As of July 1, firearms are prohibited in city-owned buildings, parks, recreational facilities and community facilities. This includes, but is not limited to: City Hall, community centers, the two Department of Social Services locations and all public parks.
 
Richmond City Council passed the mayor’s ordinance to prohibit guns in city buildings and parks in July 2019. However, the prohibition did not go into effect until July 1, 2020 because the state only recently voted to give municipalities the power to limit guns in certain spaces.
 
“No Richmonder should ever be threatened by gun violence,” said Mayor Stoney. “This is especially true in public spaces like parks and community centers, where residents expect to enjoy public amenities, not fear for their lives.”
 
“Paired with our reporting requirement on illegal guns, this key legislative change is a model we should replicate and a foundation we should build on,” continued Mayor Stoney. “Carrying the memory of Markiya Dickson in our hearts, we must continue to advocate and innovate for a safer, stronger Richmond.”
 
The text of the city code, § 19-334.1 Carrying firearms in certain places, reads:
 
No person shall carry any firearm within any City-owned building, park, or recreation or community facility. This prohibition shall not apply to any duly authorized (i) military personnel in the performance of their lawful duties, (ii) law enforcement officer, or (iii) security guard contracted or employed by the City.  (Ord. No. 2019-165, § 1, 7-1-2019)

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Today, Mayor Levar Stoney, using his emergency powers, ordered the immediate removal of multiple monuments in the city, including Confederate statues.
 
The mayor presented two reasons for this action to city council. First, that failing to remove the statues presents a severe, immediate and growing threat to public safety.
 
“As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to surge, and protestors attempt to take down Confederate statues themselves, or confront others who are doing so, the risk grows for serious illness, injury, or death,” noted the mayor. “We have an urgent need to protect the public.”
 
Second, the mayor asserted that immediate removal will expedite the healing process for the city, a former capital of the Confederacy constantly grappling with that legacy.
 
In March of 2020, the General Assembly passed an amendment empowering localities like Richmond to remove monuments to the Lost Cause. The law took effect today, July 1, at 12 AM, allowing Richmond to enter into a 60-day administrative process during which the city will solicit public input while determining the fate of the statues. Any removed statues will be placed in temporary storage while that process takes place.

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In observance of Independence Day, city government offices, including City Hall, will be closed on Friday, July 3 ,2020. City offices will reopen at regular business hours on Monday, July 6, 2020. Please be aware the City of Richmond government facilities will enter Phase Three of the city’s operating plan. The city continues to urge residents to use available e-services. For questions about available city services, view this updated list.

This closing includes all branches of the Richmond Public Library and all city community centers. City Community centers and libraries will re-open Monday, July 6. Please visit RVALibrary.org for more information on your local branch’s COVID-19 safety protocols.

Richmond Animal Care and Control is closed to the public and arranging adoptions by appointment only. Please email Christy.Hemsworth@richmondgov.com

Refuse collection will be performed as normally scheduled Wednesday, July 1, Thursday, July 2. Solid Waste Offices will be closed Friday, July 3 and Saturday, July 4. Normal service will resume on Monday, July 6.

The East Richmond Road Convenience Center and Hopkins Road Transfer Stations are also closed on July 3–4. Each facility will resume its normal schedule on Monday, July 6.
 
 
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On Monday, June 22, Richmond City Council passed a series of amendments to the city’s Zoning Ordinance that creates a set of regulations on short-term rental (STR) properties, which are usually advertised on apps like Airbnb. Those changes go into effect Wednesday, July 1. 
 
Before this ordinance passed, short-term rentals were not a permitted use in the City of Richmond’s Zoning Ordinance. Therefore, rental units offered for a period of fewer than 30 consecutive days were effectively prohibited. However, a March 2018 study revealed that 749 unique short-term rental units were active within city lines. 
 
The city recognized a need to formalize its stance on short-term rentals, working with Richmond Regional Tourism and PlanRVA to identify best practices and discuss the various approaches pursued by neighboring counties and cities. The city’s work group studied 14 localities, all of which were either located in Virginia or similar in size to Richmond, who had already implemented short-term rental regulations. 
 
“This is a great example of how city policies can make Richmond more competitive,” said Mayor Stoney. “I’m all about tourism and economic empowerment, letting Richmonders leverage their assets to strengthen our city’s economy. However, other cities have seen unfettered short-term rentals lead to speculative markets. Bottom line: the health of our city’s housing market must be protected. The Department of Planning and Development Review and Planning Commission have done a great job ensuring we have a responsible regulatory framework in place.”
 
For a two-month period in 2019, staff of the Planning and Development Review conducted an aggressive public input campaign, soliciting opinions via print and online surveys, emails and phone calls. The city’s team attended councilmembers’ meetings in all nine council districts and hosted two informational meetings exclusively focused on short-term rental regulations.
 
“Throughout the community engagement process, we have heard from both short-term rental operators and other residents who had concerns about STRs,” explained Mark Olinger, director of the Department of Planning and Development Review. “With these regulations, we hope to strike a balance by allowing homeowners to rent their properties to supplement their incomes while limiting the effects to the character of residential neighborhoods and the housing supply.”
 
The finalized regulations emulate best practices from around the Commonwealth, allowing short-term rental units to operate as an accessory use to dwelling units with conditions to ensure the health and safety of the renters and minimize any negative effect on the permanent residents of the neighborhood.
 
In order to operate a short-term rental, the rental unit must be the operator’s primary residence, meaning the operator must reside there at least 185 days a year. This protects the housing market from the speculative use of private residences as effective hotels and is present in the regulations of counties such as Henrico and Arlington. The number of nights a year each short-term rental can operate is currently unlimited.
 
The Planning Commission offered an amendment to the administration’s original ordinance. The amendment, recommended by the Planning and Development Review staff, requires the Department of Planning and Development Review to provide a report on the implementation of the ordinance in the summer of 2021.
 
Said Olinger of the amendment: “We appreciate the opportunity to review the implementation of the ordinance in a year to determine what amendments may need to be made to the regulations.”
 
For more information on short term rentals in the City of Richmond, visit http://www.richmondgov.com/PlanningAndDevelopmentReview/ShortTermRental….
 
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On Monday, July 6, the City of Richmond government facilities and offices will enter Phase Three of the city’s operating plan. 
 
The City of Richmond workforce has been operative throughout the State of Emergency, providing essential services to residents and businesses despite the public health crisis.
 
The city continues to urge residents to use available e-services. For questions about available city services, view this updated list.
 
First floor public access for walk-in services is provided in the following buildings for in-person payments:
City Hall;
Southside Plaza; and
East District Center.
Non-cash payments can be submitted in the drop boxes at the East District Center and City Hall. If requested, receipts will be mailed.
 
Please note that not all departments or agencies in each building will be open for walk-in services. For departmental specifics, visit this updated list.
  
In Phase Three, the maximum capacity in City Hall will increase to 200 members of the public. Public bathrooms on the first floor of City Hall and the Observation Deck will remain closed. 
 
Everyone entering City Hall must wear a face covering. A limited number of face-coverings will be available in city hall for customers who do not have them, as supplies allow. It is strongly recommended that members of the public bring their own face coverings. Scarves, bandanas, handkerchiefs are all acceptable face coverings as long as the garment covers the mouth and nose.
 
Residents must schedule appointments to access floors 2-17 in City Hall. All residents must check in at the security desk on the first floor. Building security will allow entry to public areas based upon the number of persons seeking services.
 
As a result of capacity limitations, some customers may be asked to wait outside of city facilities until sufficient space is available. City staff will do everything possible to expedite potential wait times and appreciates the public’s patience at this time.
   
Residents are encouraged to conduct business with the city electronically whenever possible.
 
City facilities and offices will be open to all employees, though capacity will be reduced to allow for adequate social distancing. City operational plans provide for staffing levels to meet anticipated demands for in person services.  
   
The following is a list of changes from Phase One operating procedure that will go into effect July 6:
 
The Office of the General Registrar is now keeping regular business hours. All services are provided in room 105. Lobby capacity is limited to two residents.
 
All Richmond Public Libraries will be open to the public on a reduced schedule at 50 percent capacity. Strict social distancing will be adhered to. To facilitate this, study rooms will be closed, and computer usage will be limited to 50 percent capacity. The curbside borrowing and return service will be discontinued. Visit https://rvalibrary.org/about/hours/ to see individual branch hours.
 
Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities continues to phase in the use of public facilities. Starting July 6, athletic Fields are available for rentals provided that practices are in line with the governor’s guidelines. There will no longer be any parking restrictions at Ancarrow’s Landing or Pony Pasture.
 
Please note that all parks remain open for recreational use. Social distancing in parks is required, and face-coverings are recommended in busier spaces where consistent social distancing is challenging. A complete list of PRCF facilities open in Phase Three is available on the available city services list.
 
The Department of Planning and Development Review is accepting business at the Permit Center in City Hall. However, all permit submission must still be done electronically through the online permit portal or OneDrive. The Permit Center lobby will reopen to the public July 6 but will no longer accept walk-in applications or payment for services in order to limit interactions between staff and the public.
 
Payment for all fees in EnerGov can be made electronically.
 
Submit the following applications via the online permit portal: BLD-R, ELE-R, GAS-R, MEC-R, PLB-R, CZC and Plan of Development.
 
Submit the following applications via OneDrive: WISP, Encroachment, ESMP, Land Disturbance, ZCL, BLD-C, BZA, SUP, all commercial trade and miscellaneous construction permits, and any auxiliary forms that may be needed for these submission types. 
 
The Department of Social Services will remain closed to the general public with services available as listed on the updated city services list.
 
For a list of available city services, click here.

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