city government | ALXnow

Beatley Central Library Closed Until Further Notice Due to ‘Emergency Conditions’

Published September 2, 2020 at 4:15PM | Updated September 2, 2020 at 5:41PM

The Charles Beatley library in Alexandria (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Updated 5:40 p.m. — According to Anton Murray, spokesman for Alexandria Libraries:

Due to an incidence of COVID-19 with a staff member at the Beatley Library, the Library has been closed for 1-3 days for deep cleaning. The nature of that staff member’s role in the library requires little to no significant direct contact with the public or other staff. Based on investigation to date (including contact tracing) by the Health Department no quarantine recommendations were needed for other staff or the public.

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Alexandria’s Summer Employment Program Wraps Up Unusual Year

By Vernon Miles

Published August 25, 2020 at 5:00PM

Despite the odds, Alexandria’s Workforce Development Center’s Youth Employment Services has finished up another year with higher-than-usual participation.

It was a tough summer to run a workforce development program. Alongside the global pandemic, Alexandria faced record-high unemployment and a slow recovery for local businesses. But center Director Daniel Mekibib said the program put together options for in-person employment and virtual participation in job training.

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City Updates Zoning Ordinance to Allow Density Boost for Schools

By Vernon Miles

Published August 25, 2020 at 10:30AM | Updated August 25, 2020 at 10:54AM

(Updated 10:50 p.m.) When the City of Alexandria builds new schools, a new ordinance change (Item 9) could mean they’re a little larger than they used to be.

A new ordinance proposed for the Tuesday (September 1) Planning Commission meeting would “streamline and modernize the zoning regulations,” according to a staff report.

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Proposed Regulatory Changes Cut Back Red Tape for Alexandria Businesses

By Vernon Miles

Published August 24, 2020 at 12:00PM

The city is proposing a series of changes that could cut through the red tape for some local businesses needing to adapt quickly to survive the slow recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.

At the upcoming Planning Commission meeting on Tuesday, September 1, the Department of Planning & Zoning will propose changes to reduce the number of Special Use Permit (SUP) approvals that require public hearings or administrative reviews. The goal is to increase the the number of commercial uses that could in a shorter time frame.

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City Requests $1.7 Million in HUD Funding For a Suite of Local Affordable Housing Programs

By Vernon Miles

Published August 20, 2020 at 3:45PM

Alexandria City Hall sign (staff Photo by Jay Westcott)

The city is requesting a $1.73 million in funding from Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to finance a wide series of programs aimed at improving the city’s affordable housing.

A release from the City of Alexandria said the funding would go to improvements under the Rental Accessibility Modification Program (RAMP). RAMP provides accessibility modifications to rental units occupied by low and moderate income tenants at no cost to the tenant or landlord.

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Alexandria Celebrates 100 Year Anniversary of Women’s Right to Vote

By James Cullum

Published August 19, 2020 at 10:45AM

Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson (on left), Councilwoman Del Pepper and Councilwoman Amy Jackson honor the passage of the 19th Amendment with an event at the Barrett Library on August 18, 2020. (Staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria commemorated the 100 year anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment on Tuesday with a socially distant ceremony outside the Kate Waller Barrett Library.

Mayor Justin Wilson read a city proclamation that recounted the dozens of suffragists who were imprisoned, tortured and ultimately released from the Occoquan Workhouse after their case was thrown out in the federal courthouse in Alexandria.

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Open House Planned Wednesday to Connect Families and Child Care Providers

By Vernon Miles

Published August 17, 2020 at 3:45PM

A mother and child at a food distribution outside Casa Chirilagua in Arlandria on Thursday, May 21, 2020. Casa Chirilagua is one of the recipients of the ACT Now COVID-19 Response Fund. (Staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria is hosting an online open house this Wednesday to try to connect local families with an affordable range of child care options.

A virtual open house is scheduled for August 19 from 7-8:30 p.m. on Zoom. Participants can register online to receive a link to the Zoom call.

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City Councilman Wants Police Review Board to Have Investigative Authority, Subpoena Power

By James Cullum

Published August 12, 2020 at 5:15PM | Updated August 12, 2020 at 6:47PM

The Alexandria City Council will receive a staff proposal next month on a community police review board, and Councilman Mo Seifeldein says he wants the body to have independent investigative authority and subpoena power in investigating police misconduct.

“Don’t abuse your power is what it comes down to,” Seifeldein said in a virtual meeting on Tuesday night. “The board could receive complaints that deal with abuse of power, serious misconduct… unnecessary force, unreasonable excessive use of force, use of racial, ethnic or sexual language/ remarks or just harassment, generally.”

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Alexandria Democrats Praise Kamala Harris VP Nomination

By Vernon Miles

Published August 12, 2020 at 10:45AM

U.S. Senator Kamala Harris was named Joe Biden’s vice presidential candidate on Tuesday, and some in the deeply blue Alexandria are celebrating.

Alexandria Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA) said Harris is a powerful and historic choice.

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City Offers to Split the Bill With Homeowners for Sewer Backflow Prevention

By Vernon Miles

Published August 7, 2020 at 10:30AM | Updated August 7, 2020 at 4:18PM

(Updated 4:15 p.m.) After a week with two flood warnings, the city is reminding residents that a program is available for the city to cover half the costs for sewer backflow prevention — a source of much of the city’s flooding problems.

The Backflow Preventer (BFP) Assistance Program reimburses homeowners for up to 50% of the costs of installing a BFP device by a licensed plumbing contractor for up to a maximum of $2,000.

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Alexandria VRE Improvements Headed to City Review

By Vernon Miles

Published July 28, 2020 at 10:30AM

The Amtrak and VRE station (Staff photo by Jay Westcott)

A series of new improvements to Alexandria’s Union Station — a Virginia Railway Express stop — proposed late last year are moving forward toward city approval.

The plan is to create new Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant access with a grade-separated pedestrian tunnel and elevator access. The expansion will also allow the station to take two trains at any given time, with one at each platform. The change is part of a regional effort to reduce the system’s bottleneck around the D.C. area.