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Office of the City Clerk
February 25, 2004



Regular Meeting
Tuesday, February 24, 2004 - - 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 Members of City 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 Regular Meeting of February 3, 2004; and

(b) The Regular Meeting of February 10, 2004.

City Council approved the Minutes of the Regular Meetings of February 3, 2004 and February 10, 2004.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

RECOGNITION OF YOUTH BY MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL

None.

Council Action:_________________________________________________________

PROCLAMATIONS

4. Presentation of a Proclamation Declaring March 6, 2004, as St. Patrick's Day Parade Day.

City Council endorsed the proclamation.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

5. Presentation of a Proclamation Declaring March as American Red Cross Month.

City Council endorsed the proclamation.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER

CONSENT CALENDAR (6-13)

(Resignations and Uncontested Appointments)

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

(a) Alexandria Archaeological Commission
(b) Alexandria Budget and Fiscal Affairs Advisory Committee
Steve Abrahamson

(c) Historic Alexandria Resources Commission
Scott Rowson

(d) Alexandria Social Services Advisory Board
Matthew Livingston

7. Uncontested Appointments to Boards, Commissions and Committees:

(a) Alexandria Community Criminal Justice Board
1 Citizen Member

(b) Alexandria Emergency Medical Services Council
1 Citizen Member

(c) Historic Alexandria Resources Commission
1 Representative From the Alexandria Society for the
Preservation of Black Heritage
1 Representative From the Alexandria Archaeological Commission

(d) Alexandria Landlord-Tenant Relations Board
1 Resident Member Who Is Neither A Landlord Nor A Tenant
(Homeowner)
1 Landlord or Representative of A Landlord

(e) Northern Virginia Juvenile Detention Commission
1 Citizen Member

(f) Alexandria Park and Recreation Commission
1 Member From Planning District I

(g) Alexandria Sister Cities Committee
2 Citizen Members

(Reports and Recommendations of the City Manager)

8. City Council Consideration of the FY 2003 Annual Report from the Park and Recreation Commission.

9. Consideration of a Project Grant Application to the Virginia Commission for the Arts for Funding in the Amount of $10,000 to Support Local Organizations Art Activities.

10. Consideration of a Grant Application to the Recreational Trail Fund of Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation for Funding to Support the Installation of Multi-use Trail Signs.

11. Consideration of the Monthly Financial Report for the Period Ending January 31, 2004.

12. Consideration of Authorization of Recommended Capital Allocations and Planned Expenditures.

13. Allocation of Funds for Participation in the Regional Pedestrian Safety Program. (This item has been deferred until March 9, 2004.)

END OF CONSENT CALENDAR

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

6. City Council received the following resignations with regret: (a) William H. Tabor, Alexandria Archaeological Commission; (b) Steve Abrahamson, Alexandria Budget and Fiscal Affairs Advisory Committee; (c) Scott Rowson, Historic Alexandria Resources Commission; and (d) Matthew Livingston, Alexandria Social Services Advisory Board.

7. City Council: (a) appointed Peter Rutledge as the citizen member to the Alexandria Community Criminal Justice Board; (b) appointed Robert Rapanut as the citizen member to the Alexandria Emergency Medical Services Council; (c) appointed Joan Funn as the representative from the Alexandria Society for the Preservation of Black Heritage and reappointed S. Kathleen Pepper as the representative from the Alexandria Archaeological Commission to the Historic Alexandria Resources Commission; (d) reappointed Fletcher Johnston as the resident member who is neither a landlord nor a tenant homeowner and reappointed Joann Poladian as the landlord or representative of a landlord to the Alexandria Landlord-Tenant Relations Board; (e) appointed Sterling Larnerd as the citizen member to the Northern Virginia Juvenile Detention Commission; (f) reappointed William Conkey as the member from Planning District I to the Alexandria Park and Recreation Commission and (g) appointed Peggie Dill and David Levite as the citizen members to the Alexandria Sister Cities Committee.

8. City Council received the Annual Report from the Alexandria Park and Recreation Commission and thanked the Commission for its efforts on behalf of the City.

9. City Council authorized the City Manager to (a) submit a project grant application to the Virginia Commission for the Arts for funds in the amount of $10,000 to support local art organizations' art activities and (b) execute all necessary documents that may be required.

10. City Council authorized the City Manager to (a) submit a grant application to the Virginia Trails Recreational Fund of the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation in the amount of $32,000 to support the installation of multi-use trail signs; and (b) execute all documents that may be required.

11. City Council received the Monthly Financial Report for the period ending January 31, 2004.

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

CONTESTED APPOINTMENTS

14. Alexandria Park and Recreation Commission
1 Member From Planning District II

City Council appointed Ripley Forbes as the member from Planning District II to the Alexandria Park and Recreation Commission.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER FOR DISCUSSION

15. Consideration of Recommendations and Status Report on Legislation Introduced at the 2004 General Assembly Session.

City Council received the report of the Legislation from the 2004 General Assembly Session.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

16. Update from the Electoral Board on the New Electronic Voting Machines.

City Council received an update from the Electoral Board.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

17. Update on the Duke Street Concourse. (Staff presentation)

City Council received an update on the Duke Street Concourse.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FROM BOARDS, COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES

None

ORAL REPORTS BY MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL

(a) Councilman Macdonald said the Woodrow Wilson Bridge Neighborhood Task Force and the Waterfront Committee would like to see the City acquire a permanent easement from VDOT for the land behind Hunting Point, currently being used as a bike trail, so that it has the opportunity in the future to continue the Mt. Vernon bike trail along the edge of the river.

(b) Councilman Macdonald said he is a member of the Alexandria Library Board and a defacto member of the Duncan Foundation, and the Duncan Foundation received $1 million from a member, and the money is to be used to improve educational resources at the Duncan Library. There was a request to the Foundation to allocate $40-50,000 to help pay for a green roof to the new addition. The Foundation feels it is not appropriate to do that.

(c) Councilwoman Woodson said that as Chair of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments Development Policy Committee, she reported on the video on Smart Growth and a project coming out of California called Reality Check, which is a joint project with the Urban Land Institute, and the COG is looking at doing this next January.

(d) Councilman Gaines said the Citizen Corps Council has been selected and the first meeting will be March 2.

(e) Councilman Gaines handed out a brochure entitled "Time to Act," by the Washington Metropolitan COG Transportation Planning Board, which brings attention to the need to act with respect to the Capital Region's transportation funding.

(f) Mayor Euille said he represented the U.S. Mayor's Conference last Friday in a panel discussion with the former Secretary of Transportation, Rodney Slater, requesting the Congress and the House to approve the ISTEA 21 Renewal.

(g) Councilman Krupicka said the Washington Metropolitan COG Human Services Committee met last week and he provided a summary of the meeting.

(h) Councilman Krupicka said the Foster Parent Appreciation Gala will be held May 1.

(i) Councilman Krupicka said there will be a very large, national campaign in April that COG is cooperating with that is entirely geared toward promoting adoption programs.

(j) Councilman Krupicka spoke about the Potomac Regional Educational Partnership initiative on teacher recruitment and teacher training in the D.C. area.

(k) Councilman Krupicka said as part of the Human Services mission for COG, they spent time talking about health care in the region and the reduction in focus on basic health care service due to the efforts on emergency preparedness.

(l) Councilman Smedberg said he and Councilman Krupicka will be meeting with staff and officials of INOVA tomorrow to discuss the possible closure of the psychiatric unit at the hospital. He said some members of the community and organizations are planning an event to address some of the issues on the possible closure.

(m) Mayor Euille said the City Manager is prepared to briefly tell them what the process will be for the city to provide some protection for the Hunting Towers/Hunting Terrace complex once the property is sold by VDOT.

City Manager Sunderland said VDOT will sell the property some time after the first of the year. Hunting Towers/Terrace will soon be the focus of a small area plan study.

(n) Mayor Euille said he represents the City on the WMATA Board of Directors and everything is going well except that it needs more money. The Board is looking at ways to make further budget cuts to the operating expenses - there is between $5 to $6 million more that it can cut. There will still be a shortfall of $28-35 million. There will be public hearings to give the public an opportunity to weigh in on rate increases, and the public hearing session at City Hall will be March 15.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

ORAL PRESENTATIONS BY MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL

(a) Councilwoman Woodson passed out Mardi Gras beads to the Council and staff on Fat Tuesday.

(b) Vice Mayor Pepper said the Planning staff will make a presentation at the community meeting tomorrow at 7:30 at Bishop Ireton on the Second Presbyterian Church site. Vice Mayor Pepper asked that the memo dated February 24, 2004, be part of what is handed out tomorrow evening.

(c) Councilman Smedberg said Congressman Moran held a town meeting last night and the Mirant Plant was a major part of that meeting, and he went over the EPA and State DEQ notices of violations that have been issued.

(d) Councilman Smedberg noted an obituary in the Washington Post on former Fairfax County Supervisor John Shacochis.

(e) Councilman Gaines noted the article in the Washington Post by Marc Fisher entitled, "One Community Finds Courage Against NIMBY's."

(f) Councilman Gaines said there will be a bus trip March 5 to speak in support of Judge Dawkins nomination on the Circuit Court.

(g) Councilman Gaines said the Alexandria Fire Department will have its citizen academy April 19, 22 and 24.

(h) Councilman Gaines said his community office hours will be March 8th at Beatley Library at 7:00 p.m.

(i) Councilman Gaines asked when the Isabel "after" report will be coming.

City Manager Sunderland said it will be a significant report and may be at the end of the month.

(j) Councilman Gaines asked that a note be put on the doors to the Chambers asking that cell phones be turned off or be inaudible and also to have a blurb on the website.

(k) Councilman Macdonald thanked Sandra Whitmore for her many years of service to the City.

(l) Councilman Macdonald noted that the Katz Brothers Stereos on Prince Street are closing their shop after 40 years.

(m) Councilman Macdonald said he attended a fundraiser at Skyline Sport and Health to be a sponsor and player with the T.C. Williams girls tennis team.

(n) Councilman Macdonald said he attended the town meeting last night with Councilman Smedberg and one of the things they heard is that apparently the Mirant Plant is one of the back-up power plants for the Pentagon, and he wanted to find out if it was true.

(o) Councilman Macdonald said he has had conversations with the City Manager with regard to the flag policy, where for many years the City has flown both the Red Cross flag and the Irish flags during March. He said it is a good policy and would like to see it continued this year, and the City Manager has declined his request.

Council requested that the flag policy be docketed within the next 30 days and if there is a sizeable expense, Council should hear about it.

(p) Councilman Krupicka said he attended the Lyceum on Sunday to look at the trains, and the City Attorney has a model train hobby and that Mr. Pessoa's display was the best.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

ORAL REPORT FROM THE CITY MANAGER

Health Department Director Konigsberg gave a report on the Norovirus.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS

None

OTHER

18. Consideration of City Council Schedule.

City Council adopted the schedule of Council's regular City Council meetings for February 2004 through June 2004, with the following additions and changes: Scheduled a work session on the Vision for the City for Saturday, March 20 from 12:00 noon to 4:00 p.m.; selected April 23 at 8:00 a.m. as the date for the breakfast meeting with representatives of INOVA Alexandria Hospital in the Hospital Board Room; received the revised calendar which includes the retirement reception for Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities Director Sandra Whitmore on March 4 from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. at the Lee Center; and the "Aging is a Family Affair" event sponsored by the Alexandria Commission on Aging and the Adult Day Services Center on May 19 from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. at the Lee Center.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

19. DEVELOPMENT SPECIAL USE PERMIT #2003-0036
3 BUZZARDS GAP
PICKETT'S RIDGE
Public Hearing and Consideration of a request for a development special use permit amendment, with site plan and subdivision, for construction of single family dwellings; zoned R-20/Residential. Applicant: Sutton Building Corporation by Duncan W. Blair, Esq., attorney

COMMISSION ACTION: Recommend Approval 4-3

On February 21, 2004, City Council closed the Public Hearing and deferred consideration of this item to its February 24, 2004 Legislative Meeting.

City Council adopted the Planning Commission's recommendation with the following amendments to the conditions:

New condition 13(h): A bond for all existing trees and landscaping designated to be retained, in an amount determined by the Director of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Activities, and for 100% of the cost of trees and landscaping required to be installed, shall be provided and maintained for a period of five years.

Amended condition No. 9:

9. (a) A perpetual public access easement and vehicle ingress/egress easement shall be recorded by the applicant for the entire portion of the internal private street. The easement shall provide public vehicular and pedestrian access.

(b)(1) The applicant shall provide a 15-foot wide perpetual public pedestrian access easement running from the private street, starting generally at the common boundary line between Lots 503 and 504, thence running generally south along such common boundary line and west along the southern boundary line of lot 503, and terminating at the southwest corner of Lot 503 on the unopened right-of-way of North Pickett Street.

(2) The retaining wall at the point where such pedestrian easement connects to the private street, and all other site features and improvements, shall be designed and constructed to accommodate such pedestrian easement, to the satisfaction of the Directors of Planning and Zoning, of Transportation and Environmental Services, and of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Activities.

(3) No construction or improvements for public use of the easement area, except for construction necessary to accommodate the pedestrian easement required under Paragraph (b)(2), shall be permitted unless and until approved by City Council, but no amendment to this SUP to authorize such construction or improvements shall be required. Prior to granting any such approval, public hearings on the proposed public use and any construction or improvements therefor shall be conducted by the Park and Recreation Commission, Planning Commission and City Council and also to include input from the Environmental Policy Commission. Notice as provided in Section 11-301 of the Zoning Ordinance shall be given for such hearings.

(4) Signage, to the satisfaction of the Director of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Activities, shall be provided at the trail heads connecting to the public right-of-way of North Pickett Street at the north and at the south of the site, and at the connection to the private street, in the event construction or improvement of the easement for public use is approved by City Council.

(c) A plat showing the easements and all required documentation shall be submitted to the City Attorney, Department of Planning and Zoning and Department of Transportation and Environmental Services with the final site plan submission. The easements shall be approved by the City Attorney and recorded among the land records prior to release of the final site plan to the satisfaction of the City Attorney. Actual notice of the easements shall be provided to the initial purchasers of each lot, and, until such time, if ever, as the signage required by Paragraph (B)(4) is installed, to subsequent purchasers, to the satisfaction of the City Attorney.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________
20. Consideration of Convening An Executive Session Closed to the Public For Discussion of Settlement of Pending Litigation, Pursuant to Section 2.2-3711(A)(7) of the Code of Virginia.

At 10:05 p.m., City Council convened in executive session, pursuant to Section 2.2-3711(A)(7) of the Code of Virginia for the purpose of consulting with legal counsel and briefing by staff with respect to probable litigation concerning the personal injury claim of Brigitte Guttstadt.

At 10:13 p.m., City Council reconvened the meeting.

City Council moved to authorize the City Attorney to settle the claim which was the subject of the closed executive session along the lines discussed in the executive session.

City Council adopted the resolution pertaining to the Executive Session.
RES. NO. 2098
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

The meeting adjourned at 10:15 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 https://alexandriava.gov/council.
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