Richmond
City Council – Richmond City Hall - 900 E. Broad Street, Suite 305 - Richmond,
Virginia 23219 U.S.A. - www.council.richmondva.gov
COUNCIL PUBLIC
INFORMATION NEWS RELEASE
IMMEDIATE RELEASE TO BE FORWARDED AND SHARED
Monday,
5 June 2017
A Joint Statement by
The Honorable Kim B. Gray
Councilwoman, Richmond City Council, Richmond North
Central 2nd Voter District
and
The
Honorable Chris A. Hilbert
Councilman, Richmond City Council, Richmond
Northside 3rd Voter District
Regarding: Proposed
development of the Westwood Tract property.
WHAT (Richmond,
Virginia U.S.A.) – The Honorable Kim B. Gray, Councilwoman,
Richmond City Council, Richmond North Central 2nd Voter District, and The
Honorable Chris A. Hilbert, Councilman, Richmond City Council, Richmond Northside
3rd Voter District, received a report from residents of neighborhoods in
Richmond’s Northside area which summarized their concerns over the potential impact
of the development of a portion of the Westwood Tract property, to be called the
Canopy at Ginter Park.
On March 27, 2017, Richmond City Council
unanimously adopted Resolution No. 2017-R015 which requested the Administration
of Mayor Levar M. Stoney, Richmond Public Schools Board of Trustees, and other
affected governmental agencies to produce an impact study of the proposed
Westwood Tract development. However, funding for the study was not identified.
While the submitted report is not a formal
impact study produced by the Richmond City Government, residents of
neighborhoods near the development collaborated with Richmond Public Schools,
local engineers and state agencies to summarize potential costs to taxpayers
and voice concerns over traffic safety issues, storm water drainage, impact on
schools, and historic preservation in the area. The report estimates that the
Canopy at Ginter Park development may have a taxpayer cost of $9.7 million to
$13.2 million in the first five years to pay for school, roadway, and storm water
drainage improvements, and further recommends that no further permits,
approvals or development be allowed until the traffic and storm water issues
are properly reviewed and fully resolved.
In a joint statement about the Westwood
Tract development, Councilwoman Gray and Councilman Hilbert stated the
following:
“The
Canopy project will cost City taxpayers and ratepayers at least $10 million. We
are trying to protect taxpayers and ratepayers throughout the entire City. We
also believe that the traffic and storm water public safety issues raised in
the report are troubling and deserve in-depth review before any development is
allowed to occur on the site.”
CONTACT For more information, please
contact:
Mr.
Craig K. Bieber, Liaison for The Honorable Kim B. Gray, Councilwoman, Richmond
City Council, Richmond North Central 2nd Voter District, at 804.646.6532 (office
tel) or craig.bieber@richmondgov.com (email).
Ms.
Lisa F. Townes, Liaison for The Honorable Chris A. Hilbert, Councilman,
Richmond City Council, Richmond Northside 3rd Voter District, at 804.646.6055
(office tel) or lisa.townes@richmondgov.com (email).
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