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To approve the Work Plan and Budget for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026, for the provision of services in the Downtown Special Service and Assessment Districts.
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THE CITY OF RICHMOND HEREBY ORDAINS:
§ 1. That the Work Plan and Budget for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026, for the provision of services in the Downtown Richmond Special Service and Assessment Districts and their overlay districts, as attached to this ordinance, are hereby approved.
§ 2 This ordinance shall be in force and effect upon adoption.
DATE: June 23, 2025
TO: The Honorable Members of City Council
THROUGH: The Honorable Ellen Robertson, Councilmember 6th District
THROUGH: RJ Warren, Council Chief of Staff
THROUGH: Will Perkins, Senior Legislative Services Manager
FROM: The Honorable Ellen Robertson, Councilmember 6th District
RE: To approve the Work Plan and Budget for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026, for the provision of services in the Downtown Special Service and Assessment Districts.
CNL-2025-0013
PURPOSE: Ordinance to approve the Work Plan and Budget for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026 for the provision of services in the Downtown Richmond Special Service and Assessment Districts.
BACKGROUND: The patron requests an ordinance to approve the Work Plan and Budget for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026, for the provision of services in the Downtown Richmond Special Service and Assessment Districts. Attached is the FY 26 budget and Work Plan.
Venture Richmond is under contract with the City to manage the Downtown Special Assessment Districts and submits an annual Work Plan and Budget to City Council. Upon approval of this plan, by ordinance, Venture Richmond will implement programs for the Service Districts, through June 30, 2026. Venture Richmond provides management of the Clean and Safe Program, provides marketing services; produces various downtown events; is the property manager for the Riverfront Overlay District; and provides a variety of services including the canal cruises.
FISCAL IMPACT: Funding is included in the FY-26 adopted budget for this purpose.
The Fiscal Year 2026 budget includes a total of $1,765,000 in outside agency funding for Venture Richmond:
• $1.5 million for enhanced services provided in the Downtown Special Assessment District ($700,000 Downtown sidewalk cleaning, $200,000 Riverfront maintenance, and+ $600,000 Manchester);
• $265,000 for free public downtown events (Richmond Folk Festival and 2nd Street Festival)
Venture Richmond is under contract to receive and manage funds from two special funds in the City of Richmond which represent the private sector contribution to enhanced services for FY 2026 budget:
• The Downtown Special Assessment District Fund raises funds from owners of real property in the Downtown area to provide enhanced services, marketing and promotion, events, and economic development in Downtown ($2,618,194 budgeted in FY26); and
• The Riverfront Special Assessment Fund raises funds from real property owners in the Riverfront overlay districts to provide enhanced services and improvements along the riverfront ($501,712 budgeted in FY26).
DESIRED EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon adoption
REQUESTED INTRODUCTION DATE: July 28, 2025
CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING DATE: August 20, 2025
REQUESTED AGENDA: Consent
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL COMMITTEE: Finance & Economic Development
AFFECTED AGENCIES: City Council
RELATIONSHIP TO EXISTING ORD. OR RES.: None
ATTACHMENTS: “Service District budget FY-26 for City ordinance (1).pdf”
STAFF: Will Perkins, Senior Legislative Services Manager, (804-646-5975)