Wednesday, May 15, 2013
City Council has many questions and little recourse when it comes to railroad company's request to expand operations.
Alexandria City Council members lamented Norfolk Southern's request to double the number of rail cars offloaded per day at its ethanol transloading facility in the West End at Tuesday night’s meeting at City Hall. Earlier this year, Norfolk Southern filed for a permit with the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality to increase offloading from the current 14 rail cars to 30 cars per day. Increased emissions under the plan mean Norfolk Southern needs an air quality permit to expand the scale of operations at the facility at 1000 S. Van Dorn St. Council unanimously passed a resolution Tuesday expressing its opposition to the issuance of a permit because of “increased air emissions” and requesting an informational meeting and separate …
Iesha Kenney, a 15-year-old at Minnie Howard, earned victory in international boxing tournament in Finland on May 4.
Minnie Howard student Iesha Kenney was recognized at City Hall Tuesday night for her victory in an international boxing tournament earlier this month in Finland with the USA Junior World Team. Kenney, who is a straight-A student at Minnie Howard and also plays violin in the orchestra, won a unanimous decision over Elizabeth Dillion of England on May 4 in Pirkka, Finland, while representing the United States. “I was in Finland for three days,” the 15-year-old said. “The competition was two days. Prior to that, I was in training camp [in Colorado Spring, Colo.] for a few weeks. ... In the tournament, I was in one bout and won 5-0.” Kenney, who boxes in the 132-pound weight class, got involved at the boxing program at Charles Houston …
Monday, May 13, 2013
Mayor Bill Euille says there is a chance to fix an issue caused by a misunderstanding between city staff and council during the budget approval process.
Alexandria City Council eliminated the mechanism of set-aside funding for affordable housing and open space acquisition when it adopted its fiscal year 2014 budget last week in a move that is being chalked up to miscommunication between city staff and council. • See: Alexandria, Your Average Tax Bill Is Increasing $314 “If this was a misunderstanding or miscommunication, we still have a chance to go back and fix it,” Mayor Bill Euille said Friday. “We’ll have more conversations about this at Tuesday’s meeting.” The city takes a percentage of the real estate tax rate for both affordable housing and open space funds. Throughout budget work sessions, some councilmembers expressed a desire to move away from dedicated funding mechanisms, …
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Norfolk Southern is seeking a state permit to increase offloading from 14 to 30 rail cars per day at its Alexandria facility.
Alexandria Mayor Bill Euille said Tuesday he plans to do everything within his power to oppose Norfolk Southern's request to double the number of rail cars offloaded per day at its ethanol transfer facility near the Van Dorn Street Metro station. Norfolk Southern filed for a permit with the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality to increase offloading from the current 14 rail cars to 30 cars per day. Increased emissions under the plan mean Norfolk Southern will need an air quality permit to expand the scale of operations at the facility at 1000 S. Van Dorn St. Euille said he plans to bring a resolution before City Council next month opposing any expansion, then meet with Norfolk Southern and Virginia environmental officials to make …
Monday, May 6, 2013
City Council unanimously adopts $624.8 million operating budget for fiscal year 2014.
Alexandria City Council unanimously adopted Monday evening a $624.8 million operating fund budget for fiscal year 2014 and an increase of $314 to the average residential real estate tax bill. The city’s real estate tax rate is increasing 4 cents to $1.038 per $100 of valuation and the vehicle personal property tax is increasing to $5 per $100 of valuation. While councilmembers noted the tax rate increase is substantial—it is the maximum increase they voted to advertise in March—Mayor Bill Euille noted Alexandria has the second-lowest tax rate in Northern Virginia behind Arlington County. • See: Alexandria Council Advertises 4 Cent Increase to Real Estate Property Tax Rate Increasing the tax rate by 4 cents was "nothing anyone on this dais …
Friday, May 3, 2013
Project planners say setback will provide time for better community outreach.
The process of determining the location and type of Metrorail station at Potomac Yard has been delayed a few months, Alexandria officials announced Friday afternoon. Along with the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, Federal Transit Administration and the National Park Service, Alexandria has been plugging away at the environmental impact study for the project. A draft statement on the study, which assesses everything from sound and noise issues to air quality and wetland impacts related to a station, was scheduled to be released Friday. However, the FTA and NPS recommended technical changes and amendments to the plan during a review of the statement, creating more work for planners. According to a press release from the city: …
Thursday, March 21, 2013
About 40 students gathered Wednesday to examine tobacco advertising throughout the city.
T.C. Williams High School students took to the streets Wednesday to visit convenience stores and gas stations to observe and record information about tobacco marketing. This event was part of a larger tobacco awareness campaign, “Kick Butts Day.” The event was sponsored by Y Street, the Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition of Alexandria and the Alexandria Coalition for Clean and Smoke-Free Air. Jack Hendrickson, coordinator for Y Street, a health empowerment movement for students, said students would take photos and record tobacco advertisements on a scorecard as part of “Operation Storefront.” “They get to see the ads themselves,” Hendrickson said. “There’s so many of them, and they really do target them, with the colorful packaging, and…
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Council's Saturday action on two amendments enables further implementation of the city's Waterfront Small Area Plan designed to revive the riverside.
City Council voted 6-1 Saturday afternoon to allow new kinds of development along the Alexandria waterfront and allowing the city to curb litigation currently stalling the city’s plans to redevelop its riverside. Council also voted 6-1 on an amendment clarifying a part of the zoning code governing property owners’ protest petitions. Deputy Director of Planning and Zoning Karl Moritz explained Saturday that the text amendment “is needed to implement elements of the small area plan such as permitting hotels.” The newly adopted text amendment would allow hotels under certain circumstances, permit cultural institutions and offer rules governing size and height of new development.’ It also would allow structures 5,000 feet or larger that “…
Thursday, March 14, 2013
If adopted at the maximum rate, the real estate property tax would result in the average Alexandria residential tax bill increasing up to $314.
Alexandria City Council unanimously voted Tuesday to advertise the maximum residential and commercial property tax rate at $1.038 per $100 of valuation for fiscal year 2014, an increase of 4 cents from the prior year but down from an initial recommendation of a 5.5-cent hike. Council can settle on any rate at or below $1.038 as it works through the budgeting process, which is scheduled to end with adoption on May 6. The tax rate on motor vehicle property is proposed to increase from $4.75 to $5 per $100 of assessed value. The rate on business equipment and other types of vehicles is not proposed to change. In its budget guidance for City Manager Rashad Young, council asked for an optional 3-cent hike to offset cash capital investments on …
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
New study shows Alexandria's arts community is a big driver of economic growth.
The arts have a reputation for contributing to inspiration and innovation but when it comes to balancing a budget, the arts also have the right equation, according to new data released Tuesday. Randy Cohen, a vice president with Washington, DC-based Americans for the Arts, outlined that the arts mean business to an enthusiastic crowd at the Little Theatre of Alexandria. Arts and culture are a significant industry in the City of Alexandria – generating nearly $71 million in total economic activity and supporting 1,774 full-time jobs in fiscal year 2010, he said. “The arts are not just food for the soul but putting food on the table,” Cohen said. For the quickest Alexandria updates, join the conversation with Old Town Alexandria Patch on …
Leslie Hagan
9:26 pm on Saturday, May 18, 2013
Perhaps, as much as I hate the pollution and chance of a really terrible accident at the site, at least Council is getting a taste of how citizens who live in development zones in the City feel when they try to deal with Council, staff, or the Planning Commission. I guess it is too much to hope that Council might learn something here. more ›