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Office of the City Clerk
May 25, 2012



Regular Meeting
Tuesday, May 22, 2012 - - 7:00 p.m.

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1. Calling the Roll.

Mayor Euille called the meeting to order and the Deputy City Clerk called the roll. All members of Council were present Council Action:_________________________________________________________

2. Moment of Silence and Pledge of Allegiance.

City Council observed a moment of silence and recited the Pledge of Allegiance.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

3. Reading and Acting Upon the Minutes of the Following Meetings of City Council:

(a) The Special Meeting Minutes of May 7, 2012; and

(b) The Regular Meeting Minutes of May 8, 2012.

City Council approved the minutes of the following meetings of City Council: the special meeting minutes of May 7, 2012 and the regular meeting minutes of May 8, 2012.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

RECOGNITION OF YOUTH BY MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL

None.

PROCLAMATIONS

4. Presentation of a Proclamation Recognizing the Friends of Rocky Versace.

City Council endorsed the proclamation.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER

CONSENT CALENDAR (5-10)

(Resignations and Uncontested Appointments)

5. Receipt of the Following Resignations from Members of Boards, Commissions and Committees:

(a) Affordable Housing Advisory Committee
Sonya Sacks

(b) Torpedo Factory Art Center Board
Stephanie Pace Brown

6. Uncontested Appointments to Boards, Commissions and Committees:

(a) Ad Hoc Towing Services Advisory Board
1 Citizen Member

(b) Affordable Housing Advisory Committee
1 Representative of a Civic Association in the City

(c) Commission on Aging
1 Representative of a Health Care Provider Organization

(d) Commission on Persons with Disabilities
1 Disabled Citizen Member

(e) Environmental Policy Commission
1 Citizen Member

(f) Historic Alexandria Resources Commission
1 Planning District III Representative

(g) Human Rights Commission
1 Citizen Member

(Reports and Recommendations of the City Manager)

7. Consideration of Receipt of Results of the FY 2012 Fair Housing Testing.

8. Consideration of a Federal Emergency Management Agency Hazard Mitigation Grant Application for a Flash Flood Warning System.

9. Consideration of the Federal Emergency Management Agency Hazard Mitigation Grant Application for the Installation of Emergency Power Connections in Critical City Facilities.

10. Consideration of Authorization of Recommended Capital Project Allocations and Planned Expenditures.

END OF CONSENT CALENDAR

City Council approved the consent calendar, with the exception of docket item #9, which was considered under separate motion. The City Manager's recommendations were as follows as:

5. City Council received the following resignations with regret: (a) Sonya Sacks, Affordable Housing Advisory Committee and (b) Stephanie Pace Brown, Torpedo Factory Art Center Board.

6. City Council made the following appointments to boards and commissions: (a) appointed Amy Slack as the citizen member to the Ad Hoc Towing Services Advisory Board; (b) reappointed Laura Lantzy as the representative of a civic association in the City to the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee; (c) appointed Daniel Kulund as the representative of a health care provider organization to the Commission on Aging; (d) appointed Matthew Snell as the disabled citizen member (identified a disability) to the Commission on Persons with Disabilities; (e) appointed Chinling Chin as the citizen member to the Environmental Policy Commission; (f) reappointed Dominick Muracco as the Planning District III representative to the Historic Alexandria Resources Commission; and (g) reappointed Catherine Fulton as the citizen member to the Human Rights Commission.

7. City Council received the results of the fair housing tests conducted in Fiscal Year 2012 for discrimination in rental housing on the basis of familial status.

8. City Council: (1) approved an application to Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) for a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Hazard Mitigation Grant in the amount of $25,000 for additional rain gauges and flood warning devices; and (2) authorized the City Manager to execute all the necessary documents that may be required.

9. City Council: (1) approved an application to VDEM for a FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant in the amount of $1,110,000 to install emergency power connections at critical City facilities, and (2) authorized the City Manager to execute all the necessary documents that may be required. (separate motion)

10. City Council authorized $1,750,000 for capital projects allocations and planned expenditures for the capital projects as detailed in the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Expenditure Summary.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

CONTESTED APPOINTMENTS

None.

REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER FOR DISCUSSION

11. Consideration of Energy Management Program and FY 2011 Annual Energy Review.

City Council received an update on the City's Energy Management Program and received the FY 2011 Annual Energy Review.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

12. Consideration of Request by ARHA to Change the Subsidy Source of Park Place and Saxony Square Condominium Units.

City Council: (1) approved Alexandria Redevelopment Housing Authority's (ARHA) proposal to change the subsidy source for 38 units at Park Place and 5 units at Saxony Square and (2) authorized the City Manager to execute a letter of support for ARHA's application to Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

13. Consideration of a Request to Reallocate Unspent FY 2012 Transportation Improvement Program Funds to Cover First Year Bike Share Operating Costs.

City Council authorized the one-time allocation of $186,000 of unspent FY 2012 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) funds to cover first year bike share operations expenses for FY 2013, with the RSTP/CMAQ funds that were earmarked for use with the Bike Share program being directed toward multimodal projects that were originally designated to use City funds.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

14. Consideration of a Report on the Del Ray Parking Study.

City Council received the Del Ray Parking Study and directed staff to develop an implementation plan that will involve some of the civic and business groups in the area.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FROM BOARDS, COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES

None

ORAL REPORTS BY MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL

and

ORAL PRESENTATIONS BY MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL

(a) Councilman Smedberg reported that the Virginia Railway Express (VRE) is actively recruiting a new Chief Executive Officer to replace the retiring CEO.

(b) Councilman Smedberg reported that Council has received numerous emails about the City filing an appeal of the Board of Zoning Appeals decision and he wanted to address the nature and tone of the emails and clarify the City's position on the appeal.

Councilman Smedberg made a motion for the purpose of discussion, to allow authorization for the Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) to seek outside counsel, capping the fee at $5000. The motion was seconded by Councilwoman Hughes.

Council engaged in a discussion with City Attorney Banks and City Manager Young reviewing the procedures of filing an appeal against a City board or commission and responding to questions about the scope and level of involvement any potential representation for the BZA would have in the proceedings.

Mayor Euille noted that the City Manager and the City Attorney issued a memorandum stating the following, "However, if the BZA or any of its individual members were required to provide additional information in the case, additional evidence, or to testify in the Circuit Court appeal, the BZA and/or its individual members would need further advice about how to respond. At that time, the City Attorney would retain and the City Manager would authorize the necessary funds for separate outside counsel for the BZA and/or its individual members."

After the discussion and answering of questions from Council, Councilman Smedberg formally withdrew his original motion.

WHEREUPON, upon motion by Councilman Smedberg, seconded by Councilwoman Pepper and carried unanimously, City Council reaffirmed the City's policy, as outlined in the City Manager/City Attorney memorandum to Council dated May 22, 2012, and if necessary will provide outside counsel if the BZA is brought into the proceeding. The voting was as follows:

Smedberg "aye" Donley "aye"
Pepper "aye" Fannon "aye"
Euille "aye" Hughes "aye"
Krupicka "aye"

(c) Councilman Krupicka stated that changing the City's zoning code would be subject to a super majority vote and leaves Council in a "Catch 22."

(d) Councilman Krupicka reported that he and Mayor Euille attended the monthly City Schools meeting and he noted that the Alexandria City Public Schools were listed in the Washington Post Challenge Index as having a significant increase in the level of rigor and expectations for students. Councilman Krupicka also reported that the test scores at Cora Kelly have be excellent recently.

Councilman Krupicka requested that the Chair and Vice Chair of the Alexandria City Public School Board review the annual audit of the Schools Capital Improvement Project (CIP) and the financial policy.

Chairwoman Gorsuch and Vice Chairwoman Morris made a brief presentation of the annual audit of the School CIP and budget committee's review of the financial policy and responded to questions from Council. They also reported that Lyles Crouch Traditional Academy received an award as a National School of Character and the School Board received a Magna Award from the National School Boards Association.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

ORAL REPORT FROM THE CITY MANAGER

Acting Director of Human Resources Gates, Deputy Director of Human Resources Ognibene, Assistant Director of Human Resources Mason and Ms. Welch, Internal Audit, gave a presentation on City Manager's Ethics Initiative and responded to questions from Council about implementation, training and next steps for the initiative.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS

15. Consideration of a Resolution Affirming the City's Current Zoning for Hunting Towers (1202 and 1204 South Washington Street) and Its Past, Present and Future Significance as a Market Affordable and Workplace Housing Asset. (#22, 5/8/2012)

City Council adopted a resolution affirming the City's current zoning for Hunting Towers (1202 and 1204 South Washington Street) and its past, present and future significance as a market affordable and workplace housing asset. (RES. NO. 2501)
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

16. Consideration of a Resolution Supporting the Family of Trayvon Martin, Denouncing Racial Profiling and Reaffirming Alexandria's Commitment to Ensuring and Protecting the Rights of All. (#23, 5/8/2012)

City Council received the draft resolution and thanked the Human Rights Commission for bringing the resolution forward and to that extent Council members want to bring back a revised resolution for consideration at a later date.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

17. Consideration of Resolutions Establishing the City's FY 2013 Virginia Retirement System Contribution Rates.

City Council adopted resolutions establishing the City's FY2013 Virginia Retirement System Contribution rates. (RES. NO. 2502 and RES. NO. 2503)
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

OTHER

18. Consideration of City Council Schedule.

City Council: (1) received the following additions to the City Council schedule: Miracle Field Groundbreaking (Lee Center Ballfield) on Saturday, June 16, 8:30 a.m. ; Mt. Vernon Recreation Center Enhancement Unveiling (Mystics) on Saturday, June 30 at 3 p.m.; (2) the event related to Freedmen's Cemetery has been postponed from Saturday July 7, 2012. In the fall an appropriate event for the project will be schedule; and (3) approved the Council schedule.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

The meeting was adjourned at 10:10 p.m.

Note: The action docket is a summary of Council's meeting deliberations prepared largely for staff follow-up. Formal minutes of the meeting, when approved by Council, become the official record of the meeting and of Council decisions made at the meeting.


This docket is subject to change.

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Full-text copies of ordinances, resolutions, and agenda items are available in the Office of the City Clerk and Clerk of the Council. Meeting materials are also available on-line at alexandriava.gov/council
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City Council meetings are closed-captioned for the hearing impaired.
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