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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 project at the Ginter Park 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 hereby is 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 project at the Ginter Park 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
DATE: April 22, 2025 EDITION: 2
TO: The Honorable Members of City Council
THROUGH: The Honorable Dr. Danny Avula, Mayor
THROUGH: Sabrina B. Joy-Hogg, Interim Chief Administrative Officer
THROUGH: Sheila White, Director of Finance
THROUGH: Meghan Brown, Director of Budget & Strategic Planning
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 TO EXECUTE A CITY OF RICHMOND GRANT CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY OF RICHMOND AND THE JAMES RIVER ASSOCIATION IN THE AMOUNT OF $154,917.00 FOR THE PURPOSE OF IMPLEMENTING GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE PRACTICES TO INCREASE STORMWATER DETENTION AS PART OF THE GREENING RICHMOND PUBLIC LIBRARIES PROJECT AT THE GINTER PARK 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 in the amount of $154,917.00 for the purpose of implementing green infrastructure practices to increase stormwater detention as part of the Greening Richmond Public Libraries project at the Ginter Park Branch in Richmond’s 3rd City Council District (the “Project”).
BACKGROUND: The Urban Design Committee recommended the Project for approval on June 6, 2024, and the Planning Commission approved the Project location, character, and extent on June 18, 2024. Significant community engagement has led to the design of a Project that embodies the Ginter Park community’s and library branch patrons’ wants and needs. Green infrastructure elements to be installed include permeable pavers, bioretention basins, trees, and native plants which will improve water quality and reduce flooding risks and urban heat island effects, while also creating accessible paths from the sidewalks on Brook Road and Westbrook Avenue to the Ginter Park Branch library’s entrance and beautifying the neighborhood and the Ginter Park Branch grounds.
The Ginter Park Branch is the sixth branch to be enhanced as part of the James River Association’s ongoing Greening Richmond Public Libraries project 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, including Horse Creek and the Chickahominy River in the case of the Ginter Park Branch, and the James River. Most recently, improvements were made at the East End Branch. Prior to that, green infrastructure practices were installed at the Broad Rock, North Avenue, and West End Branch library locations, and the Westover Hills Branch was the first library 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.
The entire $154,917.00 Grant Contract amount will be paid from the Stormwater Utility Fund. Additionally, the James River Association has more than $254,929.80 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. 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 manual for the Ginter Park Branch.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: The James River Association and its partners, including Richmond Public Library, Four Winds Design, the Department of Public Utilities, and SOAR365, have continually engaged with the Ginter Park community and Ginter Park Branch patrons regarding the Project and the community’s goals since early 2024. Outreach efforts have included:
- Informational flyers distributed to residences near the Ginter Park Branch and also posted in the library throughout the Project’s duration, beginning in early 2024 to highlight opportunities available in February and March of 2024, including a February 21, 2024 public meeting and a questionnaire, to offer feedback on the Project’s design;
- A February 6, 2024 press release sent by the James River Association, and associated press coverage including from RICtoday on February 7, 2024, Good Morning, RVA on February 21, 2024, and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality’s March 14, 2024 email newsletter, to help broadly raise awareness of the Project, and share avenues for feedback including the February 21, 2024 public meeting and the questionnaire;
- A February 13, 2024 email newsletter to the James River Association’s subscribers which provided information on the Project and a link to the questionnaire;
- A February 20, 2024 email newsletter to the James River Association’s subscribers which provided information on the Project and information about the February 21, 2024 public meeting;
- A public meeting held to solicit input at the Ginter Park Branch on February 21, 2024 at 6:00 pm;
- A ten-question questionnaire, available both online and in-print at the Ginter Park Branch, that received 42 responses to help inform the design of the Project;
- Email updates sent by the Project team to attendees of the February 21, 2024 public meeting and questionnaire respondents throughout the Project;
- A conceptual application presentation to the City of Richmond’s Urban Design Committee on May 9, 2024 and a final application presented on June 6, 2024, both of which were recommended for approval and which subsequently went to, and were approved by, the City of Richmond’s Planning Commission on May 21, 2024 and June 18, 2024, respectively;
- The installation of indoor and outdoor Project signage posted onsite at the Ginter Park Branch, with flyers available for visitors, patrons, and passersby;
- Community planting events held on November 15, 2024, February 28, 2025, March 20, 2025 and March 21, 2025 to engage patrons, volunteers, and the surrounding Ginter Park neighborhood with the Project and its green infrastructure and native plant installations;
- A rain barrel workshop held at the Ginter Park Branch on March 13, 2025 in which 13 individuals participated;
- The installation of storm drain art featuring Ripple the Richmond Public Library otter mascot on top of the storm drains adjacent to the Ginter Park Branch and across the street at the intersection of Brook Road and Westbrook Avenue;
- 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/> (<https://thejamesriver.org/greening-richmond-public-libraries/>) since the Project’s inception, including links to the results from the questionnaire, the Project’s plans, volunteer opportunities and ways to get involved, and contact information. The RVAH2O website <http://www.rvah2o.org/city-projects> (www.rvah2o.org/city-projects <http://www.rvah2o.org/city-projects>) also directs interested visitors to the Project webpage.
STRATEGIC INITATIVES AND OTHER GOVERNMENTAL: The Project supports the green infrastructure, native plant, and tree canopy goals of the RVA Clean Water Plan and aligns with RES. 2023-R005 to adopt the City of Richmond RVAgreen 2050: Climate Equity Action Plan 2030 as the official sustainability plan for the City of Richmond. Specifically, the Project helps to achieve RVAgreen 2050: Climate Equity Action Plan 2030 Environment Objective 1: Make sure all residents have the opportunity to engage with healthy natural resources, spaces, and biodiversity.
The Urban Design Committee recommended the Project for approval on June 6, 2024, and the Planning Commission approved the Project location, character, and extent on June 18, 2024.
FISCAL IMPACT: By executing this Grant Contract, $154,917.00 will be dispersed from the Stormwater Utility Fund to implement green infrastructure practices to increase stormwater detention.
DESIRED EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon adoption
REQUESTED INTRODUCTION DATE: May 27, 2025
CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING DATE: June 23, 2025
REQUESTED AGENDA: Consent Agenda
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL COMMITTEE: Land Use, Housing, and Transportation Standing Committee
AFFECTED AGENCIES: Department of Public Utilities; Finance Department; Budget and Strategic Planning
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, DPU - (804) 646-5232
Bill Boston, CIP Program Manager, DPU - (804) 646-8161