Is there a program designed to help keep the area and streets in a nice order to appeal to both Richmond residents and tourists?
Christopher Eddy
Richmond
The City provides free services to help citizens keep their neighborhoods clean. This includes graffiti removal, loaning City garbage trucks to community groups for daylong area clean-ups, and enabling citizens to "adopt" a sidewalk, median or lot by agreeing to keep the area litter-free. For information, call (804) 646-8325 or click here.
Tremendous neighborhood improvement also is due to the City's Vacant Building Registry, which has reduced the number of unsecured vacant properties citywide from about 3,200 to 1,800 since 2006. City building inspectors are now able to issue citations for building code violations on the spot, which expedites taking cases to court by as much as 30 days.
I have noticed much improvement in the Downtown area over the past couple of years, but what can we look forward to in the near future?
Thomas Johnson
Richmond
Richmond's Downtown centers on its jewel, the James River. The public's enjoyment of our Downtown waterfront will be magnified when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers approves the City's plan to build a 73-slip public marina at the Intermediate Terminal, east of Downtown, on land already we already own.
This marina more than pays for itself through voluntary utility hook-up fees from the nearby Village at Rocketts Landing, and we already have $2 million in such fees to pay toward the $6 million marina. Construction could begin next summer.
What is the status of the old Henrico County Courthouse on East Main Street? Why does it continue to sit vacant? Is there anything that can be done to resolve this situation?
David Conmy
Church Hill
The old courthouse property is privately owned by Zimmerman Inc., which bought it at public auction in 1993. The owner is evaluating "best use" options for the potential future development of the 32,000 square foot complex, which includes a courtroom, sheriff's office and jail. This handsome, historic property dates to 1896 and had served as Henrico's courthouse until the mid-1970s. Is Richmond running a traffic trap scam around VCU? Students who need to park for more than three hours at a time have no place to park. It is ridiculous, to give two/three parking tickets a day to a student who is trying to make something of his life.
Concerned Mother
Richmond
Students have options such as using one of the many parking decks around the VCU campus or taking a GRTC bus, which is free to students with a valid student ID card.
In the Fan District and the Carver community, a parking decal is required on designated streets to ensure parking availability for residents and their guests. Cars parked in violation will be ticketed and possibly towed.
Mayor Wilder wishes to thank the public for its overwhelming outpouring of concern and support through "Ask the Mayor." Your feedback is important and Mayor Wilder wants you to know that your views will be taken into consideration as issues are examined. Please note that the mayor refrains from responding to specific questions relating to employment, personnel issues, private business proposals or policy matters within the jurisdiction of the state and federal levels of government. Click here to submit your questions to Mayor Wilder.