Meeting - November 20, 2023

November 20, 2023

Board Members Present

  • Joy Rogers (President)
  • Leah Hopper (Vice President)
  • Gayle Goldberg (Treasurer)
  • Jan Hatchard (Membership Coordinator)
  • Kirk Millikan (Secretary)

Community Members Present

  • Diane Christian Bowman
  • James Browne
  • Elise Corliss
  • Carla De Lellis
  • Joe Goldberg
  • Toni Halsey
  • Art Hatchard
  • Arenzo Jefferson Jr.
  • Kristina Kazanjian
  • Stephanie Lynch (5th District Councilmember)
  • Anne Mace
  • Parke Richeson (Maymont Executive Director)
  • Susan Rischewski
  • Amy Robins (5th District liaison)
  • Daniel Vetter (Maymont Director of Park Operations and Facility Management)
  • Lee Williams
  • Craig Wise

Police Department Updates

  • No police representative was listed among attendees.

5th District and Maymont Updates

  • Stephanie Lynch: homelessness up ~37% since 2019; eviction docket; year-round shelter and women/children options; affordability for seniors—push 60 days to pay real estate taxes (from 14); retroactive senior/disabled/veteran tax relief ($350k asset cap); traffic safety omnibus (near-miss reporting); traffic calming (speed tables, bump-outs); Urban Forestry Commission starting December; Michael Webb urban forester; December 11 yard waste/invasive species legislation; Small Business Saturday; zero-fare GRTC 2024–2025 funding risk. Tax assessment drivers; income-based relief needs GA authority; long-term owner-occupancy bill filed 3 years without success. No 5th District holiday party—maternity leave; possible party ~February 2024.

  • Parke Richeson: 750k visitors 2023; Nature Center ~40k; mansion tours ~16k; 16k students (25% Title I). Merry Market first two weekends in December (Fri/Sat). City funding <10% of budget ($460k Richmond, etc.). No endowment at city donation.

  • Daniel Vetter (operations): Garden Glow year six; 19 days; ~3k/night; compressed traffic vs typical day.

General Community Notes

    • Voted to move January 2024 meeting from January 15 to January 22.
    • Voted $150 donation to FeedMore (Thanksgiving tradition).
    • Lower speed limits—Joy to draft support letter for later board review.
    • Halloween orange tags well received.
    • Holiday bow costs reimbursable.
    • November 4 fire pit/s’mores success; Jan hosting New Year’s Day gathering 4pm.
    • Texas Beach bridge—Joy’s latest info 2025 completion.

  • Garden Glow neighbor feedback (summary): confused drivers; traffic; moved cones and handicap parking abuse; noise; lights into Hampton homes; trash; Sundial Park parking safety; resident-only street idea; generator fumes—ask electric units; more Monday trash pickup on surrounding blocks; post-event trash; EMS access concerns; traffic similar to Texas Avenue summer weekends; lights on 1500 Hampton; school bus idling.

  • Meeting adjourned 8:25pm.

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