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Planning staff updates Oak Grove–Hillside–Bellemeade plan; commission initiates rezoning for 1240 Ingram
Summary
Staff presented the Oak Grove–Hillside–Bellemeade community plan (OGHB) with goals on housing, sidewalks, grocery access and anti-displacement strategies; the commission voted to initiate a zoning-map amendment for a 47-acre city parcel at 1240 Ingram Avenue to a TOD-1 designation to align with nearby rezoning requests.
Planning staff presented an update to the Oak Grove–Hillside–Bellemeade (OGHB) community plan and the commission voted to initiate a zoning-map amendment for a large city-owned parcel at 1240 Ingram Avenue.
Mary Anne Pitts of the Department of Planning and Development Review described the plan’s goals: guide growth along corridors while protecting single-family neighborhoods, expand sidewalks and pedestrian safety, pursue trail- and transit-oriented development along Commerce Road and Richmond Highway, and include anti-displacement measures such as housing repair assistance and potential property-tax relief. “Oak Grove Hillside Bellemeade community is attractive, safe, socially connected, and a diverse community of neighbors that supports growth while maintaining the quiet, peaceful character of the neighborhoods,” Pitts said, reading the plan’s vision statement.
Pitts summarized outreach beginning in November 2022, a community event with more than 700 attendees at an elementary school, and subsequent public workshops. Staff reported high priority for attracting healthy food retailers, promoting entrepreneurship, supporting homeownership assistance, and building sidewalk connectivity. Pitts said some recommendations will require state action (for example, long-term owner-occupancy legislation previously introduced to the General Assembly) and that the plan includes an implementation matrix with estimated leads, time frames and cost ranges.
Commissioners and community members pressed for more metrics and supporting data. Several commissioners asked staff to provide updated figures on property transfers since 2019 and a breakdown of assessed land value versus improvements to clarify whether rising assessments reflect land speculation or improvements. Pitts said staff would supply the tax-assessor and development-tracker data and refine the implementation leads before returning with a formal resolution to amend the Richmond 300 plan.
Separately, staff presented a proposal to initiate rezoning of the city-owned property at 1240 Ingram Avenue from M-1 (light industrial) to TOD-1 (transit-oriented district). Director Boff described the parcel as about 47 acres with several existing city uses, and recommended initiating the amendment so the city parcel’s zoning aligns with private rezoning requests for adjacent parcels on Commerce Road. Commissioners discussed the parcel’s role in enabling larger, coordinated redevelopment and increasing the area’s capacity to attract retail such as a grocery store.
After public comment and discussion, the commission voted to adopt a resolution of intent to begin the zoning-map amendment process for 1240 Ingram Avenue; the roll-call votes were recorded as aye by the commissioners present. Staff said an ordinance to rezone nearby private parcels (1220 and 1260 Ingram) has been introduced and will appear at the next planning hearing; staff characterized the effort as coordinated rather than targeted to a single immediate development.
Commissioners asked staff to return with a refined draft, additional data from the tax assessor and a clearer implementation schedule; Pitts said staff aims to return in the coming months with a formal amendment for the commission and then for City Council consideration.
