An ordinance to accept state grant funding for modernization of Richmond’s stormwater asset inventory was forwarded to City Council with a recommendation for approval after a staff presentation and follow-up questions from council.

Clerk materials described the ordinance (20 25 0 26) as authorizing the CAO to accept $1,400,000 from the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation and to amend the stormwater utility budget for asset inventory modernization. Bill Boston, the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) stormwater program manager, told the committee the grant amount he referenced was approximately $1,495,548 and said the money would support boots-on-the-ground asset identification, GIS updates and planning to inform capital projects in neighborhoods with recurring localized flooding.

Boston said the grant, a Virginia Community Flood Preparedness Fund award, “will allow us to continue an ongoing activity that we have, identifying where we have assets or where we need to find more assets for the stormwater utility in Richmond Southside neighborhoods, Eighth District, Ninth District…”

Council members pressed staff to clarify how Southside was being defined and whether Sixth District neighborhoods — specifically Bellemeade — were included in the scope. Councilmember discussed active and separate green infrastructure grants in Bellemeade and asked the administration to provide a district-by-district report so residents across South of the river neighborhoods do not feel excluded.

Boston said DPU has other grants and projects underway in the Sixth District, including a Green Streets award for Bellemeade (he cited a grant amount of about $1,797,692 for that work), and agreed to provide the requested detail to the council member.

The committee voted to forward the ordinance to full council with a recommendation to approve (Vice Chair Jones: Aye; Chair Robertson: Aye).

Ending: Staff agreed to provide the committee with a clearer map and a report that lists ongoing stormwater and green infrastructure projects across all Southside districts so council members can explain to constituents how grant activities are distributed.