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To designate the 5200 block of Warwick Road in honor of Dr. Roscoe D. Cooper, Jr. (9th District)
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WHEREAS, upon information and belief of the Council, Dr. Roscoe D. Cooper, Jr., who is a graduate of Cheyney State University and holder of a Masters of Divinity from Andover Newton Theological School in Massachusetts, has been a faith leader since he was ordained in 1969; and
WHEREAS, upon information and belief of the Council, Dr. Roscoe D. Cooper, Jr. has served as the lead pastor at four churches, including Calvary Baptist Church in Haverhill, Massachusetts, Western Avenue Baptist Church in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Fifth Street Baptist Church in Richmond, and at his current church in Richmond, Metropolitan African American Baptist Church, where he has served since 1994; and
WHEREAS, upon information and belief of the Council, Dr. Roscoe D. Cooper, Jr., served as president of The Baptist General Convention of Virginia and the National Baptist Convention, U.S.A., in addition to serving on the governing boards of the Lott Carey Foreign Mission Convention and the American Baptist Churches USA; and
WHEREAS, the City desires to memorialize the life of Dr. Roscoe D. Cooper, Jr., for his contributions to the religious and spiritual life of the city of Richmond by designating the 5200 block of Warwick Road in his honor; and
WHEREAS, because this designation is honorary only, the provisions of sections 8-7 through 8-10 of the Code of the City of Richmond (2020), as amended, do not apply to the designation made hereby or to any signs erected pursuant to this ordinance;
NOW, THEREFORE,
THE CITY OF RICHMOND HEREBY ORDAINS:
§ 1. Designation of Street Block for Honorary Name. The 5200 block of Warwick Road shall be designated in honor of Dr. Roscoe D. Cooper, Jr., pursuant to this ordinance.
§ 2. Effect of Designation. The designation of the portion of the street made pursuant to this ordinance shall be honorary only, shall not replace the existing name of the street, and shall have no effect on the address of any property with an address on the designated street blocks. The sole effect of designation pursuant to this ordinance shall be to authorize the placement of commemorative signs in accordance with this ordinance memorializing the designation in honor of the named person.
§ 3. Administration of Ordinance. The Department of Public Works shall implement this ordinance by installing, as soon as practicable after the adoption of this ordinance, and maintaining commemorative signs in accordance with this section. The commemorative signs shall be clearly distinct from the street signs used to identify the portion of the street in question such that a reasonable person could not conclude that the commemorative signs reflect the actual name of the street. The commemorative signs (i) shall be affixed to a sign pole installed at each end of the portion of the street designated in section 1 of this ordinance for the purpose of fulfilling the requirements of this section or to any existing sign identifying the portion of the street designated in section 1 of this ordinance located at each end of the portion of the street designated in section 1 of this ordinance and (ii) shall bear the name of the person set forth in section 1 of this ordinance.
§ 4. Effective Date. This ordinance shall be in force and effect upon adoption.