Jim Roberts
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On the article Council OKs Prince Street Hotel
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On the article Fossum Voted Off Alexandria Planning Commission
Jim Roberts
4:08 pm on Wednesday, February 27, 2013
ReplyShe was given an inelegant boot. However, her long tenure serves to underscore why term limits are valuable. If they are good enough for the Governor of Virginia and the President of the USA, then they should be good enough for all City of Alexandria elected officials
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On the article Proposed Union Street Hotel Site for Lease
Jim Roberts
7:20 pm on Monday, January 21, 2013
ReplyIf my memory serves me correctly, this is a successor Carr company whose namesake, Oliver Carr, destroyed not one but two historic properties, at least one in the middle of the night not all that many years ago
One property was across the street from the White House and the other was nearby, the Rhodes Tavern as I recall. Much hue and cry ensued but Carr got what it wanted historic preservation easements be damned. The midnight destruction made clear Carr knew what it was doing. By daylight, the dirty deed was done.
Of course, there was much apologizing, maybe even a token monetary fine, but The Rhodes Tavern is no more and the massive, uninspiring structure Carr wanted to build in its place still stands.
If they are true to their legacy, Carr cares not one wit about any city's proscriptions, neighbors' concern or the historical context in which they will build what they want to build.
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On the article On Second Vote, Silberberg, Chapman Support Affordable Housing Project
Jim Roberts
8:49 am on Wednesday, January 16, 2013
ReplyIf the car parking revenue is essential to paying for the project to provide housing to families of modest means, and If the residents in this brand new apartment complex simply can't afford the modest monthly parking fee, then proffer the parking spaces to the Lynhaven neighbors. For $35 a month to have a guaranteed parking space in a street-crowded, soon more-densely populated part of Alexandria, I suspect they'll be snapped up quickly.
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On the article Letter to the Editor: It's Your Waterfront, Alexandria!
Jim Roberts
7:53 pm on Saturday, December 22, 2012
Wrong: "We trust our elected officials in a system of representative democracy to know more than we do."
Right: Informed citizens are essential for a democracy to succeed. The individuals whom they elect are their public servants.
When public servants husband information, they improperly take to themselves power not conferred by those whom they took an oath to serve. Secret information kept by public servants is secret power, the antithesis of democracy.
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On the article Council Pursuing FBI Headquarters to Relocate to Alexandria
Jim Roberts
11:00 am on Thursday, December 13, 2012
Larry,
Here's a novel concept: In place of density for dollars, reduce government spending. If that's not possible, then at least keep spending constant.
Our elected officials have not demonstrated they are wise managers of the tax monies they take from us. The palace that is T C Williams high school is but one example.
This is the most expensive high school constructed in the history of America. And, as an informed citizen, you know its scholastic record. Lamentable is an understatement
Just say no to density for dollars. It's a Faustian bargain
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On the article Council Pursuing FBI Headquarters to Relocate to Alexandria
Jim Roberts
7:27 am on Thursday, December 13, 2012
ReplyEnough already. Alexandria is full. Omaha is not
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On the article Council Pursuing FBI Headquarters to Relocate to Alexandria
Jim Roberts
7:26 am on Thursday, December 13, 2012
Replyenough already. Alexandria is full. Omaha is not
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On the article Planning Commission OKs IDA Office at Potomac Yard
Jim Roberts
7:28 am on Friday, December 7, 2012
ReplyMissing from the traffic stats is the point at which reasonable road capacity is reached.
Since the road can't be widened, it should be not difficult to make a good guesstimate of the number of vehicles that will create gridlock on HW 1.
Some percentage of this number should become the Do Not Exceed level, and a useful guide for future planning.
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On the article The Potomac River: 'A Troubling Picture'
Jim Roberts
7:32 am on Wednesday, December 5, 2012
ReplyAstounding. Appalling. And with 2 million additional inhabitants anticipated to be crammed into this already congested area in the next 20 years, everyone's current quality of life will appreciably decrease. At least save Alexandria's with a supra-zoning regulation capping permanent residents.
Jim Roberts
10:25 am on Friday, March 1, 2013
What's to like about more density, more street congestion; lower quality of life for existing residents; loss of open space; less parking; another restaurant and more hotel rooms certain to reduce use of existing eateries and rooms. And yellow brick. All brought to you by a firm whose namesake destroyed a historic landmark in WDC in the middle of the night.