The seemingly endless debate over the proposed Echo Harbour condominiums and Richmond's downtown master plan hit a boiling point last night.
Director of Community Development Rachel Flynn flatly rejected a suggestion from a planning commissioner that her staff review plan language offered by the developers for the site along the James River east of downtown.
Flynn, who has pushed for language that would encourage buying the property as a city park, said further discussions would be pointless.
"We've been talking with these developers for three years," she said of USP Rocketts. "We don't agree."
She added that the Planning Commission and the Ccity Council need to decide how they want to proceed with Echo Harbour and added, "We're not compromising anymore. If you want to compromise with them, go ahead."
Her remarks left Planning Commissioner Rodney Poole largely speechless. The commission ended its meeting moments later, having decided to vote May 4 on several final amendments. One would limit the development's impact on views of the river from Libby Hill.
The council adopted the master plan last October after 15 months of community input, but it later asked the Planning Commission to consider a few amendments, including one intended to be favorable for Echo Harbour.
Representatives of USP Rocketts said they filed revised plans for the project yesterday.
Richmond founder William Byrd II is said to have named the city after observing the James from what's now Libby Hill Park and being struck by similarities with the River Thames in the English borough of Richmond upon Thames.
Contact Will Jones at (804) 649-6911 or wjones@timesdispatch.com.
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