posted 18 January 2013
updated 22 January 2013

The following letter, sent to the Mayor and council,
is an important initiative of your NOTICe Board.

This letter asks the Council to fund revision of the Old Town North Small Area Plan in the 2014 city budget year that begins July 1, 2013.  We believe that we must act now to develop a comprehensive and reasonable zoning and land use plan for North Old Town.  Further, we want the citizens of North Old Town involved actively in developing that plan in advance of proposals coming from outside our community.  We are in competition with other parts of the city for planning resources; thus, our direct appeal to council and the Mayor. We encourage you to express your views on this to the Mayor and Council.  Links are provided below the letter. 

Feel free to include your NOTICe Board President, also Chairman of the NOTICe Land Use Committee, Feel free to include your NOTICe Board President, also Chairman of the NOTICe Land Use Committee, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , as cc on your correspondence, if you believe that would be helpful.

Click below to an article by Sharon McLoone in the Jan 22, 2013 Old Town Patch on the subject:

North Old Town Residents Call for an Update to Small Area Plan


P.O. Box 25571
Alexandria, VA 22313

www.notice-alexandria.org
(501-C3 non-profit, tax ID #541969240)

January 17, 2013

The Honorable:
William D. Euille, Mayor of Alexandria  
Allison Silberberg, Vice-Mayor
and Council Members John T. Chapman, Timothy B. Lovain, Redella S. Pepper, Paul C. Smedberg, and Justin Wilson

Dear Mayor Euille, Vice-Mayor Silberberg, and Council Members:

I am writing to urge you to vote in favor of making revision of the Old Town North Small Area Plan a priority for the coming fiscal year. We ask that city staff put Old Town North on the list of possible planning projects, and that Council approve and fund this project during the budget process.

The existing plan was adopted in 1992, and though it has been amended from time to time, there has not been a coherent revision or update. We believe that with the closing of the Mirant/GenOn Potomac River Generating Station in October of last year, this part of Alexandria faces significant changes in the coming years. When redevelopment of that site comes, those 25 acres will need to be rezoned to encompass more than the current “Utility” designation. We believe that to be prepared for new development on that site, the City should look at the whole North Old Town area.

NOTICe started a process last fall of meeting with citizens to see what they envision as the future of the neighborhood, and we appreciate the participation of the Mayor, several council members, and city staff in that effort.  We want to continue working with all of the city’s leaders in examining the underlying premises of the existing plan and considering the impact of important changes already in progress or planned for numerous sites in our neighborhood, such as The Oronoco, the Harris-Teeter block, the ABC/Giant site, the Bus Barn, and the old Health Department building.  North Old Town residents recognize the significance of these changes and expect to be a positive force in shaping them.

Adjacent neighborhoods such as the Braddock Metro Area and Potomac Yard are also undergoing major change, as is the Old Town Waterfront.  None of these takes place in a vacuum, and they affect our neighborhood as well. We believe it is prudent to start the process of looking ahead at our zoning and planning needs in a rational, proactive manner that takes into consideration transportation, the environment, density and open space issues, and possible infrastructure needs.

We hope you will seriously consider this project for the coming year.  If you would like to discuss this matter further, please do not hesitate to contact me.
 

On behalf of the NOTICe board,

Sincerely,
s/
Thomas F. Soapes
President

cc:  Rashad Young, Alexandria City Manager
       Faroll Hamer, Director, Department of Planning & Zoning    
       Mark Jinks, Deputy City Manager
       Richard Baier, Director, Transportation & Environmental Services
       Nancy Williams, Senior Planner, Department of Planning & Zoning   

City Contacts:

To reach the Mayor and Members of City Council, call 703.746.4500,
or click here to send a group e-mail to the Mayor and Members of City Council.

To email a Member or Aide individually, use the links within each bio on the city website alexandriava.gov, bottom of left sidebar.