a member's mentioned it.

We have to have an education campaign around this for the community so they understand what it is and why this is and why it's so critically important.

So we have a lot of work to do, but we're up to the task.

Thank you all.

Madam Clerk.

Or Mr.

Clerk.

We have some motions to amend.

Is that correct?

That's correct.

Up first before you is a motion to amend ordinance 2026-102, which authorizes the special use of 3415 Crenshaw Mews Alley for the purpose of up to 13 attached garages upon certain terms and conditions and a repeal ordinance 2021 325.

The proposed amendment would modify certain terms and conditions.

Councilor Breton, would you make a motion to amend ordinance 2026-102 as stated?

So moved.

Counselor Gibson, would you second?

Second.

Wait, wait, wait.

This is which one?

Is this the expediting?

No.

Okay.

Which one is this?

Uh amending an SCP.

Okay.

Yes, I can second this.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Council is now voting on a motion to amend and continue ordinance 2026-102 to the Monday September 14th Council meeting as stated.

Mr.

Breton.

Aye.

Ms.

Gibson?

Yes.

Ms.

Jones.

Aye.

Ms.

Robertson.

Aye.

Ms.

Lynch.

Aye.

Ms.

Trammell.

Aye.

Vice President Jordan.

Aye.

And President New Bill.

Aye.

That motion has been approved.

That paper will be before you again as amended on September 14th.

Next is a motion to amend ordinance 2026 113, which amends City Code Section 11-105 concerning weeds and other vegetation and to amend Chapter 11 Article 4 by adding a new section therein concerning definitions for the purpose of establishing exemptions for Virginia friendly landscapes.

The proposed amendment would modify such exemptions and certain definitions.

Councilor Robertson, would you make a motion to amend ordinance 2026-113 as stated?

So move, Mr.

Clerk.

Councillor Trammell, would you second?

Second.

Council is now voting on a motion to amend and continue ordinance 2026-113 to the Monday, September 14th Council meeting as stated.

Mr.

Breton?

Aye.

Ms.

Gibson.

Yes.

Ms.

Jones?

Aye.

Aye.

Ms.

Robertson?

Aye.

Ms.

Lynch?

Aye.

Ms.

Trammell.

Aye.

Vice President Jordan.

Aye.

And President Newbill.

Aye.

That motion has been approved, and that paper will be before you again as amended on September 14th.

Next before you is a motion to amend ordinance 2026-120, which authorizes a special use of the properties located at 901, 903, 905, 907, 911, 915, 921, and 923, South Meadow Street for the purpose of up to 31 single family attached dwellings upon certain terms and conditions.

The proposed amendment would modify the number of dwelling units, certain terms and conditions, and the plans.

Councillor Jones, would you make a motion to amend ordinance 2026-120 as stated?

So move.

Councillor Lynch, would you second?

So move.

Council is now voting on motion to amend and continue ordinance 2026-120 to the Monday, September 14th Council meeting as stated.

Mr.

Breton.

Aye.

Ms.

Gibson.

Yes.

Ms.

Jones.

Aye.

Ms.

Robertson.

Aye.

Ms.

Lynch?

Aye.

Ms.

Trammell.

Aye.

Vice President Jordan.

Aye.

And President Newbill.

Aye.

That motion has been approved, and that paper will be before you again as amended on September 14th.

And lastly, is a motion to amend ordinance 2026 081, which amends City Code Section 12-16 concerning publication of the city's payment register for the purpose of providing public access to information regarding payments made by the city to vendors and employees while protecting confidential and personal information as required by law.

The proposed amendment would modify certain definitions and the contents of the payment register.

Councilor Breton, would you make a motion to amend ordinance 2026 081 as stated?

So moved.

And Councillor Trammell, would you second?

Second.

Council is now voting on a motion to amend and continue ordinance 2026 081 to the Monday, September 28th Council meeting as stated.

Mr.

Breton?

Aye.

Ms.

Gibson.

Yes.

Ms.

Jones.

Aye.

Ms.

Robertson.

Aye.

Ms.

Lynch.

Aye.

Ms.

Trammell.

Aye.

Vice President Jordan.

Aye.

And President New Bill.

Aye.

That motion has been approved and that paper will be before you again as amended on September 28th.

Thank you, Mr.

Clerk.

I believe we have uh expedited items for consideration.

That is correct.

And the paper for expedited consideration is as follows.

Resolution number 2026-R030 to approve the issuance by RRHA of its multifamily housing revenue bonds bonds and up to 20 million dollars for the acquisition, construction, and equipping of an approximately 126 unit multifamily residential rental housing project at 815 North 35th Street and 823 North 36th Street in the city.

I will need a motion to expedite consideration of this paper.

Vice President Jordan, will you make that motion, please?

Councillor Robertson, will you second that?

Second.

Council is now voting on the motion to expedite consideration of resolution 2026-R030.

Mr.

Breton.

Aye.

Ms.

Gibson.

Yes.

Ms.

Jones.

Aye.

Ms.

Robertson.

Aye.

Ms.

Lynch.

Aye.

Ms.

Trammell.

Aye.

Vice President Jordan.

And President New Bill.

Aye.

That motion has been approved, and that paper is before you for consideration.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

Would I like to change my paper?

I'm looking at Ms.

Peters there.

Madam President, I do believe Ms.

Gibson expressed a desire to change her vote on the motion to expedite this paper.

Correct.

I'd like to vote against the expediting.

Yes.

Okay.

So noted.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And I'm sorry, didn't have my uh light on here.

So I'd like Ms.

Peters if you would, and then Ms.

Hampton.

Good evening, President Newbill.

Thank you.

And members of the Council, I am Michelle Vern Peters, Deputy Director for Housing and Community Development.

R RHA made a request of housing and community development that we would bring this paper before you for expedited review and consideration of the closing of an affordable housing development project.

Ms.

Hampton is here, and I would ask that she would address this on behalf of R RHA.

Thank you.

Welcome, Ms.

Hampton.

Good evening, President Newbill and to other esteemed members of council.

Thank you, Ms.

Peters, and to the administration.

This is a bond project, as you know, it is 126 units.

55 of them are existing.

70 will be new units.

And they go for one and two bedrooms.

This is an affordable housing project.

It is the renovation of that existing plus new units.

But why?

Why are we coming before you given this timing?

We have learned that there is an additional $87 million in bond volume cap.

And we wanted to make sure that this project got in at this time instead of later later, because that bond volume cap is open to the entire state.

We recognize the resolution that this body did some three years ago.

And so in partnership with the city, we have been trying to move our affordable housing bond projects as quickly as we can to get them in that lineup so they can be afforded funded and due to the need, great need that we have in this city for affordable housing.

So unless there are questions, though.

Thank you for your consideration.

You're going to remain with us so as questions come up after the public hearing.

Thank you.

With that, we'll proceed with the public hearing.

Do we have persons present desires of speaking in opposition to the paper?

Seeing none, do we have persons present desirous of speaking in favor of the paper?

Seeing none, bring it back to council for discussion.

Mr.

Breton.

I am interested in um hearing more about the timeline of the million dollar cap, what what that means, and more clarity on the the urgency of that opportunity.

Thank you, Mr.

Breton, for that question.

And Madam President, and again, esteemed members of Comp um Council.

I have brought our bond counsel with us, uh, representing um McGuire Woods.

Uh I would ask that you speak to the bond volume cap and our urgency right now.

Happy to do so.

Nice to be before council again.

I'm Mike Graff from Maguire Woods, and I'm the bond lawyer for the housing authority.

And these types of revenue bonds for affordable apartments are awarded uh what we call volume cap allocation from a state on a competitive basis.

And so um I think I don't think I'm speaking out of school for the housing authority that we're we're reluctant to seek expedited consideration of these sorts of papers based on some feedback that we've received from from council in the past.

But in this circumstance, with council getting ready to take your well-earned um summer vacation and to try to put this Richmond project on at least an equal footing with other projects from elsewhere in the state.

We thought in this particular circumstance it uh it uh was worth at least seeking uh expedited consideration so we can be sure to put uh a Richmond project in a competitive situation as compared to applications that will be received from other jurisdictions uh in the Commonwealth.

Yeah, I appreciate that.

I mean, it's um yeah, I'm always yeah, reticent to vote on things in an expedited fashion because it doesn't have as as much time for public engagement and public analysis and scrutiny.

Um I do really appreciate though the fact that there are really there's dollars at stake, the possibility of missing out on these funds um is very important, and it's also uh I think uh another reason that we should consider that that I think that having having research over the summer creates a lot of headaches for this council, and I would actually prefer more opportunities for um for introducing papers and and not creating these these two-month clips that create urgency.

Um I'm gonna I might be alone in that one, but I'm gonna go ahead and say that publicly.

So um anyway, thank you for explaining that, and I I appreciate the urgency.

Thank you.

Any other questions and or comments?

If I may, madam president, to Mr.

Bright's last comment there, the housing authority also holds.

We are required by state statute to hold that public uh hearing.

And so in your packages you receive is the affidavit of publication where we put out that we are having a public hearing, and so we had that public hearing.

We also um the public has the ability to comment also at our Board of Commissioners meeting.

So I wanted you to know that we very much honor getting public uh comment for this, these type projects.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilwoman Gibson.

Thank you, Madam President.

So this project is in my district, and um and I'm no no no no.

Oh, good.

Okay.

This is a oh, this is the 7th district one.

Okay, good.

Okay.

I I when it's in my district, make sure we're not expediting it, please.

It is important that we allow the public to weigh in.

So I plan on abstaining for this.

Thank you for the clarification.

Thank you.

Thank you.

We will.

Thank you.

Yeah, and I am aware of this project and have had discussions, so this is not news to me.

Thank you.

Uh Councilwoman Roberts call for the vote.

Thank you.

Thank you both.

Please, uh, Madam Clerk or Mr.

Clerk, call the question.

Council is voting on resolution number 2026-R030 as read, Mr.

Breton.

Aye.

Ms.

Gibson.

Abstain.

Ms.

Jones.

Aye.

Ms.

Robertson.

Aye.

Ms.

Lynch.

Abstain.

Ms.

Trammell.

Aye.

Vice President Jordan.

Aye.

And President New Bill.

That paper.

Thank you.

That paper has been adopted.

Thank you.

Let's proceed then to motions to amend.

I believe is do we have?

Yes.

I'm sorry.

I dropped down in my notes.

Let's go on to approval of minutes.

Madam President, the minutes to be approved are from the FY 2027 budget work sessions.

The June 15th, 2026 code refresh work session at 4 p.m.

The June 22nd, 2026 informal informal city council meetings at 4 p.m.

and 6 p.m.

And the July 6th, 2026 special meeting at 4 p.m.

If there are no corrections or amendments, then these minutes will be approved as presented.

Thank you.

Let's go on to introduction of new legislation.

Members, new pieces of legislation items numbered seven through 34 on the list before you are hereby introduced as presented.

A copy of the list is available for public inspection at the rear of the room, and an electronic copy and copies of the new legislation will be available on the city's website on Tuesday, July 28th.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

We can now proceed to reports and announcements from council members.

Councilwoman Trammel.

Thank you, Madam President.

I'll keep it short.

Our next meeting is going to be for eighth district meeting.

We're going to be at the satellite on August the 13th.

And we have Scott Morse, the director of public utilities will be at our meeting because so many citizens want him to come back because they were not able to attend the meeting that he was that he attended.

And they have a lot of questions in reference to a lot of the drainage and stormwater drains not being cleaned out.

Guess that's what they're called.

But anyway, our meeting is going to be on August 13th, 6 p.m.

to 7 30 p.m.

at the satellite.

Just right here's your free smoke alarm.

It's free, free, free.

All you got to do is go to the nearest fire station, ask them to come to your place to your home, and they will come there and they will make sure that you have a working smoke alarm.

If not, they'll put the batteries in it.

They will not leave it with you.

Some of the citizens are asking me, can they have one?

Nope.

Firefighters have to install it for you and put the battery in it.

So if you have any questions, you can call my home.

My home phone is now working.

You can call 804-233-7382, or you can call my personal sale 804-240-5050.

That's 804-240-5050.

Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you, Councilwoman Trammel.

Councilwoman Lynch.

So we need to get your new smoke detector.

We've been here for 17 hours, guys.

Um right.

So um I'm trying to get to announcements.

I apologize.

Here we go.

Um Uptown Association will be meeting virtually tomorrow night, uh, July 28th at 6 p.m.

This list is shared via their listserv.

Swansborough West is is hosting this monthly litter is hosting their monthly litter cleanup on Saturday, August 1st at 10 a.m.

They meet behind Swansboro Elementary and have all the supplies that you will need.

Also in Swansbury West, West Ephesus Church is hosting a back to school community fair.

I love this event.

It's such good you got to join me, Reva, and anyone else that wants to join.

It's a great event.

Um back to school community fair on Sunday, August 2nd from 2 to 6 uh P.M.

at their location at 3700 Middleton Turnpike.

Um next Tuesday marks the n August National Night Out.

We have two NNO events happening on August 4th, Carolina Civic Association, 6 to 8 p.m.

Blinton Housefield, Maymont Civic Association Civic League 7 to 8 p.m.

Riverside Park, several other civic associations should need to celebrate national night out on the first Tuesday in October to avoid the heat and all the heat advisories.

RHHA's Lombardy Place, Swansboro West Civic Association, and some others.

We'll roll those out as we um get a little closer to September.

Maymont Jazz Fest is taking place August 8th through 9th.

It's gonna be the best jazz fest ever.

Um look forward to seeing y'all there.

Uh there's information on their website about how to for parking um and uh in Ubering.

The grand opening of Richmond High School for the Arts is taking place on Thursday, August 20th at 6 p.m.

On Tuesday, August 25th at 7 p.m.

the Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association will be meeting virtually.

The link is shared via their email listserv.

Code refresh after draft three is released.

We'll be scheduling another code refresh town hall to review any changes from draft two to draft three.

Please stay tuned for the dates in our newsletter.

And as always, you can reach my office by calling 804-646-5724 or emailing Stephanie.lynch or Amy.robins at RBA.gov.

Thanks for hanging in there with us.

Thank you.

Councilmember Robertson.

Thank you, Matt.

Thank you, Dr.

New Bill.

Uh a couple announcements.

One there are several national night out events that are happening on August 4th in the 6th district on South Side as well as in East End and North Side.

I want to specifically mention one that is not showing up on the list as of yet with the uh police lineup that they are putting out to the community.

That is the one that will be held at Metonbridge Road and Gilles Avenue in Holland Park from 6 o'clock to 8 o'clock.

Lead sponsor, Boas and Roof.

So I want to encourage the neighborhood to add that to your list of places where you can come and uh meet your neighbors and speak to initiatives to address public safety in our district.

Secondly, I want to announce the Holland Park Food Pantry, which operates the first and third Saturday of each month.

Prepackaged bags of distribution of food on a first come first basis.

Please bring your photo ID and proof of residency.

Hosted by North Side Outreach Center.

And we will also be having a home buyer symposium and pre-qualification workshop in October.

More information specifically on that, but we've got a lot of new homes that are being built off of Holland Grove, and that we are partnering with uh multiple developers and community nonprofits that are in the process of looking at ways to increase our affordable homeownership opportunities.

Uh, you can reach me at my cell, 804 314 7658, or you can call the office 804 646 7964.

My email is Ellen.robertson at RVA.gov or uh sixth district liaison Kimberly Kyle at Kimmelie.kyle at Richmondgov.

RVA.

I'm always getting messed up, don't I?

RVA RichmondGov.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilwoman Jones.

Thank you again, Madam President, and thank you to everyone who came out this evening.

I want to first shout out everyone who attended the inaugural summer on the south side at Broad Rock Sports Park this weekend.

It was amazing.

Even though we had rain in the morning, it cleared up and it was an amazing time.

Our next um next part of the series will be on August 8th at Broad Rock Park.

The uh band is, I think I don't know what the band is.

Look at look on look on the website.

But um the next one is August 8th.

Um August 1st, the summer reading finale is happening at the at Park 365 with the library.

And you can bring the whole family in, join us for a fun field celebration as we wrap up this year's summer reading program.

All summer long readers of all ages have explored new stories, discovered new adventures, and reached their reading goals.

Now it's time to celebrate them.

Time is from 10 to 1, Park 365.

It'll have games, crabs, raffle prizes, community partners, treats, and more.

Also on 84, Broad Rock is hosting its Broadwag Library is hosting a show and tell book club.

You can discover new books, make new friends, and bring any book you are currently reading and you want to share with the group.

Also on that same day at Broad Rock Library, the Steam team will be hosting Diet Coke Inventos.

See what happens when mentos meet Diet Coke.

Learn the science behind the explosive reaction and try the experiment for yourself.

And then on August 20th, we have Comics Club, Love Comics or Manga.

Come to the Comics Club for creative prompts and comic discussions.

Um National Night Out.

We will have, I think we have three in the district, but two that I know of.

One is the Arbazet Hall, and then the other one is our Urbana at High Oaks.

Um and you can reach my office at Nicole.jones at RBA.gov.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilwoman Gibson.

Thank you.

Um wanted to thank Andy Baino and the Department of Transportation for coming to our last district meeting.

Um we also had uh members of the delegation come.

Um it was a great meeting.

We will not have a district meeting in August, um, but we do have a third district senior resource fair on August 12th from 2 to 5 p.m.

at Pine Camp.

Um we will have various city departments and uh VCU Health and more will be coming to talk about resources that they offer our seniors and there will be light refreshments.

Um the North Central Civic Association is having an ice cream social Sunday, August 30th from 2 to 4 p.m.

at Ruby Scoops.

Great opportunity for residents to learn more uh about what their civic association is doing and meet their neighbors.

Um as always please contact our office at um you can contact me at Kenya.gibson at rva.gov and our liaison, Sarandon.elliot at rva.gov if you have any questions or concerns.

Thank you.

Councilman Breton.

Tuesday night.

So uh I know we have at least three going on in the neighborhood.

We were gonna have historic Westwood is having an event, Mountument Avenue Park is having one, museum district will be having one as well.

So make sure that you check out your neighborhood events there to get to know your uh your neighbors and have uh a party dedicated to public safety.

And then we will be having our district meeting um uh the last Wednesday in August.

Uh we will have the planning department there to discuss um the latest changes in the code refresh.

And if you aren't uh reading my newsletter, you should be.

So every time you email me, you will get a link to subscribe and you should use it and stay up to date.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Breton.

Uh Vice President Jordan.

Thank you.

Um want to thank folks that came to our July 2nd district meeting.

If you weren't able to make it, you can view a recording at our YouTube channel at Councilor Jordan.

We had DPW, we had presentation on DPW's signal transition project, Office of Sustainability, Code Free Fresh Discussion, and more.

Uh our next meeting will likely be on the third draft of Code Refresh once that is out.

Look forward to seeing folks at National Night Out.

You can find those locations at national dash night-out on rva.gov.

Um skipping over the things I've already been discussed.

Scott's edition is working to raise money for a new green space, a new permanent public park.

If you go to capital regionland.org and that's capital with an AL, you can see the list of participating businesses throughout the summer and into September.

Lastly, C3 energy efficiency grants are out.

Let the community climate collaborative C3 help you slash your bills with an energy efficiency mini grant.

These grants, up to $2,000, are available to businesses and nonprofits in the Richmond Metro and can be used for anything that will cut energy use, including HVAC upgrades, window films, smart thermostats, new appliances, and more.org forward slash EE-grants.

Deadline is August 31st.

If you have any issues, please, please, please reach out to the second different second district office that we can assist you.

804-646-6532.

Thanks.

Thank you.

Just a few seven district announcements.

Chief Siegel and members of the Richmond Fire Department of Station Number 8 will host a pushing in ceremony for their new engine on tomorrow, July 28th at 10 a.m.

The ceremony will occur at 1018 Williamsburg Road.

The Shimborazo Park Playground Community Outreach Meeting will be held on Wednesday, July 29th at the Power Tan Community Center located at 5051 Northampton Street at 6 p.m.

The uh Richmond 804 Day will be held on Saturday, August 1st from 12 noon to 6 p.m.

at the 17th Street Farmers Market.

And it's Richmond's biggest block party in the heart of Sherco.

Music performances across multiple stages, food, drink, arts, culture, uh, please come out.

And for more information, you can go to website at eight at website at 804 Day 2026.

With all of the uh community events uh going on our next well, let me just say, as folks have mentioned already, national night out events will occur in the districts across the city on Tuesday, August 4th.

Uh most events start at 4 p.m.

The event for uh one of the events for the 7th district will be at our new Lux Field.

Um for more information about the uh locations, please go to RPD website at rva.gov under National Night Out, and you'll be able to access all of those.

For more information, feel free to contact my liaison, Sam Patterson at 804-241-7544, or you can contact me at 804-543-7837.

With that, members, the agenda for the meeting has been accomplished.

The formal meeting of the Richmond City Council now stands adjourned.

Thank you, everyone is that on the