Church Hill Association of RVA Newsletter - July 2017 Issue

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New Horizons Antislapp Law Armstrong Leadership Program Why I’m a Writer Zoning & Land Use Overview

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Church Hill Association July 2017

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About the

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CHA Board of Directors President: John Sieg

President@churchhill.org

Vice President: Gennie Sasnett vp@churchhill.org

In this Issue

Pg: 6

Pg: 10

Pg: 17

Secretary: Ali Schneider secretary@churchhill.org

Assistant Secretary: Pam Masters asstsecretary@churchhill.org

Treasurer: Trish Bernal

treasurer@churchhill.org

Assistant Treasurer: Pam Lipscombe assistanttreasurer@churchhill.org

New Horizons

Antislapp Law

Pg.18 | Why I’m a Writer

Armstrong Leadership Program

Pg.24 | Zoning & Land Use Overview

Meetings & Notices Historic Preservation and Land Use Committee Meeting Generally held on the Tuesday before the board meeting at the Patrick Henry Pub, 2300 E. Broad St. at 6:00pm Upcoming Meeting: June 27 Upcoming Meeting: August 1

CHA of RVA Board Meeting Generally held on the first Thursday of every month at Patrick Henry Pub, 2300 East Broad St. at 6:00pm Upcoming Meeting: July 6 Upcoming Meeting: August 3

Membership Meeting Generally held on the third Tuesday of every month in St.John’s Parish Hall, 2401 East Broad St. at 7:00pm Upcoming Meeting: July 18

Summer Picnics are Back!

Upcoming Picnic: August 15, location TBD

Directors at Large Alli Alligood Christina Masteroianni

Past President: Bill Dinkin Historic Preservation and Land Use Chair: Robert Gordon rrgpc@mac.com

Volunteers Church Hill News letter: Layout & Graphics: CAO Group Isabelle, Ari, & Arthur Contact: (804)405-0969

Content Editor/Ad Sales Coordinator: Celeste Deal newsletter@churchhill.org Phone: (804)644-2862

Lead Newsletter Dristribution: South: Tom & Eileen Sanders Phone: (804)343-7157 North: Sandra Horton Phone: (804)780-1641

Membership Coordinator: Amy Beem membership@churchhill.org Phone: (804)344-7157

Church Hill Planters:

If any member wishes to attend any zoning or board meeting they are most welcome, but please check with John Sieg at president@churchhill.org for updated meeting times and dates.

What does Church Hill Look like to you?

Send images to: newsletter@churchhill.org Photo of the Month | John Sieg

Karen Jones Colin Schlueter

Marion Macdonald Phone: (804)644-1347

For more information on joining the CHA, please see our website at: churchhill.org or fill our the application included in this publication

CHA Mission The purpose of this organization shall be to promote a sense of unity and common endeavor among all the residents of the St.John’s CHurch, Church Hill North, and Chimborazo Old and Historic Districs, other residents of the East District, and other interested persons, in order to develop a stable, desirable urban neighborhood.

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Letter from the

President John Sieg

Dear Church Hillians, Summer is finally here! I’m using this note to comment on several topics that give me great pleasure and to ask two favors.

Libby Hill Park– What a wonderful asset for our community! Everyone seems to enjoy the park and use it for many great

purposes. Weddings occur there almost every weekend and many weekends it hosts more than one wedding. Photographers set up there at dusk for pictures of city center and sunset. So many families go there to picnic, exercise pets, exercise kids and generally enjoy the outdoors. Tour bus and Segway tours occur daily to show participants our wonderful part of Richmond as well as the view that named Richmond! Several weeks ago the park hosted a community yard sale that participants say was a great success. My key point here is that Libby Hill Park is a beloved asset for the people in our community as well as for visitors from across the world. That is why it is so important for us to remain vigilant and make sure that the view is protected and that it remains safe and clean.

Membership Picnic– On June 13th the CHA of RVA held a free membership picnic at Reed Square. This was held in place of our

June membership meeting. Attendees brought covered dishes, contributed to a local food bank, listened to some great music and, most importantly, enjoyed each other’s company. I haven’t heard, at this writing, how many new members signed up during the event yet I know that some new neighbors joined and others offered to participate in future association work. If you see Barbara Cotter please thank her for organizing the event. Please also thank Pam Lipscomb, Karen Jones and Amy Beem for their support and JJ Johnson for providing the staging and electricity we needed to make this event a success. I know many others helped as well … so typical for our association. By the way, the culinary delights participants brought yet again demonstrated what great chefs / cooks we have in our community! If you missed this event then please remember to attend the association picnic / pool party in August. More details to follow on our website (WWW.churchhill.org).

Chimborazo Park– I started this note commenting on the pleasures of Libby Hill Park. Chimborazo Park is another great place

to visit and venue for events. The museum is worth several tours each year and the volunteers who staff it know are incredibly knowledgeable about the history of our community and the hospital that covered the park during the Civil War. The one drawback for the park is that the hillside view has become obscured by weed trees. Never fear; several of our members are working with the city to remove those trees and scrub to restore the views. Please contact Karen Jones or John Whitworth if you would like to get involved in this project.

Various Updates– During our upcoming July meeting we’ll be voting on several topics of importance to members and our community. One of those topics is to approve donations from our association to Reed Square, the Richmond Symphony and Chimborazo Elementary School. Another vote will be to adjust our CHA of RVA bylaws. Members have been asked to review our existing bylaws and propose changes to Ali (secretary@churchhill.org) by June 15th so the board can review suggested changes and make recommendations for a vote during or July membership meeting. We will review our bylaws, periodically, to keep them current and relevant to our association and member needs.

Two Favors - I’ll close by requesting two favors from you: 1.Please send a note to me at President@churchhill.org, or to Secretary@churchhill.org, if you are interested in chairing one of our two proposed new committees; ‘Youth and Education Committee’ or ‘Community Outreach Committee’. Forming these committees were recommended via responses to our survey.

2.Follow us on Facebook. You’ll see the link on our website. I must admit that I’ll need to set up an account myself … something I’ve avoided for years. That said, I guess I must add this communications tool to my repertoire!

Best regards to you and yours, John Sieg, President CHA 2017

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(L to R): Deshaun Winston, Diamond Womack, LaVone Lewis, Antonio Goode.

New Horizons Richmond Cycling Corps by Matt Crane

B

y just about any metric conceivable, Richmond Cycling Corps is not a large organization. Well, that is, if you are playing the numbers game. Four full-time staff, two vehicles, fifteen youth. Which, by the way, is no accident. “Small,” to us, means focused, nimble, tight. We don’t extend in scale, we expand in depth. Outside of the numbers? We haven’t yet found a way to quantify love. But in that, our true stock in trade, we have veritable warehouses.

Going back to the numbers, we used to be even smaller. Our origin, in 2011, involved a handful of mismatched bicycles, an old van, and an invitation from the Phaup Street Boys and Girls Club to use their facility as a base for our fledgling cycling program. This latter component we gained with reluctance from the Club, owing to a prior preponderance of well-intentioned programming attempts abandoned by others at early stages from frustration or lack of funding. Richmond Cycling Corps is nothing if not stubborn, and we remain so to this day. Our programs are no longer based out of the Boys and Girls Club, but rather our newly finished two story home at 2123 Fairmount Avenue.

What’s most valuable to us, when looking

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back at our origin, is not just that we have stuck around. What good would that be without deep and meaningful work with the youth we have dedicated ourselves to serving? No, what matters most is that many youth from that first year of our programming have stuck with us for these entire seven years. We have seen them win state championship mountain bike races. We have seen them get arrested. We have seen them falter, run away, return, develop, and grow. And on Wednesday, June 14th, 2017, we saw four of them graduate high school (so far, RCC has a 100% high school graduation rate).

Deshaun Winston was touch and go.

We have been hounding him in the hallways of Armstrong all year, firmly reminding him that he is in danger of not walking the stage for his diploma.

Every time we suggested that he needs to buckle down on school and spend extra time studying, his response was the same:

“I got this.”

Which he seemed convinced of up until the day he realized that he was far from assured of his diploma, that his grades and performance in school were well below where they needed to be.

The fear was real on the day in mid-March when he submitted himself to us for help. That was also the first day he has ever asked to ride a bike outside of our training sessions.

“I need to clear my head” he said, before putting on a helmet and disappearing on one of our Kona mountain bikes for an hour. We don’t know where he went on that bike ride, but he showed up after school every day after that to do extra work and prepare for the SOL tests. It wasn’t always pretty, and that resolve wasn’t always as strong as on the first day, but he ground it out and pulled things together just enough to graduate on time.

Diamond Womack has always been quiet, and up until Sophomore year, would hide her face behind a hand when speaking to anyone. But there is an old French saying in the sport of cycling that perhaps she has never heard before, but is a fine example of: “always let your legs do the talking.”

Diamond is one of only three youth on our team to have won a Virginia High School mountain bike race, and she chose a good one because she bagged the Virginia state title for Sophomore girls in 2014. Although she still calls on us frequently, Diamond hasn’t actively participated in our cycling programs since 2016. As may be evident from the photograph, she is currently 8 months pregnant.

She is kind, works hard, and, we are happy to say, has lost much of the shyness that once concealed her strong and lovely personality.

LaVone Lewis, an artist, has been one of the most steadfast members of Richmond Cycling Corps. He’s quiet, except when he pipes up with a quip that never fails to quell any nonsense in the team van. Safe to say, Von is sharp. We don’t offer superlatives or plate awards here at RCC – maybe we need to – but if we did, he would be taking home the “best dressed award.” Von was never in danger of not graduating, but he did put in a huge load of work with RCC to prepare for his military ASVAB entrance test. He scored well. Next, he needs to stay away from Mary Jane, and finalize his physical training before the final evaluation stage of enlisting. In the meantime, you can catch him working at Nick’s Produce on Broad Street, where he has worked tirelessly, and shown up mostly on time, for well over a year now.

Antonio Goode might not look happy in the group photo, but he just has a killer game

face. We’ve seen his nonplussed expression on the starting line of many bike races over the years.

‘Tonio has been one of our most elite riders for a number of years now; he regularly competes at the Varsity level, and is the only youth so far in our programming to pit himself against the fastest competition in the state by doing so. He’s been through a lot on and off the bike, and his grit is a testament to the path he has bravely walked.

Antonio has plenty of options ahead of him, and for now, he has proven his character well beyond the bike with his incredible work ethic, currently on full display at his job at Kohlmann’s Market on Grace Street.

With all of our youth, and especially these four who have achieved the diploma milestone, we are proud to say that we have broadened their education. We certainly exist to bolster the school component of their journey, but we feel the greatest service we have provided, as we walk at their side, has been to increase the scope of learning to include the value of self. It certainly begins on the bike, and the connection of legs to pedals to cranks to chain propels them into the first understanding: no one will do the work for you, the bike will not ride itself. We are proud to say that these youth have done far more in these seven years than we might ever have imaged from those early days behind the Boys and Girls Club.

As an organization, we have grown with them, and this growth, for all parties, has been deep and profound. We are proud to say that fundamental shifts in character have occurred, that new horizons have appeared at the top of what once seemed insurmountable hills. Together, we have all entered into a world far larger than when we started the ride together.

We are only just beginning, and we are happy to be stronger and more effective than ever before at providing deep methodologies for breaking the cycle of poverty. We would be thrilled to have your attention via our social media channels (find us on Facebook: Richmond Cycling Corps) or your support, in honor of our recent graduates, as we continue to grow our programming (www.richmondcyclingcorps.org/ donate). Onwards!

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Antislapp Law

Law Signed by Governor that Protects Citizens Who Speak Up By: Mary Lindert The First Amendment, states: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." Recently, there have been a few well-publicized lawsuits against citizens in Richmond who have spoken up and petitioned the Government about public schools or zoning issues. Popularly known as SLAPP suits, or strategic lawsuits against public participation, these lawsuits are not intended to be “won”, but to intimidate citizens into silence for fear of being sued. The chilling effect on public participation spreads: other citizens see these lawsuits and choose not to speak up.

The standard SLAPP lawsuit scenario starts with a disagreement between parties – let’s say a zoning dispute.

In this scenario, the government body decides in favor of one party. Rather than using the direct process to appeal the governing body’s decision, the losing side files a civil lawsuit against the party who opposed them.

On June 9, 2017, the Governor signed a new anti-SLAPP law to protect the average citizen who exercises his or her First Amendment rights. Virginia joins the majority of states that have this important protection. While you can be sued for anything, the new anti-SLAPP law makes it much safer to voice your opinion here in Virginia.

This law was the result of hard work by citizens of Church Hill and the Fan in cooperation with members of our State legislature including Glen Sturtevant, the primary sponsor, and Adam P. Ebbin and Jennifer L. McClellan, cosponsors. The bill passed the House and Senate with full bipartisan support.

Feel free to speak out and be heard.

The text of the anti-SLAPP legislation follows: Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia: 1. That §8.01-223.2 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows: §8.01-223.2. Immunity of persons for statements made at public hearing or communicated to third party.

A. A person shall be immune from civil liability for a violation of §18.2-499 or, a claim of tortious interference with an existing contract or a business or contractual expectancy, or a claim of defamation based solely on statements (i) regarding matters of public concern that would be protected under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution made by that person that are communicated to a third party or (ii) made at a public hearing before the governing body of any locality or other political subdivision, or the boards, commissions, agencies and authorities thereof, and other governing bodies of any local governmental entity concerning matters properly before such body. The immunity provided by this section shall not apply to any statements made with actual or constructive knowledge that they are false, or with reckless disregard for whether they are false.

B. Any person who has a suit against him dismissed pursuant to the immunity provided by this section may be awarded reasonable attorney fees and costs.

10 | July 2017

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Church Hill, It’s never easy to start a revolution.

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17 Apartments 6500 square feet of Commercial Space 2 Bedroom\2bathroom Live work Now leasing for August 2016 Occupancy Contact Joshua Bilder for more information 804.306.3089 Mobile 804-359-5018 Office (Website under construction) www.patrickhenrysquare.com Another quality Sterling Bilder LLC Development 14 | July 2017

Mosquito Control in the Summer Months

By Jessica Jordan, CNM, MSN, President, VA affiliate of the American College of Nurse-Midwives

How does pesticide spraying affect the environment?

A great deal of research must be done before pesticides can be used in the environment. The best source for finding out about the pesticides used in your area, and their effect on specific types of wildlife, is with the US Environmental Protection Agency, which oversees the registration of these products. The National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC) can also provide information through a toll-free number, 1-800-858-7378.

Link to this page: https://www.cdc.gov/westnile/index.html

There is an EPA page that recommends an integrated approach. First remove mosquito habitats, and provide structural barriers. Then if there is still a problem, larvacides should be used in mosquito habitats. Adulticides, which kill adult mosquitoes, should only be used where the health risk is great, as in many cases of Zika or West Nile virus, or when the larvacides have not been effective at controlling the mosquitoes. Adulticides are chemical sprays, which should only be used as a last resort, when other methods have not been effective.

Link to this page: https://www.epa.gov/mosquitocontrol/success-mosquito-control-integrated-approach

Or as Rebecca Watson points out: Least Effective Measure The US Center for Disease Control and other experts say that spraying or fogging is the least effective means for slowing the spread of West Nile Virus ( WNV) carrying mosquitoes. For fogging to have maximum effect, a mosquito has to be flying. Estimates are that fogging kills only about 10% of adult mosquitoes. The federal-provincial task force on WNV admits there is little evidence for the efficacy of insecticide spraying. Adult mosquitoes live only about two weeks, with new larvae hatching constantly. This means that spraying cannot be a one shot operation, but needs to be repeated frequently if chosen as a means of control .

Link to this page: http://www.environmentalhealth.ca/spring03false.html

Best recommendation is to use insecticide spray or lotion on humans and children.. Alternatives include citronella candles outdoors in areas where adults and children are going to be stationary when mosquitoes are in motion.

ADOPT-A-TREE PROGRAM Submitted by Trish Bernal, Richmond Tree Steward On a more positive note, if you have an empty tree well in front of your house there is an inexpensive way to get a tree planted. The City of Richmond has an Adopt- a-Tree program through which you can request a tree to be planted. Residents may participate in the Adopt-A-Tree Program by making a taxdeductible contribution to the EnRichmond Foundation, which will go toward planting a new tree or trees.

Additionally, participants agree to water the tree for the first two years as outlined in the Application/ Citizen Tree Maintenance Agreement. Trees are planted in November through the end of April. Urban Forestry will accept applications for the Adopt-A-Tree Program throughout July and August. The tree planting season will begin in November. Your support of this program will help to replenish and sustain the City’s urban forest. Check out the Department of Urban Forestry’s website for more information and the application form for this program. http://www.richmondgov.com/PublicWorks/UrbanForestry.aspx http://www.richmondgov.com/PublicWorks/documents/Adopt-A-Tree_Application121010.pdf

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Armstrong Leadership Program

The Armstrong Leadership Program is organized and maintained as a premiere outreach program of Richmond Hill. The program provides leadership mentoring to 35 to 45 students in grades 9th to 12th at Armstrong High School. It is designed to provide alumni and community support to select high school students who exhibit leadership potential so that they may have the opportunity to succeed in high school and beyond.

Mission

To challenge, develop, stimulate and grow our student leaders physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. To ensure students acquire skills in the areas of Personal Development, Leadership Training, Mentoring, Post Graduate Preparation and Cultural Exposure in an effort to prepare students for success during and after high school.

Why Armstrong High school?

Armstrong High School, founded in 1865 as the first school dedicated to the intellectual, academic, moral and social enhancement of freed African American students in Richmond, Virginia. With over 150 years of educational excellence, it has been responsible for training and developing more inner city youth than any other high school in the city of Richmond. It has a rich and unrivaled legacy, producing some of the most prominent members of our community. Notable alumni includes Maggie L. Walker, Admiral Samuel Gravely, Max Robinson, John Mitchell, and Governor L. Douglas Wilder to name a few. In recent years, Armstrong High School has been faced with many challenges. It is located in the center of five public housing developments. Given the high unemployment rate in this area of the city, family hardship is a common reality. Many of our students are vulnerable to the surrounding negative influences and many have few adult figures in their lives to turn to for support. As a result, we have recognized the importance of supporting these youth, so that they can reach their utmost potential and overcome the tremendous adversities that they face in their lives.

Components of ALP:

Personal Development – TRANSFORMATION Personal development activities promote social, moral, emotional, and physical health. Students participate in workshops, Think Tank Cinemas, and group sessions at Richmond Hill and Armstrong High School to obtain Personal Growth.

Session Topics Include:

Mentoring relationships allows the student to establish quality relationships with adults for guidance and support.

It is beneficial for each student to experience a healthy and positive relationship with at least one nurturing adult in his or her lives. Students and Mentors gather for bi-monthly planned Mentor-Mentee gatherings, Monthly One-on-One outings, as well as Tutoring and Community Dinners.

Session Topics Include:

Community and Professional Networking Relationship Building Cultural Awareness Relationship Building

Leadership training sessions encourage students to set goals, analyze themselves, and/or motivate others to a course of action or thought. Students participate in Weekend Retreats, Workshops, and Team Building exercises.

Session Topics Include: Conflict Resolution Teambuilding Communication Skills Community Building Setting Goals Time Management Diversity Training

Problem Solving Health Equity Interpersonal Skills Mindfulness Building Self-Awareness and Self-Assessment Trauma Informed Care Case Management

Mentoring – SUPPORT & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

Leadership Training – EMPOWERMENT

Post-Graduate Preparation – SUCCESS & LIFE PLANS

Post-graduate preparation helps students get ready for life after high school by creating a “road map” to reach their desired goals. Students participate in workshops on college prep and career development sessions. Students are supported at least one after high school graduation as they transition into College or Workforce sessions.

Session Topics Include:

Job Shadowing Career Exploration College Review (SAT prep, scholarship application, etc.)

Professional Development

Service Projects – ACTION

Being accountable and responsible for his or her actions and activities challenges each school participant and community. Service projects give students the opportunity to demonstrate positive change and LEAD by example.

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The 2017 Armstrong Leadership Program Commencement at Richmond Hill: Students, mentors, alumni and directors.

This year, Armstrong Leadership Program had 13 graduates; all attending 2 or 4 year college in the fall (11 students pictured).

The Ultimate Goal

For the student to realize his or her POTENTIAL, PURPOSE and PASSIONS in life while actively pursuing lifelong learning opportunities.

How Can YOU Help?Individual, Social Groups, Churches, Corporations, etc.

We have many opportunities available for you to assist our program. These opportunities include but are not limited to: Mentoring, Tutoring, Job-Shadowing opportunities, Workshop facilitation or provide assistance with College Admission and Scholarship applications.

Financial Support, Gift Cards, Event tickets Scholarships Host College Shower (Individuals or Groups) for students who are planning to attend a residential college/university.

Volunteer for Social Gatherings and Outings Chaperone Sponsor Leadership In Action Summer Institute Provide use of vans or buses

We invite you to like us on Facebook @ArmstrongLeadershipProgram Go to https://vimeo.com/207497571 to watch our video and learn more about the program. If you have any other questions or want to get involved contact:

Yvette Rajput

Director 804-314-2622 yrajput@richmondhillva.org

Marvin Roane

Assistant Director 804-484-0736 alp@richmondhillva.org

Cultivating a Generation...Today Church Hill Newsletter | 17

Why I’m A Writer

By Vernon Wildy, Jr.

I

f you had told me in 1994 when I graduated from Virginia Tech that I would be a writer, I would’ve said you were crazy. I had my degree in Industrial Engineering, and I was looking for a job that would utilize my knowledge. Writing was a part of my existence in school but it was an escape from schoolwork or just for fun, sometimes trying to write rhymes like the hip-hop artists I continually listened to on my Walkman.

But it took being laid off from my first job that brought a different meaning to my writing. I wasn’t writing for fun, but instead I needed to figure things out. What just happened? How did I get to this point? What’s going to happen next? I spent many days and nights writing down my thoughts and feelings, and I was accumulating notepads and stray papers of all my thoughts.

Over time my words and thoughts evolved. I found myself writing about a multitude of ideas, thoughts, and observations. The words turned into poems, short stories, essays, and novels. I started to share my words in public and sought to have some of those words published. I’m currently the author of two novels, a contributor to a website, and active in local writing and poetry circles.

I’m not the engineer I thought I would be back in 1994. But this road that I have found myself on has been so rewarding. The places I’ve seen and the people I’ve met have made me a better writer and a better person.

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Newsletter Content & Advertising The Editor would like to offer a reminder that your neighborhood newsletter is in need of monthly content, including: • Informative, educational, historical articles with a focus on Church Hill; • Photographs to go with articles and/or pictures that represent the neighborhood (will be printed in black & white, 300dpi, JPEG or TIF file, must be credited, and remain the property of the person submitting); • Environmental or safety information that pertains to the neighborhood; • Letters to the Editor (as space allows, 250 words); • And more!!

Editorial Policy Submissions for inclusion to the Church Hill Association’s newsletter are welcomed. Editorial Policy does not allow for personal attacks or inappropriate tone, profanity, or anonymous submissions. Submissions may be edited for space and editorials should not exceed 250 words. CHA will not print editorial letters that are abusive or nontruthful. It is only as a courtesy that we may occasionally print letters from non-members when they add value to the conversation. Final approval of all submissions rests with the Board of Directors. The Church Hill Newsletter is distributed by volunteers throughout the Church Hill neighborhood (North and South of Broad Street). We also distribute to several area merchants. A total of 1200 issues are distributed monthly.

Due Dates Copy must be submitted by the 14th of each month to newsletter@churchhill.org.

Ad submissions must be received before the 15th of each month for the upcoming issue.

What’s Next?

Send Materials Only electronic submissions will be accepted. Send ad files to: newsletter@churchhill.org Ad Size, Pricing & Specifications Half-page: $60 at 7.5” x 4.75” Quarter-page: $45 at 3.5” x 4.75” Full-page: $115 at 7.5” x 10” Back cover: $125 at 7.5” x 10” Black and white art only File formats: 300 dpi, PDF, TIF or JPEG Files must be sized correctly Borders must fall within the size of ad space MSWord, .DOC or .DOCX files will not be accepted Payment 10% discounts for orders of 3 months or more. Payments for ad space should be received no later than the 15th of each month for the upcoming issue. No ads will run if payment has not been received.

Payment by check only to: CHA Newsletter P.O. Box 8031 Richmond, VA 23223 Contact If you are interested in advertising in the Church Hill Newsletter, please check the website for ad specifications at ChurchHill.org, or email questions to newsletter@churchhill.org.

What corner of Church Hill’s history would you like to explore?

Send suggestions for the next historic article to: newsletter@churchhill.org

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20 | July 2017

Ask CAR

By Christina Mastroianni

Q:. I live in Church Hill and I am thinking about doing some exterior painting on my home. What should I do first? - Prospective Painter A: Hi Prospective Painter. Thanks for asking! If you are planning to repaint your home the same color as it is now, you can begin painting as no approvals are required.

If you are considering altering the color scheme for your home, please contact the CAR staff to discuss the proposed painting at (804)646-6335. Last fall, the CAR revised their paint palette and guidelines in order to provide guidance on appropriate colors based on architectural style, the element to be painted, and building material. The revised paint palette and guidelines can be found here: http://www.richmondgov.com/commissionarchitecturalreview/documents/CARColorPalette. pdf. CAR staff will help you to determine the style of your home and appropriate colors based on the paint palette. Please note that the CAR’s paint guidelines are very specific in regard to the painting of historic masonry. The guidelines note that unpainted brick and stone should not be painted.

Additionally, the paint palette limits the colors which you can paint previously painted masonry to the colors associated with natural brick and stone. As paint removal can harm historic brick, property owners who wish to remove paint from masonry should work with a qualified contractor knowledgeable in the use of non-abrasive cleaners.

Once you have made your color selection from the paint palette, please email CAR staff (DCDHistoricPreservation@RichmondGov.com) your paint scheme, and we will email you an administrative approval for the work. If staff determines that the color choice is not consistent with the CAR’s paint guidelines, we will place the request on the next meeting agenda of the CAR for full review.

Q: We'll soon be new residents of Church Hill (new to Richmond, too) and had no idea CAR even existed. What do we need to know? How do we find out if our new house is in a City Old & Historic District? Most importantly, how can we find out if we'll be allowed to build a small garage or even carport over the parking pad off the alley in our backyard? -Church Hill Newcomer" A: Hi Church Hill Newcomer! Welcome to Church Hill and Richmond! To answer your first question

the Commission of Architectural Review (CAR) is the City’s official historic preservation body and helps to preserve the unique qualities of historic neighborhoods and sites by reviewing any proposed alteration, rehabilitation, construction, or demolition within designated City Old and Historic Districts.To find out if your house is in an Old and Historic District I would suggest you go to the CAR website http://bit.ly/2syFI6G and type in your address. If your new home is in an Old and Historic District, I would recommend you review the Richmond Old and Historic Districts Review Guide for information about Old and Historic Districts in Richmond. That address is: http://bit.ly/2sapArz. Finally, I would contact Marianne Pitts, Secretary of the Commission on Architectural Review (CAR) to discuss any building plans you may have. Her phone number is (804)646-6335 and her email address is: Marianne.Pitts@richmondgov.com.

How will this work?

You the reader will send your questions to secretary@churchhill.org with ASK CAR in the subject line.

Each month I will select a few questions and post the answers in this column. Needless to say, if the questions are inflammatory, derogatory or threatening in nature, they will not be published.

Stay tuned!

Church Hill Newsletter | 21

The “Richmond Story House” Opens its Doors Last month, I ran a storytelling workshop at Marywood Apartments, a Section 8 senior living facility in Henrico where more than half of the residents are Russian immigrants. I heard stories of childhoods in Russia and forging new lives in the United States. Themes of hardship and resilience ran through each of the participant’s stories.

Storytelling has a rich and vast history. Across the ages, stories have been used as explanations for events, to calm fears, and to make sense of the world around us. They teach history, they settle arguments, they root us in our families, and they satisfy our need for play and entertainment. Storytelling has seen many recent shifts. It’s been transformed by platforms like TV and film. It’s been proliferated in podcasts. And even though the curmudgeon in you (and me) might not like to admit it, social media outlets like Facebook and Instagram have democratized story-sharing, and made stories (or at least snippets of them) accessible on a global scale like we’ve never seen before.

However stories have functioned throughout the ages and will in the future, I have and will always think of good stories as gifts. And as the founder of the newly formed Richmond Story House, my goal is simple: to get people in our community to give and receive the gift of a good story.

To that end, the Richmond Story House is hard at work: incorporating as a 501c3, running free workshops in underserved nursing homes, schools, and the Richmond’s jail system. We are also starting paid in-house workshops from our writing studio in Union Hill, which are open to the public. (You can also find RSH founder, Rachel Pater, working one of her many side hustles: hocking muffins at WPA or wrangling middle-schoolers at Central Montessori.) We have a longer-term goal of having periodic live performances at an area theater to showcase our storytellers. Lastly, we have free meeting space available for non-profit or community groups to use. And we’re looking to partner with anyone who is willing to help us in our mission!

James Joyce, an early 1900s Irish novelist said that that he always wrote about his town of Dublin because, if he could get to the heart of Dublin, he could get to the heart of all the cities in the world. He added, “In the particular is contained the universal.”

I feel the same about Richmond, and I plan to get to the heart of it through the particular stories of its inhabitants. I hope you’ll join me.

Rachel Pater

richmondstoryhouse@gmail.com www.richmondstoryhouse.org (804)545-0754

22 | July 2017

Church Hill Newsletter | 23

The City of Richmond – Zoning and Land Use Overview

By Robert “Ray” Gordon

Most of us think about “zoning” when we hear about projects such as the Pear and Peach Street apartment project that I discussed in an earlier posting. The actual rezoning of a property to allow a different use is only part of the land use and development story and actually occurs fairly late in the process. So, with that as an opening I thought I’d try to take a “helicopter” overview of the land use process in RVA – leaving aside for now any discussion of the actual development of the site or building of a structure on the property.

Even with a “helicopter” overview, I’ll not be able to cover much more than a quick fly by review. If there is interest in the topic, please let the newsletter know and I’ll try to expand on this.

1. Richmond is a Political Subdivision of the Commonwealth The first thing to note is that the City of Richmond is an independently chartered city, meaning it has written document, much like a constitution outlining its boundaries, powers, and form of government. Unlike a constitution, Richmond’s city charter is enacted by the General Assembly. Richmond was initially established as a trading post by William Byrd, “Politician and Indian trader,” According to the Encyclopedia of Virginia. The original charter as the Town of Richmond was granted in 1742, one assumes by the then Colonial Legislature. Not sure if the King of England had to approve it, but no doubt his royally appointed governor, did.

The important thing here is that Richmond is a political subdivision of the Commonwealth of Virginia and all authority the City has to regulate development derives from what the General Assembly says it must do and what it says it can do. There are 139 separate enabling statutes in the Virginia Code, and I’m not going to discuss any of them in detail here.

I make the distinction between “must do and can do” because in the land use arena the Legislature passes enabling statutes which set out: (i) a mandatory framework and specific requirements that local government must meet and use in regulating land development, and (ii) optional provisions that the localities may adopt to assist with specific areas of concern.

The mandatory provisions are designed with the idea of bringing some common order to land use process in the 138 counties and independent cities that make up the bulk of local governments in Virginia – that number doesn’t count the towns, like Vienna or Farmville, which although kind of part of the counties they are in, also have their own legislatures and land use offices.

An example of a “must do” enabling statute is the one dealing with the subdivision of land which requires the “governing body of every locality to adopt an ordinance to assure the orderly subdivision of land its development,” and then goes on to set forth details for everything from what needs to appear on subdivision plats to specifying the types of streets that must be built in the subdivision.

The “can do” enabling statutes are those that may be adopted by the locality but are not mandatory. A good example of this is the enabling statute for the “Preservation of Historical Sites and Architectural Areas.” Not all localities or even counties have an Historic Preservation Ordinance. Luckily, Richmond has one and this is why Church Hill is designated as an “historic area.” If you look at your tax map record on the City’s web site, you can see a lot of information, including whether or not your house is in the Church Hill Historic Area.

2. Richmond’s Land Planning Process Each locality is required to plan for its future by adopting a “Comprehensive Plan.” The plan can cover everything from environmental preservation to urban core development and is intended to guide future development, growth, welfare and preservation in the locality.

Richmond calls its version of the comprehensive plan the “Master Plan.” These plans, which are guides to development, must be reviewed at least once every five years by the local planning commission to determine whether it is advisable to amend the plan. The current process Church Hill is going through with the Pulse Corridor Plan is part of a city staff driven attempt to impose an overlay plan on the existing Master Plan, at the same time that several of the individual area plans are being evaluated. If the Planning Commission thinks a plan amendment is in order it sends it on to the City Council for their consideration and adoption or rejection.

Richmond’s “Master Plan” is confusing, because it has so many moving parts and layered plans. And, I don’t think the City has either the money, the staff or the time to rework the entire system.

By way of comparison, Fairfax County’s Comprehensive Plan, when I was working there, inventoried each and every parcel of

24 | July 2017

potentially developable land and set forth an area plan that worked its way down to a plan for each so-called “land-bay.” So, under that system, individual landowners could lobby the government for what they wanted to do with a site in the future, the neighbors got notified and the issue was worked out in public hearings. Not saying it’s better, because it’s really expensive and time consuming.

As an editorial aside, one of Microsoft’s competitors once referred to the Windows operating platform as “a road apple covered with whipped cream.” That’s sort of how I think of Richmond’s Master Plan and its Zoning Ordinance. Some of the undeveloped or underdeveloped real estate here in the City is currently zoned for uses that are inconsistent with the character of the neighborhoods in which they lie and/or what the Master Plan supposedly says about what the City wants. That’s why areas like the east end waterfront and Fulton Bottom are so attractive to outside developers. They can “cherry pick” individual sites and determine, with antiquated zoning, what they want to do and never have to go to the Planning Commission or even the City Council. The developer submits a “plan of development” for a “by-right” development and City Staff give a review and issue building permits.

In order to stay on top of what’s happening in the neighborhood, one has to look at every intake point for development, from the Commission on Architectural Review to the Virginia Housing and Development Authority to see what is going on. Because of this, the members of CHA’s Land Use and Historic Preservation Committee have volunteered to monitor public hearings by the Planning Commission, the Commission on Architectural Review, City Council and the Virginia Housing Development Authority, which finances or at least looks to finance a lot of the apartment building construction going on throughout the City, to try to stay on top of what’s happening. Even so, we can’t cover everything.

3. Richmond’s Zoning Ordinance The Zoning Ordinance is actually two things combined into one. The Zoning Map is a on- line GIS map of every parcel in the City with its current zoning and history linked within the GIS system. The other part of the ordinance is the actual text of the zoning code, which is a laundry list of uses identified by a code. “R-1” is near universal and stands for 1 residential unit per lot. “R-63” may be anything the City wants it to be but likely stands for some kind of multifamily use.

Once you’ve determined what the code is for any parcel, you need to look the zoning district code up in the zoning ordinance. The text of the official Zoning Ordinance is a hyperlink found at a different location location on the City’s website. One might think that it was designed to be confusing; but I think it’s mostly the result of piecemeal changes in an underfunded system. The text ordinance will have the rules and regulations for development within that use category.

One would think that’s the end of it; but no. If a landowner/developer asks for a change in the zoning to establish a different use, then a separate zoning ordinance for that individual parcel is vetted by going through the Planning Commission, the Commission on Architectural Review, if applicable, and ultimately passed or rejected by City Council. This time the review is subject to public hearings and by State statute, the neighbors within a certain area are notified. This means, that if you live across the street or within a certain number of feet from one of these rezoning projects, the City should mail you a notice. If you aren’t within the area mandated by code, you don’t get any written notice and it’s up to the individual to monitor what actions the City is considering.

This is precisely what happened with the Peach and Pear Street Parcels we discussed in an earlier posting. The developer was far down the rezoning process, in front of City Council on the “consent agenda” to rezone the property, this time around, before CHA found out what was happening. Once rezoned, all he needed to do was to submit a “plan of development” consistent with the rezoned category and City Staff would have reviewed it and issued building permits with no notice to anybody of what was happening.

It’s likely that CHA was outside of the neighborhood that gets automatic notices of rezonings, and that’s why nobody knew about it until it was picked up in the newspaper. At which point, at CHA’s request our 7th District representative, Dr. Cynthia Newbille stepped in, prevailed on the developer to stop and gave CHA a chance to be heard by the developer. As a result, we obtained what I think was a fair result for all concerned. And, that’s how the process should work.

One thing we might consider is lobbying our City Council to adopt an ordinance requiring all plans of development being submitted to prove that they have notified the neighbors. If you see something in the nature of a project or a house that concerns you, contact the CHA – you can contact me at rgordon@durrettecrump.com

Editor’s notes: Forrest Frazier, also on the Land Use committee with Ray Gordon, has supplied a link to A Citizen’s Guide to

Residential Zoning which may be accessed here: http://www.richmondgov.com/planninganddevelopmentreview/documents/ RHandbook.pdf which I found extremely interesting. Also, there is a list of FAQs for Zoning at the City’s website available here: http://www.richmondgov.com/PlanningAndDevelopmentReview/faq.aspx

–Celeste R. Deal Church Hill Newsletter | 25

MORE TREE ISSUES ON THE HILL It appears that a well meaning but unskilled person decided to take it upon him (or her) self to whack on multiple trees on 25th Street from East Main up to Clay Street. Without permission from the city, this is an act of vandalism of city property. Improper pruning of trees can lead to structural problems that weaken a tree. Poor cuts can also make the tree more susceptible to disease. Leaving the cut branches around the base of the tree can cause additional problems.

If you have trees on your street that need pruning, there are several (legal) options available to you. When the trees are smaller trees, such as the ones in the pictures accompanying this article, feel free to contact one of your very own Church Hill Tree Stewards. One of us can submit a project request to get the work done by skilled and trained volunteers. When the trees are larger more mature trees, you can submit a request to the City’s Arborist using the 311 Call Center or SeeClickFix. However, due to limited resources the arborists have to prioritize pruning based on safety (i.e. large dead branches that may fall on pedestrians or cars) and may not be able to get to your trees in a timely manner. Alternatively, you can personally hire a Certified Arborist who will obtain the appropriate permit from the City to do pruning. It is important that you hire someone who is certified.

The mission of Richmond’s trained, volunteer Tree Stewards is to promote and improve the health of city trees to ensure the city’s forest will survive and thrive. This is accomplished by increasing public awareness through community education, planning and planting for the future, and providing maintenance and care for young trees on streets and in parks. Tree Stewards work closely with Urban Forestry and with other organizations interested in the health of our community forest. For more information about your city trees or to suggest a project on Church Hill please contact Trish Bernal at trishbernal@gmail.com or 643-2420 or Joel Cabot at joel.cabot@ yahoo.com or 644-8301.

https://richmondtreestewards.org/

Submitted by Trish Bernal, Richmond Tree Steward; Photo credits Tom Layman, Richmond Tree Steward

Improperly pruned tree on North 25th Street

26 | July 2017

Church Hill Tree Stewards Trish Bernal and Tom Layman repairing the damage. Debris piles were also removed from the base of the trees.

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Church Hill Newsletter | 27

A GREAT BIG THANK YOU TO TRUE TIMBER. Contact Information: truetimber.net - (804) 218 -TREE (7733)

The local award winning tree care company True Timber has given the neighborhood a skilled and generous gift.

On a beautiful fresh summer Friday morning June 2, our number came up for the long talked about pruning of the Champion Elm near the View That Named Richmond.

A team of True Timber climbers and Arborist gave us a wonderful gift. Their skill and love of trees was a joy to watch. Someone commented that watching their skilled artistry was like watching children playing - the giant ancient tree was like a jungle gym for the young men exercising their artistry, knowledge of tree biology and athleticism.

Our neighborhood owes a great debt of gratitude to these skilled tree care craftsman from True Timber and this Licklider team – Bryn Beck and Jesse Duling – Climbers ; Logan Hendricks – Groundsman; and Jim Licklider – Arborist/ Manager/Church Hill area. A particular thank you goes to Peter Girardi who was instrumental in making this event happen.

Church Hill loves their trees. Needs their trees. We are a dense urban environment subject to the heat island effect, high tree mortality and air quality issues.

For Friends of Libby Hill Park Coqui Macdonald

28 | July 2017

Church Hill Newsletter | 29

30 | July 2017

PRIMARY CARE IN SHOCKOE BOTTOM

VICKI LATHAM, MD

Canal Crossing Internal Medicine now accepting new patients

At Bon Secours, we know it’s important to have health care providers you like and trust. Bon Secours Canal Crossing Internal Medicine offers adult primary care, including management of chronic medical conditions, senior care, annual physicals, women’s services, immunizations and checkups. We specialize in internal medicine and provide primary care through all stages of adult life.

KATIE SKIFF, NP

Same-day appointments available.

804-298-3460 goodhelpdocs.com 115 South 15th Street, Suite 501 Richmond, VA 23219 SARAH MEYERS, PA-C

Church Hill Newsletter | 31

A Realtor in your Neighborhood When Amy Tesauro isn’t helping Richmonders buy and sell their homes, you might find her sitting on her porch on the Hill, or at Chimborazo park with her kids, or at Dutch & Co enjoying the Perfect Egg. We know Church Hill because we live Church Hill.

Let us put our unique experience to work for you.

Amy Tesauro Associate Broker 804.467.1881

Catherine Gilmer REALTORÂŽ 804.338.5397

Erin King

Director of Operations

804.292.0852

linchpinrealestate.com linchpin@linchpinrealestate.com 804.292.0852

32 | July 2017