In a bid to reduce noise and air pollution, the Alexandria City Council will consider a total ban of gas-powered leaf blowers in its meeting next Tuesday (Jan. 28).
City staff will present a number of options for Council to consider on the noisy machines, including a total ban, an ordinance change, and a multi-year phase-out period similar to the enforced bans in D.C. and Montgomery County. There is a $500 penalty for a violation in both localities.
In general, noise levels from National Airport haven’t gotten noticeably louder in recent years, but there are legitimate reasons it has gotten more noticeable for Alexandrians.
In a community meeting about the South of the Airport Noise Mitigation Project, Vianair Inc. CCO Jim Allerdice laid out some of the goals of the project and explained why airport noise has gotten worse in recent years for Alexandrians.
The City of Alexandria wants Old Town residents to make some noise.
The Alexandria is hosting a virtual open house this month to discuss South of Airport Noise Mitigation Project, a project aimed at developing recommendations to modify flight procedures to reduce aircraft noise impacts on communities south of National Airport.
Alexandria is looking to gather more public feedback on an issue that’s impacted Old Town since the popularization of the jet engine: noise from Washington National Airport (DCA).
Alexandria, Fairfax County and Prince George’s County have hired Vianair Consulting to spearhead a collaborative effort with members of the community and staff from various airport agencies to recommend changes to DCA airspace and flight procedures.
Galactic Panther Art Gallery has hosted live music and paid events since opening in 2021, and now its owners are asking the city for approval to host them.
Galactic Panther’s 1,900-square-foot art gallery has hosted comedy, improv, sound baths, yoga, open mic nights and live music for more than a year, and their proposal to continue with the events goes to the Planning Commission on October 3 and City Council on October 14.
After complaints of inescapable barking creeping into the neighborhood, Brewski’s Barkhaus might not go ahead with its special use permit (SUP) request to expand outdoor seating.
Barkhaus (529 E. Howell Avenue), the D.C. Metro area’s first-ever dog-friendly bar and restaurant with an off-leash indoor and outdoor dog park, opened two years ago. The business wants to add 20 seats to the outdoor seating area, which already has 20 outdoor seats.
Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) is addressing a key constituent concern — airplane noise — through the just-signed CHIPS Act.
The $280 billion bill is primarily focused on boosting domestic semiconductor manufacturing, but contains other scientific research provisions. Among them is wording from Beyer to “bolster NASA’s efforts to reduce emissions from the aviation industry while also reducing the impact of airplane noise in airport-adjacent communities.”
Should Alexandrians have the right to use gas-powered leafblowers to clear away their yards or are they a noisy nuisance that should be blown away?
Well, right now the city can’t ban them even if they wanted to, but the city’s legislative package includes a request for localities to get permission to prohibit the use of gas-powered leafblowers as both an environmental hazard and a nuisance for neighbors.
Alexandria is hoping to cut back on the noise nuisance from leafblowers and street buskers.
At a Waterfront Commission meeting last week, city staff discussed changes made to the noise code in December.
It’s another beautiful, sunny day in Old Town where you occasionally can’t hear the person standing next to you speaking because an airplane from National Airport is flying directly overhead.
Sound familiar?
What a week in Alexandria. Here are some of the highlights.
The Alexandria City Council on Wednesday approved its Fiscal Year 2022 $770.7 million budget on Wednesday, and it includes a 2 cent real estate tax reduction. It’s the first time that’s happened in 15 years, and the budget also fully funds Alexandria City Public Schools’ request and includes a 1% raise for city and state employees.
