[Sly Fox]

Everyone's least favorite bureaucrat shows up in the Richmond fishwrap (unbelievably on the cover of their Style magazine ... how preposterous is that?) gleefully recounting her battles with our founder ....

COVER STORY

January 16, 2008
In Like Flynn

She wants to turn Richmond into a more livable city. But not everyone’s embracing Rachel Flynn’s big plan.
by Amy Biegelsen

In her fifth-floor office at City Hall, Rachel Flynn keeps a file of all the spiteful comments the late Rev. Jerry Falwell made about her in public.

“This is Lynchburg, Virginia. This is not Moscow, Russia or Beijing, China or Havana, Cuba,” Falwell blustered from his pulpit in a nationally televised sermon four years ago. “And Rachel, if you wanna live there, go on and live there, but leave us alone in Lynchburg.”

At the time, Flynn was Lynchburg’s community development director, and Falwell, the city’s pre-eminent religious and business leader. Their feud started after Flynn insisted that Falwell build two exit ramps to accommodate emergency vehicles at his ever-expanding Liberty University. Falwell lagged. They clashed again about a Cracker Barrel restaurant he wanted to develop on a wooded lot. Flynn asked him to leave trees in one corner to protect a stream running through the property. He declined, and then denounced her from the pulpit.


Rachel Flynn, the city’s community development director, sees huge opportunities in Richmond’s underutilized downtown, but the draft master plan she helped deliver will have to clear some hurdles if it’s going to become a reality.
Photo by Scott Elmquist

Click Here for Full Story

[Knucklehead]

At least she's torturing a different city now!

[ATrain]

Why doesn't she go to Charlottesville...I'm sure they'd love her up there in the People's Republic of Hooville

[LUconn]

Her ideas were always somewhat nice looking in theory, but it's the type of decision making you'd go with if you were starting a city from scratch. Not practical. Like the whole thing about your business sign having to sit on the ground instead of in the air. Sure that would look nice if everybody did it, but in a well established city with tons preexisting signage, that's just dumb.

[El Scorcho]

Why doesn't she go to Charlottesville...

Her husband lived there the entire time she was here. She spent most of her weekends there. She just came to Lynchburg out of pity for our poor little town.

I'm glad to see she still thinks of us as highly as when she was here. I have never disliked someone so much as her, though city councilman Mike Gillette is pretty close. They could both be two of the most snobby people I've ever encountered. Argh. I'm so so so glad she left.

[Rocketfan]

Why doesn't she go to Charlottesville...

Her husband lived there the entire time she was here. She spent most of her weekends there. She just came to Lynchburg out of pity for our poor little town.

I'm glad to see she still thinks of us as highly as when she was here. I have never disliked someone so much as her, though city councilman Mike Gillette is pretty close. They could both be two of the most snobby people I've ever encountered. Argh. I'm so so so glad she left.

well stated...i agree.

[bigsmooth]

nice one atrain.....you continue to prove yourself as a complete moron.

[Rocketfan]

nice one atrain.....you continue to prove yourself as a complete moron.

someone had to replace Shuk i guess....

[bigsmooth]

[LUconn]

● Encourage building structures up to the curb, with windows on the street for a more vibrant feel and better citizen vigilance.

● Make the city pedestrian-friendly so people can drop into stores without having to plan ahead or park.

So does this hypothetical city exist outside of time and space where pedestrians can walk through buildings that are up against the curb

[El Scorcho]

● Encourage building structures up to the curb, with windows on the street for a more vibrant feel and better citizen vigilance.

● Make the city pedestrian-friendly so people can drop into stores without having to plan ahead or park.

So does this hypothetical city exist outside of time and space where pedestrians can walk through buildings that are up against the curb

It's simple, really. When we all go green and aren't driving our cars, we'll be able to walk on the street next to the bike lanes.

[ATrain]

Oh come on smoothie, even you have to admit that UVA and CVille are liberal bastions here in Virginia

[bigsmooth]

any college town is liberal for the most part. that includes blacksburg, and richmond is very liberal as well. try getting out of the lynchburg/farmville bubble and you would realize that. virginia is quickly becoming a very liberal state thanks to our friends from NOVA.

[ATrain]

Yes, I realize Virginia is becoming liberal, and yes I know Blacksburg is more liberal than Lynchburg, and Longwood/Farmville is headed that way as well...but CVille has been that way for a long time now and I think they'd welcome Rachel Flynn's "progressive planning" more than Lynchburg/Richmond.

[Ed Dantes]

I hope that she's not the troglodyte responsible for Lynchburg's road system. I mean c'mon -- NO acceleration lanes, the exit for 501 NORTH is the same as 29 SOUTH...

[LUconn]

no, I'm sure if she designed them they'd be cobblestone or something and not highways.

[Hold My Own]

I just hope she's trying to change a city she actually lives in now!!!! Theres nothing like someone trying to change your city when they dont even live here! Just because you rent a little apartment here but LIVE somewhere else doesnt mean you know whats best for us.




JF's got a smile reading that story

[El Scorcho]

no, I'm sure if she designed them they'd be cobblestone or something and not highways.

Ohhhh man. Yeah, the cobblestone downtown was a great idea. How far into the millions did the city spend to put that stuff down? And now my car shakes whenever I drive over it. Lame. It doesn't even look that good.

[ATrain]

no, I'm sure if she designed them they'd be cobblestone or something and not highways.

... She doesn't even look that good.

Fixed

[Fumblerooskies]

To paraphrase someone else...
...she IS ugly.

[Hold My Own]

I have a image of what smokers look like in my head...and thats it

[Cider Jim]

Did Rachel leave town before we put the LU monogram on the mountain? I bet she has a strong opinion about our beloved monogram, but it probably isn't fit to print.