Carolers in Church Hill.
What the New York Times celebrates, Code Refresh will decimate. Tourism is drawn to our neighborhoods’ old architecture, gardens, local businesses, and irreplaceable natural resources, setting Richmond apart from tenement-filled, sun-blocked cities, creating almost 24,000 jobs and lowering taxes by over $500 per household a year. Yet our iconic architecture has sparse demolition protection. If Code Refresh has its way with Richmond, revenue-generating historic architecture, local business, and gardens disappear for high-rent concrete towers anchored by chains… or worse, ground floors barren of any activity.
Affordable rentals, homeownership, and Richmond’s entrepreneurs disappear with Code Refresh’s RM zoning of 6-12 units crammed onto any lot, trampling the unique charm that drew the New York Times to our city. Want to see your Code Refresh future? Drive by the Publix area of Carytown and the new builds on Broad and look for any local entrepreneurs or tourism draws.
More than 16 million visitors enjoy the Richmond region each year, contributing nearly $2.9 billion to the local economy. Zoning will cram 3 houses on every lot: our homes, many starter homes and rented (and remember: 1 in 3 standalone homes are rented), disappear. Existing affordable housing is vaporized for new multi-units.
Gardens, our infrastructure that cleanses, absorbs, and are celebrated in tours that draw people from states away, will be concreted to 80% per lot, our trees chopped, our homes razed for luxury rentals. Where are the food plots?
Westwood and other neighborhoods value trees, soil, and water... and our homes.
The New York Times admires “stunning” views from Legends Brewery to Church Hill, but Richmond planners envision boxes obliterating our skyline. Code Refresh will deeply hurt the James: no one kayaks in or hikes by sewage, which Code Refresh will bring. Infrastructure or schools are not mentioned once in Code Refresh.
Richmond’s sustainability and zoning staff admire Singapore and Oregon, but the Richmonders I speak with do NOT want to be a tower-filled tenement city. By protecting existing homes, soil, tree canopy, and the James, Richmond remains a vibrant city where tourism and locals can thrive.
Westwood and other neighborhoods value trees, soil, and water... and our homes.
The New York Times admires “stunning” views from Legends Brewery to Church Hill, but Richmond planners envision boxes obliterating our skyline. Code Refresh will deeply hurt the James: no one kayaks in or hikes by sewage, which Code Refresh will bring. Infrastructure or schools are not mentioned once in Code Refresh.
Richmond’s sustainability and zoning staff admire Singapore and Oregon, but the Richmonders I speak with do NOT want to be a tower-filled tenement city. By protecting existing homes, soil, tree canopy, and the James, Richmond remains a vibrant city where tourism and locals can thrive.
