Alexandria City Council

Increased building heights, more housing areas considered in Duke Street Land Use Plan

Published May 27, 2026 at 3:45PM

Traffic on Duke Street in Alexandria (staff photo by James Cullum)

Increased building height allowances and new areas for housing and open space along Duke Street are among the changes Alexandria staff plan to propose in the updated Duke Street Land Use Plan.

Alexandria City Council received an update Tuesday (May 26) on the plan, which will guide city officials in the development of the Duke Street corridor from the former Landmark Mall to Alexandria Union Station. The proposal includes areas deemed “opportunity sites” in industrial areas that city staff wants to redevelop, adding more housing supply and open space, with building heights of up to 150 feet.

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City Council considers special committee to discuss School Board election reform, more ACPS funds

By Emily Leayman

Published May 27, 2026 at 12:30PM

Alexandria City Council on May 12, 2026 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria City Council took a step Tuesday (May 26) to consider changes to the School Board’s terms and the size of the nine-member board. The council is also considering using potential contingent funds that will be available in the new fiscal year to fund Community in Schools of Northern Virginia at Alexandria City Public Schools.

Mayor Alyia Gaskins received support from a majority of City Council members on the proposal to form an ad hoc committee on election reform. City Council’s request will direct City Manager Jim Parajon to prepare a resolution to create the committee that two City Council members would be in. Gaskins said the committee’s scope would allow it to look at staggered terms and other election reform items such as board size, timing of terms or representation. The two City Council members would work with two School Board members to bring forward election reform recommendations.

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School Board asks City Council to redirect reserve funds to program for high-needs students

By James Cullum and Emily Leayman

Published May 21, 2026 at 3:45PM

Alexandria School Board meeting in 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

The Alexandria School Board is asking City Council to use emergency funds to help preserve a $350,000 program that supports high-needs students.

In a joint letter to City Council, Chair Michelle Rief said the School Board is navigating difficult choices between staff and programming cuts. The request comes after City Council approved its Fiscal Year 2027 Budget, leaving a $5.6 million gap for the school system’s proposed $12.7 million collective bargaining agreement. Proposed budget cuts to fill the gap include reducing the partnership with Communities In Schools of Northern Virginia (CIS NOVA), which provides 10 bilingual staffers at Alexandria City High School, Francis Hammond Middle School, Jefferson-Houston PreK-8 School and Samuel Tucker, John Adams and William Ramsay Elementary Schools.

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Alexandria transitions to electric leaf blowers ahead of citywide gas-powered device ban

By Emily Leayman

Published May 20, 2026 at 3:30PM

Employees with electric leaf blowers (via City of Alexandria)

The City of Alexandria has fully transitioned from gas-powered to electric leaf blowers as it prepares to implement a citywide ban on the gas devices later this year.

The city reported this week that it has completed the transition to electric devices for city maintenance and operations. The May 17 phase-out came one year after City Council approved the ban, which made Alexandria the first locality in Virginia to approve such a measure.

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ACPS enrollment projected to drop as Alexandria birth rates decline

By James Cullum

Published May 19, 2026 at 2:45PM

The first day at school at George Mason Elementary School, Aug. 21, 2023 (staff photo by James Cullum)

The student population in Alexandria City Public Schools is projected to drop steadily over the next decade, driven mainly by residents having less kids.

That’s according to data from the Virginia Department of Health presented to the Joint City Council/School Board Subcommittee’s monthly meeting Monday night (May 18). The number of ACPS students is projected to increase slightly from 15,928 this year to 15,958 in 2027 before dropping to 15,415 by 2036 — a 3.4% decline from 2027.

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Numerous Alexandria officials endorse Rep. Don Beyer’s reelection bid

By Emily Leayman

Published May 19, 2026 at 9:15AM

U.S. Rep Don Beyer (D-8th) speaks at the Alexandria Democratic Committee's Labor Day Picnic at The Garden Alexandria, 5380 Eisenhower Avenue, Sept. 1, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Numerous Alexandria elected officials have thrown their support behind Rep. Don Beyer (D-8) in his reelection bid, his campaign announced Monday (May 18).

The endorsements include Alexandria Mayor Alyia Gaskins; Vice Mayor Sarah Bagley; City Council Members Canek Aguirre, John Chapman, Jacinta Greene, and Sandy Marks; Commonwealth’s Attorney Bryan Porter; Clerk of Court Greg Parks; Sheriff Sean Casey; School Board Chair Michelle Rief; School Board Vice Chair Christopher Harris; and School Board Members Abdulahi Abdalla, Tim Beaty, Kelly Carmichael Booz, Alexander Crider Scioscia, Donna Kenley, Ashley Simpson Baird, and Ryan Reyna. Former Mayors Bill Euille, Allison Silberberg and Justin Wilson also endorsed Beyer.

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Divided City Council upholds Braddock Road redesign after 11-hour hearing

By James Cullum

Published May 18, 2026 at 2:15PM | Updated May 18, 2026 at 4:30PM

City Council denied an appeal to the Traffic and Parking Board's February 2026 decision for transportation changes to this 0.8-mile section of Braddock Road (via City of Alexandria)

After an 11-hour public hearing with more than 100 speakers Saturday (May 16), a divided City Council upheld the Traffic and Parking Board’s decision to redesign a 0.8-mile section of Braddock Road in Alexandria’s Rosemont and Del Ray neighborhoods.

The 4-3 decision means city staff will continue designing the project into 2027. In 2028, parking will be removed on Braddock Road between Mount Vernon Avenue and Russell Road to make way for new bike lanes. Braddock Road will also be reduced from two lanes to one in each direction between West Street and Mount Vernon Avenue, creating two-way bicycle lanes on one side and a commercial delivery loading zone on the other.

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City Council members revive Old Town Business Improvement District discussion after previous failed attempts

By James Cullum

Published May 14, 2026 at 1:45PM | Updated May 14, 2026 at 2:26PM

Members of the Alexandria City Council at the Chamber ALX's annual City Council Breakfast at the Hilton Alexandria Old Town on May 14, 2026 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Despite multiple failed attempts over the past decade, two Alexandria City Council members advocated Thursday (May 14) for bringing a Business Improvement District to Old Town.

Under a challenging economic outlook, City Council Members Sandy Marks and John Taylor Chapman said that Old Town’s business community needs an organized push to attract visitors. The council members made the remarks during the Chamber ALX’s annual City Council Breakfast, which was held at the Hilton Alexandria Old Town (1767 King Street).

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Braddock Road bike lane and parking removal appeal heads to City Council Saturday

By Emily Leayman

Published May 14, 2026 at 11:55AM

Segments of Braddock Road where the Alexandria Traffic and Parking Board approved changes (via City of Alexandria)

The appeal of the Traffic and Parking Board’s February decision on the Braddock Road redesign in the Rosemont and Del Ray neighborhoods is heading to City Council Saturday (May 16).

Four petitions against the redesign came from residents living along the Braddock Road corridor, as well as Good Shepherd Lutheran Church and Community Praise Church on W. Braddock Road. Appellants are hoping City Council will overturn the board’s decision, which would remove parking on Braddock Road between Mount Vernon Avenue and Russell Road to add new bike lanes. According to a city memo, appellants are concerned that the loss of parking will affect access to homes and places of worship.

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Staff, families warn against budget cuts as Alexandria School Board seeks to fill $5.6M gap

By Emily Leayman

Published May 13, 2026 at 2:45PM

The Alexandria City School Board at the budget public hearing on May 12, 2026 (via Alexandria City Public Schools)

Concerns about budget cuts focused on student-facing positions and health care premium increases were raised at an Alexandria City School Board public hearing Tuesday (May 12) as the board seeks ways to fill a $5.6 million gap.

City Council’s $979.1 million Fiscal Year 2027 budget, adopted April 29, did not fill the $5.6 million gap the school system needs to fund its proposed $12.7 million collective bargaining agreement. After City Council’s budget approval, ACPS Superintendent Melanie Kay-Wyatt presented a revised budget to the School Board on May 7.

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Sandy Marks sworn into Alexandria City Council, creating historic first-ever female majority

By James Cullum

Published May 13, 2026 at 10:00AM

Alexandria City Councilwoman Sandy Marks gets sworn in by Clerk of Court Greg Parks on May 12, 2026 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Sandy Marks, the former chair of the Alexandria Democratic Committee, was sworn in to City Council Tuesday night.

For the first time in the city’s history, Alexandria’s seven-member City Council now has a female majority, as Marks joins Mayor Alyia Gaskins, Vice Mayor Sarah Bagley and Councilwoman Jacinta Greene. Marks won her seat on council in the April 21 special election for the seat vacated by former Councilman R. Kirk McPike, who won his own special election to fill the vacant 5th District seat in the House of Delegates.