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Priorities: Alexandria Planning Commission to Approve Timeline on City Plans and StudiesĀ 

Alexandria City Council (file photo)

North Potomac Yard, theĀ Virginia Tech Innovation Campus,Ā affordable housingĀ and more! It’s budget season, and you know what that means — theĀ Alexandria Planning CommissionĀ will soon begin looking into prioritizing city-related plans and studies with the updatedĀ Interdepartmental Long-range Planning Work Program.

So… what plans and studies will Alexandria focus on in the near future? Don’t worry, those interested will have plenty of meetings to attend.

The Planning Commission,Ā on Tuesday, Jan. 7, will discuss a draft work program — which will “help inform development of the City Manager’s Proposed Operating Budget,”Ā notes the city staff report, which also states that there are only “minor updates and additions” to the the work program that the city councilĀ approved in last year’s budget.

At the top of the list is streamlining plan and zoning updates forĀ North Potomac Yard and Virginia Tech Innovation Campus.Ā Council will vote on developmental special use permits and the Potomac Yard Master Plan this fall, the latter of which will be a blueprint into Alexandria’s future with the development of a Metro station, Virginia Tech’s $1 billion campus, a new elementary school, and residential and retail. It’s going to be an economic juggernaut for the city, and Development Special Use Permits.

Alexandria’s neighborhoods are evolving, and this fall city staff launched community meetings on updating the twoĀ Mount Vernon Avenue plansĀ for Del Ray and Arlandria, which the commission and council will discuss early this year. Additionally, public meetings on the Duke Street Area Plan update will be held in the spring.

Equity/affordable housingĀ made the list of development priorities, as the city’sĀ Housing for All policyĀ dictates that Alexandria “develop or preserve 2,000 affordable housing units through 2025,” notes the staff report.Ā The city’s low cost, market-affordableĀ (non-subsidized) rentalĀ housing fell 88 percent between 2000 and 2018, and theĀ Metropolitan Washington Council of GovernmentsĀ recently set a goal for the region to produce 320,000Ā affordable housingĀ units by 2030.

Other plans to be prioritized are theĀ Alexandria Mobility PlanĀ and a number ofĀ park and natural resource plans, including theĀ Pocket Park Plan,Ā Urban Forestry Master Plan Update,Ā Stream Valley and Trail Plan,Ā Public Open Space Policy PlanĀ and theĀ Dog Park Master Plan update.

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If you had a chance to enhance a child’s future with a time commitment of less than 2 hours a week, how would you respond? You have that opportunity right now to join over 200 Alexandrians as a reading tutor volunteer with the Alexandria Tutoring Consortium (ATC).

ATC tutors work with one child in kindergarten, first, or second grade in Alexandria public schools who need extra help with reading. Tutors meet with their Book Buddy 1-2 times each week for 30 minutes October-May at school, during school hours. Many struggling readers only receive one-on-one instruction through this program, and it makes all the difference. Last year, ATC served 195 children, of whom 82% ended the year reading on grade level and 96% made substantial reading gains. But the need is great, and we are still seeing learning lags from the pandemic.

This year, ATC plans to significantly increase the size of the program to reach over 250 students and to serve every elementary school in Alexandria. This is very exciting news, but we will only succeed if we can recruit more tutors. ATC trains you, matches you with a child, and provides ongoing lesson materials and support.

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If you have been thinking about buying your first home or haven’t owned one in the last three years, THIS IS FOR YOU!

In the DMV area, it can be difficult to save the downpayment necessary for you to get into your own home. We have a solution. The Funder’s Summit!

We have assembled a summit with different municipalities to tell you how to access their funds for your home purchase.

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Family Fun Fall Fest

Mark your calendars and join us for the Family Fun Fall Fest on Saturday, October 7, 2023, from 11am – 2pm!

This FREE in-person event will be held at the Shoppes at Foxchase, located at 4641 Duke St, Alexandria, VA

2023 Alexandria Fall Festival

Food trucks, bounce houses, pony rides, magic shows and more at the 2023 Alexandria Fall Festival, an Alexandria Living event presented by The Patterson Group. Join us at River Farm on Sunday, Nov. 5 from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.

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