Title
To declare a public necessity for and to authorize the acquisition by gift, purchase, condemnation, or otherwise, certain fee simple interests, temporary construction easements, and permanent easements for the public purpose of facilitating the construction of the Hobby Hill Lake Dam Rehabilitation Project.
Body
WHEREAS, in the opinion of the City Council of the City of Richmond, a public necessity exists for the acquisition of certain fee simple interests, temporary construction easements, and permanent easements, each hereinafter referred to as an “Interest” and all hereinafter referred to as the “Interests,” as shown on the plats entitled “Plat Showing the Location of a Proposed Variable Width Permanent Easement to be Acquired Through the Property of Carol S. Alford and Harper S. Alford in the City of Richmond, Virginia,” dated September 12, 2024, and last revised April 22, 2026, “Plat Showing the Location of a Proposed Variable Width Permanent Easement to be Acquired Through the Property of Hobby Hills Civic and Lake Association, Inc. in the City of Richmond, Virginia,” dated September 12, 2024, and last revised July 23, 2025, “Plat Showing the Location of a Proposed Variable Width Permanent Easement and a Proposed Variable Width Temporary Construction Easement to be Acquired Through the Property of Luke R. Kahelski and Allison B. Kahelski in the City of Richmond, Virginia,” dated November 11, 2024, and last revised July 23, 2025, “Plat Showing the Location of a Proposed Variable Width Permanent Easement to be Acquired Through the Property of Brian C. Cary and Kristen D. Cary in the City of Richmond, Virginia,” dated September 12, 2024, and last revised July 23, 2025, and “Plat Showing the Location of a Proposed Variable Width Permanent Easement to be Acquired Through the Property of Alison Bilbo in the City of Richmond, Virginia,” dated September 12, 2024, and last revised July 23, 2025, all prepared by H&B Surveying and Mapping, LLC, copies of which are attached to and made a part of this ordinance, for the public purpose of facilitating the construction of the Hobby Hill Lake Dam Rehabilitation Project;
NOW, THEREFORE,
THE CITY OF RICHMOND HEREBY ORDAINS:
§ 1. That a public necessity exists for the acquisition of the Interests as shown on the plats entitled “Plat Showing the Location of a Proposed Variable Width Permanent Easement to be Acquired Through the Property of Carol S. Alford and Harper S. Alford in the City of Richmond, Virginia,” dated September 12, 2024, and last revised April 22, 2026, “Plat Showing the Location of a Proposed Variable Width Permanent Easement to be Acquired Through the Property of Hobby Hills Civic and Lake Association, Inc. in the City of Richmond, Virginia,” dated September 12, 2024, and last revised July 23, 2025, “Plat Showing the Location of a Proposed Variable Width Permanent Easement and a Proposed Variable Width Temporary Construction Easement to be Acquired Through the Property of Luke R. Kahelski and Allison B. Kahelski in the City of Richmond, Virginia,” dated November 11, 2024, and last revised July 23, 2025, “Plat Showing the Location of a Proposed Variable Width Permanent Easement to be Acquired Through the Property of Brian C. Cary and Kristen D. Cary in the City of Richmond, Virginia,” dated September 12, 2024, and last revised July 23, 2025, and “Plat Showing the Location of a Proposed Variable Width Permanent Easement to be Acquired Through the Property of Alison Bilbo in the City of Richmond, Virginia,” dated September 12, 2024, and last revised July 23, 2025, all prepared by H&B Surveying and Mapping, LLC, copies of which are attached to and made a part of this ordinance, for the public purpose of facilitating the construction of the Hobby Hill Lake Dam Rehabilitation Project.
§ 2. That the Chief Administrative Officer or the designee thereof is hereby authorized and directed to, within the constraints imposed by this ordinance, (i) acquire, by gift, purchase, condemnation or otherwise, the aforementioned Interests, (ii) act for and on behalf of the City of Richmond in agreeing or disagreeing with the owners of the properties from whom such Interests must be acquired upon the compensation to be paid therefor, and (iii) to execute the deeds and other documents necessary to complete the acquisition and acceptance of such Interests, provided that all such deeds and other documents first must be approved as to form by the City Attorney or the designee thereof.
§ 3. That in the event the City cannot agree with any owner of an Interest to be acquired pursuant to this ordinance on the terms of the purchase thereof, the City Attorney is authorized to acquire the Interest by undertaking appropriate condemnation proceedings to exercise the City’s power of eminent domain for the public purpose of facilitating the construction of the Hobby Hill Lake Dam Rehabilitation Project.
§ 4. This ordinance shall be in force and effect upon adoption.
City of Richmond
Intracity Correspondence
O&R Transmittal
DATE: May 15, 2026
TO: The Honorable Members of City Council
THROUGH: The Honorable Dr. Danny Avula, Mayor
THROUGH: Odie Donald II, Chief Administrative Officer
THROUGH: Al Wiggins, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer
THROUGH: Scott Morris, DBA, P.E., Director of Public Utilities
FROM: Billy Vaughan, Deputy Director Senior, Department of Public Utilities
RE: TO DECLARE THAT A PUBLIC NECESSITY EXISTS AND TO AUTHORIZE THE CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER OR DESIGNEE THEREOF TO ACQUIRE CERTAIN FEE SIMPLE INTERESTS, PERMANENT AND TEMPORARY EASEMENTS, BY VOLUNTARY CONVEYANCE OR BY CONDEMNATION PROCEEDINGS, FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE HOBBY HILL LAKE DAM REHABILITATION PROJECT.
ORD. OR RES. No.
PURPOSE: To declare that a public necessity exists and to authorize the Chief Administrative Officer, or the designee thereof, to acquire certain fee simple interests, permanent and temporary easements, by voluntary conveyance or by condemnation proceedings, for the construction of the Hobby Hill Lake Dam Rehabilitation Project as illustrated on the attached plats prepared by H&B Surveying and Mapping, LLC.
BACKGROUND: The purpose of this O&R transmittal is to declare that a public necessity exists and to authorize the Chief Administrative Officer, or the designee thereof, to acquire certain fee simple interests, permanent and temporary easements, by gift, purchase, condemnation, or otherwise for the Hobby Hill Lake Dam Rehabilitation Project as illustrated on the attached plats prepared by H&B Surveying and Mapping, LLC entitled “Plat Showing the Location of a Proposed Variable Width Permanent Easement to be Acquired Through the Property of Carol S. Alford and Harper S. Alford in the City of Richmond, Virginia,” “Plat Showing the Location of a Proposed Variable Width Permanent Easement to be Acquired Through the Property of Hobby Hills Civic and Lake Association, Inc. in the City of Richmond, Virginia,” “Plat Showing the Location of a Proposed Variable Width Permanent Easement and a Proposed Variable Width Temporary Construction Easement to be Acquired Through the Property of Luke R. Kahelski and Allison B. Kahelski in the City of Richmond, Virginia,” “Plat Showing the Location of a Proposed Variable Width Permanent Easement to be Acquired Through the Property of Brian C. Cary and Kristen D. Cary in the City of Richmond, Virginia,” and “Plat Showing the Location of a Proposed Variable Width Permanent Easement to be Acquired Through the Property of Alison Bilbo in the City of Richmond, Virginia.”
The Hobby Hill Lake Dam Rehabilitation Project will bring the impounding structure into compliance with current Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation dam safety regulations through the construction of a new earthen dam in the 4th City Council District’s Huguenot neighborhood.
The engineering design for the Hobby Hill Lake Dam Rehabilitation Project is complete and permitting is currently underway, as are the creation of the bid documents for the construction’s procurement. Procurement is expected to be completed in the fall of 2026 with construction beginning in late 2026.
Thus far, the City has acquired two temporary easements within the project area pursuant to Richmond City Code (2020) § 8-33. The City needs to acquire additional easements for 10059 Hobby Hill Road, 10101 Hobby Hill Road, 10120 Hobby Hill Road, 10200 Hobby Hill Road, and 10211 Hobby Hill Road in order to progress with and facilitate the construction of the Hobby Hill Lake Dam Rehabilitation Project. These additional five properties for which easements are still needed within the project area include one temporary easement and five permanent easements. The total cost of these easement acquisitions is estimated to be $85,860.00. Funds are available within the project budget and will be paid from the Stormwater Utility Fund.
Relocations of residences or businesses are not required or necessary for the Hobby Hill Lake Dam Rehabilitation Project. Property rights for the easements will be purchased using fair market value and negotiations. However, if the City is unable to negotiate successfully with the property owners the City will request that the Chief Administrative Officer, or the designee thereof, exercise the authority delegated through City Council to perform condemnation action of the necessary easements under Richmond City Charter § 18.03. If condemnation is required, the City will continue negotiations with the property owners during the condemnation process in order to allow the Hobby Hill Lake Dam Rehabilitation Project to continue to proceed.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: Community engagement efforts have been ongoing since the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation Division of Dam Safety and Floodplain Management issued a Letter of Engagement for Hobby Hill Lake Dam in December of 2021, and have continued throughout the project’s conception and design, and the preliminary easement acquisition process for the Hobby Hill Lake Dam Rehabilitation Project. Robust community engagement with all seven properties for which easements both still need to be acquired and have already been obtained, and the greater neighborhood surrounding Hobby Hill Lake, will continue throughout the remainder of the Hobby Hill Lake Dam Rehabilitation Project, especially leading up to and during construction.
Community engagement kicked off with two meetings with the Hobby Hills Civic and Lake Association Inc., first in the fall of 2022 to discuss the Hobby Hill Lake Dam Rehabilitation Project, and then again on November 6th of 2023 to provide an update at the Hobby Hills Civic and Lake Association Inc.’s Annual Meeting. Both of these in-person meetings were hosted at St. Michael’s Episcopal School. The project team hosted a virtual meeting with impacted property owners and the Hobby Hills Civic and Lake Association, Inc. in the spring of 2023 to provide an update on the progress of the Hobby Hill Lake Dam Rehabilitation Project. Additional opportunities to meet are being planned as the project team prepares for construction.
Between and following this original series of group meetings, additional, consistent, and ongoing coordination and communication has occurred on a property-specific level with each of the seven properties for which easements both still need to be acquired and have already been obtained through a varied combination of in-person visits, written mailed correspondence and email, and phone conversations, with both property owners and the current and former Hobby Hills Civic and Lake Association, Inc. presidents.
Multiple letters and mailings have been sent, and have included updated versions of Hobby Hill Lake Dam Rehabilitation Project flyer, to begin and continue correspondence associated with a variety of project needs. This varied outreach has involved coordinating:
- Necessary subsurface geotechnical exploration boring work within the roadway along the Hobby Hill Lake Dam, and related traffic impacts along Hobby Hill Road, in 2023;
- Necessary vegetation clearing, work which also first occurred in 2023, and related traffic impacts along Hobby Hill Road;
- Subsequent annual vegetation maintenance completed during the growing season (annual letters and mailers have been sent in 2024, 2025, and in 2026 in March in advance of the 2026 growing season and vegetation maintenance), and related traffic impacts along Hobby Hill Road;
- Introducing the easement acquisition process and notifying property owners of the coordination to come; and
- Project team updates during the easement acquisition process and related ongoing coordination efforts with property owners.
Additional one-on-one conversations in-person, via email, and over the phone with property owners have involved detailing project status updates and project impacts, sharing information on the utility relocations currently underway in advance of the Hobby Hill Lake Dam Rehabilitation Project, and discussing preliminary easement acquisition coordination.
The Hobby Hill Lake Dam Rehabilitation Project flyer has also been made available at www.rvah2o.org/city-projects <http://www.rvah2o.org/city-projects> throughout the project’s design and has been updated with additional relevant information as the effort has progressed. Project information, including the project flyer, will continue to be updated and shared with the seven properties for which easements both still need to be acquired and have already been obtained and the neighborhood at large until the project’s construction is complete and will also remain available online following the conclusion of construction activities.
STRATEGIC INITATIVES AND OTHER GOVERNMENTAL: Completing the Hobby Hill Lake Dam Rehabilitation Project will bring the impounding structure into compliance with current Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation dam safety regulations. Ensuring that Hobby Hill Lake Dam protects property and public safety via its rehabilitation helps to best deliver high-quality service, an intention included in the “Excellence” value within the Mayoral Action Plan, through the construction of this capital improvement project. In addition, the Hobby Hill Lake Dam Rehabilitation Project aligns with the Mayoral Action Plan’s Thriving Neighborhoods pillar, and particularly Goal D to keep the City’s neighborhoods safe and prepared, and the Thriving and Sustainable Built Environment pillar and both its Goal D to build, maintain, and repair infrastructure that will serve residents for generations to come and Goal B to advance the goals of RVAgreen 2050. Specifically, the Hobby Hill Lake Dam Rehabilitation Project helps to achieve RVAgreen 2050: Climate Equity Action Plan 2030 Environment Objective 3: Reduce risks and impacts to the community and natural environment from extreme precipitation and flooding.
FISCAL IMPACT: The total anticipated cost for the easements is $85,860.00. The actual acquisition cost is to be negotiated by the City and will be set at fair market value as determined pursuant to state and local regulations. Funds are available within the project budget and will be paid from the Stormwater Utility Fund.
DESIRED EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon adoption
REQUESTED INTRODUCTION DATE: June 22, 2026
CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING DATE: July 27, 2026
REQUESTED AGENDA: Consent Agenda
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL COMMITTEE: Planning Commission (July 7, 2026)
AFFECTED AGENCIES: Department of Public Utilities; Planning and Development Review; Department of Public Works
RELATIONSHIP TO EXISTING ORD. OR RES.: None
ATTACHMENTS: Plats for 10059 Hobby Hill Road, 10101 Hobby Hill Road, 10120 Hobby Hill Road, 10200 Hobby Hill Road, and 10211 Hobby Hill Road
STAFF: Billy Vaughan, Deputy Director Senior, DPU - 804.646.5232
Bill Boston, Program and Operations Manager, DPU - 804.646.8161
Jenn Clarke, Program and Operations Supervisor, DPU - 804.646.8131