Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Judge denies motions by the city and its opponents in a case brought by the city asking the court to rule that the Board of Zoning Appeals does not have certain authorities.
An Alexandria Circuit Court judge last week denied separate requests by the city and its opponents in a case brought by the city asking the court to rule that Alexandria’s Board of Zoning Appeals does not have certain authorities. The judge’s rulings mean the case is still on course for an April hearing next year. The Board of Zoning Appeals last spring sided with citizens who had asked it to reconsider a ruling by the director of Alexandria’s Planning and Zoning Department. Faroll Hamer had ruled as invalid their petition requesting the city not rezone some waterfront land near their homes and so not allow hotels. The city filed suit in circuit court to express it disagreed with the BZA ruling and at the time, City Attorney Jim Banks said…
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Alexandria City Council says it will hire and pay legal counsel for the city's Board of Zoning Appeals only if it's brought into legal proceedings in appeal case.
Alexandria City Council said Tuesday it will provide funding for legal counsel for the city’s Board of Zoning Appeals if the body or its members are brought into the legal proceedings as Alexandria appeals the BZA’s decision on the waterfront petition. However, City Attorney Jim Banks and members of City Council reiterated during Tuesday night’s legislative meeting at City Hall a belief that there is currently no need to hire counsel for the BZA because it was named in the suit only to provide the record and is not a party to the case. “I think that [City Manager Rashad Young] and I have been very careful looking at this from a legal perspective [and] from an operational perspective and we have not determined a need legally or …
Monday, May 21, 2012
Board of Zoning Appeals members say they are uncomfortable having no legal counsel or city legal counsel after city appeals BZA decision to Alexandria Circuit Court.
Alexandria’s Board of Zoning Appeals is requesting that City Council give it an outside lawyer who could advise the body on matters relating to the city’s appeal of the BZA’s decision on the waterfront petition. The BZA in April sided with a group of citizens who appealed the city planning director’s decision to reject their petition asking that the riverside area near their homes not be rezoned allowing development such as hotels. In turn, the city filed a suit in Alexandria Circuit Court, asking it to reconsider the BZA’s ruling. The case was filed as City Council for the City of Alexandria and Faroll Hamer, Director of Planning and Zoning for the City of Alexandria v. the City of Alexandria Board of Zoning Appeals and April Burke and …
Monday, May 7, 2012
Co-chairman Andrew Macdonald will step away from the group as he runs for mayor. Fellow Chairman Boyd Walker earlier this year announced his intentions to resign as he runs for council.
Citizens for an Alternative Alexandria Waterfront Plan has announced new leadership and said its co-chairman, Andrew Macdonald, has stepped down from his position as he runs for the mayor’s seat, which will be decided in November. CAAWP co-founder Boyd Walker earlier this year announced he also would step aside to run for City Council. The group has elected vocal CAAWP supporters Bert Ely and Mark Mueller as co-chairmen. The group, which largely opposes the city’s plan to redevelop the waterfront, said in a statement: “In the coming months, CAAWP will be focused on raising funds to support a two-part challenge to the legality of the waterfront plan and rezoning that City Council adopted on Jan. 21.” City Council passed a plan to redevelop …
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
April Burke, Marie Kux and Beth Gibney ask state's high court to take their case after Alexandria Circuit Court dismissed it.
Three citizens are asking the Virginia Supreme Court to reconsider the Alexandria Circuit Court’s dismissal of their lawsuit. The lawsuit requests that the circuit court overturn the city’s denial of a petition that would have required City Council to pass the waterfront plan by a supermajority. "The Iron Ladies," as their supporters call them, are April Burke, Beth Gibney and Marie Kux. The Circuit Court decided in March that “in order for the court to grant relief requested by the plaintiffs, it would first have to required the Director to accept the plaintiffs appeal as properly filed. ...The writ does not grant the authority to require an official to undo an act that is already done.” Roy Shannon, the plaintiff’s attorney, told Patch …
Friday, March 16, 2012
Similar complaint will be heard before the city's Board of Zoning Appeals on April 12.
The Alexandria Circuit Court on Friday threw out the lawsuit requesting the court overturn the city’s denial of a petition that would have required City Council to pass the waterfront plan by a supermajority, or 6-1 vote. Council passed it in January 5-2. The circuit court decided that “in order for the court to grant relief requested by the plaintiffs, it would first have to required the Director to accept the plaintiffs appeal as properly filed. ...The writ does not grant the authority to require an official to undo an act that is already done.” Planning and Zoning Director Faroll Hamer ruled the morning of the public hearing and vote on the city's waterfront plan that the petition was not valid. The city and the plaintiffs disagree when…
Bud Miller
1:28 am on Monday, October 22, 2012
Is this leadership? Alexandria is suing itself! And it won't even provide counsel for the BZA.... Not exactly fair to say the least. The Mayor and the Democratic Machine have turned their backs on the people (who they appointed) exercising civic pride and responsibility by volunteering for the BZA. This is just one more reason to vote for Andrew MacDonald and to throw the machine candidates out … more ›