Rachael Von Elmendorf, co-owner of Misha’s Coffee and an Alexandria teacher, writes in strong opposition to the planned Waterfront Flood Mitigation Project in this submitted letter to the editor.
The letter is in response to an ALXnow story that was published on April 15 – Alexandria’s plan to fight flooding will close Waterfront Park and Point Lumley Park for at least two years.
Letter to the Editor
Disclaimer: The views or opinions expressed within this letter to the editor are those of the author and are not necessarily the views of ALXnow or its advertisers. Have an opinion that you’d like to share? Email [email protected].
Dear local reporters and Congressman Beyer,
I sent the letter below to the City Council, Matthew Landes, Jack Browand, and Kendra Jacobs in response to the Flood Mitigation Project article in ALXNow. I have not received a response. Our business partner met with the City Manager and others this week. We were stunned to discover the scope and magnitude of impact – this is not well known. We thank you for reporting and urge you to inform the community about the projected loss of revenue from this project. We are mobilizing community business leaders and residents, advocating for a stop to the project and a focus on sustainable, nonstructural green infrastructure solutions that will be less disruptive and costly. Thank you for your attention and communication! – Misha and Rachael Von Elmendorf
I strongly urge you to stop the Waterfront Flood Mitigation Project. This project poses an enormous financial burden, is excessively time-consuming, and would cause significant disruption to our Waterfront community. As the owner of Misha’s Coffee, my husband and I are horrified by the timeline and projected 30% – 40% reduction in revenue. Local businesses have already suffered immensely from COVID-19 and inflation; we simply cannot absorb such a loss. The economic impact of the plan is catastrophic.
As a public school teacher who witnessed the community’s resilience during the pandemic, I know the importance of maintaining local establishments that serve as gathering places. During COVID, I conducted a LiveStream with my middle school science class to measure temperature differences between natural and synthetic surfaces in Waterfront Park. The results were striking and confirmed what we all intuitively know: structural changes can have detrimental effects on our environment. The synthetic surfaces were 10-20 degrees hotter than grass, highlighting that these changes hurt our community’s quality of life.
Instead of pursuing costly and disruptive structural measures, I implore you to explore non-structural solutions that have proven effective elsewhere. Implementing permeable pavements could significantly address flooding issues while enhancing the waterfront’s aesthetic appeal. Green infrastructure projects, such as green roofs and rain gardens, not only mitigate flooding but also beautify our city. These alternatives are not only less expensive but also align with sustainable practices, and ample grant funding is available from organizations like FEMA and the EPA to support such initiatives. We have learned to adapt to a city that experiences flooding; your proposed project would not only disrupt the harmony of our community but also endanger the livelihoods of local businesses.
Let’s focus on solutions that truly benefit the community without sacrificing the very essence of what the waterfront represents. Your project will create more harm than good; I implore you to reconsider and support a path that preserves our businesses and enhances our environment.
Sincerely,
Rachael Von Elmendorf
