[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6630321,"mediaKeyId","2696680-42ed0d51e6aa594d22a34daac8ecd627","parentId",2696680,"title","Committee forwards multiple ordinances to council, including affordable housing grants, transit funding and a downtown planning grant","audioSeconds",214,"startMs",4418000,"endMs",4632000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2696680-42ed0d51e6aa594d22a34daac8ecd627&start=4418&end=4632","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2696680-42ed0d51e6aa594d22a34daac8ecd627/thumbnail_4418000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6630321/Richmond-City-Independent-City/Virginia/Committee-forwards-multiple-ordinances-to-council-including-affordable-housing-grants-transit-funding-and-a-downtown-planning-grant","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6630321-dec6021cb661f2b77612d7d25cf633ca/orig.mp4?Expires=1771196264&Signature=bijJ-za~ERgJt9cND7OqFzSbp48oA7VSUwW3CjTz1O1La9EXnaUnbOAhFtwhNPzowOIYVIvpBOldk~jSBEa-05D1~gvZORGkLUwpphZBAS9U4qgU~QBvfFcoUaJkSmjs98S7-Cfid1cx1vc8TDTlnIdZ4NhcwrQDbXu7dvutx1Jc~4P5Yi6-k~48gCmE7VjAvXZzuPv6jxNetmmQf7Uby1dYQwnEkoLuRgrCNPi5eAIonFVogiWkstm89VV9i~V8apApwbPBPECUPAy6NF8wSNXSQ3NxDbJJ9TvebcZseuo18bDLEMypBadZ~wKzXU9eWZrimwJ~4Sz9JMD3skBp9A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Richmond City","date","2025-03-19T00:00:00Z","article","The Richmond Finance and Economic Development Standing Committee voted to forward multiple ordinances and a resolution to the full council, recommending approval on items including transit grant agreements, affordable housing performance grants, park improvements, a downtown planning grant and a bond inducement resolution.

Votes at a glance

- Free Rides to Work (Ordinance 20250‑027 and 20250‑028): The committee read two papers authorizing the CAO to accept $37,371,000 from the Virginia Transit Association and to execute a cooperation agreement to fund a \"free rides to work\" program. Diana Moore Clark, deputy director in the Department of Public Works, said the program had been at capacity and the additional funds represent roughly $100,000 more than last year. The motion to forward was approved (Vice Chair Jones—Aye; Chair Robertson—Aye).

- Affordable housing (Ordinances 20250‑030, 20250‑031, 20250‑042 and 20250‑043): The committee took items 5, 6, 9 and 10 in a block. Staff described four projects: Swansboro Place (amendment to add acreage to a previously approved project; 90 units; total development cost reported at about $34,000,000), Saint Elizabeth (56 units; development cost about $7,700,000), a Commonwealth Catholic Charities project at 1903–1905 Sims Avenue (20 units; cost about $8,100,000), and an Oliver Hill Way project focused on young adults aging out of foster care (80 units; total development cost about $31,000,000, with 40 units at 0–50% AMI and 40 at 50–80% AMI). After a public hearing with no speakers, the block was forwarded with a recommendation to approve (Vice Chair Jones—Aye; Chair Robertson—Aye).

- Belle Meade Park improvements (Ordinance 20250‑029): The committee considered an amendment to a prior special fund to accept $150,000 from the Virginia Outdoors Foundation to support an outdoor classroom and other park improvements at Belle Meade Park (1800 Crouch Street). Deborah Morton, deputy director of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities, said the amended fund name would be Belle Meade Park Improvements and listed planned work including pollinator meadows, trail maintenance, educational programming and drainage work. The motion to forward was approved (Vice Chair Jones—Aye; Chair Robertson—Aye).

- Build America Bureau planning grant (Ordinance 20250‑033): Gail Johnson, director of the Department of General Services, presented an ordinance to accept $2,000,000 from the U.S. Department of Transportation to fund a pragmatic assessment of downtown assets and properties in support of the Richmond 300 downtown transportation initiatives. The grant will support feasibility and funding‑opportunity analysis for a new John Marshall Court building and a permanent GRTC transfer station. The motion to forward was approved (Vice Chair Jones—Aye; Chair Robertson—Aye).

- Bond inducement resolution for Bon Secours (Resolution 20250‑013): The committee considered a resolution expressing council concurrence with Henrico County EDA’s inducement resolution and authorizing issuance of revenue bonds not to exceed $15,000,000 for the benefit of Bon Secours Mercy Health Inc. and Richmond Community Hospital. City staff said the city is not financially responsible for the bonds. The committee forwarded the resolution with a recommendation to approve (Vice Chair Jones—Aye; Chair Robertson—Aye).

- Planning item continued (Ordinance 20250‑032): The committee voted to continue item 7 (ordinance 20250‑032) to the April 16 finance committee meeting because the application will return to the Planning Commission.

Motions and votes: Nearly all forwarded items were moved, seconded and recorded as \"Aye\" by Vice Chair Jones and Chair Robertson during the meeting; no recorded \"no\" or abstentions were recorded in the transcript excerpts. Each forwarded ordinance will appear on an upcoming full‑council docket for final action.

Ending: The committee closed the docket items and returned to presentations on federal funding and regional economic development.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Richmond City - Finance and Economic Development Standing Committee on 2025-03-19 2:00 PM - Mar 19, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The committee forwarded a package of ordinances and one resolution to full council with recommendations to approve, covering transit funding, four affordable housing projects or amendments, park improvements, a downtown planning grant and a bond inducement resolution.","taxTitle","Richmond City (Independent City), Virginia","taxId",5755,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6630325,"Committee forwards state grant to modernize stormwater asset inventory after questions about Southside coverage",126,3691000,3817000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2696680-42ed0d51e6aa594d22a34daac8ecd627&start=3691&end=3817","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2696680-42ed0d51e6aa594d22a34daac8ecd627/thumbnail_3691000.jpg","/articles/6630325/Richmond-City-Independent-City/Virginia/Committee-forwards-state-grant-to-modernize-stormwater-asset-inventory-after-questions-about-Southside-coverage","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6630325-8269356a901532bba90fb180fbb578f6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771196264&Signature=Q~J-KdE6ua4HudQCGDNbGYwiPyYA2LpmmpiQ12lgfBB0aJyWUO-P-XFTLD982tpheJQa0OTEugaJiQLj0NdNA2-jX0PMecV-8Ld5DfNedByE~O~Yizl7yXNrj~9PkOm5M7qkGlsdbWMBJ2hpoBc1dBWXpUZvTS1mnN8D5dOPIZlNEC2PC9EYPwBj8i4gFggVMJjIcM5gXVSSeMZqLt~GggyMAmPMKGidVTT~atS2XXbhY8mNLEMJAUWz1uSGjuhmbim-lzsSQbzy--Xct20xUjqTgDr18pxelR1ihiHzVKh1rx2cHCOMOal9aYK6fkEVgf3KzlDAPpSSGmyMyZpM7g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Richmond Finance and Economic Development Standing Committee voted to forward an ordinance to city council that would accept state funds to modernize the city’s stormwater asset inventory and support community flood‑preparedness work in Southside neighborhoods.

The ordinance (No. 20250‑026) as read by the clerk authorized the CAO to accept funds from the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR). The clerk’s papers listed the grant at $1.4 million; city staff later described the award in committee as roughly $1.495 million.

Bill Ballston, program manager for the Department of Public Utilities’ stormwater capital improvement program, said the award comes through DCR’s Community Flood Preparedness Fund and will support work to identify stormwater assets and gaps on the ground. \"This will allow us to continue an ongoing activity that we have, identifying where we have assets or where we need to find more assets for the stormwater utility in Richmond South Side neighborhoods,\" Ballston told the committee.

Council members pressed staff on the geographic framing. One council member said residents across the river generally identify as \"Southside,\" and argued the committee should avoid describing Southside as limited to the Eighth and Ninth districts. That council member asked for a follow‑up report detailing projects and investments underway in the Sixth District so residents there could see they were not excluded.

Ballston said the DCR grant application prioritized underserved, socially vulnerable communities and that the department is also carrying out projects elsewhere in Southside neighborhoods, including a green‑infrastructure award for Wright Avenue in Bellemeade (in the Sixth District). He told the committee the department would provide the requested detail on work in the Sixth District to council offices and staff.

Vice Chair Jones echoed the request for clarity and urged staff to be explicit in presentations about other concurrent grants and projects so residents do not perceive funding as being shifted from one neighborhood to another.

The committee moved the ordinance forward with a recommendation to approve. The recorded vote on the motion was Vice Chair Jones—Aye; Chair Robertson—Aye. The item will go to full council for final action.

Ending: Staff agreed to deliver a report to the requesting council member and to the clerk’s office summarizing current and planned stormwater investments across Southside neighborhoods, including work in the Sixth District.","The committee voted to forward an ordinance authorizing acceptance of a state grant to modernize Richmond’s stormwater asset inventory, with staff saying the award will fund field mapping and gap analysis in Southside neighborhoods.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6630332,"Greater Richmond Partnership lays out five‑year plan to boost regional competitiveness",728,1960000,2688000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2696680-42ed0d51e6aa594d22a34daac8ecd627&start=1960&end=2688","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2696680-42ed0d51e6aa594d22a34daac8ecd627/thumbnail_1960000.jpg","/articles/6630332/Richmond-City-Independent-City/Virginia/Greater-Richmond-Partnership-lays-out-fiveyear-plan-to-boost-regional-competitiveness","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6630332-cb09b269aa3bbe1f192bd8a3f9058ec8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771196264&Signature=obI8R~OdAAYJlrdek4HzKkn1Sp-yF7FpOJSovAy7N8YftzVuaInE3GwlQJDHNx~Mb~edLymSlZLiv45pu2p2C1yT05aNK9DfKP0iowy1~p4~1WIFDA~l9jF5QfnwAS90ytEtDiUTc0sW7RyUs2-4HVs3u1Fp6FQassbpdqRzuT2KK7Y~kqSj9WfP64ySBNBRAJNtW1HoPA~XsSiJHG~FShkrbOKLtTmnrkTp3-RTWg6Zw5wEEd5ZlNOChP-4tZoRY8Xu61pBM1EqLt8lf9fjqk8wlTTfafCuNarlFWin-~1~byB2VsE~gG0JTMLrDK2Rv-79V5~zjyBhMacKycoQBQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Jennifer Wakefield, president and CEO of the Greater Richmond Partnership, presented the organization’s new five‑year strategic plan to the Richmond Finance and Economic Development Standing Committee, outlining a regional campaign to attract corporate expansions and headquarters.

The plan, which the partnership developed with Ernst & Young, centers on four core functions: lead generation (business recruitment and cluster development), elevated market research, talent attraction for experienced workers and amplified marketing to shape perception of the Richmond region. \"We are a nonprofit 501(c)(3) set up as a public‑private partnership,\" Wakefield said in the committee room.

Why it matters: city officials said stronger regional marketing and targeted recruitment could help Richmond fill vacant office space, attract higher‑paying corporate services jobs and diversify growth beyond industrial projects that have gravitated to adjacent localities with more land. Wakefield told the committee the partnership’s goal is for Richmond to become the top mid‑sized U.S. region for company investment.

Wakefield reviewed recent results and the partnership’s priorities. Since 1994 the group said it has worked on about 560 projects that led to roughly 55,000 jobs and $13.9 billion in capital investment. In the last three years alone the partnership reported 28 projects, about 6,859 jobs and $2.9 billion in capital expenditures, producing an estimated total economic impact of about 13,575 direct, indirect and induced jobs and $798.7 million in labor income.

The presentation described perception gaps that limit Richmond’s consideration by corporate decision‑makers. Wakefield said corporate executives’ consideration of Richmond rose from 2 percent in 2021 to about 30 percent in 2024, while site‑selection consultants who advise firms rose from roughly 20 percent in 2021 to about 60 percent in 2024 after targeted outreach.

Wakefield and committee members identified airport connectivity as an ongoing weakness: site consultants frequently cite a lack of direct flights as a reason Richmond does not advance on long lists for corporate projects. Wakefield said the partnership has begun collaborative work with Richmond International Airport and state partners to support air‑service recruitment.

Target industries in the plan are advanced manufacturing, corporate services, information technology and life sciences; the partnership said it will also pursue niche opportunities in clean tech and defense. Wakefield noted the partnership will expand cluster development work, produce higher‑capacity market research, launch talent attraction initiatives aimed at experienced workers in larger markets, and intensify perception and marketing efforts.

Committee members asked for locality‑specific breakdowns of pipeline activity and results; Wakefield said the partnership provides quarterly reports to local partners and meets monthly with local economic development staff to review projects. She agreed to provide the committee supplemental materials used in the presentation for distribution to council members.

The presentation concluded with committee members thanking the partnership and asking staff to schedule follow‑up work sessions to identify Richmond‑specific recruitment targets and to examine funding formulas for regional work.

Ending: The committee accepted the presentation and requested the Greater Richmond Partnership provide the presentation materials and quarterly pipeline detail to the clerk’s office for distribution to council members.","Jennifer Wakefield, president and CEO of the Greater Richmond Partnership, told the Richmond Finance and Economic Development Standing Committee the organization will focus on lead generation, research, talent attraction and cluster development to raise the region’s profile and recruit jobs.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee forwards multiple ordinances to council, including affordable housing grants, transit funding and a downtown planning grant

Committee forwards state grant to modernize stormwater asset inventory after questions about Southside coverage

Greater Richmond Partnership lays out five‑year plan to boost regional competitiveness