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This online newsletter has been a great success in relaying to the citizens of Richmond the tremendous progress we have made in the last four years. The age of the Internet allows us the opportunity to take the information directly to the people rather than have to depend on a filtered media message.
Visions also enables us to focus on issues that will face the Mayor-elect and his Administration.
One of the notable successes since 2005 has been the City's fight against blighted and vacant properties. These problems - when left unaddressed - fester like wounds within our neighborhoods and become breeding grounds for crime and illicit behavior.
It is no coincidence that as the successful battle against blight has intensified, the City's crime rate has fallen dramatically. It has been an important component, along with "sector policing" and increased community involvement, in reducing crime. Just last week, it was announced that Richmond had fallen to the 49th most dangerous city in America, whereas we were ranked #5 as recently as 2005.
The City's Code Enforcement inspectors have been an important part of that success. The City increased the number of inspections from 26,000 in 2006 to more than 47,000 in 2008. We are also taking property owners to court who refuse to repair their properties by ignoring citations to make improvements. We sell, secure, or demolish properties when owners refuse to cooperate and then bill them for the City's time.
However, enforcement is only part of the solution. To make Richmond the livable and vibrant City we want it to be, we must encourage development and restoration of existing buildings and properties.
Our goal is to create the long-awaited "one-stop shop" where property owners and developers can be quickly served under one roof in one visit.
The second is to create the long-awaited "one-stop shop" where property owners and developers can be quickly served - from the issuing of building permits to providing assistance with the City's zoning process. This concept works well in other cities and it is well known that if a locality makes it easier and more efficient to approve projects, that locality sees a surge in real estate investment and development.
If you're a homeowner who wants to build a deck or addition or if you're a developer who is renovating a house or building commercial property, the "one-stop shop" will make it easier to get approval so you can begin to improve your property rather than wait in line or make multiple trips to cut through the red tape.
 I have proposed that this new City department be moved out of City Hall and relocated to the 3600 Building on West Broad Street which is centrally located, offers plenty of free parking, and provides ample available office space that the City could readily rent.
If you
have ever been through the City's permitting process or are
planning a project on your house or business anytime soon, then you
should contact your City Council member to say that you want action on
this newly-proposed department so the "one-stop shop" can move forward
without any further delay.
Unfortunately, Council has stalled these ordinances that would achieve these goals. The papers were introduced on October 13. Earlier this year when the legislation was introduced to carve out the new Department of General Services from the Department of Public Works for greater efficiency, it went through one Governmental Operations committee meeting and the entire process from introduction to approval by the full Council took 29 days.
The new Department of Permits and Inspections legislation, however, was assigned to both the Land Use, Planning, and Transportation Committee and the Finance Committee. Since that time, the legislation has been through a total of four committee meetings and repeatedly continued without so much as one word of discussion or recommendation by the full Council. Unfortunately for our citizens and developers, the matter is not expected to be brought up again until January 12, 2009.
I have spoken with members of the development community  and ordinary citizens who realize this concept is a good idea that will make the City a stronger community. I also know that there are developers and others who greatly desire to move these ordinances forward yet are hesitant to talk in front of Council for fear it could hurt their business. But they know, as do I, that this new "one-stop shop" will help the City continue to move forward, so I am speaking out because these delays are only hurting our City.
Government works best when the people let their representatives know what they want and urge them to take action. This is such a case.
The rules of Council require committees to approve, reject, or amend ordinances "within sixty (60) days of the referral of that ordinance or resolution to such Standing Committee."
As of January 12, the ordinances I proposed will have been sitting idle in Council for 92 days without any attempt to learn more about how it will help the City. The Building Commissioner has had a presentation ready to detail for Council since October 14, but he has not yet been asked to present the benefits of this needed change.
Council's rules also state that if a committee fails to take action within the 60 days, "the affected ordinance or resolution shall be scheduled for consideration by the Council at the next appropriate Business Meeting of the Council."
I feel it is my responsibility to bring this, and other issues like it, to light for the Mayor-elect and the citizens at large. We must remain vigilant and push for enabling legislation that makes our City a better and safer place - and not bury it without discussion for political purposes.
Our City can continue to build on the progress we have made since 2005, but only if we all work to do the right things that help us and put a stop to the methods that have held us back all these years. This legislation is one of the things we all know will make our City a better place, just as we know that the politics that now hold it up are exactly what had been holding us back for so many years.
We know progress is achievable and our City is becoming a better city, but this push must continue.
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