The next community meeting for the update to the Richmond Downtown Master Plan will be held on the evening of Thursday, September 27, 2007. The specific time and place to follow.

From the announcement flyer:

Foundations of the Richmond Downtown Master Plan

During the work-in-progress presentation on July 26, 2007 at Plant Zero, Dover, Kohl and Partners shared a list of six foundations of the Richmond Downtown Master Plan. These foundations are reflective of items that were consistently mentioned by the community during the public participation events of the week of July 20-26.

An initial list of thoughts and potential implementation measures associated with each of the foundations is outlined below. Please consider your thoughts on these items over the coming weeks as we prepare to continue the discussion on the Richmond Downtown Master Plan on September 27, 2007.

Traditional City
Pedestrians and transit riders thrive in traditional cities. Downtown Richmond has the street network and much of the historic architecture in place to support a rebirth of traditional modes of transportation. Encourage these alternative modes of transportation by restoring the two-way traffic pattern, re-introducing a trolley system, and reconsidering parking requirements for urban buildings.

River
The James River is Richmond’s “great, wet Central Park.” Allow residents and visitors to fully enjoy this unique natural feature by creating a series of clear connections to the riverfront. Develop a comprehensive system of natural open space along the river and create green connections between city parks and the riverfront. Promote recreational activity along the river, such as waterfront festivals and kayaking. Preserve views to the river by limiting building heights and protecting important viewsheds.

Urban Architecture
We can learn many lessons from Richmond’s historic urban architecture. Require all new construction within the Downtown to respect and reinforce its urban location, meeting the sidewalk and fronting the street with windows and primary entrances. Promote ground-floor, street facing retail where appropriate, and ensure that parking garages are lined with street-front buildings. Cater to the pedestrian, and create a lively, human-scale frontage that encourages walking.

Variety and Choice
Urban environments provide variety and choice. Cities are naturally mixed-use, mixed-income, and multi-modal. Promote Richmond’s competitive advantage by further diversifying land uses, building types and sizes, and providing a full range of transportation options. Allow opportunities for those at all income levels, supporting programs for those of lesser means and education.

Green
Great parks and sustainable infrastructure make cities livable. Attract new residents and visitors to Downtown with an integrated system of urban parks. Celebrate Richmond’s existing park system, and increase public access to these parks by providing reliable maintenance. Initiate an ambitious street tree campaign. Incorporate sustainable design into all new buildings and infrastructure projects in order to create a fully “green” city.

History
Richmond’s past is one of its most valuable assets for the future. Celebrate and promote Richmond’s history with an aggressive historic preservation program and a coordinated system of history trails, museums, and interpretive sites. Focus not only “historic” events but also reveal the day-to-day story of the city, for example by exposing the cobblestones beneath Downtown’s asphalt streets.

For more information contact Brooke Hardin, City of Richmond, at (804) 646-6310 / Brooke.Hardin@richmondgov.com, or visit the city’s webpage over the coming weeks for ongoing updates about the process.

Master Plan Follow Up flyer (PDF)