city government | ALXnow

Alexandria City Council conducting public hearing on a tax rate increase

Published April 22, 2024 at 10:45AM | Updated April 22, 2024 at 11:16AM

Alexandria City Hall (staff Photo by Jay Westcott)

Alexandria’s City Council will approve its fiscal year 2025 budget in a little more than a week, and important actions will be taken between now and then.

On Wednesday (April 24), Council will hold a public hearing on the city’s tax rate. Last month, a 4-cent tax ceiling was approved for consideration, allowing city staff and local legislators wiggle room in analyzing funding options in exchange for raising taxes. Each penny added to the tax rate is about $4.7 million, and a 4-cent tax increase would bring in $18.8 million.

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ALXnow’s top stories this week in Alexandria

By ALXnow.com

Published April 19, 2024 at 3:45PM

The proposed apartment building at 901 N. Pitt Street in Old Town (via City of Alexandria)

It was another busy week in Alexandria.

This week’s top stories focused on development projects all over the city, from Old Town North to Carlyle and in the West End. News of the mixed-use projects comes as affordable housing advocates are protesting against being priced out and are asking for greater assistance from the city.

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New report says Alexandria’s service request hotline is gradually getting more responsive

By Vernon Miles

Published April 19, 2024 at 10:50AM

(photo via Alex311/Facebook)

Over time, Alexandria’s Alex311 service hotline has been getting better at responding to requests from locals.

The City of Alexandria usually gets a little over 30,000 requests through the Alex311 hotline. Those range from reports of missed trash collection to questions about trees and potholes.

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After years in ruff condition, Del Ray dog parks to soon reopen

By James Cullum

Published April 19, 2024 at 9:30AM

Simpson Dog Park at 521 E. Monroe Avenue in Del Ray (via Facebook)

After two years of reconstruction, two Del Ray dog parks will be reopening to the public over the next several months.

The formerly dusty, not-grassy Simpson Dog Park at 521 E. Monroe Avenue is expected to open within the next three-to-four months, according to the city. The work includes tree and sod plantings, grading and stormwater improvements.

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Alexandria police want $20K to monitor crime in real-time

By James Cullum

Published April 18, 2024 at 10:45AM

Image via McEnearney

The Alexandria Police Department is asking City Council to fund an incentive program to help it monitor crime in real-time.

Council will consider the release of $20,000 to help create the Alexandria Real-Time Information Center (ARTIC) at its meeting on April 24.

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Alexandria City Council to consider raising fees for ambulances, stormwater utilities and late car tax payments

By James Cullum

Published April 10, 2024 at 1:30PM

Flooding on lower King Street in Old Town (staff photo by James Cullum)

It’s about to get a little more expensive to live in Alexandria.

On Saturday, City Manager Jim Parajon will present City Council with proposals to increase:

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Notes: Alexandria offering free advice to homeowners to ‘solarize’ homes

By ALXnow.com

Published April 9, 2024 at 9:11AM

Solar panels (file photo)

Good Tuesday morning, Alexandria!

⛈️ Today’s weather: Showers are possible from 2pm to 5pm, followed by potential showers and thunderstorms after 5pm. Expect mostly cloudy conditions and a high of 78°F. Winds will remain calm before turning south at 6 mph in the afternoon, with a 30% chance of precipitation. Tonight, showers and thunderstorms may continue, bringing cloudy skies, a low of 59°F, and a south wind at 6 mph. The chance of precipitation increases to 50%.

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POLL: Is Alexandria better off without the Potomac Yard arena?

By James Cullum

Published April 4, 2024 at 1:30PM | Updated April 5, 2024 at 2:32AM

Rendering of aerial view of Monumental Arena development (image courtesy of JBG SMITH)

The Potomac Yard arena’s demise has been met by mixed emotions from public officials, and even landowner JBG Smith.

Now that the Washington Wizards and Capitals are definitely not coming to Alexandria and will stay in D.C., a proverbial question mark looms over the 12-acre property.

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Abdel Elnoubi says his Alexandria City Council campaign is a ‘tale of two cities’

By James Cullum

Published April 4, 2024 at 10:45AM | Updated April 5, 2024 at 2:40AM

Alexandria School Board Member Abdel Elnoubi at the George Washington Birthday Parade in Old Town, Feb. 19, 2024 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria City Council candidate Abdel Elnoubi has been making legislative waves recently as a member of the School Board, and says residents should expect the same kind of results if he gets elected.

Elnoubi is one of 11 Democrats running to fill six seats on City Council, including four incumbent Council members running for reelection in the Democratic primary on June 18. The field also includes Jacinta Greene, a fellow School Board Member.

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Sign ordinance update tackling longstanding sign complaints from Alexandria businesses

By Vernon Miles

Published April 2, 2024 at 1:50PM

Sur La Table is reopening at 326 King Street. (staff photo by James Cullum)

It’s not uncommon to hear business owners in Alexandria lament that local sign ordinances can be onerous and unwieldy, but an update to an ordinance could be a sign that things are changing.

Eight years after the last update to the sign ordinance, the City of Alexandria is taking another crack at it.

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Nonprofit donating $50K scoreboard to Alexandria baseball diamond for players with special needs

By James Cullum

Published March 29, 2024 at 9:45AM

The proposed scoreboard at the Kelley Cares Miracle Field outside the Nannie J. Lee Memorial Recreation Center at 1108 Jefferson Street (via City of Alexandria)

A local nonprofit is donating a $50,000 scoreboard at the Kelley Cares Miracle Field outside the Nannie J. Lee Memorial Recreation Center in Old Town.

The scoreboard is a gift to the city from the Miracle League of Alexandria and it will be presented to City Council for approval on April 2. Additionally, the $3,000 installation for the scoreboard’s support beams is being donated by the Simpson Development Company.