Planning Commission | ALXnow

Officials: ‘Snob Factor’ in City Zoning Makes Creating Affordable Housing in Eisenhower Harder

Published December 5, 2019 at 11:45AM

The city is hoping to bring new affordable housing to the Eisenhower Valley, but some on the Planning Commission said the city is shooting itself in the foot with snobby development guidelines.

The plans to reshape Eisenhower — a topic that came up several times this week — went to the Planning Commission on Tuesday, Dec. 3. While the commission mostly praised the vision presented in the plans, Commissioner Mindy Lyle pointed out that efforts to create more affordable housing in the area are inadvertently hamstrung by the city’s own zoning and design practices.

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Alexandria Gets Rolling on Plan to Create New Impound Lot Across from Port City

By Vernon Miles

Published November 21, 2019 at 10:30AM

It’s a problem for which sympathy may be difficult, but the City of Alexandria has too many impounded cars on its hands.

The city is considering purchasing 4001 Wheeler Avenue, a parking lot across the street from the Port City Brewing Company, and turning it into storage for impounded vehicles. The city would purchase the property from the Jeffrey Lee Yates Trust, which earlier this year received a go-ahead from city officials to open the long-awaited Yates Pizza at 3000 Duke Street.

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Planning Commission Approves New Gothic Presbyterian Church in Rosemont

By Vernon Miles

Published November 8, 2019 at 10:35AM | Updated November 8, 2019 at 11:11AM

Proposed Alexandria Presbyterian Church (photo via City of Alexandria)

Despite some concerns from neighbors, the Planning Commission unanimously gave the thumbs up a new 22,794 square-foot, gothic-style Presbyterian church, a couple of blocks north of T.C. Williams High School.

The new building will replace the existing 3,400 square foot Alexandria Presbyterian Church at 1300 W. Braddock Road, as well as a parking lot and an adjacent residence, but the congregation is larger than the church can contain. The congregation also has held worship services at Del Ray Baptist Church since 1999, but the new church will bring all of the members together under one roof.

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Zoning Language for Alexandria Trellises is No Longer on the Fence

By Vernon Miles

Published October 8, 2019 at 9:30AM

If you were one of the Alexandrians building 18-foot high fences and justifying them as “trellises,” your days of evading local ordinances are numbered.

As part of an ongoing effort to update Alexandria’s zoning ordinances from the 1990s — which a report noted contains errors and inconsistencies — city staff is updating the city’s rules regarding fences and structures on residential and commercial properties in the city.

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Planning Commission Says Paving Facility Near Van Dorn Metro Must Close

By Vernon Miles

Published October 7, 2019 at 2:00PM

Virginia Paving Company facility near Van Dorn Metro station (photo via City of Alexandria)

As the city works to make the Van Dorn Corridor a more residential-focused area, the Alexandria Planning Commission agreed with staff’s assessment that Virginia Paving Company will have to close shop.

The Planning Commission voted at their Thursday (Oct. 3) meeting to recommend requiring asphalt company Virginia Paving Company to cease operations at its West End facility near the Van Dorn Metro station at 5601 Courtney Avenue.

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Planning Commission Recommends Sale of Old Town Parking Lots

By Vernon Miles

Published October 4, 2019 at 9:45AM

Draft proposal for 912-920 King Street (image via City of Alexandria)

A set of surface parking lots in the heart of Old Town could become a new set of retail and residential buildings — with no public parking lost.

The Planning Commission voted last night to recommend approval of the sale of 912, 916 and 920 King Street, along with 116 S. Henry Street just around the corner, to local investment firm Galena Capital Partners, LLC for $5.3 million.