February 6 Update:
On February 5, Commonwealth Preservation Group (CPG) virtually presented analysis of the Cultural Heritage Stewardship Plan (CHSP) survey responses (formerly known as the Cultural Resources Management Plan) from the Richmond community. Key takeaways show that Richmonders value character and culture, not just physical buildings; that development is perceived as the greatest threat to our cultural heritage; and equity and inclusion are a crucial part of the process. The survey results call for protections of our historic resources that are not cost-prohibitive, and recognize that the relationship between affordable housing, growth, and preservation are complex.
CPG was hired by Virginia Department of Historic Resources (VDHR) and the City of Richmond (the City) to develop this plan, and have been working closely with Historic Richmond throughout the process. CPG has compiled Phase 2’s findings from the survey taken this fall to create a draft outline that is now available for public comment.
The draft outline is available for comments until February 15. We think it provides a good overarching framework and look forward to seeing more detailed recommendations. The City will be hosting two community open houses on February 28, details below:
- Main Public Library, Basement Auditorium, 11:00am – 1:00pm, 101 E Franklin St
- Hickory Hill Community Center, 5:00pm - 7:00pm, 3000 E Belt Blvd
This plan is meant to augment our City’s existing policies, ordinances, & programs in alignment with Richmond 300: A Guide for Growth and will be publicly shared this summer – make sure your voice is heard! Learn more here.
Jan. 26, 2024 Update:
Thank you to everyone who participated in the November 2023 Richmond Cultural Resources Management Plan Community Survey – your participation mattered! Now let’s find out what everyone said! On Monday, February 5th the City is hosting a virtual meeting from 6-7:00pm to review the survey results. Note that the project outline will be posted online for public comment for a limited time - from February 6th-15th.
As a reminder, the CRMP is intended to enhance the City’s existing policies, ordinances, and programs; design practical strategies and achievable goals; and acknowledge the role historic preservation currently plays and will continue to play in shaping the city’s urban form and character. This is our best opportunity to date to advocate for useful tools like a demolition review process, archaeology guidelines, a better spot blight program, and more!
Please attend the Monday meeting if you can, and comment on the outline once it goes live. The City does track logins and engagement, and the more you participate, the more the City realizes how much we care about our historic built environment!
Nov. 17 update:
Weigh in by MONDAY on what is important to YOU!
Our community's opportunity to participate in the Richmond Cultural Resources Management Plan Public Survey ends November 20, 2023! This questionnaire was created to find out how Richmonders think about historical sites, which pieces of local history YOU think deserve to be protected, and what tools might help us to do so.
Confused? Want more details?
Thanks to the virtual meeting organized by the 2nd and 5th districts, you can catch up on the conversation here.
This survey is Richmond's best opportunity to make your voice heard.
When considering what is “worth” preserving, ask yourself: would you miss this building/site if it disappeared from the Richmond landscape? Would it feel like a loss? Was the site important in history? Then it should be protected!
For more pointers, as well as our own stance on key issues, visit our website.
Thank you for your continued attention and support while we work together to protect Richmond’s cultural resources. As always, please feel free to reach out to us with any questions. TAKE THE SURVEY NOW!
Nov. 7 update:
It’s not too late to weigh in — share what is important to you!
Richmond’s Richmond Cultural Resources Management Plan Public Survey has been extended through November 20, 2023! This community questionnaire was created to find out how Richmonders think about historical sites, which pieces of local history you think deserve to be protected, and what tools might help us to do so. Before the survey closes there will be one final opportunity to engage with the plan directly, via a virtual meeting organized by the 2nd and 5th districts on Wednesday, November 15th at 6:00pm. This meeting will be recorded, but if you have questions, please log in to attend.
This survey is the best opportunity to make your voice heard.
When considering what is “worth” preserving, ask yourself: would you miss this building/site if it disappeared from the Richmond landscape? Would it feel like a loss? Was the site important in history? Then it should be protected!
For more pointers, as well as our own stance on key issues, visit our website.
Thank you for your continued attention and support while we work together to protect Richmond’s cultural resources. As always, please feel free to reach out to us with any questions!
Oct. 24 update:
A huge thank you to everyone who was able to attend the meetings last week, it was very encouraging to see so many faces (or computer screens) as the City introduced this new initiative to the community. You all raised some great questions and made some great points. We have highlighted some of the major themes that came out of these conversations below.
If you missed it and want to catch up, you can also find the introductory presentation at https://www.rva.gov/planning-development-review/cultural-resources-management-plan.
Community responses included some of the following:
- Richmonders recognize and appreciate the value of our historic structures, neighborhoods, and cultural sites in shaping the unique character of our city.
- The importance of highlighting previously overlooked history, especially that of Richmond’s black community. This includes burial grounds like Shockoe Hill and East End Cemetery as well as neighborhoods like Navy Hill and Westwood.
- The opportunity to increase awareness of our cultural resources within the local community.
- The importance of transparency, effective regulation, and substantive community engagement for development projects.
- The need to address affordability and displacement as a part of the conversation.
This Community Questionnaire will be live through November 13, 2023 and is the best way for us to make our voices heard. Although the City’s funding of this Plan is a very positive sign, continued community attention and support is needed to ensure concrete, actionable results. While we’re not going to tell you what to say (the goal, after all, is to amplify YOUR voice, not ours), we would like to share a couple of pointers as well as our own stance on several key issues.
- When possible, be specific. If you’re responding to a fill-in-the-blank question, provide details.
- Which of the following initiatives should be priorities in the Cultural Resource Management Plan?
While we hope that all of these initiatives make it into the final Plan, our top 3 picks are:
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- Create new zoning tools that protect selected aspects of the architectural character of historic neighborhoods such as building size, scale, and set-back from the street
- Develop incentive programs to assist property owners with preservation of historic buildings with an emphasis on single-family, owner-occupied residences
- Other: More Preservation staffing, and a city-wide demolition review ordinance
Thank you for your continued attention and support while we work together to protect Richmond’s cultural resources. As always, please feel free to reach out with any questions!
Policy Events:
Monday, October 16 | 6 PM
Main Public Library, 101 E Franklin Street, 1st Floor | Virtual Option
Wednesday, October 18th | 12 PM | Virtual Meeting
Details: https://www.rva.gov/planning-development-review/cultural-resources-management-plan
The City of Richmond is developing a Cultural Resources Management Plan (CRMP) to enhance the City’s existing policies, ordinances, and programs; design practical strategies and achievable goals; and acknowledge the role historic preservation currently plays and will continue to play in shaping the city’s urban form and character. As part of the process there will be two community engagement sessions next week, where you can weigh in and tell the Planning Department what you think is worth saving, and what tools we need to make it happen! Historic Richmond will be there advocating for more Preservation Staff within the Planning Department, strategies and policy recommendations including financial incentives, a demolition review process, guidelines for archaeology, neighborhood design overlays so that neighborhoods can write their own rules, a better program to address spot blight, more surveys of historic buildings, a historic marker program, and a pattern book.
Did you know that listing a site on the National or State Historic Register doesn’t protect it from demolition? Although home to many old and culturally relevant structures, the City of Richmond has never had a city-wide comprehensive plan or process for identifying, evaluating, and protecting these community assets. Currently, the only legal protection available to historic properties is the City Old and Historic District; a valuable tool but not one that fits every case.
Join Richmond voices and have your thoughts heard!