Absent: Councilman Timothy B. Lovain.
Also Present: Mr. Hartmann, City Manager; Mr. Banks, City Attorney; Ms. Evans, Deputy City Manager; Mr. Jinks, Deputy City Manager; Ms. Hamer, Director, Planning and Zoning (P&Z); Mr. Farner, Deputy Director, P&Z; Ms. Mcllvaine, Deputy Director, Office of Housing; Mr. Randall, Urban Planner, P&Z; Mr. Gates, Assistant City Manager, City Manager's Office; Mr. Castrilli, Communications Director, City Manager's Office; Mr. Caton, Legislative Director, City Manager's Office; Ms. Baker, Acting Director, Transportation and Environmental Services; Fire Chief Thiel; Mr. Catlett, Director, Building and Fire Code Administration; Ms. Parker, Urban Planner, P&Z; Ms. Wright, Division Chief, P&Z; Ms. Beeton, Division Chief, P&Z; Ms. Davis, Urban Planner, P&Z; Mr. Milone, Division Chief, P&Z; Ms. Miliaras, Urban Planner, P&Z; Ms. Harris, Communications Officer, City Manager's Office; Ms. Blackford, Communications Officer, City Manager's Office; Ms. Triggs, Director, Finance; Mr. Outlaw, ITS; Police Captain Ogden; and Mr. Lloyd.
Recorded by: Gloria Sitton, Deputy City Clerk and Clerk of Council.
OPENING
1. Calling the Roll. Mayor Euille called the meeting to order and the Deputy City Clerk called the roll. All members of Council were present, with the exception of Councilmember Tim Lovain, who was absent. 2. Public Discussion Period. (a) Trey Hanbury, 1504 Cameron Street, representing the Upper King Street Neighborhood Association and the Farmers Market, presented the City with a check for the Alexandria Living Landscape Fund. Mr. Hanbury thanked everyone who helped make the market successful and invited everyone to stop by the market when it begins on June 3. (b) Gary Carr, 216 Aspen Street, spoke about improving the conditions of the running tracks at Francis Hammond and George Washington Middle Schools. Mr. Carr noted that there is a disparity between resources being provided for public school students versus private school students and that the running tracks are a community resource as well as a school resource. Mr. Carr noted that childhood obesity is a local and national epidemic and the issue should be addressed in the Mayor's Initiative for Health and Fitness. (c) Phil Cefaratti, 3812 North Griffith Place, stated that the City elections should remain in May, in order to focus on local issues. Mr. Cefaratti stated that voters still make a choice for or against candidates on election day, regardless of voter turnout. Mr. Cefaratti pointed out that a reduction in the cost per vote cast is not a true reflection of quality of the election and not a reason to move the election to November. (d) Annabelle Fisher, 5001 Seminary Road, thanked Council for presenting the Landlord-Tenant Relations Board with a proclamation recognizing the rental community in the City. Ms. Fisher also stated that the City elections should remain in May and that Council needed competent, reasonable and knowledgeable people running for Council. (e) David Fromm, 2307 East Randolph Avenue, spoke about two upcoming Planning and Zoning issues. Mr. Fromm reported that the west side of Route 1 is mostly light industrial and he requested that the City conduct an inventory and needs assessment of its light industrial uses and services in order to properly plan for it in a comprehensive manner. Mr. Fromm also addressed the proposed land swap at Landbay L and distributed graphics showing possible solutions to the issues that needed to be addressed. Mr. Fromm requested that Council add a study of the combined area of Landbay L, the George Washington Middle School and Braddock Fields be added to the Planning and Zoning work plan. REPORTS OF BOARDS, COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES ACTION CONSENT CALENDAR (3-4) Planning Commission 3. SPECIAL USE PERMIT #2009-0013 1623 FERN STREET RESTAURANT Public Hearing and Consideration of a request to operate a restaurant and for a parking reduction; zoned CSL/Commercial Service Low. Applicant: Culinary Concepts Corporation by Lawrence Ponzi PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: Recommend Approval 7-0 (A copy of the Planning Commission report dated May 7, 2009, is on file in the Office of the City Clerk and Clerk of Council, marked Exhibit No. 1 of Item No. 3; 05/16/09, and is incorporated as part of this record by reference.) 4. SPECIAL USE PERMIT #2008-0084 ENCROACHMENT #2008-0005 532 NORTH WASHINGTON STREET OFFICE BUILDING ADDITION Public Hearing and Consideration of a request for a development site plan for an addition to an office building, a parking reduction and a request to for an encroachment into the public right of way; zoned OC/Office Commercial. Applicant: North Parkway, LLC by Duncan Blair, attorney PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: SUP Recommend Approval 7-0 ENC Recommend Approval 7-0 (A copy of the Planning Commission report dated April 9, 2009, is on file in the Office of the City Clerk and Clerk of Council, marked Exhibit No. 1 of Item No. 4; 05/16/09, and is incorporated as part of this record by reference.) END OF ACTION CONSENT CALENDAR WHEREUPON, upon motion by Councilman Gaines, seconded by Vice Mayor Pepper and carried unanimously, City Council approved the action consent calendar, with the exception of docket item #4, which was considered under a separate motion. The approval was as follows: 3. City Council approved the Planning Commission recommendation. The voting was as follows: Gaines "aye" Krupicka "aye" Pepper "aye" Lovain absent Euille "aye" Smedberg "aye" Wilson "aye" 4. SPECIAL USE PERMIT #2008-0084 ENCROACHMENT #2008-0005 532 NORTH WASHINGTON STREET OFFICE BUILDING ADDITION Public Hearing and Consideration of a request for a development site plan for an addition to an office building, a parking reduction and a request for an encroachment into the public right of way; zoned OC/Office Commercial. Applicant: North Parkway, LLC by Duncan Blair, attorney PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: SUP Recommend Approval 7-0 ENC Recommend Approval 7-0 (A copy of the Planning Commission report dated April 9, 2009, is on file in the Office of the City Clerk and Clerk of Council, marked Exhibit No. 1 of Item No. 4; 05/16/09, and is incorporated as part of this record by reference.) Ms. Parker, Urban Planner, Planning and Zoning, gave a brief presentation explaining the request and responded to questions from Council about building alterations to the existing building. Ms. Wright, Division Chief, Planning and Zoning, explained why the tree policy was not addressed in this particular proposal and noted that there would be a full review of the policy before Council on May 26 at the Legislative Meeting. The following persons participated in the public hearing on this item: (a) Poul Hertel, 1217 Michigan Court, representing the Old Town Civic Association, stated that the existing building in the project would be altered in order to conform to the new building. Mr. Hertel requested that it be clarified that this alteration is an exception to the Washington Street Standards and will not set a precedent for other places in the Historic District. (b) Duncan Blair, 524 King Street, attorney for the applicant, spoke in support of the proposed project and explained the alteration to the existing building. WHEREUPON, upon motion by Councilman Krupicka, seconded by Councilman Gaines and carried unanimously, City Council closed the public hearing and approved the Planning Commission recommendation. The voting was as follows: Krupicka "aye" Pepper "aye" Gaines "aye" Lovain absent Euille "aye" Smedberg "aye" Wilson "aye"