13 Acres in Richmond Gifted for Conservation and Future Public Park
Richmond, VA – FW Properties II, a subsidiary of Fralin & Waldron, Inc. from Roanoke, Virginia is the latest owner to donate land to the Capital Region Land Conservancy (“CRLC”) for a future public park. The gifted property is nearly 13 acres of forested natural area in the Hioaks neighborhood in South Richmond.
As part of the Beaufont Oaks Community Unit Plan first approved by Richmond City Council in 1975, a perpetual scenic easement was to be dedicated to the City of Richmond. Recorded in 1981, the terms of the easement prohibit any development on the 13-acre property other than open space recreational facilities, storm water retention, and drainage facilities. The original community unit plan also granted an option for the City to purchase the parcel at appraised value for public use purposes. Over the subsequent 50 years, the City did not exercise this option.
Inspired by CRLC’s commitment to provide equitable access to greenspace within a 10-minute walk of all Richmonders, representatives from Fralin and Waldron reached out to CRLC and offered the property as a donation. CRLC will now work with the City of Richmond to record a new conservation easement on the property and donate it to the City for a future public park. The Beaufont Oaks property represents one of three properties that is over 10 acres and has been recently donated to CRLC for a future park in the City.
“This gift is the culmination of over 40 years of our work to buildout the Beaufont Oaks area. We are grateful of the important work that Capital Region Land Conservancy does to secure land for public access and how easy they made the process,” said Andy Kelderhouse, President of Fralin and Waldron, Inc.
At nearly 13 acres, the gifted property is also more than double the median park size in the City. In 2020, Richmond City Council designated four acres surrounding a water tower on Hioaks Road as a public park. While this helped fulfill the City’s pledge to provide a park to all Richmonders, the gifted property will provide a different recreational and environmental experience more accessible from West Carnation Street where it is served by public transit and buffered bike lanes.
The gifted property lies between the Midlothian/Chippenham and Chippenham Hospital National / Regional Nodes in the “Richmond 300: A Guide for Growth” Master Plan. It is also adjacent to the recently completed NOON Hioaks and the NOON Hioaks II that is currently under construction. Together these affordable housing developments at 60% Area Median Income will add 369 units and nearly 750 additional residents to the neighborhood.
While data from these new developments are not yet incorporated into the Trust for Public Land’s ParkServe model, the model reveals that the property would immediately serve 1,750 people in the Hioaks neighborhood with a park within a 10-minute walk. Should future trail connections become practical, the property would be able to serve an additional 1,500 residents who currently do not have access to a park.
“Expanding access to green spaces and natural areas for outdoor recreation enhance our resident’s quality of life in the 9th District. Preserving a mature forest in the neighborhood will also facilitate cleaner air and combat the effects of urban heat” said Nicole Jones, Richmmond City Council member.
Noted as an environmental justice community by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, and an area that is highly vulnerable to climate change according to the RVAgreen 2050 Climate Equity Index, the neighborhood is significantly impacted by environmental challenges such as urban heat island effect and stormwater flooding.
Soils on the gift property are identified as a hydric soil, or soil that is formed under conditions of saturation, flooding or ponding long enough during the growing season to develop anaerobic conditions in the upper portion. The land therefore has similar characteristics to wetlands but were not previously identified as wetlands. The property has two drainage easements that collect stormwater and forms part of the headwaters of Reedy Creek.
Capital Region Land Conservancy’s acquisition of these 13 acres adds to several projects previously announced where CRLC lead in the acquisition of land for future parks in communities where there are none. Since 2020, CRLC has completed 10 transactions where it has either acquired or facilitated the acquisition and funding of more than 72 acres of land to create new parks and greenspaces in the City of Richmond. These include high profile projects like Dock Street Park, Mayo’s Island, and Richmond Trail of the Enslaved, as well as lesser recognized places mostly in South Richmond. To put this into perspective, the better-known Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens is 82 acres and Maymont 100 acres.
“With patience, persistence, and a strategic focus, CRLC is shaping a future where development is balanced with equitable access to parks and greenspaces,” said Parker C. Agelasto Executive Director of the Capital Region Land Conservancy. “We believe that all people benefit from nature and that connecting communities helps sustain their health and well-being, cultivate a strong sense of place, and promote care for our region’s lands and waters.”
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Contact:
Parker Agelasto, Executive Director
parker@capitalregionland.org
202-302-0153
