News

Arlandria’s sole gas station seeks 10-year extension from city

By James Cullum
The Exxon station at 4001 Mount Vernon Avenue in Arlandria (via City of Alexandria)

There’s been a gas station at 4001 Mount Vernon Avenue in Arlandria since 1941, and now the owner is asking the city to allow it to continue operating as-is for 10 more years.

The city approved the current kiosk, canopy, and pump islands at the Exxon station in 1974, but the 17,000-foot property was rezoned as a commercial low (CL) zone in 1992. Since then, it has undergone city reviews to continue operating.

The Planning Commission will consider the matter at its meeting on April 1 (Tuesday). If the City Council approves later in the month, the following review for the gas station will be conducted in 2035.

According to a City staff report:

The current business owner has stated he is happy to know he may be able to operate for another 10 years, should City Council assign another 10-year review. He noted his 27 years of gas station experience and the importance of the business as the only gas station in the neighborhood. The continued operation of this gas station is his sole source of income.

In the recently approved administrative SUP for a change of ownership, the applicant proposed to continue operating the existing automobile service station with no changes. The business functions as a gas station with a small retail kiosk. Limited retail sales of convenience items are offered for sale at the kiosk, such as motor oil, beverages, and food items. Although approved to be open 24 hours/day, the current hours of operation of the business are 5 a.m. to 12 midnight, daily. The gas station maintains eight gasoline pumps and serves roughly 500-600 customers each day. Staff observed a high level of activity at the gas pumps and in the store during multiple site visits. The property is maintained in good condition and is attractively landscaped along the Mount Vernon Avenue frontage.

… Additionally, the automobile service station site is not an ideal candidate for redevelopment since it is relatively small, is located in a floodplain, and would require consolidation with adjacent, separately-owned properties before redevelopment could occur.

About the Author

  • Reporter James Cullum has spent nearly 20 years covering Northern Virginia. He began working with ALXnow in 2020, and has covered every story under the sun for the publication, from investigative stories to features and photo galleries. His work includes coverage of national and international situations, as well as from the White House, Capitol, Pentagon, Supreme Court and State Department. He's covered protests and riots throughout the U.S. (including the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol), in addition to earthquake-ridden Haiti, Western Sahara in North Africa and war-torn South Sudan. He has photographed presidents and other world leaders, celebrities and famous musicians, and excels under pressure.