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Office of the City Clerk
January 9, 2008


There was a Work Session at 5:30 p.m.
in the City Council Work Room with the
Budget and Fiscal Affairs Advisory
Committee.


Regular Meeting
Tuesday, January 8, 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 December 11, 2007; and

(b) The Public Hearing Meeting Minutes of December 15, 2007.

City Council approved the regular meeting minutes of December 11, 2007 and the public hearing meeting minutes of December 15, 2007.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

RECOGNITION OF YOUTH BY MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL

None.

PROCLAMATIONS

4. Presentation of a Proclamation Declaring January as Mentoring Awareness Month in Alexandria.

City Council endorsed the proclamation.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

5. Presentation of a Proclamation Declaring January 15, 2008 as Martin Luther King, Jr., Day and a Proclamation Recognizing Alice P. Morgan for her 35 years of Service to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Events.

City Council endorsed the proclamations.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________
REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER

CONSENT CALENDAR (6-11)

(Resignations and Uncontested Appointments)

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


7. Uncontested Appointments to Boards, Commissions and Committees:
1 Citizen Member
1 Member From the Alexandria Historical Society

(c) Alexandria Beautification Commission
2 Citizen Members

(f) Alexandria Early Childhood Commission
1 Member-at-Large
(i) Alexandria Landlord-Tenant Relations Board
1 Low-Income Tenant

(j) Alexandria Marketing Committee
1 Member Who Has Experience or Expertise In Marketing/
Communications, Advertising Agency/Public Relations,
Media Buyer, Graphic Design/Production or Media
Relations/Media Outlets

(Reports and Recommendations of the City Manager)

8. Receipt of the Alexandria Industrial Development Authority Annual Report for July 1, 2006 Through June 30, 2007.

(Ordinances for Introduction)

9. Introduction and First Reading. Consideration. Passage on First Reading of an Ordinance to Change the Name of Barecroft Place to President Ford Lane.

10. Introduction and First Reading. Consideration. Passage on First Reading of an Ordinance to Extend the Interim Zoning Infill Regulations.

11. Introduction and First Reading. Consideration. Passage on First Reading of an Ordinance to Approve an Encroachment For a Hotel Marquee at 480 King Street.

11.1 Introduction and First Reading. Consideration. Passage on First Reading of an Ordinance to Permit Hotels To Offer Massage Services To Registered Guests, Subject To Licensing and Regulation By The City.

END OF CONSENT CALENDAR

City Council approved the consent calendar, with the exception of docket items #8 and 11.1, which were considered under separate motions. The City Manager's recommendations were as follows:

6. City Council accepted the following resignations with regret: (a) Stephanie Sample, Alexandria Board of Architectural Review - Parker-Gray District; (b) Eileen Mathis, Alexandria Commission on HIV/AIDS; (c) Alan Dubow, Alexandria Consumer Affairs Commission; (d) Louise J. Gioia, Alexandria Public Records Advisory Commission; and (e) Frances Ellen Pickering, Alexandria Sanitation Authority.

7. City Council made the following appointments: (a) appointed Nicole Green as the one citizen member to the Alexandria-Gyumri Sister City Committee; (b) appointed Georgia "Katy" Cannady as the one member from the Alexandria Historical Society to the Alexandria Archaeological Commission; (c) appointed Oscar Martin and reappointed Ruth McKenty as the two citizen members to the Alexandria Beautification Commission; (d) reappointed Brent Eastwood and waived the residency requirement and reappointed Christine Heiby as the two representatives from such organizations as educational agencies, organized labor, rehabilitation agencies, community-based organizations, economic development agencies, and the public employment service to the Alexandria Commission on Employment; (e) appointed Karyn Kenny as the one citizen member to the Alexandria Consumer Affairs Commission; (f) appointed Sarah Almy as the one member-at-large to the Alexandria Early Childhood Commission; (g) waived the residency requirement and appointed Thomas Shaw as the one representative of the business community nominated by the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce to the Alexandria George Washington Birthday Celebration Committee; (h) appointed Charles Collum, Jr., as the one citizen member to the Alexandria Industrial Development Authority; (i) reappointed Geraldine Baldwin as the one low-income tenant to the Alexandria Landlord-Tenant Relations Board; and (j) waived the residency requirement and appointed William Shaw as the one member who has experience or expertise in marketing/communications, advertising agency/public relations, media buyer, graphic design/production or media relations/media outlets to the Alexandria Marketing Committee.

8. City Council received the Alexandria Industrial Development Authority Annual Report for the period July 1, 2006 through June 30, 2007. (separate motion)

9. City Council approved the proposed ordinance on first reading and scheduled it for public hearing, second reading and final passage on January 12, 2008.

10. City Council approved the proposed ordinance on first reading and scheduled it for public hearing, second reading and final passage on January 12, 2008.

11. City Council approved the proposed ordinance on first reading and scheduled it for public hearing, second reading and final passage on January 12, 2008.

11.1 City Council approved the proposed ordinance on first reading and scheduled it for public hearing, second reading and final passage on January 12, 2008. (separate motion)
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

CONTESTED APPOINTMENTS

12. Alexandria-Caen Sister City Committee
1 Citizen Member

City Council appointed Kevin Holmes as the one citizen member to the Alexandria-Caen Sister City Committee.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

13. Alexandria Historical Restoration and Preservation Commission
1 Citizen Member

City Council reappointed Mary Heiden as the one citizen member to the Alexandria Historical Restoration and Preservation Commission.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

14. Alexandria Law Library Board
1 Citizen Member

City Council appointed Dianna Campagna as the one citizen member to the Alexandria Law Library.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

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

REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER FOR DISCUSSION

16. Consideration of Memorandum of Understanding Authorizing the Interconnection of the Cable Television Institutional Networks of the City of Alexandria and the County of Fairfax to Conduct Government Business.

City Council: 1. approved the interconnection between the Alexandria and Fairfax County cable systems; and 2. authorized the City Manager to execute, on behalf of the City and to deliver the memorandum of understanding, in essentially the same form that is presented to Council, with such changes as are approved by the City Manager and the City Attorney.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

17. Deferral from the December 15, 2007 City Council Meeting: Subdivision #2007-0006. Appeal. Consideration of an Appeal of the Planning Commission's decision to deny a request to resubdivide the subject properties at 407 Duke Street and 219 South Royal Street, zoned RM/Residential. Applicant: William F. Dunbar, IV and Denise G. Dunbar and 219 S. Royal, LLC by Duncan Blair, attorney. (#19, 12/15/07)



This item was deferred to the Tuesday, February 12, 2008 City Council meeting at the request of the applicant/attorney.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FROM BOARDS, COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES

None

ORAL REPORTS BY MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL

(a) Councilman Smedberg noted that Mayor Euille was recently elected chair of the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission.

(b) Councilman Gaines gave an update on the Alexandria Convention and Visitors Association (ACVA). He said the ACVA brand and image research study is complete and the research concluded that tourism should focus on five things: the historic ambience, showcase the period architecture, emphasize the charming nature of the City, the great restaurants and the mix of retail shops. The study concluded that the City's slogan - the Fun Side of the Potomac - is not the best market position for Alexandria. Councilman Gaines said the ACVA has been active in responding to the Economic Sustainability Workgroups' recommendations and ACVA has moved forward on becoming more web focused. The website is being modified to create an email database and offer on-line reservations and they will have a new website launched by the end of the summer and will discontinue the use of the funsideofthepotomac.com and begin the use of visitalexandriava.com. Councilman Gaines said a full service advertising agency with expertise in tourism branding will be employed at the start of the fiscal year and will be working on a new brand, which should be launched in the fall of 2008. The ACVA is working with the National Harbor initiatives, as the ACVA is the lead for marketing initiatives to draw visitors from National Harbor to Alexandria, which will be primarily achieved through information kiosks at the waterfront, creation of the video for the water taxi, in-room commercials at the Gaylord, a commercial on the vacation channel, convention sales materials and events to draw meetings and off-site events to Alexandria, rack brochures for distribution at National Harbor, in-room advertising at Gaylord National and expanded Visitors Center hours. Councilman Gaines said that on February 22, the ACVA monthly Funside Forum will be dedicated to an update on National Harbor related activities. Coming up this month, the ACVA will be launching a new sales and marketing initiative to capitalize on the growing destination wedding niche market. He noted the Fun Side Forum will be held at Christ Church January 25 at 8:00 a.m. He noted there is a new wedding page - myalexandriawedding.com.

(c) Vice Mayor Pepper said she and Councilman Smedberg co-chair the committee that monitors the activities of the Mirant Plant, and there are two public hearings coming up - January 25 at the Holiday Inn on Eisenhower Avenue at 3:30 p.m., and February 7 at the same place at 9:30 a.m. The topic of discussion are the two operating permits that have been let out for public comment, one of which is the two stack permit that the community has been concerned about and modified with new source review, which makes it with standards that are much harder to achieve.

City Attorney Pessoa said he learned today that an unknown member of the General Assembly will introduce a Mirant relief bill into the General Assembly this session, and he encouraged all citizens to contact their conservation-minded colleagues to help fight that bill. City Attorney Pessoa also reported on the joint committee meeting of the House and Senate Natural Resources Committees to consider public testimony regarding last year's consolidation bill and the sponsor announced he is dropping the consolidation portion of the bill, but he intends to go forward with that portion of the bill that strips the Air and Water Board of their existing permit authority and in addition, to expand the membership of the Air Board from five to seven members. There were 100 people at the meeting, with 30 speakers and the overwhelming majority opposed taking permit authority away from the citizen board and giving it to an unaccountable appointed bureaucrat - the director of DEQ. The City will do whatever it can to defeat the powergrab by the bureaucracy.

(d) Councilman Wilson said the Youth Policy Commission will talk about an issue at its meeting tomorrow night on a Washington Post article in the Fall that touched on the decrease around the region in the teen pregnancy numbers. The article erroneously pointed out that Alexandria was alone in being the jurisdiction that had seen an uptick in adolescent pregnancy. He noted Mayor Euille and John Porter sent a letter in response to that report, and essentially what the issue was comparing apples to oranges to peaches in the ways Virginia, D.C. and Maryland look at the numbers. Looking at the issue, it pointed out some issues with how they collect the numbers and he had discussions with a number of staff over the issues. He said they are getting data from some of their neighbors but not from others on the issue. He said given the regional approach and regional characteristics of teen pregnancy and the fact that political boundaries aren't respected when it comes to where babies are delivered, but also as far as terminations of pregnancies as well, particularly as the legal environment is shifted over the last couple of years, this has become even more pronounced. He said it is important to look at the numbers and try to understand where they are coming from. He said he has talked to the Health Department Director and he's indicated he will approach the health directors organization within the Council of Governments (COG) to find out where they stand and he is hopeful that over the next couple of months, the City can look at the issue. The goal is to try and understand the whole regional statistical picture, so that as it continues to make progress, they will know what they are looking at. He said he will continue to work with the Mayor and the Youth Policy Commission on the issue.

Mayor Euille said May is Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month and they are scheduling a presentation in the Council Chambers as part of its legislative meeting to have a status update.

(e) Mayor Euille said he serves on the Board of Directors of the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority - the old body that has new powers to raise revenues through taxes, and there is a public hearing on Thursday, January 10 at 6:00 p.m., at George Mason High School auditorium in Falls Church, in which they are requesting specific input on the proposed six-year plan. The City has projects being proposed, a project to rebuild the King Street Metro parking lot and bus loading area, along with improved pedestrian environment within the King Street complex, and a project for the Holmes Run Greenway, which will allow the City to make physical improvements that will address on-going maintenance issues and security concerns, along with improved bicyclist and pedestrian access. Mayor Euille noted that he will not be at the meeting, but Councilmember Lovain will substitute for him at that meeting.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

ORAL PRESENTATIONS BY MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL

(a) Councilman Krupicka said that during the Council campaign five years ago, everyone talked about how important transportation planning was to Alexandria and how important the need to refocus the transportation efforts and re-think the way they approach transportation was in Alexandria. He said that immediately following that election, he and Vice Mayor Pepper served on a small committee that led to the Ad-Hoc Transportation Task Force - and now, after a number of years of hard work to re-think how they approach transportation in the City, the task force is about to deliver their formal proposal for a new paradigm shift in transportation in Alexandria that they will be hearing later this year. That activity, along with receiving new State funding for the first time in over 30 years for transportation, it is clear that 2008 will be the year of transportation in Alexandria. The year will take a lot of talk and planning and important conversations and conclude them with very specific actions. He said he and Councilman Wilson, both being past presidents of the Del Ray Civic Association, know how strongly that association would like to see a metro station at Potomac Yard and Council has said how important it is at Potomac Yard. Councilman Krupicka said what he and Councilman Wilson are asking is that they ask staff to prepare two specific changes to the draft Transportation Master Plan that address the important issue in the Economic Sustainability Report related to metro stops in Alexandria. The first relates to the Potomac Yard Metrorail, and the adopted Transportation Master Plan should make clear that a Metrorail at Potomac Yard is an essential transportation priority for Alexandria, and bringing that infrastructure to fruition shall be the policy of the City. The plan should ensure that no additional development or redevelopment beyond what has been currently approved by the City Council shall occur within Potomac Yard without a clear plan for how such redevelopment will contribute to the development and funding of a Metrorail station within Potomac Yard. As it relates to Eisenhower Valley, an area of the City that could benefit from an additional metro, but not one that had been talked about in community until the Economic Sustainability Task Force brought it forward as an important economic priority, as well as transportation priority for the community, the adopted Transportation Master Plan should also explicitly call for a new metro station in the center of the Eisenhower Valley. Any development or redevelopment planning efforts that occur in the center of Eisenhower Valley should include a plan to incorporate and fund a new Metrorail station. Councilman Krupicka said he and Councilman Wilson would appreciate it if their colleagues will join them in asking staff to propose changes to the draft Transportation Master Plan that will address the two important concepts that were also addressed in the Economic Sustainability Task Force Report that Council adopted at the last public hearing and bring those language changes to Council when it receives the draft master plan for consideration.

Councilman Wilson said in the overall issue, the Council has been showing leadership in trying to promote a City where they can make car travel secondary to multi-modal options. He said that beginning with the Strategic Plan, which articulated that vision, with the creation of the Transportation Task Force and now nearing the completion of that project, as well as the completion of the project and the adoption of the Mayor's Economic Sustainability principles in each of the areas, they have stated the priority they want to get to a City where multi-modal transit options are there and available and continue to move in that direction. He said on Potomac Yard, its been acknowledged by nearly everyone who has been involved that they did miss an opportunity at Potomac Yard, and the idea is that they not miss that opportunity again. The Task Force, with their proposal for the bus rapid transit system to serve the three designated corridors in the City, are providing a visionary blueprint of how it does intra-city connections. Metrorail has for years been serving a role of providing that commuting options for residents. This compliments directly what they are doing on the task force side. He said he was hopeful that as they do this, they consider all of the financing options - whether it is partnering with Arlington, the Fed's, the State, the development community to try to bring dollars. On the center of the Eisenhower Valley, they have another opportunity where they have a slate which gives them an opportunity to shape the future of that area, again making single-occupancy vehicles a secondary mode of transportation for that area as well.

Mayor Euille said the timing is right and the opportunity for them to discuss the proposed language is when they have the joint work session with Transportation Task Force Group on Tuesday, February 12, at 5:30 p.m.

(b) Councilman Wilson said he is co-sponsoring an upcoming event. The Council has previously approved a grant to the Office on Women to increase their outreach to try to work to prevent and examine the causes of domestic violence within same sex relationships and there will be a film screening of My Girlfriend Did Iton Thursday, January 17 at the Durant Center at 7:00 p.m., co-sponsored by the Alexandria Gay and Lesbian Community Association, the Alexandria Sexual and Domestic Violence Programs, and the Anti-Violence Project of Equality Virginia, and he urged everyone to attend.

(c) Councilmember Lovain said there were two articles in the most recent issue of Governing Magazine - one on archeology, in which it talks about state and local governments that have taken the lead on that issue and Alexandria is cited more than any other jurisdiction. He said that as they look to renew new ventures in tourism with National Harbor, it is appropriate to take full advantage of their wonderful archeological work going on. Councilmember Lovain said the other article is on local warming, in which it talks about the efforts some jurisdictions are making to plan for when global warming gets here. Some places are making the argument to do everything they can to slow it down, but it is too late to stop it. He said that to a large extent, the City staff already is doing that, as they all know that 100 year storms are coming more often than every 100 years, there will be more flooding in Alexandria in the next 50 years, and things like infectious diseases and the trees they plant.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

ORAL REPORT FROM THE CITY MANAGER

None.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS

None.

OTHER

18. Consideration of City Council Schedule.

City Council received the revised calendar which includes: the City's annual program commemorating the birth of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., on Monday, January 14 at noon at the Lee Center, 1108 Jefferson Street; an educational forum, "Community & Schools: Forging New Partnerships to Advance Education," co-sponsored by the City Council and the School Board at the Mayor's request, for parents, youth and community members on Saturday, February 9 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at T.C. Williams High School, 3330 King Street; the grand opening for the Hotel Monaco on Friday, March 14 with a ribbon cutting at 4:30 p.m. and a reception at 6:00 p.m. at 480 King Street; the Annual Technology Achievement Week Reception on Tuesday, April 8 at 6:30 p.m. in the Vola Lawson Lobby; the annual George Washington Birthday Celebration Committee Community Reception at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 13 in the Vola Lawson Lobby; and the annual Commission on Persons with Disabilities awards reception on Tuesday, June 24 at 5:30 p.m., in the Vola Lawson Lobby.
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

EXECUTIVE SESSION

19. Consideration of Convening An Executive Session Closed to the Public To Discuss Potential Litigation.

At 8:17 p.m., City Council convened in Executive Session, pursuant to Section 2.2-3711(A)(3) of the Code of Virginia, for the purpose of discussing the acquisition of property for public purposes and pursuant to Section 2.2-3711(A)(7) for the purpose of discussing potential litigation involving zoning of the Robinson Terminal projects.

At 9:06 p.m., City Council reconvened the meeting.

City Council moved that City Council authorize the City Manager and City Attorney to proceed with acquisition of 1 and 7 East Del Ray Avenue along the lines discussed with Council.

City Council adopted the resolution pertaining to the Executive Session. (RES. NO. 2264)
Council Action:_________________________________________________________

The meeting adjourned at 9:07 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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