Richmond’s “evolution” in economic development to an endeavor with an annual budget of almost a million dollars has led to the dissolution of the city’s industrial development corporation.
City commissioners voted at their Oct. 13 meeting to dissolve the corporation, which was created in 1995.
“What we’re doing is evolving in economic development,” City Manager Rob Minerich said. “We’re transitioning from one person and a $24,000 a year budget to really a four-person team of people and a $950,000 budget to be competitive.”
The city named Brad Sowden as director of economic development earlier this year and hired Stephanie Nelson as director of grants and marketing. It also has an economic development project manager (Grayson Eaves). Kerri Hensley serves as the city’s commercial and retail development manager.
Minerich said the team is currently working on 15 projects.
“In order for us to be competitive really, in the global market for new manufacturing, we had to up our game,” Minerich said.
He credited RIDC with getting the city to the position of having three industrial parks, two build-ready sites, and 189 acres of new property.
Commissioners consider zone change requests
The city is looking to change the zoning on more than 88 acres on Punkin Run Road from single-family large lot to single-family small lot and multi-family at the request of Richmond Development, LLC.
Mayor Robert Blythe praised the move.
“What is happening to the map of this city is awesome,” he said.
The city’s Planning and Zoning Commission recommended the zone change after holding a public hearing in July, according to the ordinance. Commissioners heard first reading and will vote on the proposal at their next meeting.
About 67 acres on Berea Road in the Carriage Place subdivision also could soon have a new zone. Commissioners heard the first reading of two ordinances that would change the zoning from agricultural to single-family, small lot.
Richmond Development and Spangler Apartments submitted those requests.
Girls’ softball fields could be upgraded
Irvine McDowell Park’s softball fields could soon be updated to the tune of at least half a million dollars.
Girls’ fastpitch club board member Craig Gilliland told the Richmond City Commission last week that updates would allow more girls to play. The updates could include adding lighting to the existing fields, and possibly also adding a fourth field. Two of the existing three fields don’t have lighting, and the lighting on the third field needs repair.
The club is up to about 175 girls in the current fall season but had to turn away eight girls this year, Gilliland said. The club is restrained on how late games can be played due to the lack of lighting.
Gilliland said he wants to be able to offer the program to all the kids who want to participate.
“Madison Central made it to the state semifinals this year, and there are kids on that team that came right through RFC,” he said. “We are creating a foundation for girls in the city that’s paying dividends, and we want to be able to continue to expand and create those opportunities.”
A four-plex of fields is expected to be added to Lake Reba, but Minerich said that project is three to four years out.
Plus, Gilliland said the club would like to stay at Irvine McDowell, calling it “home.”
“As a league, we’re very happy with Irvine McDowell Park,” he said.
Commissioner Jim Newby said at the commission’s Oct. 13 meeting that he would like to see the additional field built.
“I think the girls would greatly appreciate that, if we give it the same amount of respect and maintenance that we give the other fields,” he said.
Minerich hinted that the fields might not have had the same attention as the city’s other youth sports fields.
“If there’s one part of our youth sports programming that, I wouldn’t say has been left out of the mix because we do a good job maintaining those fields, but they definitely need an upgrade,” he said during the Oct. 13 meeting.
Blythe asked during the Oct. 15 workshop meeting whether sponsors could be sought to help pay for the upgrades, to which City Attorney Chris Johnson replied they could.
“The softball league soliciting donations would be great,” Johnson said.
The estimated cost to add lighting is $550,000.
Downtown parking proves a touchy subject
Thursday’s workshop meeting grew tense when a citizen was allowed to make a public comment, which is not on the agenda at workshop meetings.
It started when John Leeds, who owns Leeds Jewelry on East Main Street, asked commissioners about downtown parking.
“What is the endgame for parking?” he asked.
He said that people take up the downtown parking spots and stay for long periods, leading to limited or no parking for customers. He said he has lost business as a result.
The only available solutions would be to bring back a parking enforcement officer to enforce two-hour parking, or to install parking meters, Minerich said.
He added that the last time the city talked about parking meters, business owners “showed up with pitchforks.”
Minerich also said that there is plenty of parking behind City Hall, to which Leeds replied, “Is your mom gonna walk from City Hall down to my place?”
Minerich said he will put downtown parking on the agenda for an upcoming workshop meeting.
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