City Council
Council Chamber, 2nd Floor - City Hall
Agenda — 68 items
- 1 Interested persons that wish to provide comments by teleconference/videoconference via Microsoft Teams, must register prior to 10:00 a.m., on the day of the meeting, by calling the Office of the City Clerk at (804) 646-7955 and selecting option 3.
- 2 Spanish interpretation service (SIS) is now offered in-person and virtually during Richmond City Council Formal meetings. Please visit the SIS station in the Council Chamber for assistance or select the language interpretation option when joining the Microsoft Teams meeting.
- 3 Order of Business
- 4 Invocation
- 5 To be offered by Cantor Sarah Beck-Berman of Congregation Beth Ahabah
- 6 Pledge of Allegiance
- 7 Chamber Emergency Evacuation Plan Announcement and Public Speaker Guidelines
- 8 Roll Call
- 9 Action on Appointments and Reappointments
- 10 Board Appointments and Reappointments - June 2, 2025
- 11 Awards and Presentations (Applause permitted during this portion of the meeting only)
- 12 Public Comment
- 13 June 2, 2025 Public Comment Period Speakers List
- 14 Agenda Review and Amendments
- 15 Action Items (Consent Agenda)
- 16 Action Items (Regular Agenda and Motions)
- 17 Approval of Minutes of Previous Meetings
- 18 May 12, 2025 Informal Meeting Minutes
- 19 May 12, 2025 Formal Meeting Minutes
- 20 Introduction of Ordinances and Resolutions
- 21 Reports or Announcements by Members of the Council
- 22 Adjournment
- 23 PAGE BREAK
- 24 City Council is Richmond City's local legislative body and is composed of one council representative elected from each of the city's nine voter districts. Council members are elected to serve a four year term of office. Council elects one of its own to serve as the president and presiding officer for a two year term.
- 25 Time and Place of Meetings
- 26 The public is invited and encouraged to attend and participate in the City Council meetings. The City Council meets in the City Hall second floor Council Chamber, in informal work session at 4:00 p.m., and in formal session at 6:00 p.m., on the second and fourth Monday during the months of January, February, March, April, May, June and September and only on the second Monday during the months of October, November and December. In the month of July, one such meeting is held on the fourth Monday of the month and in the month of August, no such meetings are held. All meetings of the Council are open to the public.
- 27 Public Comment Period
- 28 The Public Comment Period is an opportunity for persons to address Council concerning the services, policies and affairs of the city and to discuss issues not on the agenda for the business meeting.
- 29 Guidelines for Public Participation*
- 30 The maximum time allotted to persons speaking to any matter under consideration by the Council shall not exceed thirty (30) minutes for proponents and thirty (30) minutes for opponents. Speakers should state their full legal name, any organization(s) they represent and any economic or professional relationship(s) that would benefit by the adoption of the paper(s) they are addressing.
- 31 Speakers are not permitted to address or question the Council Chief of Staff, the City Attorney, the City Clerk, or any staff member directly. Questions should be directed to the President who may, at his/her discretion, solicit a response. Applause is permitted during the “Awards and Presentations” period only.
- 32 Persons speaking regarding agenda items are generally limited to three (3) minutes; however, no individual from the public may speak for more than ten (10) minutes total during the business meeting. Individuals may express their views in writing in lieu of an oral presentation.
- 33 Reasonable accommodations will be made for persons with a disability. Individuals are encouraged to contact the City Clerk’s Office at 804-646-7955 for a “Request for Reasonable Accommodation” form, which must be completed to receive assistance.
- 34 * The full text of the Council's Rules of Procedure is available on the City Clerk's website at www.rva.gov/office-city-clerk or in the Office of the City Clerk located in City Hall at 900 East Broad Street, Suite 200.
- 35 PAGE BREAK
- 36 THE CONSENT AGENDA
- 37 Items listed on the Consent Agenda are considered routine and non-controversial. The Consent Agenda provides a method for the expeditious handling of items that do not require discussion and will be approved unanimously by a single roll-call vote of the Council. The public may speak to any item on the Consent Agenda when the public hearing is announced by the President.
- 1. To authorize the special use of the property known as 3618 Hawthorne Avenue for the purpose of a four-unit multifamily dwelling and six single-family attached dwellings, upon certain terms and conditions. (3rd District)
- 2. To authorize the Chief Administrative Officer, for and on behalf of the City of Richmond, to execute a Grant Agreement between the City of Richmond, Refuge Apartments, LP, and the Economic Development Authority of the City of Richmond for the purpose of facilitating the construction of an affordable housing development located at 5015 Snead Road, 5009 Rear Snead Road, and 5015 Rear Snead Road, or a site resulting from any such consolidation of the aforementioned parcels. (9th District)
- 3. To amend Ord. No. 2008-270-261, adopted Nov. 10, 2008, which amended Ord. No. 2003-296-255, adopted Sep. 8, 2003, which authorized a Community Unit Plan at 1300 Westwood Avenue for a mixed-use development consisting of a maximum of one hundred forty residential units, a community center with reception facility and non-medical office, a preventative healthcare facility, two private schools, and a fifty unit dormitory, and modified the plan for the fence required between the subject property and 1409 Palmyra Avenue, to modify the Community Unit Plan to allow for the development of tennis courts. (As Amended) (3rd District)
- 4. To authorize the special use of the property known as 1843 West Grace Street for the purpose of one dwelling unit within an accessory building to a [single-family] two-family attached dwelling, upon certain terms and conditions. (As Amended) (2nd District)
- 5. To authorize the special use of the property known as 1707 Tyler Street for the purpose of one two-family detached dwelling, upon certain terms and conditions. (As Amended) (3rd District)
- 6. To declare a public necessity for and to authorize the acquisition of the parcels of real property owned by West Commerce Properties LLC located at 2210 Concord Avenue and 2202 Concord Avenue in the city of Richmond for the purpose of facilitating the development of affordable housing. (8th District)
- 7. To (i) declare surplus and direct the conveyance of the City-owned real estate known as 2100 Rear Bellemeade Road, consisting of 1.245± acres, and a portion of the City-owned real estate known as 2101 Commerce Road, consisting of 0.490± acres, for nominal consideration to 2107 West Commerce LLC and (ii) retain certain storm water drainage easements for the purpose of facilitating the development of affordable housing. (8th District)
- 8. To authorize the special use of the property known as 2000 North 29th Street for the purpose of a private school, upon certain terms and conditions. (7th District)
- 9. To authorize the special use of the property known as 814 North 32nd Street for the purpose of up to three single-family attached dwellings, upon certain terms and conditions. (7th District)
- 10. To authorize the special use of the property known as 2003 West Grace Street for the purpose of a single-family detached dwelling and an accessory dwelling unit, upon certain terms and conditions. (2nd District)
- 11. To authorize the special use of the property known as 14 South Lombardy Street for the purpose of a multifamily dwelling, upon certain terms and conditions. (5th District)
- 12. To authorize the special use of the properties known as 2916 Semmes Avenue and 2918 Semmes Avenue for the purpose of one single-family detached dwelling and one two-family detached dwelling, upon certain terms and conditions. (5th District)
- 13. To amend Ord. No. 2024-099, adopted May 13, 2024, which adopted the Fiscal Year 2024-2025 General Fund Budget and made appropriations pursuant thereto, by increasing anticipated revenues from certain funds granted to the City of Richmond from The Regents of the University of California in the amount of $25,000.00 and appropriating such increased estimated revenues to the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office for the purpose of the Partnering with Prosecutors to Reduce Racial Disproportionalities project.
- 14. To authorize the Chief Administrative Officer, for and on behalf of the City of Richmond, to accept funds in the amount of $160,000.00 from the Virginia Department of Forestry and to amend the Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Special Fund Budget by creating a new special fund for the Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities called the “Tree Maintenance Team for East End and Evergreen Cemeteries,” and to appropriate the increase to the Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Special Fund Budget by increasing the estimated revenues and the amount appropriated to the Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities’ “Tree Maintenance Team for East End and Evergreen Cemeteries Special Fund” by $160,000.00 for the purpose of funding a tree maintenance team and ongoing care for East End and Evergreen Cemeteries.
- 15. To amend Ord. No. 2024-099, adopted May 13, 2024, which adopted the Fiscal Year 2024-2025 General Fund Budget and made appropriations pursuant thereto, by changing the uses and allocation of the Council District Funds for the Sixth District pursuant to Va. Code § 15.2-2503 for the use of the Council Member in the representation of the Sixth District.
- 16. To amend Ord. No. 2024-099, adopted May 13, 2024, which adopted the Fiscal Year 2024-2025 General Fund Budget and made appropriations pursuant thereto, by changing the uses and allocation of the Council District Funds for the Ninth District pursuant to Va. Code § 15.2-2503 for the use of the Council Member in the representation of the Ninth District.
- 17. To authorize the Chief Administrative Officer, for and on behalf of the City of Richmond, to accept funds in the amount of $3,000.00 from the Virginia Opioid Abatement Authority and to amend the Fiscal Year 2024-2025 General Fund Budget by creating a new line item in the Non-Departmental agency to be called the “Hanover County OAA Project Recover Grant” line item, and to appropriate the increase to the Fiscal Year 2024-2025 General Fund Budget by increasing estimated revenues and the amount appropriated to such new line item by $3,000.00, all for the purpose of making a grant of matching funds to Hanover County to support the Project Recover initiative funded by the Virginia Opioid Abatement Authority.
- 18. To repeal City Code §§ 14-57, concerning the establishment of floodplain districts, 14-58, concerning district boundaries and the official floodplain map, and 14-121, concerning modification to requirements of the building code and to amend §§ 14-19, 14-21-14-23, 14-25, 14-55, 14-56, 14-59-14-62, 14-83-14-88, 14-120, 14-122, and 14-123, concerning floodplain management, for the purpose of aligning the City Code with the Letter of Final Determination from the Federal Emergency Management Agency dated Jan. 8, 2025, regarding the City’s revised flood insurance rate map.
- 19. To designate the 300 block of North 32nd Street in honor of Reverend Dr. Edward Daniel McCreary, Jr.
- 20. To designate the 2100 block of Edwards Avenue in honor of Harold Thomas.
- 21. To authorize the Chief Administrative Officer, for and on behalf of the City of Richmond, to accept funds in the amount of $75,000.00 from the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services, and to designate funds in the total amount of $25,000.00 in the City Sheriff General Fund Budget as the required local match; to amend the Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Special Fund Budget by creating a new special fund for the City Sheriff called the “DCJS JAG - Vehicle Cameras Special Fund;” and to amend the Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Special Fund Budget by increasing estimated revenues and the amount appropriated to the City Sheriff’s “DCJS JAG - Vehicle Cameras Special Fund” by the total amount of $100,000.00, all for the purpose of equipping the City Sheriff’s fleet vehicles with camera equipment.
- 22. To authorize the Chief Administrative Officer, for and on behalf of the City of Richmond, to accept funds in the amount of $1,500,000.00 from the Virginia Resources Authority and to amend the Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Wastewater Utility Budget which appropriated the estimated receipts of the wastewater utility, by increasing estimated receipts and the amount appropriated for the wastewater utility by $1,500,000.00, for the purpose of funding the City’s Wastewater Treatment Plant Thickening and Dewatering Facilities Improvements project.
- 23. To authorize the Chief Administrative Officer, for and on behalf of the City of Richmond, to execute a Financing Agreement between the City of Richmond and the Virginia Resources Authority for the purpose of funding the City’s Wastewater Treatment Plant Thickening and Dewatering Facilities Improvements project.
- 24. To authorize the Chief Administrative Officer, for and on behalf of the City of Richmond, to execute a Richmond Ambulance Authority Grant Agreement between the City of Richmond and the Richmond Ambulance Authority for the purpose of funding a Peer Recovery Specialist project to combat the opioid crisis in the City of Richmond.
- 25. To authorize the Chief Administrative Officer, for and on behalf of the City of Richmond, to execute a Health Brigade Grant Contract between the City of Richmond and Health Brigade for the purpose of funding the creation and implementation of a substance use disorder treatment program to combat the opioid crisis in the City of Richmond.
- 26. To express support for the study and installation of photo speed monitoring devices in high-risk intersection segments[, including the 600 and 700 blocks of South Belvidere Street and certain other locations,] pursuant to Va. Code § 46.2-882.1 and [through the City of Richmond’s Department of Police “Safety Camera Program” and] to request that the Chief Administrative Officer consider identifying additional locations for the installation of photo speed monitoring devices and increasing the number of photo speed monitoring devices deployed by the City. (As Amended) (5th District)
- 27. To support the application for an allocation of $10,000,000 through the Virginia Department of Transportation Revenue Sharing Program to provide maintenance and construction assistance to certain transportation projects.
- 28. To request that the Chief Administrative Officer cause to be conducted a study of the fiscal, operational, and other considerations associated with requiring janitorial and security contractors under contract to provide services to the City to pay the City’s minimum wage, currently $20.00 per hour, to their employees who are performing work under City contracts, and to provide the Council with any recommendations for implementing such a requirement by no later than Nov. 1, 2025.
- 66 THE REGULAR AGENDA
- 29. To amend ch. 26 of the City Code by adding therein a new art. XIX, consisting of §§ 26-1288-26-1292, for the purpose of establishing a disposable plastic bag tax.
- 30. To amend City Code § 12-12, concerning the form of the budget submitted to Council, to require publication of a side-by-side comparison with the mayor’s proposed budget submission with agency-level budget request documents and to amend ch. 12, art. I of the City Code by adding therein a new section 12-25, concerning publication of agency-level budget requests, for the purpose of requiring submission of agency-level budget request documents.