Richmond council passes slate of zoning, budget and ordinance measures across 2023; full roll calls recorded

Richmond’s City Council approved a large number of routine and substantive ordinances through the 2023 calendar year, recording roll-call tallies on rezoning, conditional‑use permits, budget and related measures.

The most consequential formal actions included the council’s adoption of the FY24 operating budget and tax levy in September (Bill 23‑27 and Bill 23‑24), and a series of land‑use and conditional‑use ordinances (for example Bills 23‑01 through 23‑06, 23‑09–23‑14, and others) that the council read and adopted by recorded vote during multiple regular meetings. The municipal clerk recorded first-and-second title readings followed by adoption motions in each instance.

Votes at a glance (selected items recorded in the minutes):
- Bills 23‑01, 23‑02, 23‑03, 23‑04 (Jan. 10) — Zoning reclassifications; each adopted by roll call (recorded as 8‑0).
- Bill 23‑05 (Jan. 24) — Zoning reclassification; adopted 7‑0.
- Bill 23‑06 (conditional use for communications tower at 105 Matt Waller Ave) — tabled in an earlier meeting, later amended with conditions and adopted 7‑0 (Feb. 28).
- Bill 23‑07 (amendment to municipal code concerning synthetic cannabinoids and related enforcement language) — adopted 5‑0 (Feb. 14).
- Bill 23‑15 (Farmers’ Market rules) — adopted 8‑0 (Apr. 11).
- Bill 23‑16 (certifying April 4, 2023 election results) — adopted 8‑0 (Apr. 11).
- Bill 23‑20 (ADA parking code amendments; downtown ADA spaces) — adopted 8‑0 (July meeting).
- Bill 23‑24 and Bill 23‑27 (tax levy and FY24 budget) — both adopted in September by recorded vote (vote tallies recorded in the minutes as approved).
- Bill 23‑26 (appointment of Scott Bagley as chief of police) — adopted at the Sept. 26 meeting by roll call votes recorded in the minutes.
- Numerous final plats and conditional‑use permits (for example Bills 23‑09; 23‑21; 23‑28; 23‑34) were adopted by roll calls as recorded in the minutes.

Many other motions — contract awards, purchase approvals, and grant subaward acceptances — were recorded throughout the year with their recorded roll-call or unanimous outcomes documented in the minutes. Where the minutes list a specific roll-call tally (for example 8‑0, 7‑0, 5‑0), this article reports that tally; for other items the minutes state the motion was approved and list the ayes and nays by name.

Why this matters: the ballot‑level decisions (budget, tax levy) set Richmond’s fiscal priorities for FY24; the zoning and conditional‑use ordinances change permissible land uses or site conditions for specific properties; and contract awards commit city funds to capital projects and services. The minutes show these actions were taken in public session, with roll‑call results entered into the record.

What’s next: revisit the minutes for the particular ordinance or contract you are following — each ordinance number (for example 'Bill 23‑XX') and contract award is recorded in the minutes and can be used to locate the full text and supporting materials in the city’s official files.