Zoning, Fishing, and Fundraising
Cheers RVA!
Today will be partly cloudy with a high of 92 and a slight chance of rain showers. Stay hydrated.
the juice:
The City of Richmond is hosting two webinars designed to:
“Learn the basics of zoning and its purpose, how zoning decisions are made and who is involved, goals and expected outcomes of the Code Refresh initiative, and how you can be involved.”
The first is today at 11:30 am, the next tomorrow at 6:00 pm. You can register here.
Robin Schwartzkopf from RIC today goes further and explains how Richmond’s zoning ordinance dates back to 1976 with many of the rules not aligned with the modern city. She quotes the director of planning and review, Kevin Vonck:
Vonck also said the new ordinance should prioritize pedestrian safety, historical and cultural resources, and the personality of Richmond’s neighborhoods. He also wants it to be easier to understand.
“You shouldn’t need a land use attorney to figure out how to use your own property,” Vonck said.
I recommend reading the full article. There is also a really neat map of Richmond with properties color-coded by year of construction.
the pulp:
Six adults were shot in Glen Allen Saturday evening, from 12 on your side.
Commercial Real Estate firm Newmark to open office in Scott’s Addition, from Mike Platania at Bizsense
the dive:
Here’s an update on the fundraising so far for this year’s Mayoral race:
Danny Avula has certainly raised a lot of money since May 15, when I previously wrote about him here in Cheers RVA!
Comparing the fundraising so far this year to previous Richmond Mayoral Elections:
In 2020, Stoney raised $1.1 million, garnering 38% of the vote, with the most of the remaining votes (26% each) going to Rodgers and Gray, who raised $456k and $339k respectively.
However in 2016, Stoney won the election with 36% of the vote, raising just $913k, defeating Jack Berry who raised $1.19 million but only garnered 34%, with Joe Morrissey taking 21% of the votes with $196k raised.
The Mayoral election in Richmond is decided by winning the most votes in 5 of the 9 city districts. (almost like a mini electoral college)
If no candidate is able to achieve a majority of districts, the top two candidates with the most votes city-wide compete in a run-off election, with the winner still being determined by winning the majority of districts.
the vibe:
A local reddit user posted this gorgeous photo from Sunday morning on the James.
There were some fears it was a low-head dam, but apparently it’s a concrete pipe and is “reasonably safe”.
Have a great day RVA!
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