Urban Studies and Planning Commons^™

A Framework For Forming Resident-Controlled Manufactured Housing Communities In Richmond, Linwood Rogers

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

Despite manufactured housing representing one of the most affordable, unsubsidized housing options for families in the United States, the nature of ownership in many manufactured housing communities places families at constant risk of displacement. In mobile home parks, where a household owns their manufactured home but rents the land underneath it from a park owner, residents have few protections from eviction. Richmond contains 58 mobile home parks housing nearly 6,000 households, but poor park conditions and neglect from park owners has threatened the viability of many communities. In other parts of the country, residents have gained control of their communities …

Parks & Equity: A Framework For Equitable Access In Richmond, Va Parks, Kendra Norrell

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

Increasingly, cities are investing in their green spaces, such as open spaces and parks, as a strategy to improve the livability of the city, but also to improve the health of its residents. Research finds that access and proximity to green spaces provides a host of benefits to humans, including mental and physical health improvements. However, not all residents have equal access to these green public amenities.

Research focuses on best practices for identifying minimum basic standards for DPR parks and the importance and limitations of green spaces in urban design. Basic standards include: setting the minimum limit for amenities …

Centering Social Equity In The Climate Action Planning Process: Lessons For Richmond, Virginia, Melissa M. Marquette

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

The client of this plan is the City of Richmond's Office of Sustainability. The purpose is to assist RVAgreen 2050's in its equity-centered climate action planning and to reach the City of Richmond's frontline communities (those impacted first and worst to climate impacts of intense heat, low-lying flooding, and severe storm events). The method and approach include the content analysis of ten cities' climate action, sustainability, or resiliency plans. It makes suggestions of best practices and recommendations for the City of Richmond to reach those historically left out of the planning process and to shift power from the local government …

Transit Feasibility Study For Chesterfield County, Va, Taylor D. Jenkins

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

This capstone presents a transit feasibility study for Chesterfield County, VA in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Urban and Regional Planning in the VCU Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs. GRTC Transit System (GRTC) is the primary public transportation operator for the Richmond region. In 2016, the Greater Richmond Transit Vision Plan created a regional transit network that would guide cohesive future transit development in the region. This plan intends to support building the bridge between the existing state of transit in Chesterfield County and implementation of the transit vision plan. Through the completion of …

3014 Meadowbridge Rd: A Community-Engaged Opportunity-Based Re-Investment Action Plan, Antwan L. Hoy

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

This plan is an asset-based community response for 7^th Street Memorial Baptist Church CDC as a way to revitalize and uplift the Six Points neighborhood of Highland Park. This plan was designed to provide a template for community engagement that would reintroduce a legacy of service to the community while partnering with other community assets to reinvest into the community. The primary action that makes this a prime engagement opportunity is the restoration of 7^th Street Memorial Baptist Church location at 3014 Meadowbridge Rd. Treating the building as an asset for the community and not only the church …

Green Infrastructure Initiative Plan, Benjamin P. Jones

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

This plan was developed for the City of Richmond (VA) Department of Public Utilities with the purpose of identifying strategies to create Green Infrastructure (GI) development incentives among private properties. A series of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) analyses are used to target the most problematic stormwater runoff regions within Richmond. The research compares the effects of Richmond’s Combined Sewer System (CSS) to land uses and urban tree canopy cover to determine where GI would benefit overall water quality the most. The analyses indicate multi-family residential, commercial, and industrial properties within three regions as contributing the most to water quality degradation …

Scott's Addition Green Space Plan: Small Changes Making A Big Impact, Sara J. Rozmus

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

Scott’s Addition is a fast growing, postindustrial neighborhood situated on the north side of West Broad street and bordering Henrico county to the west. The current building stock in Scott’s Addition consists of industrial and manufacturing buildings, and warehouses, much of which have been converted into multi-family residential buildings, commercial businesses, office and restaurant space (Neighborhood History, 2018). As a consequence of its original land use and zoning most of Scott’s Addition is dominated by concrete surface area and sprawling, one to two story building structures. Adaptive reuse of existing buildings has brought new investment and residents into the neighborhood …

Vcu Campus Tree Plan, Bilal Damaj

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

Throughout the past several years VCU has grown tremendously as a large public research university and an anchor institution within the city of Richmond However, VCU also has been working towards a more sustainable future and is committed to furthering sustainability in its community and campuses. While VCU has several long-range plans dedicated towards different aspects of the University’s planning and design initiatives, the University does not have any plan dedicated specifically towards its campus trees or tree canopy. An analysis of the existing conditions on VCU’s campuses found that there is low amount of urban tree canopy cover, high …

Planning An Inclusive Entrepreneurial Ecosystem In Norfolk Virginia, Matthew A. Cline

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

Provides an overview of Norfolk’s emerging entrepreneurial ecosystem and challenges associated with its disadvantaged entrepreneurs. Presents policy recommendations in creating more equitable environment for these small business ventures.

Making A House A Home: A Community Plan For Regional Engagement On Housing, Anna N. Clemens

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

This plan was developed for Virginia Organizing, a statewide non-partisan grassroots organization dedicated to challenging injustice by empowering local communities. The plan was designed to produce a replicable model for organizers embarking on housing campaigns. Research on the Virginia Organizing chapters in Fredericksburg and Charlottesville was completed as well as on the broader affordable housing ecosystems in these regions. This research was gathered through interviews with regional and local planners, organizers, non-profit representatives, and individuals working in the intersection of planning and organizing. Chapter member research, which guided this plan, was conducted through surveying, focus groups, and qualitative mapping. Findings …

A Strategy For The Cultivation Of Community Strength, Jessica Tomasita Turner

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

This professional plan is a community-based template for neighborhoods in the urban landscape that were once thriving and are now struggling with population stability. The study area is found in the south side of Richmond, Virginia in the neighborhoods of Bellemeade and Oak Grove. The recommendations of this plan are focused on the cultivation of long-term residents. The research of this plan investigates three elements that can be focused on in order to cultivate this demographic: aging in place, abandonment due to family growth, and housing issues. These three elements have been researched and developed in order to craft well …

Guiding Growth: A Growth Management Plan For Powhatan County, Julia E. Hensley

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

This plan offers Powhatan County a series of analyses and recommendations to maintain their rural character. Because of its proximity to the City of Richmond and other more-populated localities, Powhatan has been experiencing accelerated growth recently compared to historically. This document analyzes past development trends, current development trends, and projects future development trends and density scenarios. It pays close attention to the county’s predetermined Special Areas as locales for growth. Following the analyses, there were numerous obvious suggestions to be made to the county’s current growth management tools that could help them strengthen their ability to maintain and preserve their …

Impact Investment Strategy: Linking Health & Housing, Elizabeth G. Mckinsey

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

The purpose of this plan is to create an impact investment strategy for RMHF that explicitly links health and housing. The strategy will use impact investing, an investment strategy that directs capital to enterprises that generate social and or environmental benefits for the surrounding community. One of RMHF’s goals is for the investment strategy to offer strategies that address the entrenched racism and inequities in the City of Richmond. Impact investing will enable RMHF to be a contributing partner with Richmond as it moves away from a history of unfair housing policies that negatively impact countless citizens to a healthier, …

Residential Fire Impacts On Richmond, Virginia: A Plan For Identifying And Educating Our Most Vulnerable Communities, Jennifer L. Tillett

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

In 2017, 1.3 million fires in the U.S. caused 3,400 deaths, 14,600 injuries, and $23 billion in loss. Vulnerable populations are less resilient due to their lack of adequate access to financial, medical, and community resources as well as their propensity to reside in substandard housing. This plan studies the impacts of Richmond’s residential fires (2015-2017) on vulnerable communities within the city. Its purpose is to provide an understanding of where fires occurred in vulnerable communities and to recommend actions for prevention education.

The plan is divided into six sections: Introduction, Background, Methodology, Findings, Recommendations, and Implementation. A Social Vulnerability …

Scenic Corridor And Trail-Oriented Development Plan For Charles City County, Virginia, Brett Meadows

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

The Virginia Capital Trail is a multi-use path that runs from Richmond to Jamestown, Virginia. Much of the trail goes through Charles City County. Charles City is a rural county with an estimated population of ~7,000 (2018). The county is part of the Richmond Virginia Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). The population declined three percent since 2010, and many residents commute to work in other parts of the MSA. The trail parallels scenic Route 5 through most of the county. The county considers the trail and the scenery along the corridor as assets.

The Scenic Corridor and Trail-Oriented Development Plan for …

Saving The Libby Hill Viewshed: Preserving And Enhancing One Of Richmond’S Greatest Assets, Christopher J. Mcnamara

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

The view from Libby Hill Park in Richmond's Church Hill neighborhood has been identified as an endangered view, and the possibility of new development changing this view has increased in recent years. This plan explores what this view means to the identity of the neighborhood and the city and identifies ways to preserve the view while promoting development. The plan also identifies ways to make the park more accessible and open to all residents to increase its value to the city of Richmond, VA.

The Fourth District Police Station Plan, Zhaokai Liu

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

The purpose of this plan is to identify potential police station sites and create design guidelines for the new police station for the Prince William County Police Department.

Implementation Plan For The Maggie Walker Community Land Trust To Operate As A Land Bank, Matthew J. Becker

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

The purpose of this plan is to provide an implementation framework for The Maggie Walker Community Land Trust (MWCLT) to utilize as it establishes its land banking operations. Through land banking, the MWCLT has an opportunity to address three interconnected issues in Richmond; a lack of affordable housing, a concentration of disadvantaged neighborhoods, and extensive tax delinquency. Currently 44% of all households in Richmond are cost burdened, and the majority of these cost burdened households, 92% of them, are low income households. The vast majority of these cost burdened, low-income households are located within Richmond’s disadvantaged neighborhoods. Richmond suffers from …

Virginia Commonwealth University Stormwater Management Plan, Jesse Harris

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

Every year millions of gallons of polluted stormwater and untreated sanitary waste are discharged directly into the James River during combined sewer overflow events. This is a problem considering stormwater is one of the most significant sources of pollution to the nation’s surface waters.

The purpose of the VCU Stormwater Management Plan (VCU SWMP) is to reduce the impact of stormwater pollution using green infrastructure and low impact development best management practices like rain gardens, green roofs, and infiltration trenches. These stormwater control strategies present opportunities for VCU to reduce runoff and to preserve and restore green spaces on an …

Creating Safer Routes To School For Fairfield Court Elementary Students, Lara Handwerker

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

The purpose of this plan is to conduct a Walkabout study for Fairfield Court Elementary School in Richmond, Virginia through the guidelines of the Safe Routes to School program. The plan seeks to address infrastructural and non-infrastructural issues relating to traffic, safety, and travel routes for students who walk and bike to the school. The plan first identifies these issues and then details recommendations for the school through goals, objectives, and action items. An implementation plan for the school and its community partners is also detailed.

The Scott's Addition Complete Streets Plan, Cassandra Patterson

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

Scott’s Addition was once an industrial neighborhood. In recent years, however, the neighborhood has experienced a rapid transition of uses. It has become a growing residential and commercial neighborhood that features numerous breweries as its most popular attractions. Regrettably, the streets and sidewalks of the neighborhood have not seen a transition and still reflect the industrial uses of the past. The neighborhood is virtually devoid of bicycle infrastructure. The pedestrian infrastructure is incomplete and unsafe. The neighborhood is car-centric with little effort to provide for other modes of transportation. As new apartment buildings enter the neighborhood, the transportation issues facing …

Expanding Housing Opportunities And Preserving Character In Historic Neighborhoods, Jessica R. Russo

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

The City of Richmond has been experiencing population growth and rising housing costs in recent years, leading to spatially uneven revitalization and growing affordability concerns. The historic neighborhoods in the city are part of what makes Richmond unique and a desired city to live in. Many historic neighborhoods are seeing rapid revitalization contributing to rising housing costs and displacement concerns, while others have persistent high vacancy rates and deteriorating historic buildings. Overall, residents across the city struggle with affordability, as 45% of city residents are cost-burdened. With these conditions, it highlights the need and opportunity to put strategies in place …

Increasing Access To The James River Park System: A Community Roadmap With The Blackwell, Oak Grove, And Bellemeade Neighborhoods, Max A. Ewart

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

Natural Parks like the James River Park System offer a host of benefits. They improve our mental health, make us better environmental stewards, Improve socialization, and make a healthier population by lowering the rates of asthma, obesity and hypertension. These public health outcomes disproportionately impacts minority communities in the City of Richmond, a population that visits the James River Park System at a lower rate than white communities do. This plan identifies the barriers preventing access for minority communities and gives recommendations to improve access in the City of Richmond.

Myers Street Streetscape Plan, Nathan J. Manning

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

The Scott’s Addition neighborhood in Richmond, Virginia has faced growing density and redevelopment as the neighborhood has become an appealing place to live, work, and play. Myers Street sits directly East from most of Scott’s Addition and has historically housed many industrial businesses. The street is rapidly transforming as many commercial/retail businesses are moving into the corridor. Streetscape redevelopment of the corridor will cause a need for complete streets infrastructure allowing the street to be a safe place for all people, urban design to provide visual aesthetics, and sustainable water runoff catchments to help displace stormwater to name just a …