This is footage from the City Council meeting on January 11, 2010, found on the Richmond City Council Reporter and Telegraph blog. Springhill residents and other neighbors were protesting including the Manchester on the James development in the set of projects being considered for Recovery Zone Facility bonds (Federal stimulus funds, essentially). Unfortunately, Crosland won the vote 8-1. We will have more commentary on the issue soon.
Tag Archives: City Council
Urgent: Development Rears Ugly Head Again
I’ve just been informed that the ill conceived Manchester on the James project is once again on the City Council agenda (Consent Agenda item 17). Although the project was approved last year, the slump in real estate made the developer change their mind. Now the city is trying to divert stimulus funds to offset the developer’s taxes on the project. All to build units that will send Richmond money to North Carolina.
Please come out to the City Council meeting tonight at 6pm to protest this corporatist scheme! Also, share this story with others – we need to get the word out about this. Finally, you can call the councilman for the Springhill neighborhood, Marty Jewell, at (804) 646-6050 and urge him to oppose the measure.
Springhill is a small neighborhood and particularly vulnerable right now. Don’t let your tax dollars be used to put money in private developers’ pockets, all to fund damage to a historic neighborhood!
UPDATE: More info from Hills and Heights, Richmond Times-Dispatch, and a government site on Recovery Zone Facility bonds under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Thanks to Richard H. for following this issue and providing all these great information sources!