[{"_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",6602182,"mediaKeyId","3005675-195e793b2f210257bd5393df29420222","parentId",3005675,"title","Planning commission recommends denial of two special‑use permits for transitional treatment and outpatient office after neighborhood opposition","audioSeconds",7459,"startMs",7049000,"endMs",14508000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3005675-195e793b2f210257bd5393df29420222&start=7049&end=14508","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3005675-195e793b2f210257bd5393df29420222/thumbnail_7049000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6602182/Richmond-City-Independent-City/Virginia/Planning-commission-recommends-denial-of-two-specialuse-permits-for-transitional-treatment-and-outpatient-office-after-neighborhood-opposition","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6602182-4ea9db64f9f661be4dbdc80b88fe00fc/orig.mp4?Expires=1770640080&Signature=IRzOc20PPBL9FqbXYjwjXf7Aac4T6zxZyLbzBl1XXWDaq8wQAtgWQtZIX5Gt0QvU6JQ1xucuYRdgdbb3lep316~KsVbGlOBpBjfH6LQvPOXsQzK1qMq8qXD4aL2GScQje40xqhVe1HG9SjhcqUNrelrFgQeDU8qV-ndlIR80E8t1DAZ~6yFCUrdOpD01or9A9~zgeIA9a4JVU~RCUuLPZZhX9xUjDATnekALdRUybBxXQUa7~k-eVABBOfXMDnc5nbvxWaT1p1-vB37R~V~qmoWCk6qWuzVh-rYSvzjvTZ2fw-JNOpsd3mzT7oLw4jW9osKNgACjS~NurGmPJPxr~w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Richmond City","date","2025-04-15T00:00:00Z","article","The Richmond City Planning Commission voted on Tuesday to recommend denial of two companion special‑use ordinances that would have allowed an adult residential treatment facility at 2701 Garland Avenue and an outpatient professional office at 2700 North Avenue. The commission’s decisions followed a lengthy public hearing in which dozens of neighbors, clergy and civic leaders urged denial and raised questions about public safety, neighborhood fit and applicant outreach.

Kenny Anderson, chief operating officer of Hype Counseling Services, described the proposal as a licensed, evidence‑based treatment program meeting ASAM 3.5 level of care and accredited by CARF. Anderson said the program is voluntary, not a judicially mandated or correctional placement, and that participants would undergo clinical screening before admission. “Admission to our facility is completely voluntary,” Anderson told the commission, and staff conduct background checks and clinical assessments before a bed is accepted.

Residents and neighborhood leaders pressed the applicant on several points: whether clinicians would be on site overnight, whether residents could exit the facility without clinical discharge, what fences and outdoor spaces would look like, and whether Hype had engaged nearby homeowners and civic associations. Battery Park Civic Association president Maria Cara Rose and multiple pastors said outreach had been insufficient and that details provided in successive documents were inconsistent.

Multiple speakers also cited prior enforcement actions involving Hype’s other facilities in 2024; community members said those records raised questions about the applicant’s ability to operate a more intensive locked residential program. Pastor Jeffrey Smith of Garland Avenue Baptist Church, whose church sits across the street from one of the parcels, urged commissioners to deny the permit and said the location is not appropriate for a high‑intensity residential use given proximity to families, churches and schools.

Commission discussion focused on competing priorities: the documented need for substance‑use treatment and the city’s interest in expanding services, versus neighborhood character and public safety concerns tied to siting a twenty‑four‑hour residential program in a tightly knit, primarily residential block. Commissioners noted that state licensure and city building code processes remain separate from the Planning Commission’s zoning recommendation.

The Planning Commission voted to recommend denial of the special use for 2701 Garland Avenue and of the companion request for 2700 North Avenue; the decisions will be transmitted to city council with recommendations for denial. Planning staff noted that applicants can revise proposals and return or pursue other locations that better match the ordinance’s by‑right districts for congregate residential treatment.

What was decided: Motion to deny the special use permit for 2701 Garland Avenue carried; the commission recorded multiple aye votes with one abstention. The companion item for 2700 North Avenue was denied in a separate vote with similar tallies. Both recommendations will be forwarded to city council.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Richmond City - Planning Commission on 2025-04-15 6:00 PM - To access the meeting via Microsoft Teams: https://tinyurl.com/Richmond-CPC-2025 - Apr 15, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Richmond City Planning Commission voted to recommend denial of two companion special‑use ordinances that would have authorized an adult transitional housing program at 2701 Garland Avenue and an associated outpatient professional office at 2700 North Avenue after extensive neighborhood opposition.","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},6602188,"Planning commission backs Veritas plan for six tennis courts at 1402 Westwood with conditions",4758,2033000,6791000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3005675-195e793b2f210257bd5393df29420222&start=2033&end=6791","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3005675-195e793b2f210257bd5393df29420222/thumbnail_2033000.jpg","/articles/6602188/Richmond-City-Independent-City/Virginia/Planning-commission-backs-Veritas-plan-for-six-tennis-courts-at-1402-Westwood-with-conditions","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6602188-270009211d03d2bbeaad30139dc4c6d1/orig.mp4?Expires=1770640080&Signature=gwU17RMD1-hdiq6x4JKUjWdUqQzv3kfAO6IJGy4Wn9ue8I~v8WMHoiWYuNiwlymgHkuyoJ-gQvEJAJbeTXypU~r3Px4jJxQ9iKGyt8uIcZg1NsliHU38pq3Ir4Jv5BXfdtdwvJwcnuvPPcMKFeBOawVQGjlzy~H3E0BZzmuxCQq7eXokyHVV4prDEULQ5hPY-HkMgBytSte9qBQEfCPIZc0VeVD0f~8Cl5wUe8h25Swh3bMLHdROJXosWVKAYApWjsMvi1fhO5T1XGbtc8oQW4zM0OsY-oUMVvt1k-nM4GRxxe7z2AzPDVo2QcNEl9CvTHElksytfahrNGx3e4oCIQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Richmond City Planning Commission on Tuesday recommended approval of an amendment to the community unit plan governing 1300 Westwood Avenue that authorizes six tennis courts on the parcel at 1402 Westwood Avenue, voting 5–2 to forward the ordinance and companion resolution to city council with conditions.

Staff said the site is currently an underused surface parking lot within a larger community unit plan (CUP) for the Veritas School campus and that the proposed use is consistent with the Richmond 300 master plan’s treatment of institutional uses within a residential designation. The applicant requested a modification to the CUP ordinance that would also reduce overall parking on the CUP from 575 spaces to 200.

Applicant attorney Jennifer Mullin told the commission Veritas had modified the plan after community input and added four conditions on the final plan, saying, “We respectfully request your recommendation of approval tonight with the conditions as outlined.” Mullin described the measures as a sound‑suppression system attached to the court fence, posted hours of use from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., directional signage for parking, and a walking path and crosswalk to Westwood Avenue.

Neighbors and civic groups were split. Supporters — including residents and local users of Veritas athletic facilities — said the courts would activate an underused lot and provide daytime recreation for both the school and nearby residents. Landscape architect Andrew Bleckley testified in support, urging approval and noting the applicant proposed perimeter plantings to buffer adjacent properties.

Opponents said the courts are too close to backyards and condominium units and questioned whether the proposed buffers and operational rules would be enough to protect quality of life. Resident Ronald Cooper asked for an explicit written commitment protecting a historic eight‑foot masonry wall that separates his yard from the site, saying, “I would like something in writing to say that wall will not be touched.” Former councilor and nearby resident Chris Hilbert urged rejection, saying, “I respectfully request that you reject it.”

Commissioners debated community engagement and mitigation measures before amending the recommendation to require the four conditions be placed on the final plan dated 04/15/2025. The commission’s recommendation will be transmitted to city council with the amended plan.

Votes at a glance: The motion to recommend approval of Ordinance 2025‑046 (CUP amendment for 1300 Westwood/1402 Westwood Avenue) carried 5–2. A recorded roll call on the CUP amendment showed Poole, Greenfield, Pinnock, Robertson and White voting aye; Ebert and Roe voted no.

What’s next: The Planning Commission forwarded its recommendation and the companion resolution (Resolution 2025‑006) to city council for final action. If council approves the ordinances and the amended final plan is adopted, Veritas would be permitted to construct the six courts subject to the plan conditions.The planning commission’s file contains letters and public testimony from both neighborhood associations and individual residents raising concerns about buffer widths, possible future lighting, and public access enforcement. The final plan adopted by the commission requires no court lighting and sets posted hours at 8 a.m.–8 p.m., and includes the crosswalk and pedestrian connection shown on the 04/15/2025 plan.","The Richmond Planning Commission voted 5–2 to recommend approval of a community unit plan amendment allowing six tennis courts at 1402 Westwood Avenue, imposing conditions including a sound‑suppression fence, hours limits and pedestrian connections after months of neighborhood debate.",{"_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},6602178,"Budget staff previews FY26–30 capital improvement plan; officials, community groups press for clarity on Shaco Valley Streets and federal grants",817,505000,1322000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3005675-195e793b2f210257bd5393df29420222&start=505&end=1322","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3005675-195e793b2f210257bd5393df29420222/thumbnail_505000.jpg","/articles/6602178/Richmond-City-Independent-City/Virginia/Budget-staff-previews-FY2630-capital-improvement-plan-officials-community-groups-press-for-clarity-on-Shaco-Valley-Streets-and-federal-grants","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6602178-d40c12ca9fcc5b9ebad062fced9fe184/orig.mp4?Expires=1770640080&Signature=FL2HU-Mzg9wP3Jd-chMDuaIFwOfr-MOB2Tk2t5FG~H-J1XtGk9qwF-AK8Jz1k7NKrkcT4I7BCV9VYuin6TlQkwr6n0AxBGgieVnlqDsF3rtF1pIkrvd-cBSSToulk6Np4EzzH8am6N9wvzMgIv2YiiHj4w8JJ3Irc64olF-tW~vpvNrDGpTET7nXI1Ylfxr52tLVEBMbhYAJMZzPvTfjwdYGhEZlztxYdptmW1iIOhB1nmroluSua8dqAy5vvwPqwLxbIFsFauNQLwD1iSm342UoXEUhpLj-IXQZceEbX9mT4y24lqAe0~-8fDW5~RqFZvalwSXd4V7gWq9aB7kz-g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City budget staff presented the proposed Fiscal Year 2026–2030 Capital Improvement Plan to the Richmond City Planning Commission Tuesday, outlining roughly $550 million in spending in FY26 and a five‑year total of approximately $2.1 billion and detailing major project categories and funding sources.

Michael Nixon Garrison, program and operations manager in the budget department, said the general fund CIP proposal contains $870 million over the five‑year plan and that transportation projects — leveraging federal, state and regional funds — represent nearly half of that total. He noted an increased investment in school construction ($212.5 million total) and annual school maintenance, capital maintenance for city facilities and floodwall work, plus fully cash‑funded fleet replacement.

“As you can see on the screen… the total of the budget is $550,000,000 for FY26, and the five‑year plan as a whole totals $2,100,000,000,” Garrison said.

Garrison tied the CIP to the Richmond 300 master plan priorities, pointing to funding for Browns Island improvements, where the CIP proposes additional city funding that pairs with private fundraising, and for demolition and park development on Mayo Island, where a state grant imposes a demolition deadline. He also highlighted funding to continue the SHEACO project (the Shaco project), naming $10.1 million proposed for FY26 to support the interpretive center and related work.

Commissioners and community speakers pressed staff for follow‑up on several items. Commissioner questions focused on a reported $12 million federal grant for water treatment plant improvements and whether the city had definitive funding; Garrison said staff would follow up. Several community members and civic organizations urged more review of the Shaco Valley Streets design and asked that the city pause further work until community redesign conversations occur.

Sian Crump, executive director of Historic Richmond, asked the commission to note that several community groups recommended a redesign of the Shaco Valley Streets project and that those concerns should be addressed before additional city funding is released. Stuart Schwartz of the Partnership for Smarter Growth argued for redesign and deferral, warning the proposed streets components could undermine the historic street grid and potentially create higher vehicle speeds and unsafe crossings for pedestrians and schoolchildren.

Garrison also highlighted an interactive CIP dashboard the budget department maintains and updates quarterly so residents can review projects by council district and track construction status.

No formal action was required at the session; commissioners asked staff for written follow‑up on requested clarifications and flagged the Shaco Valley Streets project and the status of federal grant funding for future sessions.","City budget staff presented the proposed FY26–30 capital improvement plan totaling about $2.1 billion over five years and $550 million in FY26, highlighting transportation, schools and parks; commissioners and community groups asked for follow‑up on a paused Shaco Valley Streets project and unclear federal grant funding for water treatment work.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Planning commission recommends denial of two special‑use permits for transitional treatment and outpatient office after neighborhood opposition

Planning commission backs Veritas plan for six tennis courts at 1402 Westwood with conditions

Budget staff previews FY26–30 capital improvement plan; officials, community groups press for clarity on Shaco Valley Streets and federal grants