more planning and questions

The second workshop was presented in a similar way but the audience and general vibe was different. This was either due to having heard it all before or because Shannon Flattery was there and she makes me laugh...or both.

Right of the bat I was bothered by some introductory statements. "Planning provides rules for development." The word development has come to have a negative connotation for me probably given my liberal education but I don't think its far from what the norm is: big developers exploiting disenfranchised communities. The second thing is the constant invocation of the phrase "blank slate." This really got to me because as far as I'm aware this proverbial "blank slate" is actually a city with long time residents and a history and significance that has to be taken into consideration. We are not starting from scratch and that is VERY important.

I feel like everyone who works, lives in, or drives through Richmond asks why? How can a city with so much potential end up this way? The answer is not one anyone can readily give. I keep looking at a map of Richmond's boundaries and it is so bizarre. (I've been trying without success to find a map of the boundaries to illustrate how silly they are but for some reason -note sarcasm- its hard to find). Point being...I think this holds a clue.