City News

Press Releases and Announcements

Parks and Recreation Kicks Off the Unofficial Start to Summer: 4 Pools to open Memorial Day Weekend

Looking for something to do this summer? The City’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities (PRCF) is sure to have an event or program to kick start your summer along with great, free activities for everyone in your family!

For the second year, 4 city pools will open Memorial Day weekend for everyone to enjoy. Blackwell, Fairmount, Hotchkiss, and Randolph pools will be open from noon – 6 p.m. on weekends only until June 12. The remainder of the city outdoor pools will open June 18 with week day hours from 1 – 8 p.m., noon – 5 p.m. on Saturday, and 1 – 5 p.m. on Sunday.

The department is also hosting summer camps that are slated to begin on July 5. There are still slots available for the Great Summer Escape, Hickory Hill Theater Intensive, Summer Dance Intensive, Summer Quest for Teens, and Nature Film Camp.  More information can be found on our registration site parksandrecreation.richmondgov.com under the “Summer Camp” tab.

For more information about the department, follow PRCF on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Mayor Stoney announces Strategic Plan for Equitable Economic Development (SPEED)

Mayor Stoney today unveiled the city’s Strategic Plan for Equitable Economic Development (SPEED). 

The plan, which will be introduced at tonight’s Richmond City Council meeting, focuses on community, innovation, and industry, and establishes five aggressive economic development goals through Fiscal Year 2026:

  • $3 billion in announced capital investment for economic development projects;
  • 3,000 announced new jobs with annual salaries at or above $52,000;
  • Reduce the poverty rate by 5 percentage points;
  • Public and private sector real estate development activities that generate $25 million in annual real estate tax revenue; and
  • 2,500 postsecondary credentials awarded to Richmond residents.

The plan outlines tangible steps toward addressing long-standing inequities that have only been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, including racial disparities in education, poverty, housing, and health. Each of the plan’s initiatives are designed to build a more equitable, inclusive, and sustainable economy for Richmond.

“This plan is Richmond’s roadmap to economic prosperity,” said Mayor Stoney. “It’s a forward-looking assessment of the trends that got us where we are today and those that will carry us into the future. But this is not just an economic development plan. This is an economic justice plan.”

SPEED was developed in consultation with TIP Strategies; VCU’s Center for Urban and Regional Analysis; The M Companies; Hugh Helen LLC; input from meetings with more than 200 community and business leaders and stakeholders; and a survey that had more than 800 unique responses.

“The City’s new strategic plan for equitable economic development is a smart guide for how to grow our community,” said Jennifer Wakefield, President and CEO of the Greater Richmond Partnership. “The plan addresses inequities further exacerbated by the pandemic and provides solutions to bring prosperity to our residents in the city and for all who call our region home.”

“The Metropolitan Business League is encouraged to see the aggressive measures incorporated into Mayor Stoney’s [economic development] strategic plan for the city. We, too, believe that a multi-pronged approach is a critical component in supporting minority businesses. MBL agrees with the city that launching creative new business models can help create greater opportunities for business ownership and wealth creation,” said Floyd E Miller II, President and CEO of the Metropolitan Business League. “We stand ready to collaborate with the city as it strives to close the gaps in economic disparities, achieve greater equity, and accelerate growth to create more opportunities for Richmonders.”

“SPEED gives Richmond a plan to increase General Fund revenue through sound initiatives to reduce economic inequities, retain and grow existing businesses, and attract new businesses to the City,” said City Council Vice President Ellen Robertson.  “Essential to this is the emphasis on minority owned businesses, small businesses, and larger corporations.”

“Every day we see the impact of a City rife with inequities,” said City Councilmember Michael Jones. “The Strategic Plan for Equitable Economic Development (SPEED) is incredibly well crafted and will serve as a meaningful benchmark on our City’s path toward true equity. It seeks to address and offer solutions for many of the long-standing economic and social disparities experienced in our communities of color. If we have learned anything throughout this pandemic, it is that the City remains resilient. I am hopeful that SPEED will further our growth exponentially for years to come.”

“For our city’s future to be equitable, inclusive, and thriving, we must be intentional around our investment and economic development,” said City Councilmember Andreas Addison. “This plan outlines key tasks and priorities to address Richmond’s historical challenges in income, education, and housing gaps. I look forward to collaborating with the Mayor, the Administration, and my fellow Councilmembers to act on these priorities.”

For more information and to read the plan in full, visit https://www.rva.gov/economic-development/speed.

Traffic signal visibility improvement project underway ~ Upgrades will improve traffic signal visibility and help reduce crashes ~

RICHMOND, Va.  The Department of Public Works (DPW) Transportation Engineering Division operates and maintains 479 traffic signalized intersections. With the purpose to improve safety for all street users DPW will be improving the traffic signal visibility by installing new traffic signal mast arm poles at five locations:

  • Cary Street at Jefferson Street
  • Cary Street at Foushee Street
  • Cary Street at Adams Street
  • Grace Street at Monroe Street
  • Monument Avenue at Thompson Street

This project will substitute outdated pedestal traffic signal poles and replace them with the installation of traffic signal mast arm poles. The project will provide the installation of overhead vehicular indications, high visibility pedestrian crosswalks, pedestrian indicators, and ADA ramps. These upgrades will allow the traffic signal approaches to be in compliance with sight distance requirements outlined in the Federal Highway Administration Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD).

With the new traffic signal indications equipped with retroreflective borders, they will be more visible in both daytime and nighttime conditions, helping to reduce crashes at the intersections. Also, the pedestrian indicators will provide a countdown to provide pedestrians with more information the amount of time (and remaining time left) to cross the street, which will help in reducing pedestrians-vehicle crashes.

Weather permitting, this project is scheduled for completion April 30, 2023.

This $2.3 million project is funded through the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT).

For more information on Public Works, please visit us online at https://www.rva.gov/publicworks or email us at AskPublicWorks@rva.gov

We’re Social! For updates on DPWrelated projects, activities and events visit us on Twitter @DPW_RichmondVA

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The City of Richmond Department of Public Works (DPW) is one of only 195 currently accredited public works agencies in the United States. DPW’s portfolio comprises a wide array of services to include leaf collection; street, sidewalk and alley maintenance; trash collection; recycling; grass cutting;  graffiti removal; parking enforcement; urban forestry; street signs; traffic signals and pavement markings and civil engineering. In addition, DPW maintains upkeep on most city buildings; issues permits for working in the city’s right-of-way; manages the RVA Bike Share program and maintains the fleet of city vehicles. DPW’s operating budget comes from the general fund of the City of Richmond.  For more information about DPW services, click here or call 3-1-1.

Temporary Closure of Commerce Road Bridge over Goodes Creek ~ The bridge will be closed until further notice ~

RICHMOND, VA – An inspection of the Commerce Road Bridge over Goodes Creek yesterday revealed additional deterioration of the bridge. The department is looking for a solution to allow the bridge to temporarily reopen before the bridge replacement starts in late summer 2022. Detours are in place. Southbound motorists can travel from Bellemeade Road to Richmond Highway to Bells Road and motorists travelling northbound should use Bells Road to Richmond Highway to Bellemeade Road.

For more information, please visit us online at www.rva.gov/public-works or email questions to AskPublicWorks@rva.gov

We’re Social! For updates on DPW-related projects, activities and events visit us on Twitter @DPW_RichmondVA

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The City of Richmond Department of Public Works (DPW) is one of only 195 currently accredited public works agencies in the United States. DPW’s portfolio comprises a wide array of services to include leaf collection; street, sidewalk and alley maintenance; trash collection; recycling; grass cutting;  graffiti removal; parking enforcement; urban forestry; street signs; traffic signals and pavement markings and civil engineering. In addition, DPW maintains upkeep on most city buildings; issues permits for working in the city’s right-of-way; manages the RVA Bike Share program and maintains the fleet of city vehicles. DPW’s operating budget comes from the general fund of the City of Richmond.  For more information about DPW services, click here or call 3-1-1.

Personal property tax bills available, City providing additional relief

Due to the ongoing impacts of the global pandemic, the value of your vehicle may have increased. Therefore, the city has increased the amount of automatically applied Personal Property Tax (also known as car tax) Relief to offset our resident’s tax burden.

Understanding that the past two years have been financially stressful for our resident’s, Mayor Stoney will introduce legislation on Monday, May 23 requesting the due date for the payment of Personal Property Tax be extended to August 5, 2022.

The Mayor would like to express his appreciation for the support from the members of Richmond City Council for this extension, and especially to Council President Newbille for working to schedule a special meeting of the City Council on Tuesday, May 31 at 2:00 PM to vote on the legislation.

PAY YOUR PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES ONLINE OR BY MAIL

Personal property tax bills have been mailed, are available online, and currently are due June 5, 2022. Taxpayers can either pay online by visiting RVA.gov or mail their payments. As June 5 falls on a Sunday, all payments postmarked on or before June 6 will not be subject to penalties and interest for late payment.

COVID-19 IMPACT TO VEHICLE VALUES FOR 2022

Valuations for all vehicle types have increased due to the supply chain impacts of COVID-19. The Department of Finance does not set the value of vehicles, but instead uses National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) values to determine the amount due for personal property taxes in accordance with state law. As a result of increasing vehicle values, taxpayers may see a year-to-year increase in their amount due. However, the city has provided additional relief to reduce the impact to taxpayers.

FREEZING THE PPTRA RATE TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL RELIEF

Most taxpayers receive personal property tax relief through the state’s Personal Property Tax Relief Act (PPTRA). However, given the rising values, the percentage of personal property bills these funds cover is reduced in 2022. To provide additional relief to those who automatically qualify, the city has elected to ‘freeze’ the PPTRA rate at the same rate as 2021. Effectively, the city is providing relief in addition to what the state provides. Depending on your vehicle’s value, you may save up to $150 more because the city is freezing the rate. It is estimated that by freezing the rate the city will provide Richmonders more than $8 million in additional relief.

If you have an issue or a question related to your personal property tax bill, call RVA311 by dialing 311 locally, visit RVA311.com, or download the RVA311 app on your Apple or Android device.

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