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