Commonwealth’s Attorney Speaks Against City Noise Ordinance

Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney Michael Herring spoke Wednesday against the noise ordinance adopted by City Council in February, saying the law “is bad and needs to be stricken.”

styleweekly.com Don Harrison and Sara Dabney Tisdale.

Noise law exemption ‘probably unconstitutional’

Commonwealth’s Attorney Michael N. Herring said the city should “scrap” the ordinance and adopt one based on set decibel levels.

Richmond General District Chief Judge Robert A. Pustilnik said, “I am not crazy about most language in the statute.”

timesdispatch.com Reed Williams.

Club ordinance and strong communication keeps nightlife safe

RPD Lieutenant John Beazley is in charge of the area.

“Inside a club you might have 150, 200 people,” he said. “Outside on the streets you might have 1000 or 1500 people. So the problem that was being caused inside is really minimal when you compare to what could happen outside.”

via nbc12.com Laura Geller.

Libbie Ave. projects have Tyler juggling roles

A pair of proposed office developments along Libbie Avenue have Richmond City Councilman Bruce W. Tyler carefully maneuvering between his roles as a public official and a private architect.

via timesdispatch.com WILL JONES.

20101019 – Land – October 19, 2010

20101019 – Land – October 19, 2010 – Page 1
hmm	Duration: 0:57:04
000   Papers for Consideration	(1.   2010-130   continued)
001      7.   2010-R140   Housing Authority
002         Newbille
003         Public Hearing   1.	Supported in part; Opposed in part
004            2.	Supported in part; Opposed in part
005
006
007         Motion to approve passed.
008      8.   2010-R141   Housing Authority
009         Newbille
010         Samuels
011         Public Hearing       1.	Supported
012
013         Motion to approve passed.
014   Public Comment   1.	Meeting time is too early in the day. Dove Court redevelopment should be a land trust.
015
016
017   Papers for Consideration – continued
018      2.   2010-200   Stony Point
019         Public Hearing   1
020
021         Motion to approve passed.
022      3.   2010-210   Master Plan	(continued)
023      4.   2010-R136   5.   2010-R137   715 Mosby	Appeal by concerned citizen of  Architectural Review Commission decision on 12 points.
024         Presenter – Hill
025
026
027
028
029         Public Hearing
030            1.	Supported Commission
031         Discussion   Newbille
032         Motion to support Commission passed.
033      6.   2010-193   Encroachment
034         Presenter -
035         Public Hearing   1.	Supported
036         Motion to approve passed.
037      9.   2010-R144   Alcoholic Beverage Control
038         Motion to approve passed.
039      10.   2010-R145   sell naming rights
040         Public Hearing   1.	Opposed
041
042         Motion to approve passed.
043      11.   2010-R146   trails/bikeways/paths
044         Public Hearing   1.	Supported
045         Motion to approve passed.
046   Motion to approve minutes passed.
047   Board Vacancies Review
048
049
050
051   Other Business
052      Revitalization Program
053      Special Use Permit Terms	Permit runs with the person rather than the land.
054
055
056
057   Adjourned

Nightclubs implementing new ordinance

“It’s very frustrating,” Nicholson said. “Even something that doesn’t have anything to do with us is going to affect our business, as well as everybody else’s down here.”

via nbc12.com Laura Geller.

20101011 – Council Formal – October 11, 2010

Council Formal  – October 11, 2010
hmm
000  Call to Order
001
002   Appointments – 10. 2010-R142
003     Motion to approve passed.
004   Awards and Presentations
005
006
007
008
009
010
011
012
013
014
015
016
017
018
019
020
021
022
023
024
025
026
027
028
029
030
031
032
033
034
035
036
037
038  Agenda Review and Amendments
039    Motion to approve passed.
040  Consent Agenda   1. 10-128   3. 10-177   4. 10-182
041    6. 10-201   8. 10-205  9. 10-207
042    Public Hearing   Speaker 1	Item 1 .   Supported
043      Speaker 2	Item 1 .   Opposed Referred to alternative design document.
044
045
046
047    Discussion   Jewell	Item 1 .   Comprehensive Plan calls for better design than that proposed
048
049    Newbille	Item 1 .   Proposed design is similar to examples in other places in the city.
050
051    Samuels	Item 6 and Item 9.  Supported
052    Motion to approve passed.	Jewell  Item  1.   Abstained
053  Public Comment   Speaker 1	Cannot get tax relief that he is entitled to.
054
055
056
057    Samuels	“Thank you”. Will look into it.
058
059    Trammell
100    Speaker 2	Visually impaired person cannot always tell where to stand at GRTC bus stops.
101
102
103
104      Trammell	“Thank you”
105      Hilbert	“Thank you”
106      Newbille	“Thank you”
107
108    Speaker 3	Opposed to new jail at existing jail site.
109
110
111      Robertson
112
113
114
115
116      Jewell	Existing jail site is only 6.5 acres.  Administration needs to present better justification for existing site.
117
118
119
120      Newbille	More information is needed.
121      Graziano
122      Trammell   Graziano
123      Robertson
124      Newbille
125      Robertson
126
127
128      Trammell   Graziano
129    Speaker 4	Concerned about council’s failure to respond to invitation to attend Citizens of Greater Richmond Against Gun Violence banquet.
130
131
132      Graziano	“Apology”
133      Trammell	“Apology”
134      Hilbert   Robertson	“Apology”   “Apology”
135      Jewell	Had promised to purchase banquet ticket and will send check.
136
137      Newbille   Samuels	“Apology”   “Apology”
138      Tyler	“Apology”
139  Approval of Minutes     Motion to approve passed.
140  Reports/Announcements
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156  New Legislation Introduction
157
158
159
200
201
202
203
204
205  Adjourned

20101011 – Council Informal – October 11, 2010

20101011 – Council Informal – October 11, 2010
hmm
000   Docket Review
001   1. 2010-128 Presentation	(Technical problems prevented viewing.)
002       Jewell	Concerned about exit to alley.
003
004      Hilbert	Concerned about ingress/egress.
005      Robertson
006      Staff	(Audio/Visual presentation)
007
008
009
010
011      Samuels    Hilbert
012      Jewell	Questioned that city transportation policy encourages access via alley.
013
014      Newbille	Supports plan.
015      Samuels
016      Hilbert
017   2. 10-130  continued  3. 10-177   4. 10-182
018   5. withdraw  6. 10-201  7. 10-203 continued
019   8. 10-205  9. 10-207  10. 10-R142
020   Presentation – Budget Amendment Details – Chapman	•Neighborhood Stabilization.  $500,000 to establish “fund” for purpose of attracting more funds.  Will follow New York City model. •80% of funds will be used in areas with most persistent problems. •City maintains registry of troubled properties.
021
022      (Jewell sleeping)
023
024
025
026      Trammell
027      Hilbert	Questioned that a “fund” was contemplated when council passed budget amendment.
028
029
030
031
032      Robertson	Requested written report.
033
034
035      Jewell
036      Graziano	Requested written plan.
037
038
039   Closed Session – Appointments
040   END OF AUDIO	No audio of closed session certification.

Keep Monroe Open & Public

Our coalition of churches and other organizations DO NOT oppose renovations to Monroe Park. We like pretty parks! But we cannot sit idly by while those most in need have their only open public space closed. We have created this petition to demand that the renovation be done in stages, rather than all at once, leaving between 25% and 50% of the park open for the people who need it most, and the organizations who are able to provide that need. We also firmly oppose any private security force in this public space, especially one specifically charged with keeping out the “apparently homeless”.

via change.org.

Panhandling – City Code

Chapter 66 OFFENSES AND MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

ARTICLE V. OFFENSES AGAINST PUBLIC PEACE

DIVISION 1. GENERALLY

Sec. 66-151. Loitering-Obstructing free passage of others.

(c) Prohibited conduct. It shall be unlawful for a person to loiter at any public place or any place open to the public in such a manner as to violate any of the following restrictions:

(5) In order to promote the safe and orderly flow of traffic on the public streets and highways, no person shall stop a motor vehicle in such manner as to impede or render dangerous the use of the streets or highways by others, and no person shall loiter on or in the public streets or highways for the purpose of engaging the operator of any motor vehicle or any passenger in a motor vehicle in conversation or any other activity while such motor vehicle is stopped on the main-traveled portion of a street or highway.

 

ARTICLE VII. OFFENSES AGAINST PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY
DIVISION 1. GENERALLY

Sec. 66-317. Solicitation on center median.

(c) Prohibited use of center median strip. It shall be unlawful for any person to stand or stay on any center median for the purpose of soliciting contributions of any kind. It shall also be unlawful for any person to stand or stay on any center median for the purpose of selling, offering for sale or advertising any product, property or service or for the purpose of distributing any document, product, or other item.

Sec. 66-318. Unlawful entry onto streets.

(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to enter a street and approach a motor vehicle to:

(2) Solicit contributions of any nature from the drivers of motor vehicles or passengers therein;