Committee approves temporary utility easement through Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens

The Land Use, Housing and Transportation Standing Committee voted to forward ordinance 2025238 with a recommendation to approve a deed of temporary utility easement between the City of Richmond and Henrico County for portions of Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens at 1800 Lakeside Avenue.

Chris Frelke, director of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities, said Lewis Ginter Park is a city-owned asset and that easements of this type are a standard administrative step used when utilities such as Dominion undertake improvements on city land under franchise agreements.

A public hearing was held; no members of the public spoke. The committee voted to forward the ordinance to council with a recommendation to approve. Recorded votes on the motion to forward were Mister Breton — aye; Vice Chair Robertson — aye; Chair Jones — aye.

The ordinance authorizes the CAO to execute a temporary, nonexclusive easement to allow required work; specific terms and maps will be finalized during administrative processing and engineering review.