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Office of the City Clerk
February 13, 2008

There Was a Work Session
at 5:30 p.m. With the Transportation
Task Force in the City Council
Work Room.


Regular Meeting
Tuesday, February 12, 2008 - - 7:00 p.m.

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OPENING

1. Calling the Roll.

The meeting was called to order by Mayor Euille, and the City Clerk called the roll; all the 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 Meeting of City Council:

(a) The Regular Meeting Minutes of January 22, 2008.

City Council approved the regular meeting minutes of January 22, 2008.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

RECOGNITION OF YOUTH BY MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL

4. Presentation of the America's Promise Alliance Award to the City of Alexandria For Being Named One of the Nation's 100 Best Communities for Young People.

City Council received the award.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

PROCLAMATIONS

5. Presentation of a Proclamation Recognizing Mike Hatfield as City Employee of the Month for January.

City Council endorsed the proclamation.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

6. Presentation of a Proclamation Recognizing the 10th Anniversary of the Arlandria Health Clinic.

City Council endorsed the proclamation.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________



7. Presentation of a Proclamation Recognizing February as Black History Month.

This item was deferred.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

8. Presentation to the City of the U.S. Conference of Mayors Award of Excellence For The Station at Potomac Yard, a Partnership Between the City of Alexandria and Potomac Yard Development LLC (Pulte Homes and Centex Homes.)

This item was deferred.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

OPENING (continued)

9. Recommendations and Status Report on Legislation Introduced at the 2008 General Assembly Session.

City Council took the following actions, as recommended by City Council's Legislative Subcommittee (Mayor Euille and Councilman Smedberg): (1) approved the legislative positions included in attachment 1 (recommended positions on Bills of importance to the City); and (2) support compromise legislation to reform the Payday Lending Industry (HB 12, attachment 4.)
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

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(Councilman Gaines left the meeting at this time - 8:18 p.m.)

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10. Presentation of the Proposed Annual Operating Budget for FY 2009 (Including Schools,) Calendar Year 2008 Real Property Assessments, and the Proposed Capital Improvements Program for FY 2009-2014 (including the Schools CIP.)

City Manager Hartmann presented the FY 2009 operating budget, calendar year 2008 real property assessments, and the Capital Improvements Program for FY 2009-2014.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

11. Receipt of the Calendar Year 2008 Real Property Assessment Information.

City Council was provided with the calendar year 2008 real property assessment information.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER

CONSENT CALENDAR (12-18)

(Resignations and Uncontested Appointments)

12. Receipt of the Following Resignations From Members of Boards, Commissions and Committees:

13. Uncontested Appointments to Boards, Commissions and Committees:
(d) Alexandria Archaeological Commission
1 Member-at-Large 1 Citizen Member

(f) Alexandria Commission on HIV/AIDS
1 Citizen-at-Large
1 Representative of the Business Community
1 Representative of A Private Organization or Association of
Providers of Children’s or Family Services Which Provides Such
Services Within the City on A Continuing and Consistent Basis
(p) Alexandria Sister Cities Committee (q) Alexandria Social Services Advisory Board (r) Alexandria Waterfront Committee North of Pendleton Street

(Reports and Recommendations of the City Manager)

14. Consideration of a Grant Application to the Virginia Department of Fire Programs to Repair and Renovate the Fire Department's Burn Building.

(Ordinances for Introduction)

15. Introduction and First Reading. Consideration. Passage on First Reading of an Ordinance to Permit the Owner of the Property at 700 South Royal Street to Construct a Brick Garden Wall Which Will Encroach into the Public Right-of-way Along Franklin Street.

16. Introduction and First Reading. Consideration. Passage on First Reading of an Ordinance to Permit the Owner of the Property at 923 King Street to Add Brick Veneer to an Existing Wall Which Will Encroach into the Public Right-of-way Along North Patrick Street.

17. Introduction and First Reading. Consideration. Passage on First Reading of an Ordinance to Revise the City’s Regulations For Child Care Facilities to Conform to Changes in State Law, and to Improve the Inspection Program For Such Facilities.

18. Introduction and First Reading. Consideration. Passage on First Reading of an Ordinance to Revise the City’s Regulations Concerning Vicious and Dangerous Dogs to Conform to Changes in State Law.

END OF CONSENT CALENDAR

City Council approved the consent calendar, with the exception of docket items #13d, i and o and item 14, which were considered under separate motions. The City Manager's recommendations were as follows:

12. City Council accepted the following resignations with regret: (a) Donna C. Kloch, Alexandria Commission for Women; (b) Alysia Lajune and Kenneth Taylor, Alexandria Commission on Employment; and (c) Michael Hess, Alexandria Human Rights Commission.

13. City Council made the following appointments: (a) appointed Shelly Kaufman as the one builder or developer of residential property to the Alexandria Affordable Housing Advisory Committee; (b) appointed Andres Domeyko as the one representative from the Eisenhower Valley Business Community to the Alexandria Woodrow Wilson Bridge Neighborhood Task Force; (c) waived the residency requirement and reappointed Sandra Goshgarian as the one citizen member to the Alexandria-Gyumri Sister City Committee; (d) appointed James Paul Clark as the one member at large to the Alexandria Archaeological Commission (separate motion); (e) reappointed Jill Chiarello as the one citizen member to the Alexandria Beautification Commission; (f) appointed Rebecca Kudla as the one citizen at large to the Alexandria Commission on HIV/AIDS; (g) appointed Thomas Lantz as the one representative of the Business Community to the Alexandria Commission on Persons with Disabilities; (h) appointed Gretchen Abell as the one representative of a private organization or association of providers of children's or family services which provides such services within the City on a continuing and consistent basis to the Alexandria Community Policy and Management Team; (i) waived the residency requirement and appointed Scott Abeles as the one citizen member to the Alexandria Consumer Affairs Commission (separate motion); (j) reappointed Saida Musse as the one member of the Alexandria Social Services Advisory Board; (k) appointed Keith Freihofer as the one member from the field of environmental sciences (e.g. environmental/sanitary engineering, ecology, geology, botany, hydrology, chemistry,) or may have Alexandria waterfront expertise in lieu of environmental sciences to the Alexandria Environmental Policy Commission; (l) waived the residency requirement and reappointed Sharon Sobel as the one member nominated by the Alexandria Jaycees to the Alexandria George Washington Birthday Celebration Committee; (m) waived the residency requirement and reappointed Stephanie Brown as the one representative from the Alexandria Convention and Visitors Association Board of Governors to the Historic Alexandria Resources Commission; (n) reappointed John Clousia as the one representative of the Alexandria/Northern Virginia Medical Society to the Alexandria Public Health Advisory Commission; (o) appointed Sammye Collins and waived the residency requirement and appointed Ginger Chamberlain as the two citizen members to the Alexandria Public Records Advisory Commission (separate motion); (p) appointed John Bramer as the one citizen member to the Alexandria Sister Cities Committee; (q) appointed Christine Samonds as the one citizen member to the Alexandria Social Services Advisory Board; and (r) reappointed Engin Artemel as the one citizen resident who resides east of Washington Street and north of Pendleton Street to the Alexandria Waterfront Committee.

14. City Council authorized the City Manager to: (1) submit a grant application to the Virginia Fire Services Board/Virginia Department of Fire Programs by the February 15 deadline to repair and renovate the Fire Department's burn building; and (2) execute all necessary documents and agreements that may be required to receive funding under this grant program. (separate motion)

15. City Council approved the proposed ordinance on first reading and scheduled it for public hearing, second reading and final passage on February 23, 2008.

16. City Council approved the proposed ordinance on first reading and scheduled it for public hearing, second reading and final passage on February 23, 2008.

17. This item was deferred.

18. City Council approved the proposed ordinance on first reading and scheduled it for public hearing, second reading and final passage on February 23, 2008.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

CONTESTED APPOINTMENTS 19. Alexandria-Caen Sister City Committee
1 Citizen Member

City Council reappointed Sally Krahn as the one citizen member to the Alexandria-Caen Sister City Committee.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

20. Alexandria Board of Architectural Review – Parker-Gray District
1 Architect
1 Citizen Member

City Council appointed William Conkey as the one architect and appointed Deborah Rankin as the one citizen member to the Alexandria Board of Architectural Review - Parker-Gray District.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________




21. Alexandria Commission on Aging
1 Citizen Member

City Council reappointed Lewis Simon as the one citizen member to the Alexandria Commission on Aging.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

22. Juvenile Detention Commission of Northern Virginia
1 Citizen Member

City Council appointed Dorathea Peters as the one citizen member to the Juvenile Detention Commission of Northern Virginia.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

23. Alexandria Public Health Advisory Commission
1 Non-Health Professional

City Council reappointed Nancy Roberts as the one non-health professional to the Alexandria Public Health Advisory Commission.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

24. Alexandria Sanitation Authority
2 Citizen Members

City Council appointed James Larrison and reappointed David Nichols as the two citizen members to the Alexandria Sanitation Authority.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER FOR DISCUSSION

25. Consideration of City Guarantee to the Alexandria Housing Development Corporation (AHDC) to Facilitate Low Income Housing Tax Credit Funding for The Station at Potomac Yard.

City Council: (a) approved the City's provision of a completion guarantee to support AHDC's performance guarantee and strengthen AHDC's negotiating position with potential tax credit equity investors for The Station at Potomac Yard; and (2) authorized the City Manager to execute agreements, as may be required, to provide this guarantee.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

26. Receipt of 2007 Annual Report and Plant Survey From Comcast Cable Communications, Inc.

City Council received the Comcast 2007 Annual Report and Plant Survey. The Commission on Information Technology reviewed the results of the reports at its January 14 meeting and by a unanimous vote accepted the staff analysis.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

27. Receipt of 2007 Comcast Cable Communications, Inc. Annual Subscriber Survey Report.

City Council received the 2007 Annual Subscriber Survey Report from Comcast. The Commission on Information Technology monitored the survey interviews during its July 9 meeting, reviewed the results of the Comcast 2007 Subscriber Survey report at its January 14 meeting and by a unanimous vote accepted the staff analysis.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FROM BOARDS, COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES

None

ORAL REPORTS BY MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL

(a) Vice Mayor Pepper said she and Councilman Smedberg sit on the Northern Virginia Regional Commission and in December, the Secretary of State for Technology Chopra spoke to the group and he has expressed a concern about the fact that Northern Virginia needs to work together for the betterment of Northern Virginia, and his real concern is that they are not attracting a lot of those companies that might be doing a lot of research and development. She said he will be sending a letter to the City Manager. She said that at the meeting, it was suggested that the local Northern Virginia government economic development staffs be asked to suggest how the jurisdictions could collaborate regionally to attract business that is good for the region, especially small start-ups and in the business of intellectual property, and that Northern Virginia consider establishing criteria to offer tax credits for intellectual property, which would entice growing tech businesses to conduct their R&D in Northern Virginia. Secretary Chopra will look into the production of a CD to promote the advantages of locating new businesses in Northern Virginia.

(b) Vice Mayor Pepper said she and Councilman Smedberg co-chair the committee to monitor the activities at the Mirant Plant, and she said that on January 25, it was the State Air Pollution Control Board that requested that the department post Mirant's sodium bicarbonate emissions test report on the agencies website. The report provides information concerning stack emissions, resulting from the use of sodium bicarbonate in place of trona. The Board requested that the public review the test report and provide comments concerning the test results. The test is part of the two-stack permit. That permit has an extended comment period until the end of business on February 15. The data confirms that the use of sodium bicarbonate, although it does a better job with So2 then trona does, it will in fact increase the very dangerous emissions of fine particulates and that is what the City has been concerned about. The City will raise its concerns with the Board. The solution the City has been asking for has been to install the bag houses and they haven't won on that so far. Vice Mayor Pepper said Mirant has recently announced a plan to make some significant upgrades and replacements to their very core elements at the plant for the boilers and generating units. It will give a new generation of useful life to the very outdated plan. The City will insist that if the work does proceed, it can only do so after new source review and the installation of state-of-the-art pollution control technology.

Councilman Smedberg said the one thing that would change the City's attitude toward the plant, would be if the plant installed modern technology and include bag houses - to protect the public health of the citizenry.

(c) Councilman Smedberg said the Marketing Committee held its first meeting of the new group and had a lot of great suggestions and will meet again next week.

(d) Mayor Euille said the U.S. Conference of Mayors had its mid-year meeting in Washington, and he and others had an invitation to meet with representatives of the President's Legislative Affairs staff and general counsel staff to focus on issues of mutual concern and talk about how they can be of help to Alexandria and the Metropolitan area. He said he was one of 14 mayors to be invited to the White House to have a sit-down conversation with Secretary of Commerce Gutierrez to talk about economic development, the economy and other things of importance, and while in the Roosevelt Room, the President came in and spoke to the group. Mayor Euille said the President sat down with them for 45 minutes about the economic stimulus package, and an update on the recent trip to the Middle East and the Iraq war, and despite the fact that he and the president are from two different political parties, he is the President of the United States and it was a very rewarding experience to have the opportunity to sit down with the President of the United States. Mayor Euille also stated they had a photo-op with the President in the Oval Office. Mayor Euille said he had the opportunity today to be invited by the President to be one of about 150 guests to celebrate Black History Month. He said that after the President spoke for about 15 minutes, they were entertained by The Temptations, who were honored for being part of America's Black History.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

ORAL PRESENTATIONS BY MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL

(a) Councilman Wilson said he went to the Lynhaven Civic Association meeting, and along with him were Mayor Euille, Vice Mayor Pepper and Councilman Smedberg, and an issue came up on a neighborhood traffic calming application for that area on Glebe Road, and an issue came up regarding what influence multi-family units get on the process about how they count.

Director of Transportation and Environmental Services Baier responded to how the voting was done.

(b) Councilmember Lovain said on the Climate Change legislation in the Senate, one-third of all greenhouse gas emissions come from the transportation sector, which is the second leading source of greenhouse gas emissions after coal fired electricity generating plants, and 60 percent of the greenhouse gases from the transportation sector come from cars. There are three ways to reduce those emissions: one is fuel efficiency, the second is alternative fuels, and the third is to reduce vehicle miles travelled. The best way to do that is transit - both enhanced transit services and transit oriented development. The Warner Lieberman Climate Change Bill was reported by the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee late last year and at the time, an amendment was successfully offered to provide the one percent of the allocations coming from the cap and trade system that would be set up would go for transit. If cars are 20 percent of the problem, transit is more than one percent of the solution, so there will be an effort when the bill gets to the Senate floor to offer an amendment to increase that allocation for transit. The bill will probably be the model/starting point for legislation next year when they have a good chance of having some climate change passed. He said he hoped the City would encourage its Senators Warner and Webb to support such a Bill when it comes to the floor.

(c) Councilman Krupicka said that a few months ago, they heard from the Child and Family Network Center that there were challenges with their West End facility and were being asked to leave that facility and it put them in a few tight spot where they had a number of kids who were being served on the West End by their high quality preschool service, who potentially were going to be put on the street because there was no alternative location. Councilman Krupicka said he made a call to General Growth Properties who own Landmark Mall and they responded favorably and quickly and he is happy to report that Child and Family Network Center is now operating their West End facility in Landmark Mall. He applauded staff and General Growth for taking care of what could have been a really big problem and handling it quickly and expeditiously.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

ORAL REPORT FROM THE CITY MANAGER

None.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS

28. Consideration of a Resolution Authorizing the Issuance of Bonds by the Industrial Development Authority of the City of Alexandria For the American Society of Clinical Oncology. [ROLL-CALL VOTE]

City Council adopted the resolution authorizing the issuance of bonds by the Industrial Development Authority of the City of Alexandria for the American Society of Clinical Oncology. (RES. NO. 2269)
Council Action:_________________________________________________________



29. Second Reading and Final Passage of an Ordinance to Require the Submission and Approval of Drainage Plans and Related Information in Connection With Certain Types of Infill Development. [ROLL-CALL VOTE]

City Council passed the ordinance, with amendments, to require the submission and approval of drainage plans and related information in connection with certain types of infill development. (ORD. NO. 4517)
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

OTHER

30. Consideration of City Council Schedule.

City Council: 1. adopted the Council meeting schedule for February 2008 through June 2008, with the following: (1) Schedule the annual meeting of the Alexandria Transit Company Stockholders at 6:45 p.m. before Council's Tuesday, February 26 legislative meeting in the Council work room; and (2) received the revised calendar which includes: the Alexandria Jaycees annual Community Appreciation Night for City Employees reception on Monday, March 24, at 7:30 p.m. in the Sister Cities Conference Room; the USPTO Trademark Expo April 10-12 with the opening kickoff on Tuesday, April 10 at noon on Market Square; the Flora Krause Casey Public Health Award Reception at 5:30 p.m. before Council's Tuesday, April 22 legislative meeting in the Vola Lawson Lobby; the annual City Employee Service Awards on Wednesday, April 30 at 5:30 p.m. at the Lee Center, 1108 Jefferson Street; and noted the time of the March 3 joint work session with the School Board as 7:30 p.m., instead of 7:00 p.m.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

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The meeting adjourned at 10:36 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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