Alexandria Democrats will conduct a firehouse primary for an open seat on City Council on Saturday, Feb. 21.
The Alexandria Democratic Committee announced the primary date today (Saturday) on its website. Polls will be open from 8:30 a.m.-7 p.m. at Charles E. Beatley, Jr. Central Library (5005 Duke Street) and the Leonard “Chick” Armstrong Recreation Center (25 W. Reed Avenue).
Roberto Gomez, executive director of nonprofit Cornerstone Craftsman, will soon launch a special election campaign for an open seat on City Council.
Gomez plans to formally announce his candidacy at the Alexandria Democratic Committee’s meeting on Monday, he told ALXnow. The 38-year-old longtime West End resident said he is prepared to outwork opponents and can relate to the city’s underserved constituencies.
Alexandria City Council has unanimously endorsed a regional plan that would increase annual Metro funding by $460 million.
The “DMVMoves” plan from the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) would require an estimated $136 million from Virginia, $152 million from Maryland and $173 million from D.C. before fiscal year 2029, with a 3% annual escalation, to support Metro’s capital needs.
City Manager Jim Parajon is expected to deliver an update about snow response efforts in the City of Alexandria this evening (Tuesday).
Parajon is scheduled to provide the update during City Council’s legislative meeting, which will take place virtually at 7 p.m. The update will detail how the city prepared for snow, “what we have seen, where we need to amp up the response, and what you can expect over the next few days,” Mayor Alyia Gaskins said today on social media.
Nearly three years after the Potomac Yard Metro station opened to the public, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority is requesting that Alexandria pay an additional $35 million to close out all construction contracts and claims associated with the project.
The proposal will head to City Council for review this evening (Tuesday). If approved, WMATA says the funding increase would be the third and final modification to its funding agreement with the city.
Alexandria City Manager Jim Parajon is asking City Council to reaffirm his authority to transfer unencumbered city funds from any office, department or agency to another.
City Council unanimously approved the proposed resolution at its virtual meeting this evening (Tuesday), mandating city staff to formalize the process for making transfers of appropriated unencumbered funds.
Alexandria City Council approved new environmental standards for the development review process on Saturday, following testimony from dozens of public speakers on climate change and impacts on housing development.
The new Green Building Plan is an update to the 2019 Green Building Policy, which set standards for new public and private renovations needing site plan or special use permit approval. The plan focuses on a measure of energy used by a building called Energy Use Intensity (EUI), rather than specific sustainability certifications like LEED.
Tim Laderach, president of the Del Ray Citizens Association, launched a campaign for Alexandria City Council over the weekend.
Laderach, an attorney, pharmacist, U.S. Navy reservist and chair of the Alexandria Economic Opportunities Commission (EOC), is hoping to fill a potential City Council vacancy as Councilman R. Kirk McPike runs for 5th District Delegate. Laderach told ALXnow, “I know what I’m getting myself into, and I’m ready for the moment.”
Alexandria will be the next stop for leaders of the “DMVMoves” initiative as they work to gain unanimous support for more regional transit funding.
Proponents of DMVMoves are scheduled to make a presentation to City Council members next Wednesday during a legislative meeting. They intend to detail the proposal in hopes of winning support from city leaders.
City Council last week made a few changes to a review board’s conditional approval of the upcoming City Hall and Market Square project.
On Jan. 13, City Council considered an appeal of the Board of Architectural Review’s approved certificate of appropriateness with conditions for the City Hall and Market Square project on Nov. 19, 2025. The Council voted to remove the review board’s recommendation to maintain decorative chimneys on the south-facing side of City Hall, as well as colonial-style windows at the center entrance pavilion.
The city of Alexandria could take a step closer to choosing a new operator for the Torpedo Factory Art Center, following last night’s City Council meeting (Tuesday).
City Council voted to advance to public hearing and final vote an agreement for an operator to lease, manage and operate the historic arts facility at 105 N. Union Street. The public hearing and final vote are scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 24.
