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To direct the City Planning Commission, as a part of its required review of the Master Plan in 2025, to prepare, submit to public hearing, and consider an amendment to the Master Plan that identifies the area generally bounded by, to the south, Interstate 95 and Interstate 64; to the east, Hermitage Road from Interstate 95 and Interstate 64 to the five-way intersection at Brookland Parkway and Westwood Avenue, Chatham Road from Westwood Avenue to Palmyra Avenue; to the north, Palmyra Avenue from Chatham Road to Hermitage Road, and Oakdale Avenue from Hermitage Road to Catalpa Avenue; and to the west, Catalpa Avenue from Oakdale Avenue to Westwood Avenue, and Westwood Avenue from Catalpa Avenue to Interstate 95 and Interstate 64, as a Neighborhood Node and to request that the Chief Administrative Officer cause the Department of Planning and Development Review, the Department of Public Works, the Office of Equitable Transit and Mobility, the Department of Economic Development, and the Department of Housing and Community Development to collectively work with the City Planning Commission to prepare such amendment to the Master Plan.
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WHEREAS, pursuant to section 17.06 of the Charter of the City of Richmond (2020), as amended, the City Planning Commission by resolution dated October 5, 2020, adopted a new master plan for the City of Richmond, and the City Council by Ordinance No. 2020-236, adopted December 14, 2020, approved the master plan adopted by the City Planning Commission (hereinafter the “Master Plan”); and
WHEREAS, the Master Plan describes “nodes” as current and potential activity centers in the city of Richmond capable of accommodating growth in jobs and population that are deserving of aligned land use planning, transportation planning, and public policy to ensure that each node becomes a thriving crossroads for its respective community; and
WHEREAS, the Master Plan defines a “Neighborhood Node” as a local crossroads typically within or next to larger residential areas that offers goods and services to nearby residents, employees, and visitors; and
WHEREAS, it is the opinion of the Council that the area generally bounded by, to the south, Interstate 95 and Interstate 64; to the east, Hermitage Road from Interstate 95 and Interstate 64 to the five-way intersection, hereinafter referred to as the “Five-Way Intersection,” at Brookland Parkway and Westwood Avenue, Chatham Road from Westwood Avenue to Palmyra Avenue; to the north, Palmyra Avenue from Chatham Road to Hermitage Road, and Oakdale Avenue from Hermitage Road to Catalpa Avenue; and to the west, Catalpa Avenue from Oakdale Avenue to Westwood Avenue, and Westwood Avenue from Catalpa Avenue to Interstate 95 and Interstate 64, hereinafter referred to as the “Study Area,” has become both a gateway to North Richmond due to considerable growth and a Neighborhood Node at the intersection of the residential communities of Rosedale, Laburnum Park, and Sherwood Park communities that can serve as a community hub with small-scale, neighborhood-serving commercial uses; and WHEREAS, though the Master Plan suggests a vision of the Study Area as a cluster of medium-density walkable commercial and residential uses that provide neighborhood services to the nearby residential communities of Rosedale, Laburnum Park, and Sherwood Park , and though the Master Plan further envisions the Five-Way Intersection at the heart of the Study Area as a confluence of Major Mixed-Use and Major Residential Streets intended to carry high volumes of vehicles, pedestrians, and bicycles through commercial, mixed-use, and residential areas immediately north of the Greater Scott’s Addition Regional/National Node, the Master Plan does not provide a specific, place-based plan for achieving this vision and does not identify the Study Area as a Neighborhood Node; and
WHEREAS, Arthur Ashe Boulevard, Hermitage Road, and Brookland Parkway, hereinafter referred to as the “Major Corridors,” are prominent roadways within the Study Area and are all on the high injury street network described in the City’s Vision Zero Action Plan, which prioritizes implementation of safety treatments for the high injury street network; and
WHEREAS, it is the opinion of the Council that the evolution of the Study Area as an activity center, community crossroads, and area of concentrated vehicular traffic, warrants greater attention in the Master Plan to ensure additional land use, transportation, and economic development planning work are performed so the Study Area can reach its full potential as a Neighborhood Node, shared commercial center of the Rosedale, Laburnum Park, and Sherwood Park communities, and gateway to North Richmond; and
WHEREAS, it is the consensus of the Council that it should direct the City Planning Commission to prepare, hold a public hearing on, and consider an amendment to the Master Plan that establishes the Study Area as a Neighborhood Node and, in accordance therewith, sets forth detailed next steps for land use, transportation, and economic development in the Study Area that prioritizes creating a vibrant, well-connected, neighborhood-serving commercial center;
NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND:
That, in accordance with section 17.06 of the Charter of the City of Richmond (2020), as amended, and section 15.2-2229 of the Code of Virginia (1950), as amended, the City Planning Commission, as a part of its required review of the Master Plan for 2025 as provided in section 15.2-2230 of the Code of Virginia (1950), as amended, is hereby directed to:
1. Prepare an amendment to the Master Plan that identifies the Study Area, more particularly shown on the map attached hereto and incorporated herein, as a Neighborhood Node in the maps and lists of nodes on pages 25, 36, 79, 99, 101, 103, 105, 111, 113, 115, 119, 129, 143, 145, 150, 153, 163, 179, 195, 203, and C-2 of the Master Plan; identifies the Study Area as a Neighborhood Node among the descriptions of “North Richmond Nodes” that begins on page C-20 of Appendix C of the Master Plan; and, in addition to such identification in Appendix C, describes in detail a vision, the growth potential, and primary next steps for the Study Area, which description shall prioritize placemaking, streetscapes, roadway safety improvements, and support for the development of additional commercial uses;
2. Submit such amendment to public hearing as described in section 15.2-2229 of the Code of Virginia (1950), as amended, and conduct all other proceedings as may be required by law by no later than Spring 2026; and
3. Adopt and certify to the City Council the requisite resolution to adopt such amendment in accordance with section 17.06 of the Charter of the City of Richmond (2020), as amended, as soon as possible after the conclusion of the required public hearing.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:
That the Council requests that the Chief Administrative Officer cause the Department of Planning and Development Review, the Department of Public Works, the Office of Equitable Transit and Mobility, the Department of Economic Development, and the Department of Housing and Community Development to collectively work with the City Planning Commission to prepare such amendment to the Master Plan by, at a minimum:
1. Making use of robust community engagement to develop a community-led vision and primary next steps for the Study Area;
2. Identifying blighted and underutilized properties and developing strategies as to how best to encourage the redevelopment of such properties;
3. Analyzing vehicular traffic and pedestrian safety at the Five-Way Intersection, the intersections of Hermitage Road and Palmyra Avenue and Hermitage and Wentbridge Road, and the Interstate 95 and Interstate64 interchanges, to develop tailored recommendations that prioritize pedestrian and cyclist safety, enhance walkability, and improve multimodal connectivity within and to the Study Area and between the Study Area and the Greater Scott’s Addition Regional/National Node, all in conjunction with the planned Fall Line Trail greenway;
4. Developing a plan for the transition from higher to lower density uses and post-industrial redevelopment to streetcar and estate neighborhoods that support growth and is sensitive to the neighborhood character of the surrounding community;
5. Considering zoning districts and available incentives that best encourage a mix of uses in the Study Area, to include markets, cafes, restaurants, personal services and additional neighborhood-serving commercial uses that would be of interest to and benefit the community;
6. Considering how best to encourage the creation of mixed affordable housing in the Study Area; and
7. Considering necessary infrastructure within and adjacent to the Study Area to accommodate increased residential, commercial, and entertainment development within and adjacent to the Study Area, such as lighting, sewer, and transit.
DATE: July 31, 2025
TO: The Honorable Members of City Council
THROUGH: Kenya Gibson, 3rd District Councilmember
THROUGH: RJ Warren, Council Chief of Staff
THROUGH: Will Perkins, Senior Legislative Services Manager
FROM: Steven Taylor, Council Policy Analyst
RE: Requesting that the Planning Commission prepare and consider a Master Plan amendment to identify the Five Points Neighborhood as a Neighborhood Node.
CNL - 2025 - 0037
PURPOSE:
Directing the City Planning Commission as a part of its required review of the Master Plan in 2025 to prepare, submit to public hearing, and adopt an amendment to the Master Plan making certain changes to the Master Plan for inclusion of the area generally bounded by, to the south, Interstate 95/64; to the east, Hermitage Road from Interstate 95/64 to the five-way intersection with Brookland Parkway and Westwood Avenue, and then Chatham Road from Westwood Avenue to Palmyra Avenue; to the north, Palmyra Avenue from Chatham Road to Hermitage Road, and then Oakdale Avenue from Hermitage Road to Catalpa Avenue; and to the west, Catalpa Avenue from Oakdale Avenue to Westwood Avenue, and then along Westwood Avenue from Catalpa Avenue to Interstate 95/64, as a Neighborhood Node and to request that the Chief Administrative Officer cause the Department of Planning and Development Review, the Department of Public Works, the Office of Equitable Transit and Mobility, the Department of Economic Development, and the Department of Housing and Community Development to collectively work with the City Planning Commission to prepare such amendment to the Master Plan.
BACKGROUND:
The development of a small area master plan for the area generally bounded by, to the south, Interstate 95/64; to the east, Hermitage Road from Interstate 95/64 to the five-way intersection with Brookland Parkway and Westwood Avenue, and then Chatham Road from Westwood Avenue to Palmyra Avenue; to the north, Palmyra Avenue from Chatham Road to Hermitage Road, and then Oakdale Avenue from Hermitage Road to Catalpa Avenue; and to the west, Catalpa Avenue from Oakdale Avenue to Westwood Avenue, and then along Westwood Avenue from Catalpa Avenue to Interstate 95/64 as a Neighborhood Node is needed. The Master Plan defines a Neighborhood Node as a local crossroads typically within or next to larger residential areas that offers goods and services to nearby residents, employees, and visitors to the study area.
This request aligns with the Master Plan and is in line with the goals of the Richmond 300 comprehensive plan and creates future mixed use benefiting residents in this area.
Council is asking that the City Planning Commission as a part of their required review of the Master Plan in 2025 to prepare, submit to public hearing, and adopt an amendment to the Master Plan making certain changes to the Master Plan for inclusion of the area generally bounded by, to the south, Interstate 95/64; to the east, Hermitage Road from Interstate 95/64 to the five-way intersection with Brookland Parkway and Westwood Avenue, and then Chatham Road from Westwood Avenue to Palmyra Avenue; to the north, Palmyra Avenue from Chatham Road to Hermitage Road, and then Oakdale Avenue from Hermitage Road to Catalpa Avenue; and to the west, Catalpa Avenue from Oakdale Avenue to Westwood Avenue, and then along Westwood Avenue from Catalpa Avenue to Interstate 95/64, as a Neighborhood Node to include the development of a vision for the area and detailed implementation matrix to achieve the vision prioritizing placemaking, streetscapes, roadway safety improvements, and supporting the development of neighborhood serving commercial.
FISCAL IMPACT: None.
DESIRED EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon adoption
REQUESTED INTRODUCTION DATE: September 8, 2025
CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING DATE: September 22, 2025
REQUESTED AGENDA: Consent
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL COMMITTEE: Land Use, Housing & Transportaion.
AFFECTED AGENCIES: City Council, PDR, Planning Commission.
RELATIONSHIP TO EXISTING ORD. OR RES.: None
ATTACHMENTS: "Five Points Neighborhood Node Map”
STAFF: Steven Taylor, Council Policy Analyst, (804-646-2780)