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To authorize the Chief Administrative Officer, for and on behalf of the City of Richmond, to execute a City of Richmond Grant Contract between the City of Richmond and the James River Association for the purpose of implementing green infrastructure practices to increase stormwater detention as part of the Greening Richmond Public Libraries projects at the Belmont Branch and Hull Street Branch.
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THE CITY OF RICHMOND HEREBY ORDAINS:
§ 1. That the Chief Administrative Officer, for and on behalf of the City of Richmond, be and is hereby authorized to execute a City of Richmond Grant Contract between the City of Richmond and the James River Association for the purpose of implementing green infrastructure practices to increase stormwater detention as part of the Greening Richmond Public Libraries projects at the Belmont Branch and Hull Street Branch. The City of Richmond Grant Contract shall be approved as to form by the City Attorney and shall be substantially in the form of the document attached to this ordinance.
§ 2. This ordinance shall be in force and effect upon adoption.
City of Richmond
Intracity Correspondence
O&R Transmittal
DATE: September 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 Office
THROUGH: Scott Morris, DBA, P.E., Director of Public Utilities
FROM: Billy Vaughan, Deputy Director Senior, Department of Public Utilities
RE: TO AUTHORIZE THE CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER, FOR AND ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND, TO EXECUTE A CITY OF RICHMOND GRANT CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY OF RICHMOND AND THE JAMES RIVER ASSOCIATION FOR THE PURPOSE OF IMPLEMENTING GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE PRACTICES TO INCREASE STORMWATER DETENTION AS PART OF THE GREENING RICHMOND PUBLIC LIBRARIES PROJECTS AT THE BELMONT BRANCH AND HULL STREET BRANCH.
ORD. OR RES. No.
PURPOSE: To authorize the Chief Administrative Officer, for and on behalf of the City of Richmond, to execute a City of Richmond Grant Contract between the City of Richmond and the James River Association for the purpose of implementing green infrastructure practices to increase stormwater detention as part of the Greening Richmond Public Libraries projects at the Belmont Branch and Hull Street Branch.
BACKGROUND: The Belmont Branch, located in the 1st City Council District, and the Hull Street Branch, located in the 6th City Council District, locations of the Richmond Public Library will be the seventh and eighth branches to be enhanced as part of the James River Association’s ongoing Greening Richmond Public Libraries initiative which improves stormwater management on library grounds, installs native plantings, positions bilingual educational signage onsite, and simultaneously brings water quality improvements to stormwater runoff, local tributaries, and the James River (the “Project”).
Significant community engagement has led to project designs that embody both the Belmont Branch and Hull Street Branch communities’ and library branch patrons’ wants and needs. Green infrastructure elements to be installed include permeable pavers, bioretention basins, pervious artificial turf, native trees, and native plants which will improve water quality, reduce flooding risks and urban heat island effects, provide healthier habitat for wildlife, create environmental education opportunities, beautify the Belmont Branch and Hull Street Branch grounds, and enhance the visitor experience.
The City of Richmond Planning Commission approved both the Greening Richmond Public Libraries: Belmont Branch Final Location, Character, and Extent Application Packet and the Greening Richmond Public Libraries: Hull Street Branch Final Location, Character, and Extent Application Packet, including the City of Richmond Urban Design Committee’s Recommended Final Conditions, on July 15, 2025.
The entire $242,560.00 Grant Contract amount will be paid from the Stormwater Utility Fund. Additionally, the James River Association has more than $364,900.00 in funding from non-City organizations for the Project. The Grant Contract, in pertinent part, requires the James River Association to: (1) install certain stormwater green infrastructure practices; and (2) report on associated water quality improvement metrics in relation to the RVA Clean Water Plan. After the Project has been completed, the James River Association and the Richmond Public Library, either with the help of volunteers or through a contractor, will monitor and maintain the installed green infrastructure practices referring to the site-specific maintenance manuals for the Belmont Branch and Hull Street Branch.
Most recently, as part of the Greening Richmond Public Libraries initiative, improvements were made at the Ginter Park Branch. Prior to that, green infrastructure practices were installed at the East End Branch, Broad Rock Branch, North Avenue Branch, and West End Branch library locations, and the Westover Hills Branch was the first location to see stormwater bioretention facilities installed and native species planted. All locations have been, and continue to be, monitored and maintained under the partnership and coordination of the James River Association, Richmond Public Library, Four Winds Design, volunteers, SOAR365, and additional contractors, and each location has its own site-specific manual for the maintenance of the green infrastructure installations.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: The James River Association and its partners, including Richmond Public Library, Four Winds Design, PlanRVA, the Department of Public Utilities, and SOAR365, have continually engaged with the Belmont Branch and Hull Street Branch communities and patrons regarding the Project and the community’s goals since early 2025. Outreach efforts have included:
- A January 15, 2025 press release sent by the James River Association, and associated press coverage including from the Richmond Free Press on January 23, 2025 and the City of Richmond Office of Sustainability’s January 17, 2025 email newsletter, to help broadly raise awareness of the Project, and share avenues for feedback including online questionnaires and January 28, 2025 and January 29, 2025 public meetings;
- A January 16, 2025 email newsletter to the James River Association’s subscribers which provided information on the Project, links to online questionnaires for both the Belmont Branch and Hull Street Branch, and information for January 28, 2025 and January 29, 2025 public meetings;
- A January 22, 2025 email newsletter to the James River Association’s subscribers which provided information on the Project, links to online questionnaires for both the Belmont Branch and Hull Street Branch, and information for January 28, 2025 and January 29, 2025 public meetings;
- A ten-question questionnaire, available both online and in-print at the Belmont Branch, that received 76 responses to help inform the Belmont Branch’s design;
- A ten-question questionnaire, available both online and in-print at the Hull Street Branch, that received 16 responses to help inform the Hull Street Branch’s design;
- A public meeting held to introduce the Project and solicit input at the Hull Street Branch on January 28, 2025 at 6:00 pm;
- A January 29, 2025 email newsletter to the James River Association’s subscribers which provided information on the Project, links to online questionnaires for both the Belmont Branch and Hull Street Branch, and information for the January 29, 2025 public meeting;
- A public meeting held to introduce the Project and solicit input at the Belmont Branch on January 29, 2025 at 6:00 pm;
- A stakeholder meeting held with local community and business leaders to discuss the Project and solicit input at the Hull Street Branch on February 12, 2025 at 2:00 pm;
- A follow-up meeting with public meeting attendees and stakeholders held virtually to share the preliminary Belmont Branch design and solicit feedback on March 26, 2025 at 1:00 pm;
- A conceptual application presentation to City of Richmond Urban Design Committee on May 15, 2025, which was recommended for approval, and which subsequently went to, and was approved by, the City of Richmond Planning Commission on May 20, 2025, and the final application which was approved by the City of Richmond Planning Commission on July 15, 2025 for the Belmont Branch;
- A conceptual application presentation to City of Richmond Urban Design Committee on May 15, 2025 and a final application presentation on July 10, 2025, both of which were recommended for approval, and which subsequently went to, and were approved by, the City of Richmond Planning Commission on May 20, 2025 and July 15, 2025, respectively, for the Hull Street Branch;
- A rain barrel workshop held at the Hull Street Branch on September 30, 2025 at 6:00 pm;
- A native plant workshop held at the Hull Street Branch on September 30, 2025 at 7:00 pm;
- A rain barrel workshop held at the Belmont Branch on October 8, 2025 at 6:00 pm;
- A community tree planting event held on October 24, 2025 at the Hull Street Branch to engage patrons, volunteers, and the surrounding neighborhood with the Project and its green infrastructure and native plant installations;
- The installation of storm drain art featuring Ripple the Richmond Public Library otter mascot on top of the storm drains adjacent to the Hull Street Branch and across the street at the intersection of Hull Street and East 14th Street;
- Project information and updates have been and will continue to be posted on social media channels via the James River Association, Richmond Public Library, and RVAH2O accounts; and
- Project information has been made available on the Greening Richmond Public Libraries webpage <https://thejamesriver.org/greening-richmond-public-libraries/> since the Project’s inception, including links to the results from the questionnaires, the Project’s plans, volunteer opportunities and ways to get involved, and contact information. Project information will also remain available online following the conclusion of construction activities. The RVAH2O.org website <http://www.rvah2o.org/city-projects> also directs interested visitors to the Project webpage.
STRATEGIC INITATIVES AND OTHER GOVERNMENTAL: The Project aligns with the Mayoral Action Plan in several ways, including, first and foremost, through the plan’s Partnership value by continuing this collaborative and impactful work with the James River Association in sync with Richmond Public Library. More specifically, the Project supports the Thriving and Sustainable Built Environment pillar of the Mayoral Action Plan and its Goal B as the Project advances the goals of RVAgreen 2050 in relation to Environment Objective 1: Make sure all residents have the opportunity to engage with healthy natural resources, spaces, and biodiversity, as well as its Goal D to build, maintain, and repair City infrastructure by bringing green infrastructure elements to the grounds of the Belmont Branch and Hull Street Branch. The Project also aligns with the Mayoral Action Plan’s Thriving Neighborhoods pillar and its associated Goal C by connecting neighborhoods adjacent to the Project to high-quality amenities at the improved Belmont Branch and Hull Street Branch, and the Thriving Economy pillar through Goal F and investing in the Southside directly at the Hull Street Branch.
In addition, the Project advances Ordinance No. 2020-236 which adopted Richmond 300: A Guide for Growth as the City’s Master Plan and Richmond 300’s Realign City Facilities “Big Move,” Goal 16: Clean Water and Objective 16.4 associated with it to increase green stormwater infrastructure, and Goal 17: Resilient & Healthy Communities, Objective 17.3 to reduce urban heat and Objective 17.7 to increase and enhance biodiversity within Richmond, and supports the green infrastructure, native plant, and tree canopy goals of the RVA Clean Water Plan.
FISCAL IMPACT: By executing this Grant Contract, the Stormwater Utility will distribute $242,560.00 to implement green infrastructure practices to increase stormwater detention.
DESIRED EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon adoption
REQUESTED INTRODUCTION DATE: October 13, 2026
CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING DATE: November 9, 2026
REQUESTED AGENDA: Consent Agenda
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL COMMITTEE: Planning Commission (October 20, 2026)
AFFECTED AGENCIES: Department of Public Utilities; Richmond Public Library
RELATIONSHIP TO EXISTING ORD. OR RES.: None.
ATTACHMENTS: City of Richmond Grant Contract between the City of Richmond and the James River Association
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