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In a rebuke to the $1.5 billion Navy Hill plan, a majority of the Richmond City Council plans to ask Mayor Levar Stoney to pull his controversial economic development proposal before a final vote next month.

His response? No chance.

The formal request, co-patroned by five members of the nine-person council, was introduced at Monday’s council meeting. The request made clear that the proposal Stoney has championed does not have the necessary support to win approval from the council. That would require seven votes.

Undeterred, Stoney told reporters the request was “laughable” and “selfish.” He said the council had not made an effort to improve the plans. The council bloc behind Monday’s request, he continued, did not want to vote against his signature project in an election year; all nine council seats are on the ballot in November.

“Honestly, I think if this was 2019 or 2021, we would be doing this today,” Stoney said. “But guess what? They’re thinking about their elections more than anything. They should be thinking about the city of Richmond and the future.”

NH District Corp., the development group led by Dominion Energy CEO Thomas F. Farrell II, criticized the council members in a sharp statement.