I've been remiss in keeping the world up-to-date with the going's on with Richmond's Downtown Master Plan. Raising a baby and starting a new business will do that to a weblog publisher.
Almost two years since the process began, the plan went back to the Richmond Planning Commission with proposed amendments. Rachel Flynn, the city's director of community development glove, didn't seem keen on the endless wave of compromising. Good for her.
As usual, the TD's Will Jones does a great job of telling the story succinctly:
The seemingly endless debate over the proposed Echo Harbour condominiums and Richmond's downtown master plan hit a boiling point last night.
Director of Community Development Rachel Flynn flatly rejected a suggestion from a planning commissioner that her staff review plan language offered by the developers for the site along the James River east of downtown.
Flynn, who has pushed for language that would encourage buying the property as a city park, said further discussions would be pointless.
"We've been talking with these developers for three years," she said of USP Rocketts. "We don't agree."
She added that the Planning Commission and the City Council need to decide how they want to proceed with Echo Harbour and added, "We're not compromising anymore. If you want to compromise with them, go ahead."
Her remarks left Planning Commissioner Rodney Poole largely speechless.
The emphasis above is all mine. I love a thrown gauntlet.
Would you be surprised to learn that the planning commission decided not to vote on the amendments to the plan until May 4? Of course you wouldn't.
