Monday, April 30, 2012
Allison Silberberg and Boyd Walker plant trees in Alexandria.
Alexandria City Council candidates Allison Silberberg (D) and Boyd Walker (D) planted trees on Friday in commemoration of Arbor Day. Silberberg, a 20-year resident of Parkfairfax, planted a Chinquapin oak at 3571 Martha Custis Drive. Scott Knudsen, a fellow Parkfairfax resident and the director of Saturday’s Parkfairfax Native Plant Sale, donated the oak. At her campaign kickoff in March, Silberberg said she wanted to pursue citywide beautification jobs initiative. Walker planted a tree he purchased through the city’s Living Landscape Fund in Old Town’s Founders Park. Walker’s tree replaces another scheduled for removal. “I have seen many empty tree wells across the city, and always wondered why they sit for so long,” Walker wrote in an …
Friday, April 20, 2012
Project planners hear from citizens at community meeting following briefing on three station alternatives.
Alexandria citizens expressed concerns with the construction of a Potomac Yard Metrorail station that would impact nearby wetlands and the George Washington Memorial Parkway during a community meeting Thursday at Cora Kelly Recreation Center. Project planners with the city used the event to brief the crowd on three build alternatives for a station under evaluation as part of an environmental impact study for the project. A no-build alternative is also being evaluated. It includes improvements to existing transit options in the area. Two of the three station alternatives—an at-grade station located between the parkway and CSX tracks on a new track alignment north of Potomac Greens and an aerial station located west of the CSX tracks almost…
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-77.05791
Cora Kelly Recreation Center
25 W Reed Ave, Alexandria, VA
/articles/citizens-express-concerns-about-construction-impacts-of-potomac-yard-metro-station
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/locations/6859847
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Alexandria City Council candidate Boyd Walker says his vision for the waterfront can come to be if court upholds Board of Zoning Appeals' opinion.
Democratic Alexandria City Council candidate Boyd Walker said the recent decision from the Board of Zoning Appeals on the city’s waterfront plan represented “a ruling in the citizens’ favor that upholds the right to protest the rezoning of the waterfront” during a press conference Monday evening at West’s Point along the Potomac River. Last week, the BZA opted to side with a group of citizens who appealed the city planning director’s decision to reject their petition asking that waterfront area near their homes not be rezoned to allow new development. The city has said it will appeal the BZA’s ruling. “It is important that we uphold the right of adjacent property owners to protest any rezoning across the city,” Walker said to an assembled …
Friday, April 13, 2012
Speakers before Board of Zoning Appeals were largely critical of the city's process and said the system needs to be repaired.
Members of the Board of Zoning Appeals heard harsh remarks about the city’s conduct and the appeal process during Thursday night’s public hearing on a petition calling for the rejection of city rezoning of the waterfront area. Public speakers largely represented a group of activists who have staunchly opposed the city’s plan to redevelop the waterfront although a few voices supported the city’s actions. Co-founder of Citizens for an Alternative Alexandria Waterfront Plan Andrew Macdonald, who is also running for mayor, characterized the city as a “spoiled child who has done everything under the sun to thwart a fair and decent and honest process…There were a lot of meetings, but it doesn’t mean a good open dialogue and fair process.” CAAWP …
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Democrat Boyd Walker talks historical preservation and transportation planning at his campaign kickoff.
City Council candidate Boyd Walker (D) reiterated his opposition to rezone Alexandria’s waterfront and spoke of his commitment to historical preservation at his campaign kickoff Monday at Red Rocks Pizzeria in Old Town. With a “Don’t Rezone the Waterfront!” poster taped to the wall next to his campaign banner, Walker spoke of his hope to “save” several sites in Old Town. “I still feel we can save West’s Point from development,” Walker said in regards to a site next to Robinson Terminal North that at different times was occupied by warehouses and a wharf. George Washington departed from the point to Philadelphia in 1789, according to the Office of Historic Alexandria. The site was discussed during meetings of the Waterfront Work Group, …
Monday, February 27, 2012
The Alexandria City Council approves Boyd Walker's plans to transform the historic Commerce Street ice house, but members criticize him for disparaging remarks he made on his blog.
Boyd Walker’s application to turn a historic Commerce Street ice house into a gelato and coffee shop received approval from Alexandria City Council on Saturday, though not without members of council criticizing Walker for comments he made on his blog in regards to members of the city’s Economic Development Partnership. The business plan, which would transform the old Mutual Ice Company building at 200 Commerce St. into a gelato stand with 30 outdoor seats, has been in the works for some time. An initial plan was approved in 2010, but Walker’s efforts stalled and the application had to make a second run through City Hall. “In terms of the prior 18 months, what’s been the problem?” Vice Mayor Kerry Donley asked Walker. “Is there an issue in…
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-77.04303
Alexandria City Government City Hall
301 King St, Alexandria, VA
/articles/walker-s-gelato-shop-application-receives-final-approval
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/locations/6464352
38.80529
-77.0539
200 Commerce St, Alexandria, VA
/articles/walker-s-gelato-shop-application-receives-final-approval
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Sunday, February 26, 2012
Alexandrian and City Council candidate Boyd Walker highlights his local heroes for the last year.
- OPINION
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Sunday, February 26, 2012
To the Editor: On Oscar night I think there should be awards for the local heroes who have helped make Alexandria a better place in 2011. I love the movies, and I am often moved to tears by a good movie, as I am by a good story, and I hope that lasts year’s story ends well. But for the issues I have been passionate about, the credits have not rolled, and the local heroes who have helped me in my causes cannot claim victory yet. Here are my Five Nominations: 1. A victory in court that saved the historic American Legion/Carver Nursery School Building at 224 N. Fayette St. Demolition of the building was applied for by the current owner, and approved by the Parker Gray BAR and the City Council, but we won a decisive victory in court. The …
Saturday, February 25, 2012
A second waterfront ordinance will not be considered until the resolution of a pending appeal.
The Alexandria City Council approved an ordinance Saturday officially adopting the city’s controversial Waterfront Small Area Plan into the city’s Master Plan. A second ordinance, which is required to implement the proposed waterfront zoning code changes, will not be considered until the resolution of a pending appeal to Alexandria’s Board of Zoning Appeals. The ordiance passed on a 4-2 vote, with Council members Alicia Hughes and Frank Fannon voting against it. Mayor Bill Euille left Saturday’s public hearing at 1 p.m. for a business trip and was not present for the vote on the waterfront ordinance. Hughes offered a failed motion to defer the vote on the small area plan ordinance until the appeal decision on the second ordinance. The …
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Alexandria resident and City Council candidate Boyd Walker says Valentine's Day is a curious time for a waterfront vote.
- OPINION
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Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Today, Valentine's Day, is a curious time to schedule the required vote on the Alexandria waterfront. After all, the mayor said at the first hearing he doesn’t love the plan, and he didn’t care if it was voted up or down, just that it was time for a vote. Like love, embracing an imperfect plan, is not something one should rush into. Yes, there is always a temptation to move forward quickly, and in this case too quickly. If we are unsure whether we love this plan or not, let us step back, and reconsider. Perhaps there is a chance for the community to have a second bite at the apple instead of rushing into the wrong relationship. Why is this the wrong relationship? Because it is imbalanced, and there are too many expectations of perfection …
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Boyd Walker aims to turn historic Mutual Ice Company building into gelato and coffee shop.
The Alexandria Planning Commission approved an application on Tuesday to turn the small Commerce Street ice house into a gelato shop. Boyd Walker, a Democratic candidate for City Council, owns the building and plans to restore the 280-square-foot, 1932 ice house for year-round operation, also serving coffee and baked goods. The business, which is located at 200 Commerce Street, will accommodate seven indoor seats and 30 seats outside. Walker and city staff settled on hours of operation from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Walker removed a request for live music. "It is a good adapted reuse," Walker said. In November 2006, the structure’s canopy and a framed enclosure on the loading dock were removed without approval from the Old and Historic Alexandria…
38.80529
-77.0539
200 Commerce St, Alexandria, VA
/articles/ice-house-conversion-receives-approval
/locations/6463752
Drew Hansen
10:08 am on Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Michael, I appreciate your concerns. Patch had a booth at the city's Earth Day event at Ben Brenman Park the morning Hume Springs planted its tree. I was there helping kids with crafts and telling people about Patch, so I was unable to attend the event. Thankfully, someone posted a link to photos of the Hume Springs planting on the Del Ray Patch Facebook page. more ›