Dear Neighbors,

Today I received a call from the Richmond Zoning Administrator, William Davidson as well as the Secretary for the Board of Zoning Appeals, Roy Benbow. They had some disturbing news.

It appears that the Richmond City of Behavioral Health has purchased the property at 4405 Forest Hill Ave (formerly Dr. Zambrana's Family Medical Practice). They intend to use it as a transitory residential crisis facility – meaning that the average stay would be somewhere around 3-5 days.

The Zoning Administrator is contesting this use as it violates the underlying zoning for the property - R4 single family. Richmond Behavioral Health is of course appealing that decision.

I too believe that such a facility would be in violation of the zoning ordinance. I believe that the transitory nature of the facility will only serve to erode the character and stability of our neighborhood. So, I am reaching out to you, my neighbors, to join the city and me in opposing this facility.

There will be a meeting of the Board of Zoning Appeals on May 1, 2013 at 1pm at 900 East Broad St, 5th floor conference room to decide on the matter.

Neighbors within 150 feet of 4405 Forest Hill Ave. will be receiving by mail a notification from the city outlining the situation. For those that live outside that ½ block +/- zone, I encourage you to also make your voices heard.

In the meanwhile, I will be contacting our Councilwoman, Kathy Graziano as well as the heads of the Forest Hill, Westover Hills and Woodland Heights Neighborhood Associations to be sure that they are also aware of these plans and my opposition to it. I encourage you to do the same.

Thank You,
Sue McGarvey

I was appalled when I read the Article "WHNA supports Forest Hill's opposition to crisis center".

It is very obvious that we have people in our community who want to discriminate against people with disabilities. These disabilities occur in many different ways as we have certainly noticed within the past month with people loosing limbs, brain damage, mental anguish, birth defects, etc.through no fault of their own. They still remain people who are entitled to the same privileges that everyone has.

My wife and I are parents of a 35 year old son who was born with a genetic disorder, Cri du Chat Syndrome. He has physical and mental disorders that makes him different. He requires 24/7 supervision.

We were fortunate about 12 years ago to locate a group home where he lives with 4 other people who also have disabilities. His group home is only about 7 minutes from our house on Westover Hills Blvd and the house is well maintained, well- staffed, and he is given great care that has caused him to excel.

It is interesting that the people in the rather affluent neighborhood where his house is located are accepting of the fact that the facility exists to help the clients there maintain a sense of dignity. They eagerly embrace the clients in the home. As a matter of fact, the Bon Air Baptist Church provides a bus to pick up him and 3 other clients in his home and takes them to Sunday School and Church. The Church members play host to each of them during the service. The church also sponsors activities especially for the clients at the church and always invites them to all activities in the church.

There are many of these houses located in Richmond, Henrico and Chesterfield and they provide a service that is certainly non- discriminatory.

This article made me ashamed of the neighborhood. Are we going to discriminate against people who may look a bit different from us, and act a bit different due to their disability.

Why don't we embrace this addition to our neighborhood and portray the neighborly characteristics that I have been exercised in this neighborhood over the past 35 years.

I would urge the Neighborhood Association to rethink this opposition.

The RBHA does a great job in rehabilitating their clients. They and the caregivers should be appreciated and shown respect for performing a wonderful service to humanity.

J. Dewey Brown