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. Public Discussion Period. (a) Gary Carr, 216 Aspen Street, said he has been on a marathon to bring running tracks to the City, specifically, to restore the tracks at Hammond Middle School and George Washington Middle School, and to build a championship track somewhere within the City, and he noted the reasons for building the tracks. He asked Council to pass a resolution to eliminate childhood obesity, starting with fixing the field at Hammond this year. (b) Richard Calderon, 505 E. Braddock Road, #803, president, Colecrest Station Condominium, spoke about the flawed premise of the proposed Braddock Road Metro Plan. The effort attempts to provide affordable housing by zoning for multi-family high rise apartments. He said what City planners do not understand is that long term maintenance and operating costs of the buildings is high. Rather than plan for affordable townhouses with above-grade parking at 1.5 FAR, the Metro plan proposes to zone 2,345 condo and rental units at a nominal 2.5 to 3.0 FAR. Since the systems in the structures are two to ten times more expensive than townhouses, either the buildings will deteriorate to the condition of so many around Landmark because of poor capital repair, or high condo fees and rents will force out the teachers, fireman and others for whom the density was granted in the first place. (c) Holly Hess, 610 N. West Street, Colecroft Station, spoke about the Braddock Road Metro Plan and in particular the transportation concerns. She said the transportation piece concerns her the most as it will negatively affect her community in a way that is irreversible. The proposal includes two very large office towers on the Braddock Road Metro Station and includes 3,020 office workers, generating 1,500 to 2,100 cars and the plan includes 900 to 1,500 bus and metro transit commuters under unrealistically optimistic transit assumptions and the increase in peak traffic would lock down traffic under the Braddock Road metro bridges, Wythe Street and West Street for many hours during rush hour. She said the plan ignores transportation impacts and fails to address basic assumptions of the Comprehensive Plan. She urged Council to eliminate the proposed office development on the Braddock Road Metro and use it as open space for the area. (d) Maria Willcox, 334 N. Columbus Street, spoke about the Braddock Road Metro Plan, and she urged Council to halt approval of the misleadingly labeled Braddock Road Metro Comprehensive Plan, as the plan proposes that development grow the northwest end of Old Town and Parker Gray by 2,345 new condo and rental units, 231 townhouses, 4,240 office workers, generating 4,053 or more additional morning commuter trips and 3,394 additional transit riders. The proposed plan is not comprehensive because it does not address the true impact of the traffic on the neighborhood. She said the traffic consultants explained to the citizen workshops that the only way to accommodate the additional commuters is to lengthen the period of peak traffic congestion by many hours, and that is unacceptable and will depress property values in the neighborhood. She asked why repeat an outworn, stale, top-down program when Alexandria's homegrown grassroots model is so alive and successful. (e) Pat Troy, 310 Wolfe Street, chair of the Alexandria St. Patrick's Day Parade, spoke of the St. Patrick's Day Parade on March 1 - the first parade in the nation, and he noted that "Ballyshaners" means "Old Town." Mr. Troy thanked all the City Departments for all their help in planning the parade. He noted the participants in the parade and noted it begins with the dog show and an antique car show. (f) Carlos Amaya, 519 Four Mile Road, #102, spoke of the need for the Arlandria Health Clinic and noted that there are no funds for the people that go to the clinic, and for the last year, he has had cancer and its been hard for him using the Arlandria Clinic. He noted that more doctors and funds are needed in the clinic so people can get served better. Council Action:_________________________________________________________ REPORTS OF BOARDS, COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES ACTION CONSENT CALENDAR (3) Planning Commission 3. SPECIAL USE PERMIT #2007-0115 510 SECOND STREET HOLIDAY INN - COFFEE SHOP Public Hearing and Consideration of a request to operate a restaurant within an existing hotel; zoned CD/Commercial Downtown. Applicant: Carr Hospitality by Hammad Shah. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: Recommend Approval 6-0 END OF ACTION CONSENT CALENDAR City Council adopted the consent calendar, with the addition of item #4, as follows: 3. City Council approved the Planning Commission recommendation. 4. City Council held the public hearing, thanked the members of the Gerald R. Ford Memorial Committee for their work on behalf of the City, and requested the Public Art Committee of the Alexandria Commission on the Arts to meet with the members of the Ford Memorial Committee to discuss the best approach to pursue the idea of placing a three-dimensional statuary or bust of President Ford on the site and report back to Council with its recommendations. Council Action:_________________________________________________________ REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER 4. Public Hearing and Consideration of the Report of the Naming Committee Proposing the Naming of the Open Space at the Corner of Janney's Lane and Quaker Lane in Honor of the Late President Gerald R. Ford. (#12, 1/22/08) This item was moved to the consent calendar. Council Action:_________________________________________________________ 5. Public Hearing and Consideration on the Alexandria Commission for the Arts Report, Prepared by Lord Cultural Resources, Inc. (#13, 1/22/08) City Council held the public hearing, received the report and thanked the members of the Commission for the Arts for their efforts on behalf of the City and to incorporate and include that the next step is to have a joint work session with the Arts Commission to further discuss the contents of the recommendations, to specifics in terms of processes, goals, missions and outcomes, to be followed by an implementation process. Council Action:_________________________________________________________ REPORTS OF BOARDS, COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES (continued) Planning Commission (continued) 6. TEXT AMENDMENT #2007-0006 KING STREET OUTDOOR DINING Public Hearing and Consideration of a request to amend Section 6-800 of the Zoning Ordinance, the King Street Outdoor Dining Overlay Zone. Staff: Department of Planning and Zoning. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: Recommend Approval 6-0 City Council approved the Planning Commission recommendation. Council Action:_________________________________________________________ 7. TEXT AMENDMENT #2008-0001 FLOOR AREA TRANSFER IN PRIVATE SCHOOLS Public Hearing and Consideration of a request to amend Article 7 of the Zoning Ordinance by adding Section 7-2300 allowing the transfer of floor area in private schools. Staff: Department of Planning and Zoning PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: Recommend Approval 6-0 City Council approved the Planning Commission recommendation. Council Action:_________________________________________________________ 8. MASTER PLAN AMENDMENT #2008-0001 TRANSPORTATION MASTER PLAN Public Hearing and Consideration of an amendment to the Transportation Chapter of the City's Master Plan. Staff: Department of Transportation and Environmental Services PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: Adopted Resolution and Recommend Approval 6-0 City Council deferred action to the March 11, 2008 City Council meeting, at which time staff can bring it forward again with changes that the Council discusses today, as well as any other adjustments that develop over the next two and a half weeks, and that the proposal from staff as it relates to a permanent transportation planning body come forward at the same time so Council can review both matters at the same meeting, and that nothing goes back to the Planning Commission. Council Action:_________________________________________________________ 9. CITY CHARTER, SECTION 9.06 CASE #2008-0001 1 & 7 EAST DEL RAY Consideration of a proposal by the City of Alexandria to acquire the property at 1 & 7 East Del Ray Avenue, pursuant to the provisions of Section 9.06 of the City Charter. Staff: Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: Approved w/amendments 6-0 (THIS ITEM IS NOT SET FOR PUBLIC HEARING BUT IS FOR CITY COUNCIL'S INFORMATION ONLY - NO APPROVAL IS NECESSARY.) Council Action:_________________________________________________________ ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS 10. Public Hearing, Second Reading and Final Passage 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. (#15, 2/12/08) [ROLL-CALL VOTE] City Council passed the 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. (ORD. NO. 4518) Council Action:_________________________________________________________ 11. Public Hearing, Second Reading and Final Passage 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. (#16, 2/12/08) [ROLL-CALL VOTE] City Council passed the 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. (ORD. NO. 4519) Council Action:_________________________________________________________ 12. Public Hearing, Second Reading and Final Passage of an Ordinance to Revise the City’s Regulations Concerning Vicious and Dangerous Dogs to Conform to Changes in State Law. (#18, 2/12/08) [ROLL-CALL VOTE] City Council passed the ordinance to revise the City's regulations concerning vicious and dangerous dogs to conform to the changes in State Law. (ORD. NO. 4520) Council Action:_________________________________________________________ REPORTS OF BOARDS, COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES (continued) DEFERRAL/WITHDRAWAL CONSENT CALENDAR (13) Planning Commission (continued) 13. TEXT AMENDMENT #2007-0008 (A) REZONING #2007-0003 (B) DEVELOPMENT SPECIAL USE PERMIT #2006-0005 (C) SPECIAL USE PERMIT (TMP) #2007-0071 (D) 1199 SOUTH WASHINGTON STREET HUNTING CREEK PLAZA/HUNTING TERRACE Public Hearing and Consideration of (1) a text amendment to the Zoning Ordinance to increase height limitations and FAR on the subject property in accordance with Section 3.43 of the Hunting Creek Plan; (2) a request to amend the Height District Map within the RC zone to change the height districts for the subject property; (3) a development special use permit, with site plan and modifications, to construct a multi-family residential building; (4) a request for a parking reduction; (5) a request for increased height and density in accordance with Section 3.43 of the Hunting Creek Area Plan; and (6) a request for a transportation management plan; zoned RC/High Density. Applicant: Hunting Creek, LLC by J. Howard Middleton, attorney. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: Deferred 5-1 END OF DEFERRAL/WITHDRAWAL CONSENT CALENDAR City Council noted the deferral. Council Action:_________________________________________________________ * * * * * * The meeting adjourned at 1:39 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.