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Office of the City Clerk
October 24, 2007

The Opening Reception for the Art in
City Hall and Awards Presentation Was
Held at 5:30 p.m. in Room 2000 at City Hall.

There Was a Work Session With the
Alexandria Transit Stockholders at 6:45 p.m.
in the City Council Work Room.


Regular Meeting
Tuesday, October 23, 2007 - - 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 Meetings of City Council:

(a) The Regular Meeting Minutes of October 9, 2007; and

(b) The Public Hearing Meeting Minutes of October 13, 2007.

City Council approved the regular meeting minutes of October 9, 2007 and the public hearing meeting minutes of October 13, 2007.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

RECOGNITION OF YOUTH BY MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL

None.

PROCLAMATIONS

None.

REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER

CONSENT CALENDAR (4-9)

(Resignations and Uncontested Appointments)

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

(a) Alexandria Archaeological Commission
Samuel D. Lang

(b) Alexandria Consumer Affairs Commission
Harry E. Mahon

(c) Alexandria Environmental Policy Commission
Joy Pochatile

5. Uncontested Appointments to Boards, Commissions and Committees:

(a) Alexandria Community Criminal Justice Board
1 Citizen Member

(b) USS Alexandria Liaison Committee
1 Representative From the U.S. Navy League

(c) Alexandria Waterfront Committee
1 Representative From the Alexandria Archaeological Commission
1 Representative From the Alexandria Seaport Foundation

(d) Alexandria Youth Policy Commission
1 Member From the Alexandria Public Health Advisory Commission

(Reports and Recommendations of the City Manager)

6. Consideration of Donation of an Antique Piano For Use in a Planned Nashville, Tennessee Musical Instruments Museum.

7. Consideration of a Grant Application for Funds from the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services For a Youth Mentoring Program Administered by the Court Service Unit.

8. Receipt of Annual Report from the Public Records Advisory Commission.

9. 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 items #8 and 9, which were considered under separate motions. The City Manager's recommendations were as follows:

4. City Council accepted the following resignations with regret: (a) Samuel D. Lang, Alexandria Archaeological Commission; (b) Harry E. Mahon, Alexandria Consumer Affairs Commission; and (c) Joy Pochatile, Alexandria Environmental Policy Commission.

5. City Council made the following appointments: (a) appointed Donna Brazier as the one citizen member to the Alexandria Community Criminal Justice Board; (b) waived the residency requirement and appointed Nancy Gorell as the one representative from the U.S. Navy League to the USS Alexandria Liaison Committee; (c) reappointed Ernest (Pete) Petersen as the one representative from the Alexandria Archaeological Commission (AAC) and waived the residence requirement and appointed Robert Taylor as the one representative from the Alexandria Seaport Foundation to the Alexandria Waterfront Committee; and (d) reappointed Richard Merritt as the one member from the Alexandria Public Health Advisory Commission to the Alexandria Youth Policy Commission.

6. City Council authorized the City Manager to execute documents transferring ownership of the antique, unplayable piano from the City to Baldwin Piano, Inc., for use in a planned Nashville, Tennessee, musical instruments museum.

7. City Council: 1. authorized the submission of the grant application (due October 31, 2007) not to exceed $20,000; and 2. authorized the City Manager to execute the necessary documents prior to the grant effective date of January 1, 2008.

8. City Council received the 2006-2007 Annual Report of the Public Records Advisory Commission and thanked the Commission for their efforts on behalf of the City. (separate motion)

9. City Council authorized the capital project allocations and planned expenditures for the capital projects as detailed in the Capital Improvement Expenditure Summary. (separate motion)
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

CONTESTED APPOINTMENTS

10. Alexandria-Gyumri Sister City Committee
1 Citizen Member

City Council appointed Amanda Gordon as the one citizen member to the Alexandria-Gyumri Sister City Committee.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

11. Alexandria Board of Zoning Appeals
2 Citizen Members

City Council reappointed Geoffrey Goodale and Harold Curry as the two citizen members to the Alexandria Board of Zoning Appeals.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

12. Alexandria Public Health Advisory Commission
1 Non-Health Professional Member

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

REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER FOR DISCUSSION

13. Receipt of the Proposed City Legislative Package for the 2008 General Assembly Session.

City Council: 1. received the proposals for the City's 2008 Legislative Package; 2. scheduled the legislative package proposals for public hearing on Monday, November 19; and 3. scheduled adoption of the Legislative Package for Tuesday, November 27, following Council's work session with the General Assembly delegation.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

14. Consideration of Historic Preservation Conference Five-Year Action Plan from the Historic Alexandria Resources Commission.

City Council: 1. received the Historic Preservation Conference Five-year Plan from the Historic Alexandria Resources Commission, as written by the Alexandria Historic Preservation Conference Committee; 2. thanked the Commission for their efforts on behalf of the City and; 3. referred the Action Plan to the City Manager and requested that he report back to Council in regard to the recommendations in the Report.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

15. Deferred from the October 13, 2007, Public Hearing Meeting:
SPECIAL USE PERMIT #2007-0006
3902 & 3910 OLD DOMINION BOULEVARD
PARKING REDUCTION
Consideration of a request for a parking reduction; zoned RA/Residential. Applicant: Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority & EYA Development, Inc. by Jonathan Rak, attorney
PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: Recommend Approval w/amendments 7-0 (#13, 10/13/07)

City Council approved the Planning Commission recommendation, with the revised conditions as noted in the October 19, 2007 staff memorandum, and for new condition (DSUP#2006-0031 - Old Dominion East) - to read: "The applicant shall amend its Affordable Housing Plan, to require the provision of one workforce unit that shall be used for an ARHA area manager, or for a Resident Police Officer (RPO) or for other Police Department use, to the satisfaction of the Director of Housing. Such plan may include the purchase and operation of the unit by the City or its designee. In the event the City decides such use is no longer needed, the unit may be sold to an eligible purchaser." Also, with an amended condition in Resolution 830, to add the word "be" in the last sentence, to read: "The units will be maintained as rental affordable housing and will also be subject to one-for-one replacement pursuant to Resolution 830 as it may be amended from time to time."
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

16. Deferred from the October 13, 2007, Public Hearing Meeting:
DEVELOPMENT SPECIAL USE PERMIT #2006-0031
3909, 3913 & 3919 OLD DOMINION BOULEVARD
(Building Addresses: 3909, 3911, 3913, 3915, 3919 & 3921 Old Dominion Boulevard)
OLD DOMINION EAST
Consideration of a request for a development special use permit, with site plan, subdivision and modifications, to construct multifamily residential buildings, a request for a parking reduction, approval of bonus density and/or floor area for affordable housing pursuant to Section 7-700 of the Zoning Ordinance, and approval of a lot without street frontage pursuant to Section 7-1007; zoned RA/Residential.
Applicant: Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority & EYA Development, Inc. by Jonathan Rak, attorney
PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: Recommend Approval w/amendments 7-0 (#15, 10/13/07)

City Council approved the Planning Commission recommendation, with the revised conditions as noted in the October 19, 2007 staff memorandum, and for new condition (DSUP#2006-0031 - Old Dominion East) - to read: "The applicant shall amend its Affordable Housing Plan, to require the provision of one workforce unit that shall be used for an ARHA area manager, or for a Resident Police Officer (RPO) or for other Police Department use, to the satisfaction of the Director of Housing. Such plan may include the purchase and operation of the unit by the City or its designee. In the event the City decides such use is no longer needed, the unit may be sold to an eligible purchaser." Also, with an amended condition in Resolution 830, to add the word "be" in the last sentence, to read: "The units will be maintained as rental affordable housing and will also be subject to one-for-one replacement pursuant to Resolution 830 as it may be amended from time to time."
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

17. Deferred from the October 13, 2007, Public Hearing Meeting:
DEVELOPMENT SPECIAL USE PERMIT #2006-0030
813 WEST GLEBE ROAD
(Building Addresses: 811, 813, 815, 817, 819 West Glebe Road)
WEST GLEBE
Consideration of a request for a development special use permit, with site plan and modifications, to construct multifamily residential buildings, a request for a parking reduction, and approval of bonus density and/or floor area for affordable housing pursuant to Section 7-700 of the Zoning Ordinance; zoned RA/Residential. Applicant: Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority & EYA Development, Inc. by Jonathan Rak, attorney
PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: Recommend Approval w/amendments 7-0 (#16, 10/13/07)

City Council approved the Planning Commission recommendation, with the revised conditions as noted in the October 19, 2007 staff memorandum, and for new condition (DSUP#2006-0031 - Old Dominion East) - to read: "The applicant shall amend its Affordable Housing Plan, to require the provision of one workforce unit that shall be used for an ARHA area manager, or for a Resident Police Officer (RPO) or for other Police Department use, to the satisfaction of the Director of Housing. Such plan may include the purchase and operation of the unit by the City or its designee. In the event the City decides such use is no longer needed, the unit may be sold to an eligible purchaser." Also, with an amended condition in Resolution 830, to add the word "be" in the last sentence, to read: "The units will be maintained as rental affordable housing and will also be subject to one-for-one replacement pursuant to Resolution 830 as it may be amended from time to time."
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

18. Consideration of a Memorandum of Understanding Between the City and the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority (ARHA) and a City Loan to ARHA to Pay Off the Mortgage for ARHA's Glebe Park Property.

City Council: 1. approved the proposed revised Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the City and ARHA and authorized the Mayor to sign the MOU; and 2. subject to terms and conditions, approve a bridge loan to ARHA of up to $5.6 million to repay the existing HUD/FHA insured mortgage on ARHA's Glebe Park property, and authorize the City Manager to execute, when the MOU is signed, all necessary documents in connection with this loan.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

19. Consideration of Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA) Project Requests for 2009 and 2010.

City Council: 1. approved the transportation projects discussed as those projects for which the City of Alexandria will request Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA) regional funding for FY 2009 and FY 2010; and 2. authorized the City Manager to apply for these funds, and to enter into necessary agreements to accept project funding planned to be provided by NVTA.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

20. Consideration of the Monthly Financial Report for the Period Ending September 30, 2007.

City Council received the Monthly Financial Report for the Period Ending September 30, 2007.
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 are co-chairs of the committee that monitors the activities at the Mirant Plant, and pursuant to a directive that the State Air Pollution Control Board issued on October 10, the Virginia DEQ published for public review and comment a draft comprehensive state operating permit. What DEQ is also asking for is a comment on seven additional issues that have to do with the terms and conditions of the permit. The permit does not include a proposed stack merger and the permit and materials explaining the permit can be found on the VDEQ's website. Residents can submit written comments to DEQ until November 19, and they can testify at the Air Board's public hearing on the permit in Alexandria on November 19 at the Lee Center, at 7:00 p.m. Vice Mayor Pepper said the City's public hearing is that same night at the same time. She said she thought she and Councilman Smedberg would like to attend, as well as some of the City staff would be needed to be at the public hearing. She said the staff and the consultants will be reviewing the draft permit and preparing written comments and will be there at the public hearing. In response to comments from one of the board members of the State Air Pollution Control Board, she had asked that there be an assessment quantifying the specific health and economic harms of the plants operation under the new draft permit, similar to what the Department of Energy had done assessing how much damage there is by the plant. The DOE analysis showed that the plant was responsible for 36 premature deaths each year on the eastern seaboard, in addition to enumerable other harms. Vice Mayor Pepper said that according to the Commonwealth of Virginia, the premature deaths alone caused $200 million in economic loss each year.

City Attorney Pessoa said the Air Board getting a date for their hearings is difficult, so he would not anticipate the Air Board would change the date of the hearing, but they can work with their staff to stagger their presentations on November 19.

(b) Councilmember Lovain said he is a member of the Transportation Planning Board and they have asked him to be the new chair of the board's Task Force on Human Services Transportation Coordination. They have $2 million a year to hand out in Federal funds under the Job Access and Reverse Commute, which provides transportation assistance to low-income people to get to their jobs, and the new Freedom Program, which is supposed to go beyond ADA to provide transportation services to the disabled. They also have oversight over transportation assistance for the elderly. They have had a hard time getting the money out of the door, and the money is a backlog of funds. Councilmember Lovain said the need is there and the money is available, so now it is just a matter of finding a way to match the money to the need.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

ORAL PRESENTATIONS BY MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL

(a) Vice Mayor Pepper said that last Saturday, the City held an all day seminar for the Braddock Road Station Plan. It was outstanding and very informative. She said she hoped those who attended felt they were getting the opportunity to say everything they needed to say about the Braddock Road Plan. There were three topics that were discussed - retail, historical character of the neighborhood, and the profits that developers make and what's left for some of the proffers the neighborhood might ask for. There was also a tour of the various sites that have been cause for concern in the past. Those who participated came away feeling good about the effort. She said it spoke very well for how the City is trying to reach out to the neighbors so it is a plan that everyone can feel is their plan. One of the presentors had to do with the developers profit and how the presentor was able to guesstimate how much cost a given project would have, how much profit the developer needed to make and what was left over for the community to use for certain things.

(b) Councilman Wilson said it took an amazing wife and seven great employees from the Alexandria Fire Department to bring his child into the world. He noted that most people after the birth of a child call parents and brothers and sisters, but they called 911 because they were on the side of Quaker Lane. He recognized the seven folks who assisted on Monday, October 15: Paramedic Liz King (answering 911), EMS Supervisor Deidra Marr, Paramedic Bill Jordan, Paramedic Tim Malanka, Captain Jeff Merryman, Firefighter John Silverwood, and Firefighter Lydia Majak. He thanked all of them for their help in their time of need. Councilman Wilson noted that his daughter chose to be born in the exact middle of the City of Alexandria, at the intersection of Quaker and West Braddock Road.

(c) Councilman Smedberg said that he, along with Mayor Euille, Vice Mayor Pepper, Councilman Krupicka and the City Manager, attended an event on Saturday, along with Arlington County, on the trails and bike path, and it was a great example of cooperation between two jurisdictions. He thanked Congressman Moran for getting the funding and for pushing a very important part of the Four Mile Run project forward.

(d) Councilman Smedberg said it has been awhile since the Director of Finance retired - about nine months now. He asked the City Manager where it was in the recruitment of that vital position.

City Manager Hartmann said the position should be filled within a week. The position announcement has closed out and it was advertised a month or six weeks ago. Council Action:_________________________________________________________

ORAL REPORT FROM THE CITY MANAGER

None.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS

None

OTHER

21. Consideration of City Council Schedule.

City Council 1. adopted the Council meeting schedule for October 2007 through June 2008, with the following notations: the City's 14th annual homeownership fair on Saturday, April 5 (location to be determined); the opening ceremony for the second span of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge on Thursday, May 15 at 11:00 a.m.; 2. set a date for a breakfast meeting at INOVA Alexandria Hospital for December 6, 2007; 3. noted that the Community Educational Summit to be held jointly with the School Board at T.C. Williams High School would be sometime after the first of the year, with an exact date to be determined at a later time; and 4. noted the groundbreaking for the fire station and affordable housing at Potomac Yard will be Saturday, December 15, 2007, at 8:30 a.m.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

EXECUTIVE SESSION

22. Consideration of Convening An Executive Session Closed to the Public To Discuss the Acquisition of Real Property for Public Purposes.

At 9:56 p.m., City Council convened in Executive Session, pursuant to Section 2.2-3711(A)(5) and (A)(7) of the Code of Virginia, for the purpose of discussing terms and conditions for the location of a new business facility in the City, and potential litigation against Mirant and Virginia DEQ.

At 10:57 p.m., City Council reconvened the meeting.

City Council adopted the resolution pertaining to the Executive Session. (RES NO. 2249)
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

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The meeting adjourned at 10:58 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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