Action Docket for Regular Meeting (11/26/2002)

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Office of the City Clerk
November 27, 2002

At 6:00 p.m., in the Council Workroom,
there was a Work Session with the
City's Legislative Delegation.

Regular Meeting
Tuesday, November 26, 2002 - - 7:30 p.m.

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OPENING

1. Calling the Roll.

The Meeting was called to Order by Mayor Donley, and the City Clerk called the Roll; all Members of City Council were present.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

2. Invocation -- Moment of Silence.

City Council observed a moment of silence and then 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 of November 12, 2002.

City Council approved the Minutes for the Regular Meeting of November 12, 2002, as submitted.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

4. Report of the City Clerk.

City Council received the report of the City Clerk.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

RECOGNITION OF YOUTH BY MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL

5. Recognition of the T.C. Williams Girls' Volleyball Team.

City Council recognized the T.C. Williams Girls' Volleyball Team for their academic record.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

OPENING (continued)

6. Presentation of Proclamation Proclaiming Thursday, November 28, 2002, as Potomac West Turkey Trot Day in the City of Alexandria.

City Council endorsed the proclamation.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

7. Presentation of Proclamation Proclaiming December 7, 2002, as the Thirty-second Anniversary of the Scottish Christmas Walk.

City Council endorsed the proclamation.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

8. Presentation of Proclamation Honoring William L. Claiborn for His Many Years of Dedicated Service to the City of Alexandria and Its Citizens.

City Council endorsed the proclamation.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER

CONSENT CALENDAR (9-15)

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

(a) Alexandria Board of Architectural Review - Parker-Gray District
Brenda A. Heffernan

(b) Alexandria Commission on Employment
Janet von Sternberg

(c) Alexandria Commission on Persons With Disabilities
Eugene Toni

10. Uncontested Appointments to Boards, Commissions and Committees:

(a) Alexandria Building Code Board of Appeals
1 Citizen Member

(b) Alexandria Commission for the Arts
2 Members Who Represent the Public-at-Large As Arts
Consumers and Participants

(c) Alexandria Commission on Aging
2 Citizen Members Who Are 60 Years of Age or Older

(d) Alexandria Commission on HIV/AIDS
1 Citizen-at-Large

(e) Alexandria Environmental Policy Commission
1 Lawyer With Experience In Federal or State Environmental Statutes

REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER (continued)

CONSENT CALENDAR (continued)

(f) Alexandria Park and Recreation Commission
1 Member From Among the High School Youth of the City

(g) Alexandria Waterfront Committee
1 Representative From the Old Town Civic Association

(h) Alexandria Youth Policy Commission
1 Parent From School Board District C

11. Receipt of the Monthly Financial Report for the Period Ending October 31, 2002.

12. Authorization of Recommended Capital Allocations and Planned Expenditures.

13. Receipt of the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 2002.

14. Receipt of Report on the Youth Services Fund.

15. Consideration of Submission of Application for Funding to the Virginia Housing Development Authority (VHDA) for the Round 2 Sponsoring Partnerships and Revitalization Communities (SPARC) Program.

END OF CONSENT CALENDAR

City Council approved the Consent Calendar as presented. The City Manager's recommendations were as follows:

9. City Council received the following resignations with regret: (a) Brenda A. Heffernan from the Alexandria Board of Architectural Review - Parker-Gray District; (b) Janet von Sternberg from the Alexandria Commission on Employment; and (c) Eugene Toni from the Alexandria Commission on Persons With Disabilities; requested the Executive Secretary for Boards and Commissions to send the appropriate letters of appreciation and to advertise the vacancies in the usual manner.

10. City Council: (a) reappointed Frederick Grant as a Citizen Member to the Alexandria Building Code Board of Appeals; (b) reappointed Victor Ciardello and Ellen Harris as Members who represent the public-at-large as arts consumers and participants to the Alexandria Commission for the Arts; (c) reappointed Klara Guyton and Joann Miller as Citizen Members who are 60 years of age or older to the Alexandria Commission on Aging; (d) appointed John Wertman as a Citizen-at-Large to the Alexandria Commission on HIV/AIDS; (e) appointed Danielle Fidler as a Lawyer with experience in Federal or State environmental statutes to the Alexandria Environmental Policy Commission; (f) appointed Francesca Schneller as a Member from among the high school youth of the City to the Alexandria Park and Recreation Commission; (g) appointed Susan Pettey as a Representative from the Old Town Civic Association to the Alexandria Waterfront Committee; and (h) reappointed Karen Parker Thompson as a Parent from School Board District C to the Alexandria Youth Policy Commission.

REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER (continued)

CONSENT CALENDAR (continued)

11. City Council received the Monthly Financial Report for the period ending October 31, 2002.

12. City Council authorized the capital project allocations and planned expenditures for the capital projects as detailed in the Capital Improvement Expenditure Summary.

13. City Council received the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2002.

14. City Council received the report and thanked the members of the Youth Policy Commission for their leadership in the FY 2003 grant award process.

15. City Council approved the submission of an application to VHDA for $1,719,480 in SPARC Round 2 program funding for HAP loan recipients and, if the City's remaining balance of Round 1 funding is recaptured, additional Round 2 funding of $2,563,730 (for total Round 2 funding of $4,283,210) to continue Round 1 activities targeted to specific employee groups.

END OF CONSENT CALENDAR
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER (continued)

16. Consideration of the Proposed City Legislative Package for the 2003 General Assembly Session. (#9 11/16/02; #15 10/23/02)

City Council: (1) adopted items 2 through 20 as positions in the City's Legislative Package for the 2003 General Assembly Session; and (2) adopted item 1 as a position in its Legislative Package to seek to use any new recordation tax revenues to finance both the purchase and preservation of open space and programs to support affordable housing.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

17. Receipt of Taxicab Task Force Recommendations.

Councilwoman Woodson spoke to this item and indicated that this report does not adequately reflect the Task Force meetings that she attended.

Transportation and Environmental Services Director Baier spoke to the report and noted that several members of the Task Force will also want to be consulted, so, it would be appropriate to reconvene the Task Force to address the report.

City Council deferred consideration and referred this matter back to staff for review and rewrite, and the general sentiment is to reconvene the Task Force to review it as well.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER (continued)

18. Consideration of the Revised Affordable Housing Policy.

City Council approved the revised policy which was approved by the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee on November 7, 2002.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

REPORTS OF BOARDS, COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES

None

REPORTS BY MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL

(a) Mayor Donley reported that the Legislative Committee of the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission did meet on Monday and did endorse the notion of increased transit funding by increasing the gas tax. It is his understanding that Fairfax County and Arlington County are putting it in their legislative packages as well.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

ORAL PRESENTATIONS BY MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL

(a) Mayor Donley announced that City Clerk Beverly Jett will be retiring on April 1, 2003.

(b) Councilwoman Woodson shared information with the Council and the listening audience on the Police Department's Alexandria CARES project which does safety checks for safety belts and car seats. She commended and recognized Officer Bergin for being an advocate and spokesperson for this project.

(c) Vice Mayor Cleveland publicly recognized the Ninth Grade Center and the T.C. Williams ROTC group. On November 20, the Ninth Grade Center New Immigrants and the ROTC put on a program at the Versace Memorial giving a tribute to Veterans. Vice Mayor Cleveland shared that the George Washington Middle School Band was also there playing patriotic music. This was a very, very heart warming and wonderful program.

(d) Councilwoman Pepper noted that a week ago today the GIS Open House Day was held. She suggested, if not many Members of Council were able to attend, that this be demonstrated as part of a work session at some point so that Council can see what it is all about.

Mayor Donley suggested that maybe a demonstration could be done at one of the Saturday Public Hearing Meetings.

(e) Councilwoman Eberwein gave notice to her colleagues that at the next legislative meeting on December 10, she will be moving to rescind passage of the motion regarding the reconstituting of the ARHA Board, and will propose a motion to lower the number on the Board by attrition. She wanted to give notice of that intent.

(f) Councilman Speck alerted that at the first legislative meeting in December, there will be a verbal report on the current status of the King Street underpass. Hopefully, we may have some information that helps us move further along.

ORAL PRESENTATIONS BY MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL (continued)

(g) Councilman Speck noted that at the last legislative meeting there was a discussion on the speed/traffic management issues on a couple of the arterials. He added a couple of other streets to that dynamic, i.e., Janney's Lane and King Street from Scroggins Lane to Janney's Lane section. Again, it is an arterial with no interruption between points and the speed of traffic continues to be generally excessive. He stated that the problem is worsening and thinks that the dangers that are represented in what is a relative high rate of speed, particularly, in areas where people are expecting traffic to go slower is not going to be an easy problem to solve, but we need to get at it. In conjunction with that, at the intersection of Quaker, Seminary and Janney's, two things for staff to look at, and if it's in the plan, see if they can be accelerated. One is to improve the pedestrian countdown signals which are not well synchonized. And two is the installation of any type of delineated pedestrian paths to assist pedestrians crossing at this intersection. The speed issue is worsening.

Transportation and Environmental Services Director Baier indicated that staff will look at this and come back to Council. He noted that staff is planning on coming back in February with a plan for Council to consider and to address funding.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

REPORT FROM THE CITY MANAGER

(a) City Manager Sunderland reported that Adoption Saturday was a fantastic day and a great event. It was a real positive and happy day. He noted that it shows the positive results of the foster care system.

(b) Mr. Sunderland announced that the Lyceum was recredited by the American Association of Museums. The City's Methadone Treatment Program on Mill Road was accredited and is one of the few in the country.

(c) The City Manager advised Council that the City sent a contingent from the Police Department to participate in Montgomery County's Thanksgiving Day Parade which was a thank you to the law enforcement community for all of the work on the snipers.

(d) City Manager Sunderland noted that more money was raised this year for the Breast Cancer Walk than in any other years. The amount raised was $112,000. Alfred Street Baptist Church was the head team pledge which was over $5000, and Val Moore, from the City Manager's Office, raised over $1300 as the individual pledge.

(e) City Manager Sunderland provided to Council today a copy of a press release indicating that ARC has filed a lawsuit over the Samuel Madden project. This is a challenge to the HUD decision. ARC did not have a further right to challenge the ARHA decision. It is in the District Court in the District of Columbia.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS

19. Consideration of a Resolution Requesting the Virginia Department of Transportation to Establish an Urban Highway Project for the Addition of Pedestrian Facilities to the Bridge over Duke Street at Ben Brenman Park. [ROLL-CALL VOTE]

City Council: (1) adopted the resolution and requested staff to forward it to the Virginia Department of Transportation; and (2) authorized the City Manager to sign related documents. RES. NO. 2047
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

20. Consideration of a Resolution Requesting the Virginia Department of Transportation to Discontinue Further Study for a High Occupancy Vehicle Ramp From I-395 in Alexandria. [ROLL-CALL VOTE]

City Council adopted the resolution requesting that VDOT eliminate plans to construct HOV access ramps on Interstate 395 at Seminary Road, King Street or Duke Street. RES. NO. 2048
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

21. Consideration of a Resolution Requesting the Virginia Department of Transportation to Establish an Urban System Project for a Study of Traffic Congestion Relief Strategies for Old Town Alexandria. [ROLL-CALL VOTE]

City Council: (1) adopted the resolution and requested staff to forward it to the Virginia Department of Transportation; and (2) authorized the City Manager to execute, on behalf of the City, all related documents. RES. NO. 2049
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

OTHER

22. Consideration of City Council Schedule.

City Council: (1) received the revised calendar which includes: (a) the Community Health Assessment Kick-off on Monday, December 9, at 4:30 p.m., in the Board Room of the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce, 801 North Fairfax Street; (b) Virginia Municipal League Legislative Day on Thursday, January 23; (c) the Salute to Women Awards Banquet on Monday, March 24, at 6:00 p.m. at the Holiday Inn and Suites, 624 First Street; (d) The schedule for consideration of the FY 2004 Proposed Operating Budget and FY 2004-2009 Proposed Capital Improvement Program presented to Council at its November 12 legislative meeting; and (2) did not schedule a work session on the Taxicab Task Force Report at 6:00 p.m. before Council's Tuesday, January 28 legislative meeting.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

CONTESTED APPOINTMENTS

23. Alexandria Commission on Information Technology
1 Member-at-Large

City Council reappointed Chester Avery as a Member-at-Large to the Alexandria Commission on Information Technology.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

CONTESTED APPOINTMENTS (continued)

24. Alexandria Consumer Affairs Commission
1 Citizen Member

City Council reappointed Glynn Coryell as a Citizen Member to the Alexandria Consumer Affairs Commission.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

25. Alexandria Sister Cities Committee
5 Citizen Members

City Council reappointed Susan Brooks, Frederica Dunn and Jacqueline Manley and appointed Serena Leland and Jeffery Spalding as Citizen Members to the Alexandria Sister Cities Committee.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

The meeting was adjourned at 9:20 p.m.

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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.

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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 https://alexandriava.gov/council.

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Individuals with disabilities who require assistance or special arrangements to participate in the City Council meeting may call the City Clerk and Clerk of Council's Office at 838-4500 (TTY/TDD 838-5056). We request that you provide a 48-hour notice so that the proper arrangements may be made.

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Individuals who require translation services to participate in the City Council meeting may call the City Clerk and Clerk of Council's Office at 838-4500. We request that you provide a 48-hour notice so that the proper arrangements may be made.

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THE CABLECAST SCHEDULE OF GOVERNMENT MEETINGS ON CHANNEL 70 FOLLOWS:

As of 11/18/02

CABLECAST SCHEDULE OF GOVERNMENT MEETINGS
ON CHANNEL 70

NOVEMBER 2002

• November 18, Board of Architectural Review - Parker-Gray District 7:30 p.m. *Live*

• November 20, Board of Architectural Review - Old & Historic District 7:30 p.m. *Live*

• November 21, School Board, 7:30 p.m. *Live*

• November 23, City Council Public Hearing, 9:30 a.m. *Replay 11/16*

• November 26, City Council Meeting, 7:30 p.m. *Live*

DECEMBER 2002

• December 2, City Council Meeting, 6:00 p.m. *Replay 11/26*

• December 3, Planning Commission, 7:30 p.m. *Live*

• December 4, Board of Architectural Review - Old & Historic District 7:30 p.m. *Live*

• December 5, School Board Public Hearing, 7:30 p.m. *Live*

• December 10, City Council Meeting, 7:30 p.m. *Live*

• December 11, Board of Architectural Review - Parker-Gray District, 7:30 p.m. *Live*

• December 12, Board of Zoning Appeals, 7:30 p.m. *Live*

• December 13, City Council Meeting, 6:00 p.m. *Replay 12/10*

• December 14, City Council Public Hearing, 9:30 a.m. *Live*

• December 18, Board of Architectural Review - Old & Historic District, 7:30 p.m. *Live*

• December 19, School Board, 7:30 p.m. *Live*

• December 21, City Council Public Hearing, 9:30 a.m. *Replay 12/14*