Welcome to The Agenda! This weekly feature will cover all the public meetings in Petersburg, Hopewell and Colonial Heights that may be important to you.
The Tri-Cities want your feedback on the regional transportation system
Want to share your thoughts on improving the existing transportation system in Petersburg, Hopewell and Colonial Heights? The Crater Planning District Commission wants your feedback for its Tri-Cities Regional Multimodal Mobility Plan, which aims to create a more accessible, connected urban landscape for pedestrians, public transit users and cyclists throughout the Tri-City area.
A series of July public meetings are being held in the Tri-City area for residents to learn more about the ongoing project, ask questions and provide input on regional transportation needs. The next meeting will take place in Colonial Heights on Thursday, July 25 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Colonial Heights Public Library on 1000 Yacht Basin Drive. The following meeting will be on Tuesday, July 30 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Hopewell Branch Library, located at 209 E Cawson St, Hopewell. Petersburg's meeting was held last Thursday. Additional meetings will also be held in the future.
Furthermore, a city council meeting is on the books this Tuesday in Hopewell.
Hopewell crime updates: Car thefts skyrocket this year but violent crime down overall
The Hopewell Police Department will present updates on the city's crime rates during Tuesday's city council meeting, and provide comparisons to the average crime rates in the city for the past five years.
Overall, violent crime in the city— which includes murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault— has gone down in the past 5 years. Robberies in particular have decreased drastically from the 5 year average of 11 to 2 so far in 2024. Murders have also decreased from a 5 year average of 4 to 1 so far in 2024. However, aggravated assaults have, on average, increased compared to the five year average of 32. So far, there have been 36 aggravated assaults in Hopewell in 2024.
Meanwhile, the rates of property crime in the city so far in 2024— which include arson, burglary, larceny and motor vehicle theft— are mixed when compared to the five year average. Both burglary and larceny have decreased compared to the five year average in the city. However, arson and motor vehicle theft are both greater this year than the five year average. Motor vehicle thefts in particular have skyrocketed this year in Hopewell, mirroring rising car thefts in Richmond and nationwide. There have been 70 cases of motor vehicle thefts so far this year in Hopewell, compared to 27 last year. It's difficult to pinpoint an exact cause behind the surge in car thefts across the US, but some experts have pointed to ongoing economic difficulties and the rising cost of living that many Americans are experiencing. Check out some easy, straightforward tips on car theft prevention here.
Interested in learning more? Check out Hopewell PD's presentation here, on page 97 of the city council meeting agenda.
Safe Streets Action Plan: Hopewell wants your feedback for safer streets
The City of Hopewell will also present updates on their ongoing federally-funded action plan to make Hopewell's streets safer, dubbed "Hopewell Safe Streets," during the city council meeting this Tuesday.
City staff are working with on-call consultant Wallace Montgomery to develop the plan, which is expected to be completed in late spring 2025. The goal of the safety action plan is to help reduce injuries and fatalities on the city's roadway, and the city wants residents' input to prioritize roadway and infrastructure improvements and address road safety concerns in the city. Interested in sharing your thoughts? You can take the brief survey, which is open through September, here.
Would you like to learn more about the city's plans to make Hopewell's roads safer? Check out the action plan's website or stop by the next Hopewell Safe Streets pop-up booth at the River and Roads Festival in Downtown Hopewell on September 7.
Upcoming public meetings
This week's public meetings in Petersburg, Hopewell and Colonial Heights are as follows:
Tuesday, July 23
Hopewell City Council Regular Meeting, 7:30 p.m., Municipal Building (City Council Chambers) 300 N. Main Street. See the agenda for this meeting here. Inquiries? Contact City Clerk Brittani Williams at (804) 541-2408.
Keep Hopewell Beautiful Committee Meeting, 6 p.m., Appomattox Regional Library (Hopewell Branch), 209 E. Cawson Street. Inquiries? Contact Senior Planner Kelly Davis at (804) 541-2269.
Wednesday, July 24
Hopewell City Council Special Meeting, 6:30 p.m., Municipal Building (City Council Chambers) 300 N. Main Street. This special city council meeting will be a joint meeting with the school board and consulting firm The Robert Bobb Group. See the agenda for this meeting here. Inquiries? Contact City Clerk Brittani Williams at (804) 541-2408.
Thursday, July 25
Petersburg Economic Development Authority Meeting, 6-8 p.m., Petersburg Public Library. Find the agenda for this meeting here.
Colonial Heights Economic Development Authority Meeting, 8:30 a.m., City Council Conference Room, 201 James Avenue. See the agenda for this meeting here. Questions? Contact City Manager Douglas Smith at or (804) 520-9265 or smithd@colonialheightsva.gov.
Colonial Heights Crater Planning District Commission Community Meeting on improving the Tri-Cities transportation system, 5-7 p.m., Colonial Heights Public Library, 1000 Yacht Basin Drive.
Tuesday, July 30
Petersburg City Council Special Meeting, 5-6 p.m., Multipurpose Room of the Petersburg Public Library. Attend the meeting virtually here. See the agenda for this meeting here.
Hopewell Crater Planning District Commission Community Meeting on improving the Tri-Cities transportation system, 5-7 p.m., Hopewell Branch Library, 209 E Cawson St, Hopewell.
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