January 24 2025 | Issue 2

Fourth District Friends,


One of my favorite things about being on Richmond City Council is all the opportunities I have to learn more about how our city works. Richmond is a complex organism—its departments and structures can sometimes feel maddening in their complexity and bureaucracy, but more often than not, I find them fascinating. As I learn more, my goal is to share what I discover with you so that you can feel included and informed.


My district meetings will be focused on providing you with information and tools to empower you to navigate and advocate within this system. For my first meeting, we will hear from Peter Briel, Director of Citizen Response, who will highlight RVA 311, your go-to tool for reporting issues like potholes, standing water, or broken streetlights. RVA 311 helps Richmonders navigate city services—whether you’re requesting a trash can replacement, reporting a damaged tree, seeking help on a billing issue, or exploring dozens of other options. You can use it online, through the mobile app, or by dialing 3-1-1 (if you’re outside city limits, call 804-646-7000).


Beyond helping individuals, RVA 311 plays a critical role in how the city identifies and prioritizes investments, such as speed bumps or drainage projects. Want your request to stand out? Encourage neighbors to “upvote” yours—it helps signal community priorities. If your issue remains unresolved or a request is closed without a real explanation, please share your 311 request number with my office so I can follow up and work to ensure our city government serves you effectively.


With Fourth District love,

In this issue:

  • RVA 311
  • Riverside Dr Guardrail Damage
  • 311 Expanded Service Offerings
  • Gas Leak Response
  • Upcoming Events
  • Ways to Stay Engaged
  • City Resources

Constituent Corner:

  • Number of Constituent Emails Responded to Last Week: 139
  • Number of PUBLIC 311 tickets in the 4th District Last Week: 119
  • Top Issues from Constituents: Gas leak, Riverside



Ways to Connect in Person:

  • Public Safety Committee Meeting on Tues., Jan. 28 at 1 p.m. @ City Hall
  • City Council Meeting on Mon. Jan. 27 at 6 p.m. @ City Hall
  • Fourth District Meeting: Feb. 5 at 6 p.m. @ Abacus Meeting Space (6782 Forest Hill Ave)

Quick Notes:


7100 Jahnke Road SUP has been continued until late February. Fact sheet on development coming next week.


Lane Closures

  • 9009 Cherokee Road

Daily from Jan. 21 to Jan. 29, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.


Why and Details: Dominion will be installing overhead power lines. Some travel lanes will be closed. Residents will have access to their homes.


  • Forest Hill Ave (between W 45th and 46th Streets) from Jan. 6 to April, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. (M-F)


Why and Details: Water main replacement. Flaggers will be out to alternate traffic flow through area.

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Three Big Things

With so much happening in Richmond, and so many things to keep up with that it can be overwhelming. I'm going to try to make it easier on you and share what I think are the three most important things to know for the upcoming week.

# 1 - District: Damaged Guardrail on Riverside Dr


Many of you have reached out to report the guardrail on Riverside Drive that was damaged by a large commercial truck. Thank you to everybody who alerted my office and especially to the residents who reported it to 311.


My office has escalated to DPW and will share updates on the repair timeline we receive them.


I also wanted to share that we have reported the issue to RPD, who is looking into options to issue the appropriate citations, which I hope will lead to restitution for the damage. More to come as this unfolds!

# 2 - City Wide: 311 Expanded Service Offerings


311 will be offering the following expanded service hours to best meet residents' City services needs:


  • Monday-Friday: 8 a.m.-7 p.m.
  • Saturday: 9 a.m.-1 p.m.


Additionally, 311 now offers a callback feature, which saves your spot in line while eliminating your need to stay on hold - about 25% of 311 volume is now handled by callbacks! I highly encourage you to utilize this enhanced, user-friendly feature.

# 3 District: Jahnke Road Gas Line Issues from last weekend


On Saturday, January 18, DPU/Richmond GasWorks identified a broken gas main in the 6300 block of Jahnke Road, which affected 137 residents within the Bramblewood Apartments and adjacent households.


DPU/RGW notified all affected residents via doorhangers and service was restored in the early morning hours of Jan. 19. While this was another frustrating infrastructure issue for some of our 4th District neighbors, I'm grateful for the quick action from DPU/RGW as well as the residents who granted access to their properties to get this resolved as quickly as possible.


I spoke directly with DPU after the incident, and was assured that moving forward, my office would be alerted to any emergency issues in the district so that I can quickly communicate with constituents and provide updates.

In the News

Here are a few news stories from the week that will keep you informed:


Deep Dive on Richmond's Finances from our friends at The Richmonder.


Update on the Water Crisis, including the firm named to investigate what happened.


Richmond Water Week Encourages Residents to Support Local Businesses

VDH Citation and Report on Richmond Water Crisis

Upcoming Events

January


Mon., Jan. 27, 6pm City Council Meeting @ City Hall


Wed., Jan. 29 Real Estate Taxes Due (expanded grace period deadline due to City Hall closures)


February


Mon. Feb. 3, 3-3:45 p.m. @ Westover Hills Public Library

Chair Yoga

  • Chair Yoga is for individuals who have physical limitations that prevent them from going onto the floor or standing for extended periods.



Every Thurs., 10:30-11 a.m. @ Westover Hills Public Library

Toddler Time

  • Join us for fun and interactive stories, music and play for ages 18-36 months and their caregivers.

Wed. Feb. 5, 6-7:30 p.m. @ Abacus Meeting Space on 6782 Forest Hill Ave (Next to Nifty Thrifty in Stratford Hills Shopping Center)

4th District City Council Meeting


Mon., Feb. 10, 6 p.m. City Council Meeting @ City Hall


Wed., Feb. 12, 7 p.m. WHNA Meeting @ Westover Hills United Methodist Church


Mon. Feb. 17 City Offices Closed for Presidents' Day


Tues., Feb. 18, 7 p.m. FHNA Meeting @ Forest Hill Presbyterian Church


Tues., Feb. 18, 7:15 p.m. SCA Meeting @ Southampton Recreation Association


Mon., Feb. 24, 6 p.m. City Council Meeting @ City Hall


Wed., Feb. 26, 5:30 p.m. Willow Oaks-Clevedon Neighborhood Association Annual Meeting @ Willow Oaks Country Club

Important Contact Information

Fourth District City Councilmember


Sarah Abubaker


Cell: 804.418.5963 (Text or Call)

sarah.abubaker@rva.gov

4th District Council Liaison


Timmy Siverd


Office: 804.646.5646

Cell: 804-767-0841

timmy.siverd@rva.gov
 

Get Updates Fast on Social Media

In fast-paced situations like the recent water outage, I will post to my social media channels in real-time as I learn new information. It's always a good idea to follow me on Facebook and Instagram and check my stories for quick infomation.
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City Resources

Richmond Public Schools

4th District School Board Member Wesley Hedgepeth

 

Richmond Public Library
 

Richmond Police Department

3rd Precinct Information
 

Central Virginia Waste Management

Richmond City Council | 900 E Broad Street Suite 305 | Richmond, VA 23219 US

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