Mayor Stoney presents $2.9B budget plan for fiscal year 2025
Mayor Levar Stoney greets attendees on his way to the podium to present the budget plan to City Council on Wednesday. (Screenshot)
Mayor Levar Stoney presented his nearly $2.9 billion budget proposal for FY25 last week. The spending plan would hold the line on current tax rates while increasing the general fund budget to just over $1 billion – a 5.5 percent increase over the current general fund, fueled in part by a projected 7 percent increase in annual revenue.
The budget maintains the city’s real estate tax rate of $1.20 per $100 of assessed value, which has remained unchanged since 2008. The budget would provide a 4 percent salary increase for all city employees, with higher increases for police officers, firefighters and emergency services staff.
Funding for Richmond Public Schools would increase by $15.8 million to $237.3 million, a 7 percent increase over the city’s contribution this fiscal year. The school system’s FY25 spending plan totals $529 million. The city’s five-year Capital Improvement Plan would total $460.2 million, with $200 million allocated for school construction projects in FY29.
City Council will hold its first workshop to review the proposal Monday at 1 p.m., and public hearings are scheduled April 8 and May 13. The full budget proposal can be viewed on the city’s website.
Extended hours for Sabai nightclub on city planning agenda
The Richmond Planning Commission meets Tuesday at 6 p.m. Business on the agenda includes a special-use request from owner Brandon Pearson to allow The Jungle Room nightclub behind Sabai restaurant at 2727 W. Broad St. to extend live music and dancing Fridays and Saturdays until 2 a.m. Full agenda here.
Hanover board approves zoning request tied to large data center project
A conceptual plan of Tract’s planned 1,200-acre data center project. Development, which is expected to take the form of multiple campuses, would be located in the yellow areas. (Courtesy Hanover County)
The Hanover Board of Supervisors last week gave the nod to a proposal to build a data center project on 1,200 acres outside Ashland.
Development company Tract is planning the data center project on a site located along Hickory Hill Road east of Interstate 95.
Company representatives have said 10-12 percent of the project area’s acreage would be occupied by the actual data center buildings and associated facilities, and that construction would take the form of multiple campuses with a total of 30 buildings.Tract’s conceptual plan included with its zoning application doesn’t show a specific layout for the development.
Tract intends to spend $75 million to $100 million to set up infrastructure on the property and prepare it for further development. Other firms would build their own data center facilities at the complex.
In addition to the rezoning, supervisors also OK’d requests for a conditional-use permit needed for a public wastewater pumping station, substations and a battery energy storage system as well as a special exception to allow buildings to be constructed up to 110 feet, which is taller than is permitted by right.
The board unanimously voted to approve the project. Staff and the Planning Commission both recommended approval of Tract’s request.
Mayor Stoney presents $2.9B budget plan for fiscal year 2025
Mayor Levar Stoney greets attendees on his way to the podium to present the budget plan to City Council on Wednesday. (Screenshot)
Mayor Levar Stoney presented his nearly $2.9 billion budget proposal for FY25 last week. The spending plan would hold the line on current tax rates while increasing the general fund budget to just over $1 billion – a 5.5 percent increase over the current general fund, fueled in part by a projected 7 percent increase in annual revenue.
The budget maintains the city’s real estate tax rate of $1.20 per $100 of assessed value, which has remained unchanged since 2008. The budget would provide a 4 percent salary increase for all city employees, with higher increases for police officers, firefighters and emergency services staff.
Funding for Richmond Public Schools would increase by $15.8 million to $237.3 million, a 7 percent increase over the city’s contribution this fiscal year. The school system’s FY25 spending plan totals $529 million. The city’s five-year Capital Improvement Plan would total $460.2 million, with $200 million allocated for school construction projects in FY29.
City Council will hold its first workshop to review the proposal Monday at 1 p.m., and public hearings are scheduled April 8 and May 13. The full budget proposal can be viewed on the city’s website.
Extended hours for Sabai nightclub on city planning agenda
The Richmond Planning Commission meets Tuesday at 6 p.m. Business on the agenda includes a special-use request from owner Brandon Pearson to allow The Jungle Room nightclub behind Sabai restaurant at 2727 W. Broad St. to extend live music and dancing Fridays and Saturdays until 2 a.m. Full agenda here.
Hanover board approves zoning request tied to large data center project
A conceptual plan of Tract’s planned 1,200-acre data center project. Development, which is expected to take the form of multiple campuses, would be located in the yellow areas. (Courtesy Hanover County)
The Hanover Board of Supervisors last week gave the nod to a proposal to build a data center project on 1,200 acres outside Ashland.
Development company Tract is planning the data center project on a site located along Hickory Hill Road east of Interstate 95.
Company representatives have said 10-12 percent of the project area’s acreage would be occupied by the actual data center buildings and associated facilities, and that construction would take the form of multiple campuses with a total of 30 buildings.Tract’s conceptual plan included with its zoning application doesn’t show a specific layout for the development.
Tract intends to spend $75 million to $100 million to set up infrastructure on the property and prepare it for further development. Other firms would build their own data center facilities at the complex.
In addition to the rezoning, supervisors also OK’d requests for a conditional-use permit needed for a public wastewater pumping station, substations and a battery energy storage system as well as a special exception to allow buildings to be constructed up to 110 feet, which is taller than is permitted by right.
The board unanimously voted to approve the project. Staff and the Planning Commission both recommended approval of Tract’s request.