3/14/26
Mayor Avula,
Our objections, summarized in brief:
- The committee developing Code Refresh has an absolute and undeniable conflict of interest, where not only personal gain is possible, but likely. As you know actions like this, if undertaken by elected officials who stood to gain, would constitute criminal acts. At its core the process fails the “above reproach” test, because it is not.
- Code Refresh will cause extreme gentrification. It will absolutely dislocate vast numbers of black, brown, and low income residents. As a result we affirmatively assert it is anti-black, anti-brown, and anti-low income residents of all races.
- On many lots in many neighborhoods, up to 90% of our precious tree canopy may be lost. Proof of this statement is found in the Code Refresh document wherein 8 zoning districts allow for 80% or greater building coverage on a lot. As a practical matter, most all side and rear yard trees will be lost, and nearly all citizens vehemently object.
- Code Refresh will overburden our city water and sewer infrastructure. The city already pollutes the James River, operating under DEQ consent decrees. Code Refresh will make pollution worse, and your estimate to repair or update our utilities is $1.7 billion. That remains unfunded.
- Citizens in mostly small groups have heard only the alleged advantages of Code Refresh. Citizens have been deprived of the right to hear the negatives or even to speak out loud in some cases. (for example Huguenot High) We are confident that fewer than 10% of Richmond citizens know the term “Code Refresh,” and this extraordinary lack of awareness is not acceptable.
- Obviously the City is owned by its 220,000 citizens. Those citizen owners have the final say, and the role of city staff is not to force policies upon us, but rather to carry out the will of the people. Code Refresh unacceptably subverts the peoples’ will to the wishes of perhaps four or five well-meaning City employees. When citizens become aware of what has occurred, this will change.
- Because you have not allowed for a citizen vote over the forced rezoning of 77,000 parcels, we insist that a citizen referendum be authorized.
- Code Refresh might build 55,000 dwellings however our information indicates that fewer than 2% will be affordable. Thus 98% will be unaffordable, even with 2.5% of our real estate tax revenue. We insist that citizens not be caused to believe otherwise.
- Further on unaffordability, it is true that in Minneapolis there was a temporary 4% reduction in rents in response to an increase in supply. In Richmond, our people need true affordability, and 4% off a $1500 apartment rent is nice, but $60 is a token amount, and accomplishes almost nothing in terms of creating honest affordable housing, so let’s not delude ourselves. The only way Richmond gets lasting affordable housing is through state and federal grants. Code Refresh does little to nothing for affordability.
- Virginia law states that local zoning must conform to the master plan. It is crystal clear that Code Refresh absolutely violates our Richmond 300 master plan in its failure to protect neighborhoods and in added ways, yet staff inexplicably proceeds.
- Citizens are upset that Code Refresh, remarkably provides for no parking. In parking challenged areas like the Fan, Shockoe, Downtown, the Museum District, Scotts Addition and elsewhere, citizens nearly everywhere find your plan unacceptable. It has been described as “reckless planning,” and it can and must be corrected.
So Mr. Mayor, there’s a lot of work to do, and for these reasons and more we support the ordinance, soon to be considered by Council to create a Citizen Review Commission to consider all of Code Refresh.
I am happy to meet with you and our co-chair, privately without staff or the press, if you feel that such a meeting would be beneficial to the interests of our great city.
Yours truly,
Marty Jewell, Chairman
Richmond Civic League