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To approve an amendment to the Master Plan for the City of Richmond, adopted by the City Planning Commission on Oct. 5, 2020, and approved by the City Council by Ord. No. 2020-236, adopted Dec. 14, 2020, to incorporate the Oak Grove Hillside Bellemeade Community Plan detailing the vision, guiding principles, goals, strategies, and big moves for development of and public investment in the Oak Grove, Hillside, and Bellemeade neighborhoods.
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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 adopted and certified a Master Plan for the City of Richmond on October 5, 2020; and
WHEREAS, by Ordinance No. 2020-236, adopted December 14, 2020, the Council of the City of Richmond approved a Master Plan for the City of Richmond pursuant to a request by the City Planning Commission that the Council adopt such Master Plan; and
WHEREAS, the Oak Grove Hillside Bellemeade Community Plan details the vision, guiding principles, goals, strategies, and big moves to guide development of and public investment in the Oak Grove, Hillside, and Bellemeade neighborhoods to create a more equitable, sustainable, and beautiful community; and
WHEREAS, the City Planning Commission conducted a public hearing on October 7, 2025, for the purpose of receiving public comment relative to incorporating the Oak Grove Hillside Bellemeade Community Plan as an amendment to the Master Plan; and
WHEREAS, by a resolution dated October 7, 2025, a copy of which is attached to this ordinance, the City Planning Commission adopted the proposed amendment to incorporate the Oak Grove Hillside Bellemeade Community Plan as part of the Master Plan; and
WHEREAS, it is the consensus of the Council that it is in the best interest of the City of Richmond that the Council, for and on the behalf of the City of Richmond, consent to and adopt the aforesaid amendment to the Master Plan;
NOW, THEREFORE,
THE CITY OF RICHMOND HEREBY ORDAINS:
§ 1. That the amendment to the Master Plan, consisting of a document entitled “Oak Grove Hillside Bellemeade Community Plan,” dated October 2025, a copy of which is attached to and incorporated into this ordinance, as adopted by the City Planning Commission at its meeting on October 7, 2025, be and is hereby approved as set out in the City Planning Commission’s resolution of that date.
§ 2. That the amendment to the Master Plan adopted by section 1 of this ordinance shall supersede all other parts of the Master Plan adopted prior to the effective date of this ordinance with which it conflicts.
§ 3. This ordinance shall be in force and effect upon adoption.
DATE:March 20, 2026
TO: The Honorable Members of City Council
THROUGH:The Honorable Daniel Avula, Mayor
THROUGH:Odie Donald, Chief Administrative Officer
THROUGH: Sharon L. Ebert, DCAO Planning and Economic Development Portfolio
THROUGH:Kevin J. Vonck, Director, Department of Planning and Development Review
FROM:Marianne G. Pitts, Deputy Director Senior, Department of Planning and Development Review
RE: To approve an amendment to the Master Plan for the City of Richmond, adopted by the City Planning Commission on Oct. 5, 2020, and approved by the City Council by Ord. No. 2020-236, adopted Dec. 14, 2020, to incorporate the Oak Grove Hillside Bellemeade Community Plan detailing the vision, guiding principles, goals, strategies, and big moves for development of and public investment in the Oak Grove, Hillside, and Bellemeade neighborhoods.
ORD. OR RES. No.
PURPOSE: To amend the Master Plan for the City of Richmond to include the Oak Grove Hillside Bellemeade Community Plan.
BACKGROUND: The Oak Grove/Hillside/Bellemeade (OGHB) community is located approximately one mile south of Downtown Richmond in Richmond’s Southside. Manchester and the majority of Blackwell are to the north while Clopton and Broad Rock Industrial Park are to the south and southwest respectively. In recent years, Manchester has undergone a rapid transformation, and as the city’s population grows, some of that development pressure is mounting further south. That pressure, coupled with the area’s attractiveness to newcomers for its accessibility to downtown, nearby public transit, affordable home prices, and proximity to I-95, makes this a critical time for Oak Grove/Hillside/Bellemeade residents to plan for the future growth of their community. The Department of Planning and Development Review (PDR) developed the OGHB Community Plan in response to concerns that the area is and will soon be experiencing development pressures from Manchester to the north. The Plan encourages development to occur along the major corridors of Commerce Road and Richmond Highway and includes strategies to maintain the character of the existing residential neighborhoods.
The Oak Grove/Hillside/Bellemeade Community Plan outlines strategies to direct growth to the major corridors while enhancing the quality of life for residents of the single-family neighborhoods. The Plan describes the vision, guiding principles, and strategies for OGHB in order to create a more equitable, sustainable, and beautiful community in alignment with Richmond 300: A Guide for Growth and the Priority Neighborhoods amendment. The final plan, once adopted, will serve as a roadmap for future development, policy-making, and resource allocation in these neighborhoods.
The Community Plan prioritizes working to prevent the displacement of long term residents and protecting the residential feel and quietness of the existing neighborhoods while also planning for the future by establishing the appropriate location and form for future growth. The major themes in the Plan are:
• Create a beautiful, safe, and clean neighborhood, where everyone feels connected to each other and to amenities.
• Provide a variety of housing options in appropriate areas of the neighborhood while preserving the residential feel and longtime residents of the community.
• Attract a variety of retail development, both large and small, along the main corridors that border OGHB.
• Build connections within the neighborhood and to the rest of the City through enhanced transit and safe walking and biking areas.
• Promote a healthy and resilient neighborhood that fosters ownership and pride among residents.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: The process to develop the OGHB Community Plan included a structured, phased approach to community planning that began in November 2022 and concluded in 2025. Plan development included internal meetings with City staff and leadership, four large public meetings, many stakeholder conversations and small group meetings, two public surveys in English and Spanish, and recurring meetings of an external Planning Team.
The first phase, Prepare (November 2022-April 2023), focused on gathering information and spreading awareness within the community. Key activities included creating material and conducting outreach and establishing the community-based Planning Team.
The second phase, Learn (May 2023-September 2023), emphasized sharing and processing neighborhood information. This involved hosting kick off meetings, collecting, disseminating insights and stories from the neighborhood, administering the first community survey, and providing community tours.
The third phase, Draft (January 2024-January 2025) involved hosting two workshops to establish vision statements and strategies and designing elements of the plan. In January of 2025, the final draft plan was presented to the community at a public meeting where participants had the opportunity to prioritize the strategies from the plan.
STRATEGIC INITIATIVES AND OTHER GOVERNMENTAL: Adoption of the Oak Grove/Hillside/Bellemeade Community Plan is listed as a “Primary Next Step” in the Master Plan for the City of Richmond (“Richmond 300: A Guide for Growth”) for the Hillside Priority Neighborhood. The City Planning Commission supports adoption of the Oak Grove/Hillside/Bellemeade Community Plan.
FISCAL IMPACT: No cost is incurred by adoption of the plan. However, the Plan recommends a variety of City expenditures over several years to implement the vision and goals of the Plan.
DESIRED EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon adoption.
REQUESTED INTRODUCTION DATE: June 22, 2026
CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING DATE: July 27, 2026
REQUESTED AGENDA: Consent
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL COMMITTEE: Land Use, Housing, and Transportation Committee, July 21, 2026
AFFECTED AGENCIES: Office of Chief Administrative Officer, Law Department
RELATIONSHIP TO EXISTING ORD. OR RES.:
Ord. No. 2020-236 (RE: To approve the action of the City Planning Commission adopting “Richmond 300: A Guide for Growth” as the Master Plan of the City of Richmond);
Ord. No. 2023-281 (RE: To approve an amendment to the Master Plan for the City of Richmond, adopted by the City Planning Commission on Oct. 5, 2020, and approved by the City Council by Ord. No. 2020-236, adopted Dec. 14, 2020, to incorporate the Priority Neighborhoods Master Plan Amendment designating Creighton Court, Fairfield Court, Hillside Court, Mosby Court North, Mosby Court South, and Whitcomb Court as priority growth neighborhoods).
ATTACHMENTS: Draft Ordinance, CPCR.2025.21; Oak Grove/Hillside/Bellemeade Community Plan
STAFF: Marianne Pitts, Senior Deputy Director, PDR, Marianne.pitts3@rva.gov <mailto:Marianne.pitts3@rva.gov>