Boat Club Seeks Chance to Present its Position at Pivotal Hearing

Next week’s much-anticipated public hearing to discuss the city’s options—including eminent domain—for implementing the city of Alexandria’s waterfront plan in regards to the Old Dominion Boat Club’s parking lot and adjacent areas promises to be a lively one, just as many have in recent years involving the waterfront.

The likely absence of a presentation from the boat club during Tuesday’s proceedings already has ODBC officials crying foul.

Last month, ODBC President Miles Holtzman made a concession to City Council saying the club is willing to open public access across part of its property. City officials consider the parking lot property, located adjacent to the club at the foot of King Street, the missing link to park connectivity along the Potomac River.

At a recent meeting of the city’s Waterfront Commission, the club offered to scale back its 21,775-square-foot lot to 18,565 square feet to allow walkways along the river and the Strand.

The city says it needs to scale the lot to 11,500 square feet in order to construct what it envisions for the area and to implement much-needed flood mitigation measures.  

Both the city and club gave presentations at the waterfront commission meeting.

Holtzman said the city recently informed the club it will not be allowed to make a similar presentation at Tuesday’s hearing, a move he believes is unfair.

“If the council is going to be presented with city staff’s perspective on the issue and not be provided with something from the boat club, council is lacking the holistic perspective from both parties before making a decision,” Holtzman said Friday. “Otherwise all we’re left with is a number of disjointed speakers.”

City Council holds regular public hearings each month. Speakers generally receive three minutes apiece to address council, more if they’re representing civic associations or nonprofits.

Mayor Bill Euille holds the gavel during such hearings, and council can allow a change to protocol if it sees fit.

City Manager Rashad Young said Friday he is recommending council not allow a presentation from the boat club. He said the city has strictly defined processes on how it holds meetings and that the city routinely hears very important issues in the regular public hearing format. 

“It isn’t about being unfair. It is the fact we have a process,” Young said. “What do we do with the next special circumstance? … This is a public hearing from the community about the consideration of the use of eminent domain. It’s not a position communication session. I think the council is quite aware of the boat club’s position.”

Euille is in France leading up to Tuesday’s boat club hearing for a cultural and economic exchange as part of the Alexandria-Caen Sister City partnership and was not available for comment (City Communications Director Tony Castrilli said “not a single penny of city funds” will be spent on the trip). Euille will miss Saturday’s regular open public hearing, where the presentation issue will likely be brought up by boat club leadership.

Frank Fannon, a longtime ODBC member and former city councilman, said it’s important the hearing includes more than just testimony from city staff. The boat club should be able to make a presentation, he said, to ensure “all the facts are out there on the table” so council can understand the club’s perspective.

“In 24 months, there will be a new city council,” Fannon said. “If eminent domain is exercised, it’s going to drag this to years. The boat club wants a resolution and if the city wants a resolution they should hear the boat club’s presentation.”

The special public hearing begins at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 19 in City Hall.