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OLD TOWN NORTH SMALL AREA PLAN ADOPTED BY ORDINANCE #5082 ON SEPTEMBER 16, 2017

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Amended 5/12/18, Ordinance 5136 Amended 9/17/22, Ordinance 5450 Amended 5/13/23, Ordinance 5491 Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Amended 2/24/24, Ordinance 5521 Amended 3/16/24, Ordinance 5526 Amended 2/21/26, Ordinance 5620

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AMENDMENTS TO 2017 OLD TOWN NORTH SMALL AREA PLAN - as of 2/21/2026

Old Town North Small Area Plan Adopted by Ordinance #5082 on September 16, 2017

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 INTRODUCTION 7

1.1 VISION STATEMENT

2 LAND USE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 11

2.1 LAND USE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OVERVIEW 2.2 LAND USE 2.3 ZONING 2.4 DESIGN 2.5 LAND USE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT RECOMMENDATIONS

3 HOUSING 53

3.1 HOUSING OVERVIEW 3.2 HOUSING ANALYSIS 3.3 HOUSING DEMAND AND AFFORDABILITY 3.4 HOUSING RECOMMENDATIONS

4 OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION 61

4.1 OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION OVERVIEW 4.2 OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION ANALYSIS 4.3 ARTS AND CULTURE 4.4 OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION RECOMMENDATIONS

5 TRANSPORTATION 77

5.1 TRANSPORTATION OVERVIEW 5.2 PEDESTRIAN REALM - CONNECTIVITY 5.3 BICYCLE CONNECTIVITY 5.4 TRANSPORTATION STUDY 5.5 STREETS AND CONNECTIVITY

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5.6 TRANSIT 5.7 PARKING 5.8 TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT PLAN 5.9 TRANSPORTATION RECOMMENDATIONS

6 INFRASTRUCTURE AND SUSTAINABILITY 99

6.1 INFRASTRUCTURE AND SUSTAINABILITY OVERVIEW 6.3 INFRASTRUCTURE AND SUSTAINABILITY ANALYSIS 6.3 INFRASTRUCTURE AND SUSTAINABILITY RECOMMENDATIONS

7 HISTORIC RESOURCES 113

7.1 HISTORIC RESOURCES OVERVIEW 7.2 HISTORICAL THEMES AND INTERPRETATION 7.3 HISTORIC RESOURCES RECOMMENDATIONS

8 IMPLEMENTATION 119

8.1 OVERVIEW 8.2 IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY AND MATRIX

A APPENDIX 128

A.1 BACKGROUND A.2 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS A.3 DEMOGRAPHICS AND STUDENT GENERATION A.4 OLD TOWN NORTH SMALL AREA PLAN RELATED STUDIES

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

CITY COUNCIL

Mayor Allison Silberberg Vice Mayor Justin Wilson Councilman Willie F. Bailey Sr. Councilman John T. Chapman Councilman Timothy B. Lovain Councilwoman Redella S. “Del” Pepper Councilman Paul C. Smedberg

PLANNING COMMISSION

Mary Lyman, Chair Nathan Macek, Vice Chair David Brown Stephen Koenig Mindy Lyle Melissa McMahon Maria Wasowski

ADVISORY GROUP

Maria Wasowski, Chair (Planning Commission) Engin Artemel (At-Large Representative) Scott Barstow (Environmental Policy Commission) Anna Bentley (At-Large Representative) The late Vincent (Chip) Carlin (Board of Architectural Review – Old and Historic District Representative) Elizabeth Chimento (At-Large Representative) Herbert J. (Herb) Cooper-Levy (At-Large Representative) Krista Di Iaconi (Property Owner Representative) Slade Elkins (Board of Architectural Review - Old and Historic Alexandria District Representative) Austin Flajser (Property Owner Representative) Mary Catherine Gibbs (Property Owner Representative)

Stephen Goodman (Homeowner Associations/At-Large Representative) Carolyn Griffin (At-Large Representative) Kevin Harris (Community Representative – Alexandria Redevelopment & Housing Authority Residents) Marie McKenney Tavernini (Urban Design Advisory Committee) Bruce M. Machanic (Business Representative) Carlos Mejias (Business Representative) Jesse O'Connell (Park and Recreation Commission) Thomas F. Soapes (Community Representative - NOTICe) David Speck (Alexandria Economic Development Partnership) Jeff Strup (Property Owner Representative) Christa Watters (Homeowner Associations/At-Large Representative)

CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE

Mark Jinks, City Manager Emily Baker, Deputy City Manager

CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE

Joanna Anderson, Deputy City Attorney Dori Martin, Assistant City Attorney

ALEXANDRIA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP

Stephanie Landrum, President & CEO Christina Mindrup, Vice President of Commercial Real Estate

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

OFFICE OF HOUSING

Helen McIlvaine, Director Eric Keeler, Deputy Director Lucinda Metcalf, Program Administration /Compliance Manager Brandi Collins, Housing Program Specialist Tamara Jovovic, Housing Analyst

ALEXANDRIA ARCHAEOLOGY

Francine Bromberg, City Archaeologist (former) Garrett Fesler, Archaeologist Benjamin Skolnik, Archaeologist

PLANNING AND ZONING

Karl Moritz, Director Jeffrey Farner, Deputy Director Nancy Williams, Assistant Director Carrie Beach, Division Chief Al Cox, Historic Preservation Manager Alex Dambach, Division Chief Mary Christesen, Zoning Manager Dirk Geratz, Principal Planner Catherine Miliaras, Principal Planner Radhika Mohan, Principal Planner Heba ElGawish, Urban Planner Jose Ayala, Urban Planner Ashley Labadie, Urban Planner Katherine Carraway, Urban Planner Michael Swidrak, Urban Planner James Roberts, Urban Planner (former) Richard Lawrence, Urban Planner Marlo Ford, Urban Planner

RECREATION, PARKS AND CULTURAL ACTIVITIES

James Spengler, Director Diane Ruggiero, Deputy Director Jack Browand, Division Chief

TRANSPORTATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES

Yon Lambert, Director Carrie Sanders, Deputy Director William Skrabak, Deputy Director Steve Sindiong, Transit Capital Program Manager Lalit Sharma, Division Chief Jesse Maines, Division Chief Allan Fye, Acting Division Chief Lisa Jaatinen, Acting Division Chief Khoa Dinh Tran, Environmental Program Manager James Maslanka, Capital Projects Manager Bill Eger, Energy Manager Katye North, Parking Planner Lisa Goldberg, Senior Environmental Specialist Ravindra Raut, Civil Engineer Raymond Hayhurst, Complete Streets Coordinator Erin Bevis-Carver, Civil engineer

DEPARTMENT OF PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION

Mitchell Bernstein, Director Anthony Gammon, Deputy Director Matthew Landes, Principal Planner Brian Meli, Civil Engineer IV

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

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INTRODUCTION

1

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

1.1 INTRODUCTION

I. VISION STATEMENT

The Old Town North Small Area Plan lays out a plan framework that builds on the community's many strengths while enabling new developments to become a 21st century model of urban planning. The Plan envisions a pedestrian-focused neighborhood, linked to the rest of the City through a diverse public realm network and a system of multi-modal transportation options.

In order to implement the vision statement, the Old Town North Small Area Plan is based on the following principles:

1. Elevate the importance of design excellence through design standards and guidelines.
2. Achieve a balanced mix of residents and employees.
3. Focus retail in concentrated areas.
4. Establish land uses and building heights compatible with the neighborhood.
5. Encourage arts and cultural uses.
6. Provide amenities and strategic zoning amendments to retain and attract commercial uses.
7. Establish a conceptual framework for the redevelopment of the former power plant site.
8. Enhance the design of the public realm in a way that prioritizes the pedestrian.
9. Create a mix of uses with transit options offering a lifestyle that is independent of automobiles.
10. Provide a range of housing opportunities for a diverse population.
11. Create a variety of passive and active open spaces with an additional 7 to 10 acres of new public parkland.
12. Promote sustainability for the former power plant site with a goal of carbon neutrality by 2040.
13. Utilize sustainability measures based on the priorities of water quality, stormwater, green infrastructure, energy and green building.
14. Incorporate the history of the plan area into future redevelopment sites, parks and open spaces.

The Old Town North Small Area Plan (Plan) and the accompanying Urban Design Standards and Guidelines (Design Standards and Guidelines) create a comprehensive blueprint with implementation strategies to guide future improvements within the Old Town North plan area (plan area). It is essential that as redevelopment occurs, buildings, open spaces, proposed streets and new public spaces be held to high design standards to achieve the intent of the Plan. This will result in cohesive and high-quality redevelopment and a place that brings lasting value to the community and the City

The Plan has been developed through a collaborative process with the Old Town North Advisory group and the community. Background on the planning and community engagement process is outlined further in the Appendix.

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Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

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"The ballet of the good city...never repeats itself from place to place, and in any one place is always replete with new improvisations." - Jane Jacobs

The illustrative plans and concept diagrams on this and the following pages are intended to show potential design character of buildings and public spaces consistent with the Plan recommendations. The exact location, scale and design character of public and private improvements may differ from the illustrative plans and concept diagrams and will be subject to compliance with applicable development review approvals, the Zoning Ordinance and existing City plans and policies.

Illustrative buildings for Canal Center and the former power plant site are not shown. Building square footage and heights for Canal Center and the former power plant site will be subject to compliance with the Design Standards and Guidelines and further coordination with the National Park Service.

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

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Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2 and 3 on page i

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LAND USE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

2

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

2.1 LAND USE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OVERVIEW

I. LAND USE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

Alexandria is a City of vibrant neighborhoods. The Old Town North neighborhood has its own unique character and rich history. The plan area has waterfront access and views; waterfront and neighborhood parks; a mix of uses that offer residents a variety of neighborhood services and amenities; and good access to public transit. The Plan builds on these attributes by providing a framework for future land uses, urban design, arts and cultural uses, and the redevelopment of the former power plant site. Figure 2.01 illustrates the many components that will need to work together to enhance the vitality and economic sustainability of Old Town North.

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Figure 2.01: Community Vitality and Economic Sustainability

THE PLAN IS BASED ON THE FOLLOWING STRATEGIES

• 01 Balance Mix of Uses Achieve a balanced mix of land uses through redevelopment to enhance the vitality and walkability of the neighborhood and to distribute traffic, maximize internal trips, and increase transit use.

• 02 Retail Concentration Establish Retail Corridors and Focus Areas to support a critical mass and concentration of retail.

• 03 Art and Cultural Uses Establish regulatory incentives for arts and cultural uses.

• 04 Streetscape Improvements Improve safety and walkability through high-quality pedestrian oriented streetscapes that activate the street throughout day and evening hours.

• 05 Design and Placemaking Create Urban Design Standards and Guidelines to ensure that redevelopment is high-quality and compatible with the context of the existing neighborhood.

• 06 Regulatory Incentives Update the zoning in strategic areas to attract and retain office and commercial uses and achieve Plan objectives such as affordable housing, urban design, and a mix of land uses.

• 07 Office Retention and Attraction Provide neighborhood amenities such as retail, enhanced transit connections and strategic zoning amendments to attract and retain office uses.

• 08 Neighborhood Character Establish land uses and building heights for redevelopment sites and the former power plant site that will enable them to be integrated into the character of the neighborhood.

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

2.2 LAND USE

The land use concept is based on a progressive design philosophy reflecting the City’s commitment to sustainability and placemaking. The public realm – public parks, streets, sidewalks, and pathways – is a focus of the land use strategy which is intended to favor pedestrians over cars. The land use strategy is integrated with the transportation strategy to achieve mobility without dependence on the automobile.

Residential uses will likely be a significant portion of many of the redevelopment sites; however, the Plan recommends approaches to attract commercial uses to the plan area and retain some of the existing commercial uses by enhancing the amenities (open space, bicycle connections, access to the Metrorail Stations, retail etc.) necessary for their future success.

I. BALANCED MIX OF LAND USES

The goal of the Plan is to provide a balanced mix of residents and employees. A balance does not mean an equal distribution of square footage and/or land area for each use. Average occupancy for existing non-residential uses in Old Town North is approximately 3.5 employees/1,000 square feet, while residential is approximately 1.5 residents/unit. Therefore, to provide a balance of residents and employees, approximately two to three times more residential than office square footage is necessary. The anticipated and planned development will enable a better balance of office and residential uses as shown in Figure 2.02. While a significant portion of the redevelopment sites will likely be residential, strategic and concentrated areas of office, retail, and commercial uses are recommended.

Figure 2.02: Residents and Employees in Old Town North

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LEGEND

• Employees
• [//] Portion of employees on former power plant site
• Residents
• [//] Portion of residents on former power plant site

Notes:

1. 1.5 person per household assumed for proposed new residential development based on 2015 average household in Old Town North.
2. 3.5 person per 1,000 square feet for office space and non-residential use. New office construction occupancy will be higher than the current occupancy rate in Old Town North.

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

II. GENERAL LAND USE CONCEPT (SUBAREAS)

The land use recommendations are based on the land use strategies and the general land use concept (Subareas). The general land use concept for Old Town North (Figure 2.03) emphasizes the mixed-use nature of the plan area and includes a Mixed-Use/Innovation District that seeks to build on the neighborhood's and the City's creative economy.

The plan area is divided into five Subareas reflecting the varying uses, characteristics, and building forms within the plan area. The Subareas are intended to complement each other through appropriate transitions and connections to facilitate the physical and visual cohesiveness of the community’s urban fabric and experience. It should be noted that the Subarea categories refer to general characteristics. For example, the Predominantly Residential Subarea will also have mixed-use elements and the Mixed-Use Innovation District Subarea will also contain residential uses.

In addition to the five Subareas, the Plan identifies Retail/Arts and Cultural Areas and Corridors (Figure 2.04) which focuses retail, arts, and cultural uses in concentrated strategic corridors and includes the designation of North Fairfax Street as an Arts Corridor (Figure 2.05)

The following Subareas and associated principles inform the Old Town North Urban Design Standards and Guidelines (Design Standards and Guidelines).

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Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

Figure 2.03: General Land Use Concept Plan (Subareas)

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LEGEND

• Subarea 1 - Washington Street Gateway
• Subarea 2 - Predominantly Residential
• Subarea 3 - Waterfront Open Space
• Subarea 4 - Mixed-Use Core
• Subarea 5 - Mixed-Use/Innovation District
• Plan Boundary

Note: The Subarea categories refer to general characteristics but there will be a mix of land uses within each Subarea. For example, the Predominantly Residential Subarea will also have mixed-use elements and the Mixed-Use Innovation District Subarea will also contain residential uses.

2 LAND USE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT | 15

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

Subarea 1 - Washington Street Gateway

North Washington Street at the Memorial Circle is where the George Washington Memorial Parkway (Parkway) transitions from a pastoral setting to an urban setting. With a broad range of building types and architectural styles lining Washington Street, the streetscape becomes essential to unifying the street and Parkway while protecting the memroial character of the Parkway. This street functions as an important gateway to the plan area and the City.

The Design Standards and Guidelines provide recommendations for streetscape improvements that will be applied to Washington Street which further promotes its function as an important gateway to the plan are and the City. All of Washington Street and the adjacent parcels located within the Old and Historic Alexandria District (OHAD) are subject to review by the OHAD Board of Architectural Review (BAR).

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The Mill - Alexandria, VA

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Washington Street Sectors

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

Principles:

1. Enhance Washington Street streetscape through the implementation of the Streetscape Chapter of the Design Standards and Guidelines which are designed to celebrate and reflect the historical significance of the street and its prominence as one of Alexandria’s major gateways.

2. Provide landscaping and trees to reinforce the Memorial Circle and gateway entrance to the City. Any improvements will require approval by the National Park Service (NPS).

3. Maximize the tree canopy and landscaping along Washington Street to provide an inviting, attractive, visually interesting, and comfortable landscaped pedestrian environment.

4. Improve east/west street connections including crosswalks, sidewalk materials, and lighting to enhance the walkability and safety between Old Town North, adjacent communities, Braddock, and Potomac Yard Metrorail Stations.

5. Reflect the prominent character of Washington Street through building design, orientation, massing, fenestration, materials, etc. A high level of design review will continue to take place through the applicability of BAR and the Washington Street Standards and Guidelines.

6. Increase visual cohesiveness on Washington Street by locating curb cuts on side streets unless otherwise infeasible.

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Powhatan & North Washington Street

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North Washington Street - Alexandria, VA

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GWMP Memorial Circle - Alexandria, VA

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

Subarea 2 - Predominantly Residential

The Predominantly Residential Subarea applies to two locations as shown in Figure 2.03. There are varying types and scales including townhouses, garden apartments and multi-family buildings. While the central portion of Subarea 2 includes commercial uses, it is still predominantly residential in character.

Principles:

1. Utilize building heights that respect the surrounding context and scale.

2. Promote residential building designs that convey residential character through architectural elements on street frontages, ensuring that buildings are oriented to the street.

3. Create attractive and active frontages by providing landscaping, stoops and similar elements in residential buildings with ground floor units .

4. Create contextual transitions between less intense residential uses and adjacent higher intensity developments by incorporating height variety and transitions, landscape buffers, and other similar means identified in the Design Standards and Guidelines.

5. Provide a combination of private and public open spaces as part of new developments that are visible and clearly accessible from the street.

6. Integrate new commercial uses, where permitted, in a compatible manner with the adjoining buildings and uses.

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The Oronoco Condominiums

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Harbor Terrace Condominiums

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Canal Place Condominiums

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

Subarea 3 - Waterfront Open Space

This Subarea is composed entirely of public open space and will continue to serve as passive and active recreational space for Old Town North and the City.

The waterfront is one of the City's, and Old Town North's greatest assets and is a gateway to the community. Consideration should be given to the design and scale of new buildings and improvements to existing buildings adjacent to the waterfront, from the neighborhood as well as the water. Attention should also be given to the design of new public spaces, to the improvement of existing public spaces along the waterfront, and to maintaining and expanding opportunities for public access and open vistas to and from the water.

Principles

1. Promote building design along the waterfront that reflects the character of Old Town North and the City's waterfront heritage.

2. Provide building frontages on all publicly visible sides. Backs of buildings or rear yards will not face the water.

3. Employ the City's approved Waterfront Plan Schematic Design and the Waterfront Common Elements for design improvements and connectivity of existing waterfront open spaces.

4. Provide spaces to accommodate varied recreational (passive and active) uses as recommended under the City's approved Waterfront Plan Schematic Design in Waterfront Parks. Implementation of such uses in appropriate sections of new open spaces should be pursued to maximize opportunities for engagement between the public and the Waterfront and to provide opportunities for public access.

5. Explore opportunities to incorporate a marina(s) and expanded water-based transit on the Potomac River where feasible, giving attention to environmental standards and public access as part of the design.

6. Explore opportunities to expand the plan area's tree canopy to add shade along the waterfront but with careful attention not to block waterfront view corridor.

7. Improve Old Town North east/west streets to serve as windows to the waterfront by providing appropriate landscaping, tree canopies, lighting, and other streetscape improvements. In particular, street ends should terminate at landscaped gardens and plazas as described in the City's 2014 Waterfront Plan Schematic Design and the Waterfront Common Elements.

⬚ figure Tidelock Park

⬚ figure Rivergate Park

⬚ figure Oronoco Bay Park

2 LAND USE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT | 19

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

8. Pursue the design of a trail extension along the east side of Daingerfield Island as part of a future NPS Daingerfield Island master plan process while remaining consistent with recommendation 3.105 (page 83) in the City's approved Waterfront Plan.

9. Incorporate historical interpretation, to the extent possible, in all public spaces, recognizing that Old Town North's history and development has been intimately connected with the waterfront.

Waterfront Plan

The Waterfront Plan is an overlay to the Old Town North Small Area Plan. It is a blueprint for revitalizing Alexandria's waterfront into a world class destination through incorporation of Alexandria's historic beginning as an international port; opportunities for expanded and enhanced open spaces; improved public access and connectivity along the waterfront; art and cultural enhancements; development of the remaining private redevelopment sites; improvements to the City marina and flood mitigation solutions.

The Waterfront plan area extends from Wolfe Street in the south to Tidelock Park in the north, between the River to the east and Union and Fairfax Streets to the west. It incorporates a number of existing waterfront parks in the Old Town North plan area, including Oronoco Bay Park, Wythe Street Plaza, Rivergate Park, and Tidelock Park. There are opportunities for open space expansion and enhancements along the Waterfront north of Tide Lock Park to the northern end of the Old Town North plan boundary.

⬚ figure Diagram - Oronoco Bay Park, OLIN Design

⬚ figure Diagram - Rivergate Park and Southern portion of Tidelock Park, OLIN Design

⬚ figure Diagram - Oronoco Bay Park, OLIN Design

⬚ figure Diagram - Rivergate Park and Southern portion of Tidelock Park, OLIN Design

20 | OLD TOWN NORTH SMALL AREA PLAN

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

Subarea 4 - Mixed-Use Core

This Subarea has a mix of uses and a mix of building types extending from Washington Street in the west to the waterfront in the east. This Subarea includes the majority of the existing and planned office and retail uses that generate the daytime and nighttime population essential to keeping Old Town North active, vibrant, and enjoyable.

Principles:

1. Provide improved street access with prominent and welcoming entries through the implementation of streetscape and sidewalk standards as described in Chapter 5 and Appendix I of the Design Standards and Guidelines.

2. Integrate new buildings with their surroundings in terms of massing and scale to allow for a more cohesive relationship among buildings and the street frontage.

3. Utilize appropriate building height and scale transitions, particularly when adjacent to lower scale developments in neighboring residential Subareas.

4. Implement the Retail/ Arts and Cultural Areas and Corridors, as depicted in Figure 2.04.

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Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

Subarea 5 - Mixed-Use/ Innovation District

This northern Subarea is primarily comprised of a 25-acre industrial site in addition to the two parcels north of Slaters Lane. The industrial site is subdivided into two lots. A substation occupies approximately 5 acres on the western portion of the site, and the former power plant occupies approximately 20 acres.

This area is envisioned as a Mixed-Use/Innovation District where the redevelopment of the former power plant site will be a mixed-use development, building on a key goal of a balanced mixed-use neighborhood for Old Town North. The Plan recommends innovation uses for the site which could serve as an economic anchor that can attract creative entrepreneurial and commercial activities within a mixed-use environment of housing, retail, and neighborhood amenities.

The Plan acknowledges the conceptual level of planning that has occurred for the former power plant site. Final configuration of the former power plant framework streets, internal street grid, block sizes, open spaces, and buildings will be subject to the intent of the Plan, the Design Standards and Guidelines, the Zoning Ordinance as amended, and the development review process.

Principles:

1. Improve connectivity to, from, and within the site by extending the existing street to establish urban scale blocks for the site. Figure 2.20 depicts extension of the public right-of-way including pedestrian and/or bicycle connections into the redevelopment of the former power plant site and adjoining substation site. The framework streets, depicted in solid orange, will be required to be constructed as part of the redevelopment of these sites. The final design and configuration of the secondary/internal streets, depicted in dashed orange, will be located based on the block size standards, street cross-sections, and other applicable standards.

2. Extension of North Royal Street as a pedestrian/bicycle only connection or shared street may be considered as part of the development review process.

3. Expand the waterfront public open space by 2 to 4 acres into the former power plant site as shown in Figure 2.20.

4. Create an east/west linear park with active recreational uses within the rail corridor, and connect the linear park to the Mount Vernon trail.

5. Provide a 1 to 2 acre public park on the southwest portion of the former power plant site, as shown in Figure 2.20 for active recreational uses.

6. Expand Mount Vernon Trail access, improve the safety of users of the trail, and enhance the streetscape and landscape screenings including improvements along East Abingdon Drive.

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22 | OLD TOWN NORTH SMALL AREA PLAN

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

7. Create a network of private and public open spaces within the site in addition to the waterfront and recreational public open space.

8. Expand the tree canopy throughout the site consistent with the goals of the Plan.

9. Increase the tree canopy on the southern side of the linear park so that it can serve as a buffer between the anticipated new active recreational uses and the existing residential uses to the south.

10. Retain portions of the rail tracks along the linear park for historic interpretation.

11. Explore the retention of some of the existing industrial elements of the site, such as the existing smokestacks and/or tanks, or comparable features, as interpretive elements as part of the redevelopment of the site.

12. Identify retail focus areas on the site, as appropriate, as part of the Coordinated Development District (CDD) concept plan approval(s) review process.

13. Provide appropriate building setbacks on the western portion of the site on East Abingdon Drive to maintain the green and landscaped character of the Parkway.

14. Establish minimum buildings heights as part of the CDD concept plan approval(s) to ensure a variety of heights and building types.

15. Provide a significant variety of building heights with consideration to views from the Potomac River and the neighborhood as part of the CDD concept plan approval(s).

16. Prioritize environmental sustainability in building and infrastructure design consistent with the goals and recommendations of the Plan.

17. Maintain and enhance view corridors to the Potomac River.

18. Evaluate opportunities to reduce the size of the substation facility during any future design and/or configuration of the existing substation.

19. Integrate the substation facility into the overall site by providing architectural treatments and landscape screening. In addition, screening should be provided for the top of the substation to the extent feasible.

20. Explore the possibility of water transportation and/or a marina as part of the CDD concept plan approval(s).

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Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

III. RETAIL FOCUS AREAS AND CORRIDORS: CONCENTRATION OF RETAIL

For retail to succeed, it is essential that the retail areas be concentrated and contiguous. Figure 2.04 depicts the recommended retail strategy for the plan area, establishing a critical mass of retail necessary to enable each of these spaces to be successful. The Plan also recommends the conversion of Montgomery Street from a one-way street to a two-way street to facilitate easier access for the retail uses and to create a more pedestrian-oriented street. The Design Standards and Guidelines also recommend design elements to enhance the pedestrian nature of these retail streets.

The locations depicted as "Required Retail" (Figure 2.04) are required to provide ground floor retail or arts and cultural uses as part of the development of each of the building(s) and/or block(s). The primary concentration of required retail occurs on Montgomery and North Saint Asaph Streets. The remaining required retail is on the former power plant site (Figure 2.04) with the final location to be established as part of the CDD approval process. In addition, the Plan designates "Optional Retail" areas (Figure 2.04) where retail or arts and cultural uses may be proposed as part of the development review process. For all new buildings within the Required Retail and Optional Retail areas, the design of the ground floor space (depth and height) will comply with the retail provisions within the Design Standards and Guidelines.

Principles:

1. Prioritize commercial sidewalk access, and maximize sidewalk widths along retail corridors to allow for outdoor dining without disrupting pedestrian pathways, consistent with the street cross sections in the Design Standards and Guidelines.

2. Ground floor spaces will enable active uses along the retail corridors by complying with the appropriate retail requirements in the Design Standards and Guidelines.

3. Create prominent and welcoming entries at rhythmic intervals to maintain visual interest and activity along the retail corridors.

4. Locate curb access for service truck loading and unloading away from Retail Corridors, and provide access from alleys or side streets, to the extent feasible.

5. Enhance the pedestrian experience with streetscape elements such as wider sidewalks, pedestrian scale lighting, and enhanced tree canopy.

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Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

Figure 2.04: Retail/Arts and Cultural Areas and Corridors

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LEGEND

Note: The final location and amount of retail or arts and cultural uses for the former power plant site will be established as part of the Coordinated Development District (CDD) approval(s) for the site.

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

VI. ARTS AND CULTURAL USES

A. Arts Corridor

The Plan establishes North Fairfax Street as an Arts Corridor, as depicted in Figure 2.05, where public art installations and arts and cultural uses are concentrated to create a critical mass of creative uses. Visual and performing arts generally flourish in urban, mixed-use neighborhoods, where visitors can easily access multiple destinations within a short walking distance, increasing their length of stay and the viability of the uses.

This corridor is intended to attract all types of creative uses, such as visual and performing arts venues, galleries, and studios, as well as businesses or stores in creative fields such as media, marketing, handcrafting, art supply, and design. These uses serve to strengthen the corridor's sense of place and the vitality of the creative economy.

Principles:

1. Create a visual link through the implementation of public art between various parks, plazas, and arts and cultural facilities.

2. Promote public art that respects the identity of Old Town North and tells the story of its unique history.

3. Encourage a varied media of art as defined in the Public Art Implementation Plan.

4. Explore ways in which to identify the area as a special place with streetscape improvements such as, but not limited to, special lighting, banners, planting, and art work.

5. Extend the Arts Corridor in tandem with the North Fairfax Street extension into the former power plant site, to the extent feasible.

6. Developers and property owners should work with the Office of the Arts to determine opportunities for public art within their property.

There are four primary challenges for arts and cultural uses locating within the plan area:

• Finding appropriate physical spaces (size, ceiling heights, depth, etc.);
• Paying market rate rent within existing buildings and particularly within new buildings;
• Providing on-site parking; and
• Zoning that does not permit some of the uses anticipated within the Plan.

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Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

Figure 2.05: North Fairfax Street Arts Corridor

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LEGEND

Note: Figure is for illustrative purposes only. Public art is encouraged along North Fairfax Street. The final location of public art will be determined as part of the development review process.

2 LAND USE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT | 27

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

Old Town North is currently home to two long-time Alexandria art institutions: the Art League and MetroStage. The Plan recommends that arts and cultural uses be reinforced and expanded to establish an identity and brand for the neighborhood. In order to encourage the types of uses envisioned, the following strategies are recommended:

• Establish North Fairfax Street, extended to a portion of the former power plant site, as an Arts Corridor (Figure 2.05).
• Provide regulatory incentives for additional floor area for arts and cultural uses.
• Require that new ground floor spaces (depth and height) in the Retail/ Arts and Cultural Areas and Corridors (Figure 2.04) be designed not to preclude arts and cultural uses.
• Allow for shared parking arrangements off-site, rather than on-site, if approved as part of the development review process.
• Explore the potential for a comprehensive marketing strategy and management within both the Retail/ Art and Cultural Areas and Corridors and the North Fairfax Street Arts Corridor including, but not limited to, a Business Improvement District (BID).

B. Regulatory Incentives for Arts and Cultural Uses The Plan recommends an Old Town North regulatory incentive program to attract arts and cultural uses to targeted areas within the plan area and to overcome the challenges inherent in attracting these types of creative uses. The incentives are intended to build on and support the existing art uses within the plan area, which will contribute to the vibrancy and character of the neighborhood.

The Plan recommends that all new ground floor spaces within the Arts Corridor (Figure 2.05) and the Retail/Arts and Cultural Areas and Corridors (Figure 2.04) be designed with ceiling heights and depths to not preclude future arts and cultural uses. This will enable buildings to respond to neighborhood and market demands as they change over time and allow the potential for ground floor creative uses.

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Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

C. Arts District To implement the regulatory incentives recommended by the Plan, an Arts and Cultural District will need to be established under Virginia Code Section 15.2-1129.1. The Plan recommends that the area of the Arts District in Old Town North be generally consistent with the Retail/Art and Cultural Areas and Corridors map (Figure 2.04). The creation of the District is limited to potential additional floor area for arts and cultural uses as outlined in the Plan.

1. REGULATORY INCENTIVES FOR

GROUND FLOOR ARTS AND CULTURAL USES

For sites within the Retail/Arts and Cultural Areas and Corridors (Figure 2.04), the Plan recommends providing regulatory incentives for arts and cultural uses by excluding the square footage of new space dedicated to these uses from the maximum floor area permitted for the development site. In order to utilize this provision, developers will be required to commit to these types of uses and may need to charge rents that accommodate them in order to fill the spaces. Use of this incentive is subject to the following:

a. Approval by City Council as part of a Special Use Permit (SUP) process. b. For the purposes of the Old Town North Small Area Plan, arts and cultural uses are defined as: organizations, businesses, individuals, studios, galleries, or other venues that are related to cultural, visual and performing arts, design, and handcrafted products. c. Flexibility for related uses in the larger creative economy, such as firms, businesses and stores in media, marketing, handcrafting, art supply, and design, may be considered as part of the SUP process. d. The space allocated for arts and cultural uses will include a restrictive covenant that requires compliance with all requirements of this section and ensures continuation of use, operations, and maintenance of the facility by a qualifying art or cultural use as specified above for a period of at least 10 years. e. The size of the space that may be excluded from the floor area will be limited to the frontages identified in Figure 2.04.

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2 LAND USE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT | 29

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

2. REGULATORY INCENTIVE FOR ARTS AND CULTURAL ANCHORS

Locating arts and cultural anchors (arts anchors), such as visual and performing arts institutions or museums within urban areas, has inherent challenges because of market pressures and rents. In order to overcome economic challenges to ensure that arts institutions can remain within the plan area, the Plan recommends allowing additional floor area for arts anchors that enrich the neighborhood and contribute significantly to the City's creative economy.

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For sites within the Retail/Arts and Cultural Areas and Corridors (Figure 2.04), the Plan recommends the allowance of additional floor area if title for the entire art/cultural space is given at no cost to an arts anchor(s). Use of this incentive is subject to the following:

a. Approval by City Council as part of a SUP process. b. Additional floor area will not exceed 30% above the maximum floor area for the building or block. c. For the purposes of the Old Town North Small Area Plan, an arts anchor is defined as a visual or performing arts or cultural venue that is accessible to the public including, but not limited to, uses such as a theater, concert hall or other music venue, instructional art, music, or drama academy, or a museum. Other uses consistent with the intent of the Plan may be allowed at the discretion of the Director of Planning and Zoning. d. Sites must provide a contiguous size of 5,000 to 10,000 square feet for an arts anchor space in order to qualify for the additional floor area. A smaller or larger square footage may be approved as part of the SUP process. The final size of the arts and cultural space will be based on achieving the intent and objectives of the Plan. e. The total additional floor area for arts and cultural uses resulting from this incentive in the plan area will not exceed 250,000 square feet. f. The on-site parking requirement for the arts anchor may be fulfilled through an off-site shared parking agreement if approved as part of the SUP approval(s). g. The space allocated for arts and cultural uses will include a restrictive covenant that requires compliance with all requirements of this section and specifies provisions for: i. Ensuring continuation of operations and maintenance of the arts anchor for a period of 30 years; ii. Replacing the use(s) in the event that the original use vacates the space; and iii. Other restrictions as deemed necessary as part of the SUP.

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Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

V. EXISTING AND PLANNED OFFICE USES

A significant portion (+/- 2.3 million square feet) of the existing office use within the plan area is concentrated along North Fairfax and Washington Streets. A goal of the Plan is to provide enhanced retail, amenities, pedestrian improvements, transportation options, and transit connections to retain and possibly expand the existing office uses to the extent feasible. These improvements will also be essential to connect the existing office uses and employees with the planned uses. Transit and access to the nearby Braddock and Potomac Yard Metrorail Stations (Figure 2.06) will be important to ensure that employees are able to access services and retail, minimizing or eliminating the need for a car.

In addition to the added amenities and transportation improvements, the Plan recommends for existing areas of concentrated office (Canal Center and Transpotomac Plaza) that the zoning be amended to encourage retention of the commercial uses and attraction of future commercial uses. In addition, the 20-acre former power plant site is an opportunity to attract new office uses, which will be critical to the success of that site’s redevelopment.

Potential Conversion of Office Uses

The potential conversion of office to residential is a regionally and nationally occurring trend because of market conditions, ownership, technology, age of the building, floor to ceiling height, and smaller building footprint size. Many of the potential office and commercial buildings at-risk of potential conversion in Old Town North were constructed in the 1960s and 1970s. Some of these buildings are providing market-rate affordable office spaces for tenants.

The Plan recommends the following strategies to provide the amenities and incentives necessary to retain and potentially attract office uses in the future:

• Provide the framework for more retail, arts, and cultural amenities.
• Amend the zoning for Canal Center, Transpotomac Plaza, and the former power plant site to make expansion of existing office and attraction of new office more feasible.
• Provide better connections to the Metrorail Stations (Figure 2.06) and transit.
• Enhance open space and open space connections.
• Design buildings to be more flexible to adapt to changing market demands.

While the Plan is providing strategies and incentives to discourage the conversion of office uses and encourage construction of new commercial uses, the Plan also acknowledges that there will likely be some conversion of the office and commercial buildings in the future.

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2 LAND USE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT | 31

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

Figure 2.06: Proximity to Metrorail Stations

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LEGEND — Old Town North Plan Boundary — — Braddock Metrorail Station Walkshed — — Potomac Yard Metrorail Station Walkshed

32 | OLD TOWN NORTH SMALL AREA PLAN

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

VI. INNOVATION USES

As described in the intent of Subarea 5, the Plan recommends that redevelopment of the former power plant site include innovation and mixed-uses that could build on the area’s creative economy. Innovation uses such as, but not limited to, an academic and research institution, incubator spaces, a culinary institute, or comparable uses could serve as an anchor. In addition, uses such as a museum are envisioned for the site. The Plan recommends a proactive approach for the City and property owner to attract and recruit potential innovation uses to the site. These types of uses will encourage an expansion of Old Town North’s mixed-use character into the former power plant site and will help encourage emerging entrepreneurial opportunities, jobs, and neighborhood services. Redevelopment of the former power plant site will require extensive demolition and remediation, involving substantial time and resources to fulfill the vision for the plan area.

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Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

2.3 ZONING

I. POTENTIAL REDEVELOPMENT SITES

As depicted in Figure 2.07, the Plan identifies sites where potential redevelopment is projected to occur over the next twenty years. However, the Plan acknowledges that for various reasons some of these sites may not redevelop. In the event that sites do redevelop, they are expected to comply with the intent of the Plan, the Design Standards and Guidelines, and the applicable zoning requirements. Over the 20 to 25 year life of the Plan, other sites not identified in the plan area may redevelop. These sites will be subject to all necessary City approvals. The Development Summary Tables (Figures 2.08, 2.09, 2.10) identify recommended zoning changes for each site.

The FAR and height recommendations shown in Figures 2.08 and 2.09 do not include any FAR and/or height bonuses that the site may be awarded through the development review process.

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II. REDEVELOPMENT SITES AND ZONING

Existing zoning is depicted in Figure 2.11, and the recommended zoning changes are depicted in Figure 2.12. The rezoning(s) recommended by the Plan will be contingent on compliance with the vision, intent and recommendations of the Plan, the Design Standards and Guidelines, and applicable City approvals.

The creation of a new CDD zone is recommended for the former power plant site to implement elements of the Plan such as new streets and open spaces. The recommendations of the Plan will function as the development guidelines for the site and the basis for approval of any subsequent rezoning(s). For the remaining redevelopment sites, the recommended zones depicted in Figure 2.12 are recommended to achieve the intent of the Plan.

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Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i Figure 2.07: Potential Redevelopment Sites

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LEGEND

Notes:

1. The public process for this Plan included review and discussion of the Hopkins-Tancil blocks, even though a portion of the site is located within the Old Town Small Area Plan. Proposed zoning for the full site was analyzed. While a separate Master Plan amendment will need to be processed for the southern block, the analysis for the full site occurred as part of the Old Town North Small Area Plan process.

2 LAND USE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT | 35

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i Amended 2/24/24, Ord. 5521

Figure 2.08: Development Summary Table

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

Figure2.09: Development Summary Table Continued

Note: The FAR and height recommendations shown in Figures 2.08 and 2.09 do not include any FAR and/or height bonuses that the site may be awarded through the development review process.

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

Figure 2.10: Development Summary Table Continued

Notes:

1. Parcels under common ownership with adjacent parcels, or smaller parcels which may potentially consolidate with adjacent parcels, are shown as being combined as Potential Redevelopment Sites.
2. The existing development is based on the City's Real Estate records, not on survey data. Parcel and building sizes may be adjusted based on future survey information.
3. The maximum Floor Area Ratio (FAR) shown is based on the Subarea or preferred land use for the site. If the zone allows a higher FAR based on Special Use Permit (SUP) approval, the higher total is depicted.
4. The actual amount of redevelopment will be subject to compliance with the OTN SAP, the Design Standards and Guidelines, applicable zoning as amended and the development review process.
5. Ground Floor Uses shall be consistent with the Plan.
6. All zoning, land uses, and heights shall be governed by all applicable provisions of the Settlement Agreement with the NPS.
7. The recommended zone for the Canal Center site is based on retaining and expanding commercial uses on that site with a limited amount of residential use.
8. The definition of Gross Floor Area (GFA) for the former power plant site will be established as part of the CDD approval(s).
9. The amount of development for the CDD zone for the former power plant site are intended to be the maximum amount of developments, subject to the recommendations of the Plan. The specific allocation of uses will be determined as part of the CDD special use permit for the site(s). The goal is to achieve a mix of residential and non-residential uses on the former power plant site. The Plan recommends a range of 20%-50% of non-residential uses. The final percentage and allocation of uses will be established as part of the applicable CDD approval(s).

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

Figure 2.11: Existing Zoning (2017)

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LEGEND

2 LAND USE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT | 39

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i Figure 2.12: Recommended Zoning

This map will not be updated on an ongoing basis. For current zoning, please refer to the citywide zoning map on the GIS standard maps page, alexandriava.gov/gis.

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LEGEND

	Townhouse Residential<br>RB, RM, RT		Office Commercial<br>OC, OCH, OCM(50), OCM(100)		Waterfront Mixed Use<br>W-1
	Multi-Family Residential<br>RA, RC, RCX, RD		Coordinated Development District<br>CDD		Existing Zoning
	Commercial<br>CC, CD, CDX, CG, CL, CR, CSL, NR		Waterfront Mixed Use<br>W-1		Recommended New<br>Zone
	Commercial/Residential Mixed Use<br>CRMU/H, M, L, X		Public Open Space<br>POS		Recommended CDX<br>with Text Amendment

40 | OLD TOWN NORTH SMALL AREA PLAN

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

The Plan also recommends amending the CDX zone within the plan area. The text amendment will update the CDX zone to make all of the CDX requirements consistent in the plan area.

III. BUILDING HEIGHTS

Existing Height District limits are depicted in Figure 2.13. The Plan recommends that the predominant building heights in the plan area be mid-rise (50 - 77 feet) punctuated by taller buildings at strategic locations. The Plan also recommends a limited number of signature buildings up to 140 feet on the former power plant site. The Design Standards and Guidelines further guide building heights with elements such as required building transitions and height variations.

The following strategies are recommended for building heights as depicted in Figure 2.14:

1. Define the open spaces, streets, and streetscapes with appropriate heights consistent with the intent of the Design Standards and Guidelines.
2. Create transitions adjacent to lower scale existing buildings and neighborhoods.
3. Maintain views and neighborhood character to and from the Potomac River.
4. Maintain the existing height limits within the Old and Historic Alexandria District (OHAD).
5. Achieve a variety of heights for individual buildings and larger sites.
6. Ensure that building heights are compatible with the character of the adjoining Parkway.
7. Allow a limited number of taller signature buildings at the former power plant site to provide a varied and distinctive skyline on the site as seen from the Potomac River and surrounding area.

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2 LAND USE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT | 41

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i Figure 2.13: Existing Height District Limits (2017)

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LEGEND

42 | OLD TOWN NORTH SMALL AREA PLAN

Figure 2.14: Recommended Height District Limits, as amended

Amended 9/7/22, Ord. 5450 Amended 5/13/23, Ord. 5491 Amended 2/24/24, Ord. 5521 Amended 3/16/24, Ord.5526 Amended 2/21/26, Ord. 5620

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LEGEND

Notes:

1. A limited number of buildings will be of heights up to 140'¹. The final number and location of those buildings will be determined through the development review process.
2. The height ranges shown on the former power plant site are intended to provide a variety of building heights for each building and within each block.
3. Any changes to building heights on Canal Center will require all applicable approvals by the NPS.

2 LAND USE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT | 43

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

2.4 DESIGN

I. URBAN DESIGN STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES

An exclusive focus on density and land use will not result in a cohesive and high-quality redevelopment or a place that brings lasting value to the City. It is essential that as redevelopment occurs, buildings, open spaces, proposed streets, and new public spaces be held to the highest design standards. The Design Standards and Guidelines ensure that the vision and recommendations of the Plan are implemented and that the redevelopment of the former power plant and other sites provide high-quality architecture, urban streetscapes, adequate public spaces and parks, and environmental features.

II. STREETSCAPE IMPROVEMENTS

Much of Old Town North includes streets with a comfortable pedestrian environment. However, there are locations that prioritize vehicles over pedestrians or where surface parking lots and blank walls do not promote an attractive or desirable pedestrian experience. The Design Standards and Guidelines address streetscape elements such as sidewalks, lighting, tree canopy, and furniture to enhance the plan area's walkability and safety. The Plan also encourages the use of lighting, landscaping, and/or public art to address existing blank walls and surface parking lots in the plan area.

Figure 2.15: Illustrative Streetscape Improvements

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Note: See the Old Town North Urban Design Standards and Guidelines referenced above for applicable requirements for each street.

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i FIGURE 2.16: ILLUSTRATIVE CONCEPT PLAN

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Note: The potential buildings, open spaces, and roof-top open spaces depicted are for illustrative purposes. The final design and configuration of buildings, open spaces, and roof-top open spaces will be subject to the OTN SAP, the Design Standards and Guidelines, the Zoning Ordinance as amended, and as required as part of the development review process.

OBJECTIVES:

1. Potential Affordable Housing - Proposed new residential development is encouraged to provide affordable housing to the extent feasible, consistent with the recommendations in the Housing Chapter.

2. Ground Floor Arts and Cultural Uses - Potential for ground floor arts and cultural uses. See the Retail/Art and Cultural Areas and Corridors Map and the Arts Corridor Map as shown in Figures 2.04 and 2.05.

3. Ground Floor Retail - Required and/or optional retail frontages provided per the Retail/Art and Cultural Areas and Corridors Map depicted in Figure 2.04.

4. Streetscape Improvements - Potential streetscape improvements include enhanced tree canopy, under-grounding utilities, widening sidewalks, installing bio-retention systems as well as enhancements to existing blank walls and/or surface parking lots.

5. Improved Design - Compliance with the Design Standards and Guidelines to create distinctive architecture that complements the public realm.

6. Connectivity - Enhanced connections through mid-block pathways and/or connections and viewsheds to the waterfront.

LAND USE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT | 45

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i Figure 2.17: Illustrative Concept Plan - A

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OBJECTIVES

1. Potential Affordable Housing
2. Potential Ground Floor Arts and Cultural Uses
3. Ground Floor Retail
4. Streetscape and Tree Canopy Improvements
5. Improved Urban Design
6. Connectivity

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i Figure 2.18: Illustrative Concept Plan - B

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OBJECTIVES

1. Potential Affordable Housing
2. Potential Ground Floor Arts and Cultural Uses
3. Ground Floor Retail
4. Streetscape and Tree Canopy Improvements
5. Improved Urban Design
6. Connectivity

2 LAND USE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT | 47

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i Figure 2.19: Illustrative Concept Plan - C

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OBJECTIVES

1. Potential Affordable Housing
2. Potential Ground Floor Arts and Cultural Uses
3. Ground Floor Retail
4. Streetscape and Tree Canopy Improvements
5. Improved Urban Design
6. Connectivity

48 | OLD TOWN NORTH SMALL AREA PLAN

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

Figure 2.20: Illustrative Concept Plan - D

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OBJECTIVES

1. Potential Affordable Housing
2. Potential Ground Floor Arts and Cultural Uses
3. Ground Floor Retail
4. Streetscape and Tree Canopy Improvements
5. Improved Urban Design
6. Connectivity

LEGEND Existing Buildings Existing Public Open Space Potential New Public Open Space Existing Street Connections/Views to Waterfront Potential New Street Connections/Views to Waterfront Property Boundary

2 LAND USE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT | 49

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

2.5 LAND USE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT RECOMMENDATIONS

I. GENERAL

1. Promote a balanced mix of residents and employees in the plan area.

2. Ensure high-quality building design and materials.

3. Encourage integration of the plan area’s railroad and industrial heritage into new buildings, parks, and the streetscape design.

4. Improve safety and walkability by sustaining street life through day and evening hours.

II. EXISTING AND PLANNED OFFICE USES

5. Implement the following strategies to provide the amenities and incentives necessary to retain and attract commercial uses: a. Provide the framework for more retail and arts and cultural amenities in the neighborhood. b. Amend zoning consistent with Figure 2.12 to make expansion of existing office more feasible. c. Provide enhanced transit and pedestrian connections to the Braddock and Potomac Yard Metrorail Stations.

III. INNOVATION USES

6. Prior to redevelopment, the City will coordinate with the former power plant site property owner to attract potential innovative anchor use(s) that will build on the neighborhood's brand and creative economy and meet the intent of the Plan for the site.

IV. RETAIL USES

7. Provide retail and/or arts and cultural uses in locations as depicted in Figure 2.04. The amount of required retail or arts and cultural uses provided within each location will be subject to all applicable zoning provisions and the Design Standards and Guidelines.

8. Encourage neighborhood-serving retail uses and a variety of retail uses within the Retail or Arts and Cultural Uses Areas and Corridors. Arts and cultural uses may be permitted within the required retail locations if approved as part of the SUP process.

9. Consider optional retail and/or arts and cultural uses in the areas depicted in Figure 2.04. While retail and/or arts and cultural uses are not required in these locations, they may be permitted if approved as part of the SUP process.

10. For required and optional retail locations, the ground floor height and depth will comply with the height and depth requirements within the Design Standards and Guidelines, regardless of the ground floor use.

11. Explore the potential for a comprehensive retail marketing strategy and management including, but not limited, to a Business Improvement District (BID), or comparable management entity to achieve a coordinated approach for retail, arts and cultural-related uses and programming.

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

V. ARTS AND CULTURAL USES

12. For sites within the Retail/Arts and Cultural Uses Areas and Corridors (Figure 2.04), the Plan provides regulatory incentives for arts and cultural uses (required and optional) by excluding the square footage of new space dedicated to these uses from the maximum floor area permitted. In order to utilize this provision, developers will be required to commit to these types of uses and may need to charge rents that accommodate them in order to fill the spaces. Use of this incentive is subject to the following: a. Approval by City Council as part of a SUP process. b. For the purposes of the Old Town North Small Area Plan, arts and cultural uses are defined as: organizations, businesses, individuals, studios, galleries, or other venues that are related to cultural, visual and performing arts, design, and handcrafted products. c. Flexibility for related uses in the larger creative economy, such as firms, businesses and stores in media, marketing, handcrafting, art supply, and design may be considered as part of the SUP process. d. The space allocated for arts and cultural uses will include a restrictive covenant that requires compliance with all requirements of this section and that ensures continuation of use, operations and maintenance of the facility by a qualifying art or cultural use as specified above for a period of at least 10 years. e. The size of the space that may be excluded from the floor area will be limited to the frontages identified in Figure 2.04.

13. For sites within the Retail/ Art and Cultural Areas and Corridors (Figure 2.04), the Plan recommends the allowance of additional floor area if title for the entire art/cultural space is given at no cost to the anchor(s). Use of this incentive is subject to the following: a. Approval by City Council as part of a SUP process. b. Additional floor area will not exceed 30% above the maximum floor area for the building or block.

c. For the purposes of the Old Town North Small Area Plan, an arts anchor is defined as a visual or performing arts or cultural venue that is accessible to the public including, but not limited to, uses such as a theater, concert hall or other music venue, instructional art, music, or drama academy, or a museum. Other uses consistent with the intent of the Plan may be allowed at the discretion of the Director of Planning and Zoning. d. Sites must provide a contiguous size of 5,000 to 10,000 square feet for an arts anchor space in order to qualify for the additional floor area. A smaller or larger square footage may be approved as part of the SUP process. The final size of the arts and cultural space will be based on achieving the intent and objectives of the Plan. e. The total additional floor area for arts and cultural uses resulting from this incentive in the plan area will not exceed 250,000 square feet. f. The on-site parking requirement for the arts anchor may be fulfilled through an off-site shared parking agreement if approved as part of the SUP approval(s). g. The space allocated for arts and cultural uses will include a restrictive covenant that requires compliance with all requirements of this section and specifies provisions for: i. Ensuring continuation of operations and maintenance of the arts anchor for a period of 30 years; ii. Replacing the use(s) in the event that the original use vacates the space; and i. Other restrictions as deemed necessary as part of the SUP.

8. Establish an Old Town North Arts and Cultural District under Virginia Code Section 15.2-1129.1 for the areas identified in Figure 2.04. The creation of the District is limited to potential floor area for arts and cultural uses as outlined in the Plan.

2 LAND USE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT | 51

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

VI. ZONING AND LAND USE

9. Update the zoning in strategic areas (Figure 2.12) to attract and retain office and commercial uses and achieve objectives of the Plan such as affordable housing, urban design, and open space.

10. Implement all necessary zoning amendment(s) to allow the arts and cultural uses recommended by the Plan.

11. Establish new CDD zoning for the former power plant site as generally depicted in Figure 2.12.

12. Potential redevelopment sites and the remaining sites will comply with the recommended zoning as depicted in Figure 2.12.

13. Redevelopment of each site will be subject to the requirements and all applicable provisions of the Development Summary Tables (Figures 2.08, 2.09 and 2.10).

14. Implement the maximum building heights and all applicable ranges of building heights for the plan area consistent with Figure 2.14.

15. Provide appropriate height transitions as depicted in the Design Standards and Guidelines.

16. As part of the CDD concept plan(s) for the former power plant site and associated special use permit process, more specific height limitations will be established for each block consistent with the intent of the Plan

VII. DESIGN

17. Adopt the Old Town North Urban Design Standards and Guidelines to implement the design intent of the Plan.

18. Require that projects comply with all applicable Design Standards and Guidelines to ensure high-quality design within the plan area. Standards will require higher level of review with the expectation that new development will be required to comply. Any deviation from the Standards will be evaluated and determined through the Development Special Use Permit (DSUP) process. Guidelines are advisory and new development is encouraged to incorporate them as appropriate. In addition, new development is expected to comply with the applicable approvals, zoning requirements, and existing City Plans and policies such as, but not limited to, the Complete Streets Design Guidelines, Green Building Policy, and the Housing Master Plan.

19. Encourage the use of innovative measures including, but not limited to, lighting, landscaping, and/or public art to address blank walls and surface parking lots in the plan area for sites that are not anticipated for redevelopment.

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

⬚ figure

HOUSING

3

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

3.1 HOUSING OVERVIEW

Old Town North has approximately 2,600 residential units and a population of approximately 3,100 residents. The housing types, which include rental and ownership units, are a combination of townhouse units (20%) and multifamily units (80%) with a limited number of single family homes. The housing within the plan area includes:

• Garden style World War II era multifamily buildings leased first as apartments and later converted to condominiums;

• Townhomes, which are part of the rental housing supply developed and maintained by the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority (ARHA);

• Wardman style townhomes located on several blocks along Washington Street, which are now utilized primarily for commercial purposes; and

• Market-rate, income-restricted high-rise apartment, and condominium buildings.

Figure 3.01 contains a list of Old Town North Residential Developments (existing and approved or recently constructed). Figure 3.02 is the Old Town North Residential Developments Map showing the locations of these developments.

⬚ figure "The Mill" Residences

⬚ figure The Oronoco Condominiums

⬚ figure The Kingsley Apartments

⬚ figure Rivergate Townhouses

⬚ figure Annie B. Rose House

⬚ figure Canal Place Condominiums

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

Figure 3.01 : List of Existing and Recently Approved Residential Development

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

Figure 3.02 : Existing Residential Development

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LEGEND

56 | OLD TOWN NORTH SMALL AREA PLAN

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

3.2 HOUSING ANALYSIS

I. Vision

The Plan envisions a variety of housing choices and building types in the plan area that are affordable and accessible to a diverse range of ages, incomes, abilities, and household sizes.

This vision will be met through several strategies including:

1. Utilizing tools within the City’s Housing Master Plan, such as the Density Bonus Program to expand the number of affordable housing units.
2. Prioritizing the provision of on-site affordable housing units as part of new market-rate developments.
3. Replacing Resolution 830 units on a one-for-one basis and on-site, to the greatest extent feasible, as properties in the plan area redevelop.
4. Incorporating community spaces within residential developments.
5. Including on-site recreational space in residential developments.
6. Exploring opportunities for creating and preserving market affordable housing.
7. Promoting flexibility in building design to allow people to age-in-place.
8. Promoting a job/housing balance by focusing on-site affordable housing units near transit, jobs, and amenities.
9. Promoting energy-efficiency in building design for all residential buildings, including affordable housing.
10. Exploring innovative housing solutions such as micro-units and, as appropriate, building conversions.

II. Housing Development Analysis and Projections

The Plan includes a map of potential redevelopment sites (Figure 2.07) and an Illustrative Concept Plan (Figure 2.16) with objectives identified for each potential redevelopment site. In meeting these objectives, Old Town North will become a stronger, more sustainable and diverse community offering:

• Expanded housing choices for households of varying income ranges, ages, sizes and abilities;
• Public community space, including that which is within housing developments;
• Livelier and more attractive streetscapes;
• New services and retail; and
• Broader employment opportunities.

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Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

3.3 HOUSING DEMAND AND AFFORDABILITY

I. Housing Demand

To ensure there is an expansion of housing options to serve the community now and in the future, it is important to plan for a variety of housing needs, including:

• New and existing members of the work force;
• Persons who wish to live and work in the same neighborhood;
• Workers in the creative economy;
• Households of varying sizes, including those with children;
• Empty nesters downsizing to be close to services and amenities and seniors who wish to age-in-place¹; and
• Persons with fixed incomes who wish to remain in the neighborhood.

Given Old Town North’s proximity to transit and amenities, the plan area is an ideal location for persons of all ages. It’s desirability as a place to live also means that market rate rents and for sale home prices trend toward the upper end of the price scale, making it difficult for young employees, parents with children, artists, persons on fixed incomes and others challenged by already stretched and limited budgets to enter into the plan area’s rental or homeownership markets.

For example, based on data from the City of Alexandria's Office of Real Estate Assessments, as of 2016, two recently constructed Old Town North apartment developments have market-rate monthly rents that range from approximately $2,000 for a studio up to $5,000 for a 2-bedroom unit. Newly constructed townhomes have an average sales price of nearly $1 million. Older condominiums had an average price of around $500,000, and newer condominiums had an average price of nearly $1 million.

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Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

II. Housing Affordability

Based on the definition from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), housing is generally considered affordable if the cost of the housing and its utilities are at no more than 30% of a household’s gross income. According to the American Community Survey, households in the plan area likely spend between 25% to 35% of their income on housing and housing-related costs.

Of the approximately 2,600 residential units in the plan area, 342 are Committed Affordable Units (CAUs). CAUs are publicly assisted units that are available to income-eligible households through rent and/or occupancy restrictions imposed as a condition of support under federal, state, or local programs. Targeted income levels for CAUs vary by program. ARHA currently provides 342 CAUs within the Old Town North plan area. Two ARHA-owned properties (Hopkins-Tancil Courts and the former ARHA headquarters) are identified as potential redevelopment sites. The housing objectives and recommendations for this Plan reinforce the importance of preserving the current levels and increasing income restricted units as well as creating new market affordable housing units in Old Town North.

There are currently no market affordable rental units in the plan area. Market affordable housing is housing that is considered affordable to households earning 60% of Area Median Income (AMI), without any restrictions or public subsidies.

The City defines the income group for affordable housing as households with incomes at or below 60% of AMI for housing rental units and at or below 80% of AMI for sales units, both adjusted for household size. As of 2016, the annual income limit for a 2-person household with incomes at 60% AMI is $52,140 and at 80% AMI is $56,150. There are also set aside and workforce ownership units in the City. The income limit for these units goes up to 100% of the AMI. As of 2016, this income limit is $108,600. Annual income limits for the Washington, DC Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) are established by HUD.

Based on the above noted incomes, it would be difficult for the household groups mentioned above to afford a market- rate rental or a market-rate for sale unit in the plan area. By utilizing a range of existing and new affordable housing tools, this Plan seeks to expand housing opportunities to help those who desire to live and/or remain in Old Town North.

Figure 3.04: HUD Area Median Income for Fiscal Year 2016 Virginia State Median Income: $77,500 Effective Date: 3/28/2016 *30%: Extremely Low-Income | 50%: Very Low-Income | 80%: Low-Income

MSA: Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD HUD Metro Fair Market Rent (FMR) Area Median Income: $108,600

Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

3.4 HOUSING RECOMMENDATIONS

1. Prioritize high quality, mixed-income residential development in the plan area to provide opportunities for a range of households of varying sizes, ages, abilities, and income groups.

2. Encourage mixed-income housing and maximize affordability throughout the plan area by implementing an increase in the density bonus provision from 20% to 30% pursuant to Section 7-700 of the Zoning Ordinance. The provision of the arts and cultural incentives as outlined in the Plan will not preclude the potential use of Section 7-700.

3. Achieve the goal of a 40-year term of affordability for new affordable housing units in the plan area.

4. Prioritize the goal of one-for-one on-site replacement of Resolution 830 units within the plan area.

5. Explore other regulatory strategies to further expand mixed-income housing and to foster public-private-nonprofit partnerships.

6. Encourage artist housing with regulatory tools as well as encouraging partnerships that can attain artist housing units in the plan area.

7. Incorporate open passive and active recreational space and community space in residential developments for private and public use, if feasible.

8. Incorporate universal design to enable residents to age-in-place and improve the safety and utility of housing for people with disabilities including visitability features.

9. Prioritize quality standards for the exterior design of units within residential developments, including mixed-income housing to be indistinguishable from the market rate units and be consistent with the Design Standards and Guidelines.

10. Ensure that new residential development meets the sustainability objectives of the Plan.

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

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OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION

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Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

4.1 OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION OVERVIEW

Old Town North is home to a series of waterfront parks that run from West's Point in the south to Daingerfield Island in the north. Additionally, the plan area includes Montgomery Park and additional private open space with public access such as Alexandria House Park. In total, Old Town North is well served by more than 31 acres of publicly accessible open space (Figures 4.01 and 4.02), at a ratio slightly higher than the average neighborhood in Alexandria, with a variety of spaces offering passive and active recreation for Old Town North residents and visitors.

There are future open space opportunities for the plan area: the former power plant site and the rail corridor. These sites will create strategic links that will enhance trail connections and provide additional open space. The former power plant site will expand on the continuous waterfront access and offer new areas for active recreation.

The potential redevelopment sites identified in the Plan also provide opportunities for additional urban parks, private and public open space, and rooftop open space.

Figure 4.01: Existing Publicly Accessible Open Space

Note:

• Private properties with public access easements. ** Dee Campbell Rowing Center is owned by Alexandria City Public Schools. *** Areas are based on GIS data

Figure 4.02: Existing Publicly Accessible Open Space and Tree Canopy

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Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

4.2 OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION ANALYSIS

I. PLAN AREA

Publicly Accessible Open Space The plan area includes City parks, areas owned and operated by NPS and privately owned properties with public access easements such as Alexandria House Park, Rivergate Park and Tidelock Park. These park areas represent about 15% of the plan area. Old Town North has 9 acres of open space per 1,000 people, which is higher than the goal established by the City Council approved Open Space Master Plan.

By pursuing conversion of the rail corridor to a linear park (a portion of which is used actively as a trail today south and east of North Fairfax Street), and with a portion of the area of the former power plant site being provided as open space, Old Town North will benefit from new publicly accessible areas of open space. In total, it is anticipated that the amount of publicly accessible open space in Old Town North will grow from the current 31 acres to approximately 40 acres (see Figure 4.03).

Open Space Types and Uses: Private and Publicly Accessible In addition to new publicly accessible open spaces, private open spaces, such as yards, courtyards, and rooftop open spaces will also be provided with development projects. The amount and design of public and private open space will be determined as part of the development review process.

⬚ figure Oronoco Bay Park

⬚ figure Wythe Street

Figure 4.03: Planned Publicly Accessible Open Space

Notes:

1. Measurements from GIS Data.
2. Calculation of open space potential for the former power plant site is based on the illustrative design depicted in Figure 4.04. Final size and layout to be determined through the development review process.
3. In addition to new public open space, on-site public open space will be required on new development blocks.
4. Potential open space size amount to be determined as part of the development review process.

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

Figure 4.04: Illustrative Open Space

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LEGEND

Note: The potential buildings, open spaces, and rooftop open spaces depicted are for illustrative purposes. The final design and configuration of buildings, open spaces, and rooftop open spaces will be subject to the OTN SAP, the Design Standards and Guidelines, the Zoning Ordinance as amended, and the development review process.

64 | OLD TOWN NORTH SMALL AREA PLAN

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

II. LINEAR PARK

The Plan recommends the conversion of the rail corridor into a linear park through the process of rail-banking (and potentially abandonment), in coordination with Norfolk Southern. Further details on the Norfolk Southern rail corridor can be found in the Transportation Chapter. The trail section east of North Fairfax Street, from Third Street to Oronoco Street, could also be enhanced through improvements such as enhanced planting and screening of services as part of the development review process.

The conversion of the rail corridor will add approximately 4 acres of new open space that could be used for a variety of passive and active recreational uses and improve the connection from the Parkway to the Mount Vernon Trail along the waterfront (See Figure 4.05). The area is approximately 100 feet wide, and includes the existing rail tracks, embankments and linear stands of woodland which offers a sense of seclusion and screening for the adjoining residential uses south of the corridor.

The Plan recommends the following design strategies for the linear park:

1. Improve connections to the existing trail along East Abingdon Drive and the Mount Vernon Trail along the waterfront.
2. Separate pedestrian and bicycle trails.
3. Enhance landscaping design with selective clearing of the existing woodland for increased comfort and safety.
4. Provide areas of active recreational use along and adjacent to the linear park.
5. Incorporate the existing rail tracks into the linear park design as physical interpretation of the area’s industrial heritage.
6. Locate play areas for children of different age groups.
7. Integrate and improve the existing open spaces adjacent to Canal Center and Transpotomac Plaza, including removal of the existing fencing.

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Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

Figure 4.05: Illustrative Linear Trail Park

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Separated bicycle/pedestrian trail

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Active recreation

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Enhanced planting while incoporating industrial elements

LEGEND

Note: The open space depicted is for illustrative purposes. The final design and configuration of open space will be developed as part of the development review process.

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

III. FORMER POWER PLANT SITE

Significant publicly accessible open spaces will be key elements of the redevelopment of the former power plant site.

A. Expanded Waterfront Open Space

The Plan recommends an area ranging from 2 to 4 acres of added public open space along the waterfront. As depicted in Figure 4.07, there is 5.7 acres of existing waterfront open space adjacent to the former power plant site. The Plan will increase the waterfront park by 2 to 4 acres. This expansion to the waterfront open space will increase the open passive areas and woodland along the river. Additionally, it creates the opportunity to widen the current waterfront trail access between the former power plant site and the River, with the potential to separate the bicycle and pedestrian trail for a better connection between the plan area and Daingerfield Island to the north.

The waterfront open space will include a range of active and passive uses, and a varied landscape character (wooded, riverine and open grass areas) which opens the waterfront to enjoyment by residents and visitors. Amenities for trail users, such as rest areas and bicycle repair stations, should be explored.

The expanded waterfront open space should be designed in a way that connects and relates to the development and uses of the former power plant site to increase access and views to the waterfront. Incorporation of existing industrial elements into the design of open spaces, site and building design should be explored to the extent feasible.

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Figure 4.06: View of Potomac River from the former power plant site.

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

Figure 4.07: Expanded Waterfront Open Space Illustrative Design

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Note: The open space depicted is for illustrative purposes. The final design and configuration of open space will be developed as part of the development review process. Any revisions to the existing waterfront park will require all necessary approvals by NPS.

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

B. Recreational Open Space Adjacent to the Linear Park

Adjacent to the linear park, the Plan recommends 1-2 acres of open space on the former power plant site (Figure 4.08) for multi-use active recreational space, such as soccer, basketball, and tennis courts, with a potential community facility.

Beyond the public open space which is anticipated with the redevelopment of the former power plant site, a portion of the potential new urban blocks created through the redevelopment of the site will be devoted to open space. The amount and location of open space within each block will be determined as part of the CDD approval(s) for the site.

Figure 4.08: Expanded Active Recreation Open Space Illustrative Design

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LEGEND

01 Enhanced Trail Connection 02 Separated Bicycle/ Pedestrian Trails 03 Enhanced Landscaping 04 Active Use Area 05 Industrial Heritage Elements 06 Street Crossing

Note: The open space depicted is for illustrative purposes. The final design and configuration of open space will be developed as part of the development review process.

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4 OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION | 69

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

IV. ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITY SITES

Waterfront Parks – Many of the waterfront parks which are intended for improvements under the Waterfront Plan are located in Old Town North. The recommendations of the Plan are consistent with the Waterfront Plan.

Montgomery Park – Montgomery Park is considered by many as the "social heart" of the community due to its value and central location. The Plan incorporates the design recommendations for Montgomery Park adopted as part of the City's 2016 Neighborhood Parks Improvement Plan. A central goal of the community is to protect and enhance the existing uses, such as the farmer's market and tennis courts.

In addition, the Plan recommends that the streetscape design around the park be carefully considered and enhanced, particularly where it intersects to the south at Montgomery Street identified as a Retail Corridor.

Alexandria House Park – The Plan recommends coordination to include outdoor art exhibitions in a portion of the park (Figure 4.10) to support the wider goal of promoting North Fairfax Street as an Arts Corridor.

Public Access Easements and Potential Connections - The Plan encourages the provision of public access easements as part of the development review process where feasible to implement the intent of the Plan. This is likely to be applicable to larger development sites, and to locations within the plan area which have been identified as important for pedestrian connections.

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Figure 4.09: Montgomery Park - Neighborhood Parks Improvement Plan

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Figure 4.10: Alexandria House Park Illustrative Concept Note: Final design will require approval of the Alexandria House Homeowners Association.

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

V. TREE CANOPY

The tree canopy coverage in Old Town North currently makes up approximately 26 acres of the total area (including streets), which equates to approximately 13% of the plan area. Typical with an urban area, the proportion of tree coverage is less than neighborhoods with large suburban yards that can contribute to a mature and large tree canopy. Other aspects of the plan area land uses also give rise to a lower canopy. For example, the former power plant site has limited tree canopy. Additionally, although there is a considerable amount of green open space, the majority is located on the waterfront where maintaining views of the Potomac River has limited the tree canopy.

As a result, one of the key objectives of the Plan is to increase the tree canopy, and there is considerable opportunity to do so over the life of the Plan. The range of strategies for increasing the tree canopy is described below. The table shown in Figure 4.11 summarizes the anticipated canopy growth.

Increasing Street Tree Canopy The existing street tree canopy coverage is varied from contiguous blocks of coverage to large areas with very limited coverage. In general, the southern blocks of the neighborhood include a higher proportion of street tree coverage.

The Design Standards and Guidelines specify the improvements to streetscapes anticipated both adjacent to development sites and in areas where wider sidewalks will allow for better growing conditions for street trees. Additionally, the new streets which will be created on the former power plant site will allow for a significant increase in tree canopy.

Rail Trail Corridor The linear park adjacent to the former power plant site has potential for adding tree canopy. However, the increase is limited by the nature of a linear space and by the competing desire to create a park that feels secure and can be used safely by pedestrians and cyclists. The portion of the rail corridor currently used as the Mount Vernon Trail also has a potential for increase tree canopy.

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Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

Waterfront Parks The Waterfront Plan included an overall increase of tree canopy in the waterfront parks. A preliminary analysis of Oronoco Bay Park, Rivergate Park, Tidelock Park and Wythe Street Plaza indicates this would add approximately 1.3 acres.

Development Sites Redevelopment sites in the plan area will go through a development review and approval process, which includes a provision for 25% crown coverage. The crown coverage requirement will be met on-site to the extent feasible. If the 25% crown coverage requirement cannot be met on-site, an off-site contribution will be provided as part of the development review process. The former power plant site is a large site with an opportunity to add a significant amount of trees within the plan area.

Preliminary Estimates for Tree Canopy Considering all of the strategies to increase the tree canopy, it is possible that the tree canopy could increase from approximately 12.8% to approximately 22.8% of the plan area (Figure 4.11). Increasing tree canopy in the plan area is consistent with the Plan's sustainability objectives.

Diversifying the Tree Canopy The Plan recommends that the tree species used are diversified, including street trees, in order to minimize the risks from disease or changing environmental conditions.

Figure 4.11: Preliminary Estimates for Tree Canopy

Note: The amounts shown are preliminary estimates.

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

4.3 ARTS AND CULTURE

Old Town North is home to two important cultural institutions – The Art League and MetroStage - as well as businesses in the creative sectors and to residents who enjoy the cultural activities that take place in the area. The Land Use and Economic Development Chapter discusses in more detail the objectives to create a neighborhood-based arts and cultural center within Old Town North through a possible plan-area wide Arts District and/or Arts Corridor centered on and around North Fairfax Street. In addition to streetscape improvements, enhancements to North Fairfax Street may include some of the following elements:

– Streetscape improvements – Lighting – Banners (per the allowable sign regulations) – Improved/unique sidewalks – Architectural elements – Public art on public sites – Public or private art on private sites – Programming – Arts and Cultural Uses

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Figure 4.12: Community's Vision for Arts and Cultural Uses in Old Town North

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

4.4 OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION RECOMMENDATIONS

I. OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION

1. Promote recreational areas with passive and active spaces for the use and enjoyment of all ages.

2. Prioritize programming for public open spaces with themes such as the arts, concerts, fairs, sport, and fitness.

3. Ensure that waterfront park improvements are consistent with the Waterfront Plan.

4. Implement the City's Neighborhood Parks Improvement Plan and related recommendations to achieve enhancements to Montgomery Park, and to continue existing programming such as the farmer's market.

5. Promote a stronger network of open spaces through more connections between public and publicly accessible spaces and between public spaces, enhanced streetscapes, and arts and cultural amenities.

6. Provide and enhance views to and from the Potomac River and strengthen views to the north and south. Additionally, rooftop open space should also maximize views.

7. Pursue the conversion of the rail corridor into a linear park with a separated bicycle and pedestrian trail, and areas of active and passive recreation.

II. FORMER POWER PLANT SITE

8. Provide public open spaces as part of the redevelopment of the former power plant site as generally depicted in Figure 4.04, including:

   • An additional 2 to 4 acre public open space along the waterfront
   • A 1 to 2 acre public open space for active recreational use adjacent to the recommended linear park
   • Additional on-site open space will be required as part of the development review process.

9. The publicly accessible open spaces on the former power plant site will include areas where the industrial heritage of the site is incorporated through the restoration/preservation of industrial artifacts and interpretive elements.

10. Open space uses to be suitable for all age groups.

11. The City and the property owner will coordinate on the design, maintenance and programming responsibility for new public open spaces.

III. TREE CANOPY

12. A minimum 25% of tree canopy will be provided on-site for development sites. To the extent that the required tree canopy cannot be provided on-site, a contribution will be provided to enable tree canopy to be provided within the plan area and/or other nearby areas as determined as part of the development review process.

IV. MAINTENANCE, FUNDING AND IMPLEMENTATION

13. Provide streetscape improvements along all development site frontages. For larger projects, developers may be required to implement improvements in the vicinity of their frontages, e.g. on the block corner(s) adjacent to their sites.

14. Coordinate streetscape and environmental improvements as set out in the Infrastructure and Sustainability Chapter and all applicable City regulations.

15. All open space and streetscape improvements will follow the Design Standards and Guidelines and all other applicable City regulations.

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

16. The City will establish an Old Town North Open Space and Streetscape Improvement/Tree Canopy Fund(s). The funding will be provided by sites where the required ground level open space, streetscape improvements, and/or tree canopy requirements cannot be provided on-site. Monetary contributions will be provided to the Fund(s), and the amount of contribution will be established as part of the implementation process.

V. ARTS AND CULTURAL ACTIVITIES RECOMMENDATIONS

17. Community facilities with meeting/event, cultural, after-school and recreational space should be sited on the former power plant site and/or within the plan area. A process for determining operation, management, and maintenance of the facilities will be developed under the implementation process.

18. All recreation and cultural spaces will follow the Design Standards and Guidelines and other applicable regulations.

19. Identify through the development review process potential sites for public art and in particular along North Fairfax Street. Identify and undertake coordinated strategies for securing the art, working through the City's development review process and the Office of the Arts.

20. Explore initiatives to promote Old Town North's branding and marketing programs, expanded arts and cultural venues, and programming for the enjoyment of residents, employees and visitors of the area.

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

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Amended 12/18/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2 and 3 on page i

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TRANSPORTATION

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Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

5.1 TRANSPORTATION OVERVIEW

The transportation strategy is designed to maximize the use of transit, pedestrian, and bicycle amenities and to encourage a shift from private autos to more sustainable modes of transportation, consistent with the City’s Transportation Master Plan. Transportation also plays a key role in Old Town North to address the sustainability objectives of the Plan.

While the majority of the plan area consists of an urban network of streets and a geography that gives it a special character along the waterfront – some constraints to the grid connectivity also exist. The former power plant site, a number of developed parcels, and the rail corridor, limit some of the connectivity within the plan area and the surrounding neighborhoods. Therefore, the Plan recommends improvements to the circulation network through:

• Extension of the existing street grid into the former power plant site.
• Expanded waterfront parks and trails with pedestrian and bicycle connections.
• Conversion of the rail corridor to a linear park with east-west pedestrian and bicycle connections.
• Street cross sections and sidewalks designed to prioritize pedestrians.
• Shared parking strategies that accommodate new technology.
• Two-way streets to prioritize pedestrians.
• Improved access and connectivity of Old Town North to the Parkway, the surrounding neighborhoods, and to the Braddock and Potomac Yards Metrorail Stations.

Creating safe, functional places for people to walk and bike can have a profound impact on the health and well-being of Alexandria residents. Designing streets that prioritize the pedestrian with access to transit and cycling, are important strategies to increase physical activity while reducing traffic congestion and improving air quality. This Plan helps to ensure that Old Town North includes safe and convenient transportation options.

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Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

I. TRANSPORTATION STRATEGY

The transportation strategy is based on the following:

1. Enhanced Streetscapes and Pedestrian Environment that reflects the goal of the City’s adopted Vision Zero resolution and offers an interesting, safe, attractive, and engaging environment for pedestrians.

2. Reuse of the Rail Corridor as a linear park with pedestrian and bicycle connections and recreational amenities.

3. Separation of Pedestrian and Bicycle Paths to be provided along the expanded waterfront open space as part of the redevelopment of the former power plant site.

4. Enhanced Bicycle Facilities as recommended in the City’s Transportation Master Plan to improve north-south and east-west connectivity in Old Town North. The recommended facilities provide additional options for connections to the Mount Vernon Trail and improved bicycle connectivity between the Metrorail Stations, the Mount Vernon Trail, and the waterfront.

5. Existing or New local Transit routes will be configured to provide service to the former power plant site and transit connectivity to the Braddock Road and Potomac Yard Metrorail Stations.

6. Local and Circulator Transit Service to provide more frequent and convenient service between the King Street Metrorail Station and the Braddock Road Metrorail Station, as recommended in the City’s Transportation Master Plan. The service would traverse through Old Town North using North Fairfax, Madison, and Montgomery Streets.

7. Extend the Urban Street Grid as part of the redevelopment of the former power plant site as generally depicted in Figure 5.01.

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Figure 5.01: Urban Street Grid on Former Power Plant Site

LEGEND ➔ Framework Streets and Street Extensions --- Internal Street Grid

Note: This graphic is for illustrative purposes only. Final configuration of the OTN framework streets, internal street grid, block sizes, open spaces, buildings and building heights will be subject to the Plan, the Design Standards and Guidelines, the Zoning Ordinance as amended, and the development review process.

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

5.2 PEDESTRIAN REALM - CONNECTIVITY

The Plan envisions the existing and new streets to function as spaces that provide a vibrant public life within the neighborhood while achieving multiple public health benefits. Walking is widely recognized to lower incidence of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and other diseases. The Plan and associated Design Standards and Guidelines provide a framework for improving the public realm in Old Town North in a way that is consistent with Vision Zero's goal of eliminating traffic deaths and serious injuries by 2028 by creating streetscapes that prioritize pedestrians while being inclusive of all transportation modes. An increase in Old Town North's walkability will have a direct impact on the overall safety, health, and well-being of its residents, workers, and visitors.

The Plan recommends increasing the space given to people and the underlying ecological systems by reducing the width of existing over-sized roadways such as Second Street and the northern end of North Royal Street. The streetscapes are intended to serve multiple functions such as sitting, walking, biking, gathering, as well as retaining and filtering stormwater run-off. The Design Standards and Guidelines provide requirements for the design of streetscapes within the plan area.

Additionally, the Plan recommends the transformation of the existing rail corridor into a linear park (Figure 5.01) that will create separated pedestrian and bicycle paths. The implementation of the linear park and improvements to the East Abingdon Drive bicycle and pedestrian connection will require coordination with Norfolk Southern, NPS, PEPCO, and the property owner as part of the redevelopment of the former power plant site.

I. CONNECTIVITY TO METRO STATIONS

The Plan recommends streetscape and circulation improvements to provide better connectivity to adjacent neighborhoods to the west and to the Braddock and Potomac Yard Metrorail Stations. Enhanced sidewalks and crossings on each side of Slaters Lane and across the Parkway, including bicycle accommodations should be provided. These enhanced pedestrian connections will be critical to maximize transit ridership, a primary goal of the Plan (Figure 5.03). The Design Standards and Guidelines provide sidewalk standards and cross sections to ensure that streetscape design meets the goals and recommendations of the Plan.

"Develop a holistic City transportation system that puts the health, mobility, and accessibility of “people first” by implementing development and transportation programs and projects consistent with the following level of precedence: pedestrians, bicyclists, public transportation, shared motor vehicles and private motor vehicles." - Environmental Action Plan 2030

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Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

II. CONNECTING FORMER POWER PLANT SITE

Urban scale blocks (Figure 5.03) will be created with the redevelopment of the former power plant to provide a variety of engaging pedestrian routes that will encourage walking and biking. As the former power plant site redevelops, there is an opportunity to provide an additional trail along the waterfront parallel to the existing Mount Vernon Trail in order to provide a separation between pedestrians and cyclists and increase the safety and convenience of the trail for all users. The Open Space and Recreation Chapter outlines the proposed conversion of the existing rail corridor to a linear park with an improved pedestrian and bicycle pathway along East Abingdon Drive.

III. GREEN STREETS/STREETSCAPE

The Green Streets connect existing and/or planned parks and also provide connections to the waterfront. The Plan identifies four streets as Green Streets: North Royal, Wythe, Second, and North Washington. Green Streets are characterized by their improved landscaping, tree canopy, and green infrastructure facilities (Figure 5.02). Green Streets will also include traffic calming measures, such as curb extensions (bulb-outs) at intersections, which provide better visibility and shorter crossing distance for pedestrians.

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Figure 5.02: Green Street Frontage (Royal, Wythe, and Second Streets)

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Note: This section is for illustrative purposes. Refer to the Design Standards and Guidelines for applicable requirements for each street.

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

Figure 5.03: Pedestrian Circulation

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LEGEND

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

5.3 BICYCLE CONNECTIVITY

I. BICYCLE NETWORK

The Plan creates a network to encourage biking as a viable travel option, which has health and environmental benefits consistent with the Pedestrian and Bicycle Chapter of the City’s Transportation Master Plan (Figure 5.04). The bicycle network in the plan area includes both on and off-street bicycle facilities to serve all users and trip types with a focus on better connections to transit, bicycle parking, and regional bicycle connectivity through the Mount Vernon Trail, which is a segment of the East Coast Greenway, a 3,000 mile-long bicycle and walking route that connects communities from Calais, Maine to Key West, Florida. The network will enable more people to bike for some of their daily trips and increase the proportion of the workforce who bike to work.

In addition to the Green Street features, the Plan recommends implementing the Pedestrian and Bicycle Chapter of the City’s Transportation Master Plan for improving the bicycle network in the City (Figure 5.04). Additional public outreach will occur to determine the approaches needed to implement the recommendations in that Plan.

The Plan also recommends extending the bicycle facilities into the former power plant site as redevelopment occurs, as well as Slaters Lane, which would provide an east-west bicycle connection from the former power plant site to the existing bicycle lane on Slaters Lane west of the Parkway.

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Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

II. BICYCLE PARKING

Providing adequate end-of-trip facilities is a critical component of any bicycle network. The Plan recommends bicycle parking in a number of contexts:

• Bicycle parking at residential and employment sites.
• Bicycle parking at retail areas.

Bicycle parking will follow the rules and regulations of the City's Bicycle Parking Standards.

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III. BIKESHARE

Bikesharing is a program that allows users to rent a bicycle for a short period of time. Bicycles are “checked out” at one station and returned to any station within the system. Members pay based on the length of time they use the bicycle, thus reducing the costs associated with personal bicycle ownership. Bikeshare also helps to provide “last mile” connectivity to major transit facilities such as the Braddock Metrorail Station, Potomac Yard Metrorail Station, or the Metroway. With stations dispersed throughout the plan area, these bicycles are meant to be used for short time periods. The placement of future bikeshare stations should generally be consistent with locations identified in the Pedestrian and Bicycle Chapter of the City’s Transportation Master Plan, with a minimum of 5 bikeshare station locations within the plan area.

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Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

Figure 5.04: Proposed Bicycle Network

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LEGEND

Note:

1. This map has been adopted as part of the Pedestrian and Bicycle Chapter of the Transportation Master Plan in April 2016.
2. Additional public outreach will occur to determine the approaches needed to implement the recommendations in that Pedestrian and Bicycle Chapter of the Transportation Master Plan.

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

5.4 TRANSPORTATION STUDY

I. METHODOLOGY

A transportation study was conducted to determine the traffic impact of the proposed development in Old Town North, including the redevelopment of the former power plant site. The transportation study examined impacts within the plan area including the potential conversion of Montgomery Street from a one-way operation to a two-way operation. The transportation study included the analysis of 29 intersections under the 2040 Build scenario, all of which were studied during both the AM and PM peak hours.

The transportation analysis performed for the plan area is a planning-level study that evaluates the order of magnitude impacts associated with the Plan’s potential redevelopment projections. The study assumed that development will be built out over a 25 year period and assumes changes in regional traffic patterns over that time period. All future development applications associated with the Plan will require additional transportation studies to analyze the specific impacts of the blocks and will include additional transportation data available at that time as well as refined development information. The studies will also update the traffic impacts associated with specific development and refine the recommended improvements to the transportation network.

The proposed redevelopment within the plan area assumed a horizon year of 2040 for purposes of the transportation analysis. Three scenarios were analyzed:

1. 2016 Existing Conditions

2. 2040 Baseline Scenario a. Assumes regional growth through 2040. b. Build out in the Old Town North plan area to the full development potential allowable under existing zoning/site plan approvals. c. Does not assume the redevelopment of the former power plant site. d. New Potomac Yard Metrorail Station. e. Metroway service between Braddock Road and Pentagon City.

f. Improved transit service through a new Old Town Circulator. g. Improved transit headways for select DASH routes per the DASH Comprehensive Operations Analysis. h. Route 1 transit signal priority between East Glebe Road and First Street. i. Signal timing adjustments at various intersections based on transportation studies for various developments.

3. 2040 Build Scenario a. Build-out of development in the plan area through 2040, including the former power plant site. b. Conversion of Montgomery Street from one-way operation to a two-way operation and associated intersection improvements along North Washington and Montgomery Streets. c. Extension of North Royal, North Fairfax, and North Pitt Streets into the former power plant site. d. Additional roadway grid within the former power plant site to support development. e. Additional local transit service/routes from the south to serve the redeveloped power plant site and connect to the new Potomac Yard Metrorail Station. f. To enable improved connectivity and reduce congestion at streets connecting the former power plant site improvements include, but are not limited to the following: i. A potential new east-west street connecting the redeveloped former power plant site to West Abingdon Drive. Alternative options include widening of West Abingdon Drive. The final design and approach to address the intersection of Slaters Lane and Abingdon Drive will need to be approved as part of the future Coordinated Development District (CDD) approval(s) for the site. ii. Roadway re-striping of West Abingdon Drive at Slaters Lane to provide additional vehicle capacity. iii. Roadway re-striping along Bashford Lane at the Parkway.

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

The analysis assumes increases in traffic attributed to regional growth including approved development in the plan area and planned development in neighboring jurisdictions regardless of the development in the plan area. The Plan provides improved pedestrian and bicycle connectivity, enhanced transit service, and new roadway connectivity in and through the plan area which provides travel choices in terms of route and mode. The study showed that with the construction of all the recommended roadway and transit improvements, the transportation network operates more efficiently in the 2040 Build Scenario than the 2040 Baseline Scenario.

IV. MODE SHARE

To represent the anticipated trip-making patterns associated with the redevelopment of Old Town North, assumptions were developed to assign trips to transit, pedestrian, bicycle, and auto modes. Mode choice, the design to use one of these options, was applied based on the proximity of each block to transit (either a station or a stop) and the type of land use forecast on each block. Mode choice assumptions are consistent with the mode choice factors used in other small area plans in the City and mode share data from US Census records of the City. It is widely recognized that urban, mixed-use developments with accessible transit will result in lower automobile trip generation. When the mode choice assumptions are applied to the proposed mix of uses for the 2040 Build scenario in Old Town North, the resulting overall daily mode choice is 40% of trips being made by Metrorail, 5% of trips by bus, 15% of trips by bike or foot, and 40% by automobile (Figure 5.05). The mode choice assumes build-out of the proposed mix of uses, accessibility to multiple modes of transportation including Metrorail and dedicated high-capacity Metroway, enhanced street connectivity, and bicycle and pedestrian facilities.

V. AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES

Consideration should be given to Autonomous Vehicles and other emerging transportation trends and technologies as part of the future traffic studies for future redevelopment sites. Future roadway and building design should incorporate elements that may facilitate automated vehicles and other emerging transportation trends, to the extent feasible, without compromising pedestrian safety and the public realm.

Figure 5.05: Mode Split

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Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

5.5 STREETS AND CONNECTIVITY

I. COMPLETE STREET TYPOLOGIES

The Alexandria Complete Streets Design Guidelines classifies the City's streets into eight typologies: Commercial Connector, Main Street, Mix-Use Boulevard, Neighborhood Connector, Neighborhood Residential, Parkway, Industrial, and Shared Street. Figure 5.06 depicts the complete street typology designation within the plan area. In addition, the Complete Streets Design Guidelines include overlays such as transit streets. The design of transit streets provides easy access to transit for all users, including people with disabilities. This overlay is intended to focus on more transit-intensive streets as depicted in Figure 5.07.

New and re-configured streets will follow the street cross-sections depicted in the Design Standards and Guidelines. These street cross-sections incorporate the provisions of the Alexandria Complete Streets Design Guidelines.

II. NEW STREETS IN THE FORMER POWER PLANT SITE

Figure 5.06 shows the desired framework streets on the former power plant site. The Plan recommends the extension of the adjoining streets of North Pitt, North Royal, and North Fairfax Streets into the site. Final configuration of framework streets, internal street grid, and block sizes will be subject to the recommendations in the Plan, the Design Standards and Guidelines, the Zoning Ordinance as amended, and the development review process.

III. ONE-WAY TO TWO-WAY CONVERSION; OPERATION OF MONTGOMERY STREET

The Plan recommends the conversion of Montgomery Street from one-way to two-way operation, which supports the Plan's recommendation to promote this street as a retail corridor. The transportation study identified the following measures in order to improve the operation at the intersection of Montgomery Street and Washington Street:

• Remove northbound left turn on North Washington Street to Powhatan Street.
• Powhatan Street at North Washington Street intersection will be a right in/ right out only.
• Provide eastbound and westbound left turns on Montgomery Street at North Washington Street.

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Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

Figure 5.06: Complete Street Typologies

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LEGEND

Notes:

1. Any improvements to the Parkway will require all applicable approvals by NPS.
2. Final designation of the streets within the former power plant site will be determined as part of the applicable CDD approval(s) for the site.

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i Figure 5.07: Complete Street Typologies - Transit Streets

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LEGEND

● ● ● ● Designated Transit Street

■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Potential extension of Transit Street into the former power plant site

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

5.6 TRANSIT

One of the most important features of Old Town North is its commitment to transit-oriented development. This involves a range of transit options, which will provide transit services consistent with the amount and type of the existing planned development.

Existing DASH, WMATA and planned DASH routes will serve the plan area providing service to the Braddock Road Metrorail Station, the Potomac Yard Metrorail Station, Old Town, the District of Columbia, and a variety of other destinations (Figure 5.08). The Plan recommends that DASH transit headways be improved, consistent with the DASH Comprehensive Operations Analysis. This includes creating an Old Town Circulator per the DASH Comprehensive Operational Analysis (Figure 5.09). The Old Town Circulator can be accommodated through either increasing headways on the AT8, or realigning the AT2 to follow the AT8 , contingent on capital and operating budgets. This improved route would provide better connectivity between Old Town North and the Braddock Metrorail Station.

The Plan recommends a new local north-south transit route that runs from a southern terminus to be determined along North Fairfax Street, through the former power plant site, across Slaters Lane, and terminates at the Potomac Yard Metrorail Station (Figure 5.09). A phasing plan will be identified to align the new service's implementation with the former power plant site development levels. The City will also be undertaking a comprehensive analysis of the bus transit network and the recommendations of this Plan may be adjusted per the future planning effort. Future transit improvements are subject to funding through the City's Capital Improvements Program.

I. NORFOLK-SOUTHERN RAIL SPUR FUTURE TRANSIT EVALUATION

The existing Norfolk-Southern rail corridor starts at the Robinson Terminal North warehouse near the junction of Pendleton Street and North Union Street. The rail corridor previously served industrial areas adjacent to the waterfront, as well as the former Potomac River Generating Station (former power plant site). The track crosses multiple roadways, notably at the Parkway and Slaters Lane. The Mount Vernon Trail runs alongside the existing rail corridor from the Parkway to the track terminus at Pendleton Street, then continues on-street down North Union Street.

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Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i An analysis was conducted to determine future transit use along the rail corridor as a long-term goal. It was determined that a linear park is more feasible due to extensive land acquisition that would be required for a transitway along the rail corridor. In addition, the rail corridor provides limited access to higher density uses that are compatible with high capacity transit. Utilizing existing local streets and the potential new street network with the former power plant site will provide better transit access to existing and future land uses.

II. WATER TRANSPORTATION

The possibility of water transportation on the Potomac River would require technical and operational evaluation. A water taxi, particularly on the Potomac River, may reduce demand on other transit systems that may be carrying increased numbers of summer tourists and visitors to special events. Water taxis could link Old Town North to a growing system of waterfront destinations along the Potomac River, including Old Town, National Harbor, the Southwest Waterfront, Anacostia, and Georgetown. Potential water taxi implementation could be through the redevelopment of Canal Center, or the former power plant site. Additional analysis to determine the feasibility of a water taxi at any of these sites would need to be coordinated through the development review process. There may also be an opportunity for a marina at Canal Center or the former power plant site.

III. TRUCK LOADING

The growth in office, retail, and other development will increase truck loading and deliveries. The necessity for truck deliveries also demands that the City allocate room for delivering trucks. To maintain efficient traffic circulation, the City will require a comprehensive policy regarding truck loading and deliveries during the development review process.

In the near term, loading zones can be requested and reviewed by the Traffic and Parking Board. With the conversion of Montgomery Street to a two-way operation, the City will designate loading zones for the commercial blocks east of Washington Street, as well as require new developments to include loading zones or bays through the development review process. Additional requirements regarding access and loading are specified in the Design Standards and Guidelines.

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Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

Figure 5.08: Existing Transit Network

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LEGEND

5 TRANSPORTATION | 93

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i Figure 5.09: Recommended Transit Improvements

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LEGEND — AT2 realignment ■■■■ Potential New North/South Transit Line

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

5.7 PARKING

I. PARKING LOTS, STRUCTURES, AND ON-STREET PARKING

Parking lots and parking structures have a negative impact on portions of the plan area. In order to create a desirable public realm, parked cars should generally be below-grade, freeing up ground level space for courtyards and active street frontages. When cars are parked at or above grade they will be screened behind active uses such as retail, office, or residential uses.

Management of on-street and on-site parking is a critical feature of any transportation system and should be carefully coordinated with other transportation considerations. On-street parking spaces should be efficiently managed to maximize turnover of spaces and encourage garage parking for longer stays. In the short term, the Plan recommends consistent parking restrictions along the identified retail corridors to maximize turnover of spaces near retail uses. As more uses are added and demand for on-street parking increases, on-street parking spaces should be metered. This could be part of a performance parking program that coordinates pricing with occupancy levels and available off-street parking options.

Adequate parking for each use will be provided with new development. Where possible, shared parking should be pursued first to maximize efficiencies of existing parking facilities. New parking facilities should be open to the public and employ smart parking technologies including variable pricing and available parking space technologies. Wayfinding signage should be employed to efficiently direct drivers to parking garages and clearly indicate price and availability of parking.

II. CARSHARE

Carsharing provides an effective incentive for participants to forgo car ownership and rely on transit or other modes since a shared car could be readily available when needed. The growth and success of these programs in the City and other urban neighborhoods throughout the country has shown their effectiveness in reducing auto dependency. Members pay based on how much they drive, thus reducing the fixed costs associated with private automobile ownership. As part of redevelopment, the Plan encourages development to establish carsharing in each building and for the City to identify potential carshare locations on public streets.

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Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

III. ELECTRIC VEHICLES / CHARGING STATIONS

Electric vehicle charging stations will become more important as drivers consider the switch to vehicles that reduce fuel use and emissions contributing to climate change. Charging stations should be installed at key locations to serve drivers using plug-in hybrid or electric vehicles. These key locations may include residential, commercial, and office parking areas or within parking structures.

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5.8 TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT PLAN

Transportation Management Plans (TMPs) are a set of specific strategies that influence travel behavior by mode, frequency, time, route or trip length in order to help achieve an efficient and sustainable use of transportation facilities, along with other City goals such as promoting access for all transportation system users, improving mobility, and minimizing the negative impacts of vehicular traffic.

Given the centrality of multi-modal transportation in Old Town North, and in order to ensure that the systems and programs are in place as needed to support the density, the Plan requires that future development employ aggressive TMP measures to achieve a 50% Non-Single Occupant Vehicle (SOV) mode share target, and also meet future TMP requirements. The redeveloped former power plant site should be established as a new TMP district, while individual developments south of the former power plant site are required to develop their own TMPs.

These strategies will include market-rate parking fees for all uses, performance parking, shared parking, parking management, transit passes, “un-bundling” parking cost (separating the cost of parking from the purchase or lease cost of a unit), transit incentives, semi-annual monitoring and reporting, and similar measures.

Charging market rates for parking is an important tool in the TMP strategies employed to create a successful multi-modal community. Availability and cost of parking will heavily influence people’s decision whether or not to drive. Parking should be available for those that choose to drive and are willing to pay its cost. At the same time, incentives (financial and otherwise) should be provided to those who choose not to drive.

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Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

5.9 TRANSPORTATION RECOMMENDATIONS

I. PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE NETWORK

1. Implement pedestrian and bicycle network improvements consistent with the City’s Vision Zero Policy, Transportation Master Plan and the Environmental Action Plan.

2. As part of the redevelopment of sites, the sidewalks will be improved to be consistent with the applicable cross-sections in the Design Standards and Guidelines and the City’s Complete Street Design Guidelines.

3. Provide a continuous, connected, and accessible network that enables pedestrians – including those with mobility impairments – to move safely and comfortably between places and destinations.

4. North Royal, Wythe, Second, and North Washington Streets will be implemented as Green Streets with enhanced landscaping and traffic calming measures such as narrower travel lanes, enhanced tree canopy, and curb extensions (bulb-outs). The streetscape improvements will be consistent with the applicable cross-sections in the Design Standards and Guidelines and the City’s Complete Street Design Guidelines.

5. Improve the Norfolk Southern rail corridor adjacent to the former power plant site to include a separated pedestrian and bicycle paths through the planned linear park.

6. As part of the redevelopment of the substation site, provide enhanced pedestrian and bicycle improvements as depicted in the Design Standards and Guidelines, for East Abingdon Drive and Slaters Lane frontage.

7. Construct a new trail within the expanded waterfront open space on the former power plant site, as generally depicted in Figure 5.03, to separate the existing pedestrian and bicycle trail.

8. Add an enhanced bicycle facility along Slaters Lane to improve bicycle connectivity to the Mount Vernon Trail and the Potomac Avenue Trail.

9. Add a minimum of five additional bikeshare stations within the plan area, including two within the former power plant site. The final location of the bikeshare stations will be determined as part of the development review process.

II. TRANSIT

10. Improve local transit connectivity within Old Town North, the former power plant site, surrounding areas and the Braddock and Potomac Yard Metrorail Stations by implementing the Old Town Circulator and a new north-south local transit route to serve the Potomac Yard Metrorail Station.

11. Circulator transit stops will be designed to include real-time transit information and innovative display technologies to include route maps, schedules, and local and regional information.

12. Require a coordinated Transportation Management Plan (TMP) for the former power plant site.

13. Employ aggressive TMP performance measures, meeting or exceeding a 50% Non-Single Occupant Vehicle modal split.

14. Explore additional local-serving routes to connect locations within Old Town North to nearby communities and destinations.

15. As part of the redevelopment of the former power plant site and the Canal Center site, the developer should examine the feasibility of a water transportation option.

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

III. STREETS

16. Provide a compact grid of streets in the former power plant site in alignment with, and connecting to the established street grid in Old Town North. North Fairfax, North Royal, and North Pitt Streets will be extended into the former power plant site as generally depicted in Figures 5.01 and 5.06.

17. Evaluate the feasibility of converting Montgomery Street from a one-way street to a two-way street, with parking generally on each side of the street between North Henry Street and North Fairfax Street, and there will be good faith to work with the community. As part of the conversion of the street from a one-way street to a two-way street, loading for existing businesses and future development will be evaluated and addressed.

18. As the former power plant site is redeveloped, continue to work with the NPS on the feasibility and implementation of a new east-west street connection as generally depicted in Figure 5.03. Alternative solutions for the intersection of Slaters Lane and West Abingdon Drive will also be considered. A solution to mitigate the intersection of Slaters Lane and West Abingdon Drive will require approval prior to the Coordinated Development District (CDD) approval(s) for the former power plant site(s).

19. All new streets and rights-of-way will be dedicated to the City as public streets. Perpetual public access easements for streets may be considered if approved as part of the development review process.

20. New and re-configured streets will comply with the Design Standards and Guidelines and the City’s Complete Street Design Guidelines.

21. As part of the CDD approval(s) for the former power plant site, specific requirements for phasing and sequencing of streets and infrastructure will be established, which will be tied to the amount of development.. The site will also be responsible for all off-site infrastructure improvements generated by the planned development.

22. Each development will be required to submit a comprehensive approach and policy regarding truck loading and deliveries as part of the development review process.

IV. PARKING

23. Given the current surplus of underutilized off-street parking in Old Town North, shared parking agreements should be promoted and encouraged to help meet residential and commercial parking requirements.

24. New parking constructed on the former power plant site should incorporate shared parking strategies to maximize the use of the parking, while minimizing the overall amount of parking needed to serve all of the uses. This parking should be made available to the public, in partnership with the property owner, the City will have some level of control over the management, operations, and pricing of the garage(s).

25. Explore parking maximums for each use on the former power plant to encourage pedestrian, bike and transit use and help in achieving the sustainability objectives of the Plan

26. Establish consistent on-street parking restrictions to encourage turnover of parking spaces in retail areas. This may require adding restrictions to blocks that are currently unrestricted. Parking meters should be considered when/if on-street parking occupancy remains above 85%.

27. Parking wayfinding should be developed to conveniently locate and access available parking in the plan area.

28. Provide advanced parking management systems including real-time parking availability, pre-trip parking information, and parking reservation/ navigation systems.

29. Require long and short-term bicycle parking as part of the development review process.

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

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INFRASTRUCTURE AND SUSTAINABILITY

6

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

6.1 INFRASTRUCTURE AND SUSTAINABILITY OVERVIEW

I. VISION

The Plan addresses urban sustainability at the building and site scale and builds on the City’s commitment to sustainable and livable communities. In addition, the Plan recommends strategies to transform the approximately 20 acre former power plant site into a model of sustainability.

Old Town North’s sustainability focus will also be enhanced by an urbanism that will provide and integrate open spaces and restored natural ecosystems into the neighborhood in unique, sustainable ways, built around the principles of a productive, mixed-use, socially active, and walkable community.

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II. THE FORMER POWER PLANT SITE – A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY

The Plan presents a generational opportunity to integrate the site of a former power plant back into the fabric of the neighborhood and to address the environmental issues associated with past uses. Urban development and natural ecosystems need not be mutually exclusive, nor are people and their activities separate from nature. The former power plant site will modify its relationship with the environment by restoring waterfront open spaces, reducing impervious surfaces, remediating the soil, treating stormwater runoff, and restoring portions of the Resource Protection Area (RPA). The site will be accessible through public transportation, the pedestrian and bicycle network, and will engage the adjoining uses and buildings, offering Alexandria the ability to showcase forward thinking urban and sustainable planning and development for the 21st century.

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III. ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION PLAN AND ECO-CITY CHARTER

This Plan builds on Alexandria’s Environmental Action Plan (EAP) and the Eco-City Charter by providing strategic guidance and a road map for environmental goals within the plan area. The EAP encompasses the City’s sustainability efforts, addressing land use, open space, air quality, water resources, transportation, environment and health, global climate change, green building, solid waste management, energy, and other emerging environmental trends.

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Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

IV. OLD TOWN NORTH AS A MODEL OF SUSTAINABILITY – ECO-DISTRICT

The Plan recommends sustainability strategies at four scales:

• Plan-wide;
• Neighborhood scale for the former power plant site;
• Streetscape, including increasing tree canopy; and
• Site-specific elements for new developments.

Recommendations at these four scales will provide greater achievements than focusing on individual building strategies.

To develop the Plan an Eco-District study was conducted which evaluated future development and potential strategies and targets. This Chapter takes the analysis and establishes priorities based on the Plan’s sustainability objectives which integrate land use, transportation, and sustainability.

The goal of the Plan is to implement an Old Town North Eco-District through sustainable environmental solutions that integrate building, open space, and infrastructure projects, establish targets, guide investments and improve the quality of life and environmental health. When implemented, these solutions will support sewer and stormwater management, efficient energy use including renewable energy, and clean air and soil. The importance of sustainability lies in a comprehensive approach of integrating design, land use, transportation, energy, green building and water quality. The Plan prioritizes:

1. Water Quality: Combined Sewer System;
2. Water Quality: Stormwater Management and Green Infrastructure;
3. Energy and Green Building; and
4. Design, Land Use, and Transportation.

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Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

Figure 6.01 Eco-District Strategies

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WATER QUALITY

• Address impact of combined sewer overflows (CSOs).
• Conserve water through re-use of low-flow fixtures.
• Implement stormwater management through green infrastructure and low-impact development.
• Increase the tree canopy and enhance green space through appropriate planting, native trees, and green roofs.

ENERGY & GREEN BUILDING

• Prioritize energy efficiency, high performance, and enhanced green building.
• Explore on-site renewable and district-scale energy systems.
• Prioritize clean, renewable, and low-carbon energy sources locally and from external utility distribution.

DESIGN, LAND USE, AND TRANSPORTATION

• Achieve a variety of building types, heights, and densities that support a diverse population and allows for aging in place.
• Prioritize the provision of on-site affordable housing.
• Achieve, sustain, and utilize a balanced land use mix including key features to create a complete neighborhood to meet the community's social and economic needs.
• Use open spaces to connect neighborhoods and provide public amenities such as parks and enhanced waterfront open spaces.
• Prioritize public transit, cycling, and walking as an economic, environmental, and public health tool.
• Enable the use of low-emission and electric vehicles through charging and clean fuel infrastructure.

PERFORMANCE MEASURES

• Energy and greenhouse gas emissions per capita.
• Increase in open space.
• Number of green roofs, light colored pavements, and increase in tree canopy coverage.
• Number of green infrastructure projects.
• Number of acres with separated sewer and stormwater system.
• Increase in number of bike, pedestrian, and transit trips.

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

6.2 INFRASTRUCTURE AND SUSTAINABILITY ANALYSIS

1. WATER QUALITY: COMBINED SEWER SYSTEM

A. Background

The plan area is located within an area of the City with a Combined Sewer System (CSS), where stormwater and sanitary sewage use the same set of pipes. During dry weather, all sewage flows to the wastewater treatment plant and receives a very high level of treatment before being discharged to local waterways. However, during rainfall or snowmelt, the pipes can become overloaded with stormwater. During wet weather, when volumes exceed the capacity of the system, this mixture of stormwater and sewage may overflow into local waterways and into the Potomac River. In the City, about 540 acres (just under a square mile) including a portion of Old Town North are served by a CSS. There are a total of four overflow points, or Combined Sewer Outfalls (CSOs), which discharge into Hooffs Run, Hunting Creek, and Oronoco Bay as shown on Figure 6.02. The plan area is predominantly located within the Pendleton Street (CSO-001) combined sewershed.

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Figure 6.02 Combined Sewershed

Combined sewer discharges are regulated by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VDEQ) through the issuance of discharge permits, typically with 5-year durations before renewal. In 2013, the City received a renewal of its 5-year VDEQ discharge permit. This new permit requires the City to update its existing Long Term Control Plan (LTCPU), which requires the City to develop and implement a plan to reduce discharges from the CSS.

B. Existing Conditions

The City’s existing permit requires that the combined sewer discharges from redevelopment projects be mitigated. The City developed a 2014 Memorandum to Industry to provide developers with guidance on mitigating combined sewer flows from redevelopment sites. The provisions of the Memo to Industry will be further refined once the LTCPU is finalized and approved by VDEQ. The LTCPU will likely include a proposal for large infrastructure projects, such as storage tanks or tunnels, to capture combined sewage during a rain event before it reaches local waterways for all of its outfalls, including the outfall that serves the plan area (CSO-001). This combined sewage will then be stored during the rain event and then pumped back into the sewer system following the rain event and conveyed to the Alexandria Renew Enterprises (AlexRenew) wastewater treatment facility for a high level of treatment before being discharged, consistent with the treatment of all sanitary sewage in the City.

LEGEND

	Pendleton Sewershed
	King & West Sewershed
	Resource Protection Area (RPA)
	Pendleton Combined Sewer Outfall (CSO-001)
	Plan Boundary

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Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

C. Mitigation of Potential Impacts of Plan on Combined Sewer Discharges

The City’s LTCPU along with this Plan and the City’s existing policies (Memorandum to Industry for redevelopment in the CSO area) provide an opportunity to mitigate the impacts of combined sewer discharges through a variety of measures. These measures include:

• Sewer separation, where either sanitary or stormwater flows are connected to a separate sewer outside the combined sewer area;
• Stormwater management, including green infrastructure, to reduce the flows going into the CSS; and
• Contributions for off-site improvements, including combined sewer storage facilities.

Strategies have been developed to mitigate potential impacts in combined sewer discharges due to redevelopment envisioned under this Plan. An analysis of the plan area shows that redevelopment could result in an increase in sanitary flow of approximately 46 percent over existing sanitary flows by 2040, assuming full redevelopment potential of the plan area. Development and redevelopment will be required to comply with the City’s 2014 Memorandum to Industry on the CSS, the development and redevelopment related provisions of LTCPU, and other relevant policies in effect at the time of redevelopment with the ultimate goal of reducing the impacts of combined sewer discharges for the City to stay in compliance with its environmental obligations.

In order to mitigate the impacts of combined sewer discharges, the following basic general framework is proposed for the plan area:

• All sites will be required to provide on-site separation of storm and sanitary sewers.
• If separate sanitary and storm sewer systems are available, then redevelopment projects will be required to connect to these systems.
• If connecting to separate sewers is not feasible, then redevelopment projects can implement green infrastructure that retains stormwater on-site, or potentially in the public right-of-way, to mitigate the impacts of the project on combined sewer overflows.
• If neither sewer separation nor the implementation of green infrastructure is feasible for a redevelopment project, then a contribution would be made towards mitigation of combined sewer overflows off-site.

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Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i The green infrastructure and required contribution will be based on the impact of each site on combined sewer discharges as described in the City’s Memo to Industry. If a portion of the site is able to be treated through green infrastructure, such as the installation of a green roof, then the contribution discussed above could be adjusted. Any on-site stormwater management provided to address combined sewers can also be used to demonstrate compliance with requirements of the State’s and City’s stormwater management requirements. The analysis of future sanitary sewer flows and impacts on combined sewer discharges is provided in the Old Town North Small Area Plan System Capacity Evaluation dated January 2017.

D. Framework for Mitigating Combined Sewer Overflows for the Former Power Plant Site

The former power plant site, due to its size and proposed density, will have a more significant impact that will need to be taken into consideration as part of mitigating the impact of combined sewer discharges. It will be important to address this site, the impacts it will have on combined sewer discharges, and what will be required to mitigate these impacts early on and throughout the development review process.

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Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

2. WATER QUALITY: STORMWATER MANAGEMENT AND GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE

A. Stormwater Management and Green Infrastructure

In addition to sewer and stormwater separation, the Plan promotes the implementation of Low Impact Development (LID) practices and Environmental Site Design (ESD) techniques that offer water quality benefits by reducing stormwater runoff volumes and mimicking pre-development site hydrology. The implementation of LID or green infrastructure stormwater practices reduces the volume of stormwater runoff and produces additional benefits that include conserving open space, providing green space, reducing energy demand, reducing urban heat island effect, and reducing flooding. These practices are also integral to Complete Streets and Green Streets implementation and an increase in tree canopy coverage. On-site retention of stormwater also offers CSO benefits by reducing the volume of stormwater being conveyed in the combined pipe network, which may reduce CSO volume per event. LID practices supported by this Plan include:

• Vegetated green roofs;
• Urban bioretention;
• Dry swales;
• Rooftop/downspout disconnection;
• Sheetflow to vegetated filter strip;
• Rainwater harvesting;
• Planter boxes; and
• Permeable pavement.

The most successful systems seamlessly blend these elements into energy and water management strategies, and enhance the urban environment for improved human connections with nature. Integrating a green infrastructure system into the buildings, sites, and streets will:

• Clean the air and stormwater to enhance the environment and improve human health.
• Cool the overall temperature of the area, decreasing energy costs, and improving habitat and pedestrian comfort.
• Connect contiguous green spaces along the ground, up living walls, and over green roofs, creating diverse habitat opportunities and connecting people to nature.
• Create tree canopy coverage to help reduce the heat island effect, offer greater habitat opportunities, and provide a more comfortable pedestrian experience.
• Include parks and plazas – publicly accessible spaces that provide vegetation, increase habitat opportunities, and improve human health. They also contribute to the cultural character of a neighborhood.

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Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

B. Resource Protection Area

While the extent of the RPA for perennial streams such as the Potomac River is measured as 100 feet landward from the top of bank for the river, the first 50 feet measured from the top of bank landward is considered the most crucial portion of the RPA (Figure 6.02). Seeking to remove existing encroachments from this first 50 feet of RPA and restoring this area during redevelopment provides a unique opportunity to protect the Potomac River and other environmental features. This Plan also promotes the removal of existing encroachments from the most critical 50 feet portion of the RPA to improve water quality and stormwater management. Restoring this portion of the RPA will improve water quality, reduce flooding, create green space, and restore habitat.

3. ENERGY AND GREEN BUILDING

A. Background Energy is fundamental to our lives, to a thriving community, and to our economy. The majority of global electricity consumption still comes from non-renewable fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas which produce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, a major contributor to global climate change.

Dominion Virginia Power supplies electricity to the City of Alexandria including the Old Town North plan area. As of 2014, the company had a fuel mix of 26% coal, 30% natural gas, and 9% heavy fuel oil, for a total of 65% fossil fuels. The remaining 35% comes from nuclear power, hydropower and other renewable energy resources. Washington Gas supplies natural gas to the City of Alexandria, including portions of Old Town North.

The EAP provides goals and targets for buildings to reduce energy consumption and achieve carbon neutrality, and to produce energy locally and sustainably in the plan area through installation and promotion of renewable energy and efficient energy technologies.

B. Prioritize Green Building, Energy Efficiency and High Performance Buildings A primary goal of the Plan is to implement the City’s Green Building Policy requirements outlined in the EAP, with particular prioritization of high-performance buildings that reduce energy consumption through energy efficiency practices. Further active and passive strategies for future buildings include site design, building envelope optimization, high-performance lighting and daylighting, active plug-load management, and the use of advanced heating, ventilation, and air conditioning technologies. Supporting these priorities includes opportunities to work with properties in the plan area to implement benchmarking programs to facilitate ongoing energy performance measurement and reporting of energy performance results, while also increasing the energy performance of all buildings to meet or exceed energy performance levels outlined in current energy codes.

The Plan recommends that Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) or comparable systems be used to provide third-party accreditation of buildings. For the OTN Eco-District, the Plan recommends LEED Silver with a focus on energy reduction or as recommended by the EAP, whichever is more stringent.

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Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

C. Former Power Plant Site

I. LEED – ND

The former Power Plant site has the opportunity to pursue a district-wide strategy because of its size and expected time frame for redevelopment. The Plan recommends LEED-Neighborhood Development (LEED ND) Silver to evaluate the environmental features at a district scale.

II. Prioritize Renewable and Low-Carbon Energy

The Plan recommends promoting and installing renewable energy technologies, such as solar photovoltaic systems to the extent feasible, to strive for carbon neutrality. The use of renewable energy technologies to reduce energy demand and GHG emissions is particularly effective in combination with reducing energy consumption. The Plan includes recommendations regarding integration of renewable energy technologies.

III. District-Scale Energy Systems

The redevelopment of the former power plant site provides an opportunity for the developer to explore the use of district energy and cogeneration systems to potentially reduce energy consumption and associated carbon emissions. District energy systems deliver hot water, steam, or chilled water from a central plant(s) to multiple buildings via a network of pipes. They may use a wide variety of energy sources including natural gas to accommodate thermal end use demands. They may also take advantage of simultaneous electricity generation, through Combined Heat and Power (CHP) technologies, to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of energy sources. Some development applications may also take advantage of incorporating microgrids. In addition, the Plan recommends integrating green building practices, renewable energy technologies, and other energy efficient technologies at the district-wide scale.

IV. Develop a Sustainability Master Plan

The Plan recommends the submission of a Sustainability Master Plan by the developer of the former power plant site to identify strategies to implement the phased recommendations on a site-wide basis. The Sustainability Master Plan should integrate long-term progressive goals in successive phases, with the ultimate goal of carbon neutrality. The phasing should anticipate a 20 to 30 year build-out of the site and the evolution of sustainability requirements and technology during that period.

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Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

4. DESIGN, LAND USE, AND TRANSPORTATION

The Plan's urban design, land use, and transportation recommendations reduce environmental impacts by reducing the percentage of trips by motor vehicle (reducing energy consumption and air pollution), reducing heat, and managing stormwater runoff. These strategies have the additional benefit of strengthening economic and social sustainability as well.

A. Urban Scale Blocks

The Plan recommends the retention and creation of urban scale blocks with frequent intersections, which provide a number of routes for pedestrians and bikes, making walking and biking a more attractive and viable mode of transportation.

B. Diverse Mix of Land Uses

Old Town North can become a compact walkable community by introducing neighborhood services and amenities within walking distance of all residents, as well as a mix of residential and commercial uses to help reduce dependence on cars and encourage people to walk or bike to their daily needs. This strategy plays a major role in reducing fossil fuel consumption while reducing the overall carbon footprint of each individual and the neighborhood as a whole.

C. Abundant and Connected Sidewalks

To encourage pedestrian activity and help Old Town North build a sense of community, generous sidewalks for new development will be designed to provide a greater area of the public right-of-way for pedestrians rather than vehicles. Seating and planted areas are planned along sidewalks to provide areas for gathering and shade.

D. Urban Street Trees

Designing streets to include planted areas and street tree species native to Alexandria will enhance the visual quality of the urban environment while helping to mitigate wind, provide shade, and manage stormwater run-off. This will also increase tree canopy within the plan area.

E. Engaging Buildings

Some of the buildings in Old Town North were developed to be oriented away from the public realm and toward parking lots, or raised above the street. This resulted in some of the buildings we see today that effectively turn their backs to the street, depriving the public realm of critical “eyes on the street” and reducing the sense of security. To re-establish the relationship between private and public areas and to create a more comfortable pedestrian environment, the Design Standards and Guidelines provides a framework for having buildings re-engage the street.

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Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

F. Pedestrian-Scaled Design To create a visually stimulating pedestrian environment, building facade heights will be in complementary proportion to public right-of-way widths and adjacent buildings. By incorporating variations in facade lengths and depths, the buildings will relate to the scale of a person, reinforcing the public realm as a place for people. By providing a pedestrian-scaled environment, the site design will encourage walking as a primary mode of transportation.

G. Diversity of Housing Choices Creating housing opportunities for a variety of family sizes and income levels will allow for a greater diversity of housing, making Old Town North adaptable to the changing needs of the community in the future. Promoting housing choices is also an opportunity to encourage energy efficiency in building design for residential buildings, including affordable housing.

H. Open Space The Plan recommends a hierarchy of community recreational and open spaces at various scales to support a variety of recreational activities for groups and individuals. Private open space for individual units will be provided through elements such as a front yards and courtyards. New public open spaces will include parks on the former power plant site including an expanded public waterfront open space. There will also be open spaces conveniently located within a short walk of all residences to provide places for people to gather such as playgrounds and/or flexible spaces for active and/or passive recreation. The pedestrian network is intended to allow residents, employees and visitors to easily and quickly integrate outdoor activities into their daily lives.

I. Transportation The Plan recognizes the close relationship between transportation, land use and sustainability and promotes a multi-modal and sustainable transportation system that minimizes environmental pollution and urban congestion. With Old Town North's proximity to the Braddock Road Metrorail Station and the future Potomac Yard Metrorail Station, improved access and connectivity to these stations as well as adjacent neighborhoods encourages the use of alternative transportation modes such as walking, cycling, and transit to minimize the use of personal vehicles, relieve strain on infrastructure and roadways, and reduce GHG emissions. In addition, recognizing that cars will continue to be part part of the transportation system in Old Town North, the Plan recommends incentives to facilitate alternate energy vehicles such as providing appropriate charging facilities in parking facilities.

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J. Design for Longevity Quality building materials and built forms that create timeless buildings designed for longevity will encourage adaptive reuse rather than replacement which reduces the energy and resources required for new construction.

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Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

6.3 INFRASTRUCTURE AND SUSTAINABILITY RECOMMENDATIONS

I. WATER QUALITY: COMBINED SEWER SYSTEM

1. New buildings will be required to provide all necessary sanitary sewer and stormwater improvements to address the CSO as identified in the 2014 Memorandum to Industry as may be amended. In the event that a comprehensive solution for the CSO is approved for the plan area by City Council, all new development will be required to contribute an amount equivalent to the necessary improvements that would have been necessary without the plan area improvement. The monetary contribution will be established as part of the development review process for each site.

II. WATER QUALITY: STORMWATER MANAGEMENT AND GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE

2. Require the provision of green roofs on new buildings.

3. Encourage reuse of captured rainwater.

4. Utilize the most advanced water conservation technologies for interior (toilets, faucets, etc.) and exterior (irrigation, water features, etc.) applications available at the time of construction or redevelopment.

5. Maximize use of native drought tolerant plant and tree species.

6. Remove impervious surfaces to the greatest extent feasible within the RPA as part of the associated redevelopment.

7. New public streets and streetscapes will incorporate green elements and stormwater management as part of the design of the street to the extent feasible. The final design parameters for the streets will be part of the Design Standards and Guidelines.

8. Increase the amount of tree canopy within the plan area from approximately 13% to 23% per the Open Space and Recreation Chapter.

9. To the extent feasible, incorporate green walls into exterior building features to cool structures, decrease energy costs, reduce heat island effect, and enhance streets and plazas.

III. ENERGY AND GREEN BUILDING

A. District-Wide Sustainability Measures – Former Power Plant Site

10. Require plan area-wide sustainability through LEED-ND silver or comparable.

11. Require the submission of a Sustainability Master Plan for the former power plant site as part of the submission of the first development special use permit (DSUP) that demonstrates the compliance with the goals and recommendations of the Plan and identifies short-term, mid-term, and long-term strategies and targets to achieve the goal of district-wide sustainability measures. The Sustainability Master Plan should be updated with each subsequent block(s) and/or building(s) to show how the project achieves the Plan’s goals.

12. The redevelopment of the former power plant site should strive to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040 and strive to achieve carbon neutral buildings by 2030.

13. Explore the development of district energy systems for heating and cooling on the former power plant site that take advantage of local renewable energy sources, including, but not limited to, geothermal energy, sewage heat, anaerobic digestion, and waste heat from buildings.

B. Energy Use

14. Encourage on-site generation and storage of renewable electricity from solar photovoltaic (PV) and other available renewable resources.

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

15. Integrate the use of natural daylighting in all proposed buildings.

16. Explore a minimum of LEED Silver or comparable, or the City's Green Building standards and requirements, whichever is greater. In addition, new buildings will comply with the EAP, as implemented through City policies. Energy consumption/utilization and stormwater should be prioritized in the certification for the buildings.

17. Strive to achieve carbon neutral buildings by 2030.

IV. DESIGN, LAND USE, AND TRANSPORTATION

18. Maintain a walkable, small block network of streets and sidewalks for pedestrians; avoid super blocks.

19. Provide a mix of land uses, and transit oriented development as part of the redevelopment of the plan area.

20. Design new development to prioritize travel by pedestrians, bikes and transit, and minimize the need for car use.

21. Provide a variety of opportunities for daily active recreation, including attractive facilities for walking, biking, active recreation, and other fitness activities that support public health.

22. Develop an integrated network of open spaces which incorporate environmental components as part of its design.

23. Design parking garages to accommodate electric vehicle charging stations.

24. Utilize quality building materials that consider the long term life cycle of the building.

25. Design buildings for long-term aesthetic appeal and flexibility for future changes in use.

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

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HISTORIC RESOURCES

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Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

7.1 HISTORIC RESOURCES OVERVIEW

Old Town North includes a rich range of historic resources and sites spanning three centuries, many predating the founding of the City. An important part of the plan area's identity, these resources should be preserved and documented for future generations, as well as celebrated in the public realm today. A portion of the plan area lies within the Old and Historic Alexandria District (Figure 7.01). Incorporating the past through historic interpretation, such as signage or design elements that reference the area's history contributes to defining the area's unique identity.

One of the first recommendations that came out of the planning process was to document the plan area's history, compiling in one place all the known historic architectural and archaeological elements and resources for future reference. The Old Town North Historic Interpretation Guide (see Appendix) is provided as a reference for the community, as well as for the City and property owners of future redevelopment sites. The Plan recommends that the Historic Interpretation Guide be used to interpret historic resources on both public and private development sites. Additional analysis and documentation related to Old Town North's historic resources completed through the planning process may be found in the Appendix.

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Portners Brewery, 1869-1932

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Old Dominion Glass Factory, 1901-1925

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Alexandria Roller Rink & Bowling Center, 1948-1986

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Old Dominion Glass Company, 1901-1928

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

Figure 7.01: Old and Historic Alexandria District (OHAD)

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LEGEND

• Old and Historic Alexandria District
• Parker-Gray District
• Plan Boundary

Note: The Old and Historic Alexandria District extends south throughout most of the Old Town area.

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Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

7.2 HISTORICAL THEMES AND INTERPRETATION

THEME AREAS

Old Town North’s historical theme areas are reflected in Figure 7.02. The map illustrates the area’s development patterns and land uses, and explains the integration of the people, places and events over time.

The following theme areas can be used to interpret the cultural landscape of Old Town North:

• African American Life
• Agriculture and Rural Life
• Industry
• Military
• Native American Life
• Suburbanization
• Transportation

The Waterfront is integral to many of this area’s themes. The themes cover the different settlement patterns of Native Americans and early European settlers as well as African American communities and daily life. Military activity associated with the French and Indian War and the Civil War occurred in this area. The development of both industry and transportation, and the associated connections between these two themes, defined much of the 19th- and early 20th-centuries. The construction of the George Washington Memorial Parkway in the 1920s as a transportation corridor and memorial landscape as well as suburbanization in this area, characterized several decades of the 20th-century. As a result of the evolution of this area and understanding of the themes, one can better understand how Old Town North evolved into a mixed-use neighborhood by the end of the 20th-century.

OLD TOWN NORTH HISTORIC INTERPRETATION GUIDE

Many of the physical buildings and sites associated with Old Town North’s historical events and people are no longer extant, making it difficult to appreciate the rich history of the plan area. The Old Town North Historic Interpretation Guide (Guide) was developed to create a broad framework for understanding the historical development as well as to provide creative solutions for historic interpretation based on established themes (See Appendix, Old Town North Historic Interpretation Guide). The Guide will work in conjunction with the Design Standards and Guidelines to ensure that development projects include some form of historic interpretation, whether in the site or building design, early in the development application and approval process(es).

Purpose of the Guide: The Guide seeks to accomplish the following:

• Provide an overview in the form of a historical narrative of the neighborhood’s cultural landscape development from early settlements to the 1960s.
• Provide a broad foundation that can be built on through individual efforts to create a comprehensive history of Old Town North’s cultural resources as additional research projects are undertaken.
• Identify themes in the neighborhood’s cultural landscape for interpretation.
• Convey concepts for interpretive strategies to apply to private redevelopment sites, public infrastructure and open space or community-led initiatives, featuring a mix of both on-site and off-site strategies as well as creative options for integrating interpretation into the built environment, corridors, and open space as well as via digital initiatives.

The Guide is not intended to provide a comprehensive and complete history of Old Town North, nor to dictate the exact requirements for historic interpretation at specific sites, but rather to provide a range of ideas for interpretation, some more traditional and others more innovative. As development progresses, compliance with the Zoning Ordinance, Board of Architectural Review (BAR), and Archaeology Code requirements will provide the framework for greater integration of history into the design and site plans for specific projects. A comprehensive historical interpretive plan that focuses on the length of the Waterfront, including sections of Old Town North, can be explored as a future project.

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

Figure 7.02: Old Town North Historical Themes Overview Map

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LEGEND

Prepared by: Alexandria Archaeology Office of Historic Alexandria - 11/11/2016

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Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

7.3 HISTORIC RESOURCES RECOMMENDATIONS

1. Utilize the Old Town North Historic Interpretation Guide in combination with the Design Standards and Guidelines, and other resources, to interpret the history of private and public sites in the plan area.

2. All Development Site Plans (DSPs) or development Special Use Permits (DSUPs) projects will incorporate a historic interpretation component as part of the review and approval process.

3. Encourage projects adjacent to Washington Street/George Washington Memorial Parkway to consider how they can contribute to and enhance its memorial character, pursuant to the Washington Street Standards.

4. Explore the development of streetscape design guidelines for Washington Street to continue the City's commitment to protect the memorial character of the Parkway, pursuant to the Design Standards and Guidelines and the 1929 Agreement with the Federal Government.

5. Incorporate character defining historic elements into site design as part of an interpretive strategy where significant historical buildings or elements remain, regardless of whether the site is located within the Old and Historic Alexandria District.

6. On the former power plant site, reuse and integrate the character defining portions of significant elements conveying the City's 20th century industrial heritage, as feasible.

7. Integrate canal stones, railroad lines, and other historical features that may come to light in archaeological investigations (foundations, outlines of wells and privies, etc.) as interpretive elements and historic artifacts in public and other spaces, as feasible.

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

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IMPLEMENTATION

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Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

8.1 IMPLEMENTATION OVERVIEW

A. IMPLEMENTING THE VISION OF THE PLAN

The Plan establishes a 25-year framework to guide future planning and development in the plan area in a manner that is consistent with the intent of the Plan and is compatible with the emerging needs of the community and the City.

In order to mitigate potential impacts and enhance the livability in Old Town North, the planned improvements focus on phased improvements such as streetscape enhancements, green streets, new and enhanced parks, increased walkability, connectivity, and sustainability improvements.

B. ROLE OF REDEVELOPMENT

Many of the improvements recommended in the Plan can be implemented as part of the redevelopment for these sites. For example, streetscape improvements, enhanced urban design, high-quality architecture, enhanced sustainability measures, and the potential arts and cultural uses and affordable housing can be addressed as part of the redevelopment process.

In addition, the redevelopment of the former power plant presents a significant opportunity to remediate the existing soil and building on the site. The redevelopment is also an opportunity to reconnect the site with the neighborhood and provide benefits such as new open space, restored urban street grid, and potential innovation uses.

C. ROLE OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION

The Planning Commission will oversee implementation of the Plan as carried out by City staff from various departments. A more detailed implementation plan, identifying specific roles and responsibilities, will be developed after the Plan approval. Implementation updates and refinements will be provided to the Planning Commission at regular intervals for review and guidance.

D. ROLE OF THE URBAN DESIGN ADVISORY COMMITTEE (UDAC)

The UDAC established in July 1994 will continue to play a role in the review of development applications (outside the Old and Historic District) for compliance with the Design Standards and Guidelines. For development applications within the Old and Historic District boundary, UDAC review for development applications will be limited to ensuring the streetscapes requirements (not the building or site improvements) are consistent with Design Standards and Guidelines. UDAC will continue to provide a recommendation to the Director of Planning and Zoning regarding compliance with the Design Standards and Guidelines for applicable projects.

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

8.2 IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY AND MATRIX

A. IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY AND MATRIX

The table below (Figure 8.01) identifies tasks that along with existing policies ensure the successful implementation of various planning elements and recommendations referenced in the proceeding chapters. The implementation tasks are identified as short, mid, and long-term, recognizing that there are some tasks achievable in the near future that will enable subsequent tasks and development to happen in accordance with the Plan. Other tasks are significantly more complex and will require extensive coordination, and/or will be subject to market forces and actions of private developers. To augment these efforts, the Plan recommends exploring the establishment of a management entity, such as a business improvement district, to coordinate activities and programming in the Retail/Art and Cultural Areas and Corridors and for the arts and cultural uses.

The Plan also acknowledges that some of the implementation will be contingent on redevelopment. The timing for redevelopment will be in large part based on the market conditions. As is often the case, market conditions are cyclical, which will likely result in an uneven pace of implementation of the Plan improvements. However, within the short-term, mid-term and long-term strategies outlined below, it is envisioned that the components of the Plan will be implemented.

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i Figure 8.01: Implementation Tasks

Note: Specific Departments and/or agencies will be identified After Plan approval with the redevelopment of a detailed Implementation Plan. The implementation tasks for the former power plant site assume redevelopment in the mid-term (6-10 year time-frame).

122 | OLD TOWN NORTH SMALL AREA PLAN

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i Figure 8.01: Implementation Tasks Continued

Note: Specific Departments and/or agencies will be identified After Plan approval with the redevelopment of a detailed Implementation Plan. The implementation tasks for the former power plant site assume redevelopment in the mid-term (6-10 year time-frame).

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i Figure 8.01: Implementation Tasks Continued

Note: Specific Departments and/or agencies will be identified After Plan approval with the redevelopment of a detailed Implementation Plan. The implementation tasks for the former power plant site assume redevelopment in the mid-term (6-10 year time-frame).

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i Figure 8.01: Implementation Tasks Continued

Note: Specific Departments and/or agencies will be identified After Plan approval with the redevelopment of a detailed Implementation Plan. The implementation tasks for the former power plant site assume redevelopment in the mid-term (6-10 year time-frame).

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i Figure 8.01: Implementation Tasks Continued

Note: Specific Departments and/or agencies will be identified After Plan approval with the redevelopment of a detailed Implementation Plan. The implementation tasks for the former power plant site assume redevelopment in the mid-term (6-10 year time-frame).

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i Figure 8.01: Implementation Tasks Continued

Note: Specific Departments and/or agencies will be identified After Plan approval with the redevelopment of a detailed Implementation Plan. The implementation tasks for the former power plant site assume redevelopment in the mid-term (6-10 year time-frame).

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Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

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APPENDIX

A

A.1 BACKGROUND A.2 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS A.3 DEMOGRAPHICS AND STUDENT GENERATION A.4 OLD TOWN NORTH SMALL AREA PLAN RELATED STUDIES

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

A.1 BACKGROUND

I. PLANNING CONTEXT

Old Town North is a growing mixed-use urban neighborhood prominently located on the west bank of the Potomac River (River) in Alexandria, Virginia. It is connected visually and physically to the lights and activity of Old Town and to several other adjacent Alexandria communities. Moreover, it has sweeping views to the north of the Washington Monument and the U.S. Capitol building, views to the south of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge which spans the Maryland and Virginia boundary lines, and views of National Harbor.

Old Town North is approximately 145 acres, exclusive of right-of-way. Its eastern boundary is the River; its western boundary is generally along Washington Street; its southern boundary is Oronoco Street; and its northern boundary is the base of Daingerfield Island.

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Figure 1.01 : Old Town North Context within the City of Alexandria

II. HISTORIC PRESERVATION IN OLD TOWN NORTH

To understand the evolution, development and history of Old Town North, related materials and information were gathered to understand Historic Preservation in this area. The following existing resources and materials were reviewed:

• Old and Historic Alexandria District (1946): In 1946, Alexandria City Council established the Old and Historic Alexandria District (OHAD) and the review authority of the Board of Architectural Review (BAR), making the OHAD the nation’s third oldest historic district. This designation came about for multiple reasons. By the 1920s and 1930s, there was increasing interest in protecting Alexandria’s rich history as George Washington’s “hometown” and its extensive and intact architecture. Residents, businesses and elected officials saw benefit to preserving the buildings and character of Old Town, noting that maintaining the charming character would have added economic benefits. Additionally, in 1929, the City signed an agreement with the federal government, still in place today, which required the City to regulate growth and development along Washington Street in order to protect the “memorial character” of this thoroughfare when the Mt. Vernon Memorial Highway opened in 1932. The 1946 ordinance creating the OHAD was not only protecting the historic buildings but also ensuring the compatibility of any new construction with the historic character. Over the years, the OHAD’s boundaries have shifted and expanded but substantial parts of “Old Town” fall within the boundaries, including the entire length of Washington Street from the northern City limit to the southern City limit and a buffer zone on either side.

• National Register nominations for the Alexandria Historic District (1969, amended in 1984) and the Mount Vernon Memorial Highway (1981), and the Parkway (1995).

• Washington Street: A Review of Washington Street and its Memorial Character (2012) - This presentation highlights architecturally and historically notable buildings on Washington Street. While not an exhaustive list of all the notable or significant buildings on Washington Street, it is a representation

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i of different architectural styles from a range of time periods that should be considered when understanding the overall character and memorial nature of Washington Street.

• Alexandria Master Plan, Historic Preservation Chapter, Old Town North Small Area Plan (1992): This document identified some of the known and potential historical and archaeological resources within the planning area and provided the starting point for an initial understanding of the history of Old Town North with the caveat that additional research was needed to further identify significant sites.

Building on the Plan goal and objectives for Historic Resources, the following documents were generated during the Plan Framework Phase to better understand the existing resources and to contemplate future needs for documentation, preservation and interpretation:

• 2015 OTN Self-Guided Historic Tour Brochure and Map
• Buildings of Merit on the George Washington Memorial Parkway since 1932
• 2015 Photographic Survey Catalogue of Existing Buildings in Old Town North (Hard copies are available to view in the Planning and Zoning Department).

Several structures located in the Old and Historic District (OHAD) are part of the community’s rich history, such as the Mount Vernon Cotton Mill Factory which was constructed in 1847 for industrial use as a cotton factory and has been re-purposed several times for commercial and residential uses. The building reopened in 2015 as the “The Mill,” a 25-unit apartment building, with an addition that includes another 9 renal units. Another example of a historical structure in Old Town North is the Robert E. Lee Boyhood Home located at 407 and 609 Oronoco Street, between Washington Street and St. Asaph Street. The Lee Home was erected in 1795 and remains today as a private residential use.

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Figure 1.03: 1929 Aerial Map

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Alexandria Canal, 1843-1886

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

A.2 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS

I. PLANNING PROCESS

In June 2015, City Council established a 21 member Old Town North Small Area Plan Advisory Group representing different stakeholders in the plan area. Together, the community, Advisory Group, and City staff worked to build on the recommendations of the 1992 Plan while establishing a framework for future planning and development in the area that addresses the emerging needs of the community. For detailed background information, refer to the Old Town North Project Brief in Appendix A.4.

The planning process included five phases from Spring 2015 to Spring 2017: Figure A.01

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APPENDIX | 131

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

II. ADVISORY GROUP AND COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION

Advisory Group members served as liaisons to the community, provided input on issues throughout the process, and developed recommendations on the Plan vision, principles, goals and objectives. The group met from October 2015 – May 2017 for a total of 16 meetings. Members also participated on subcommittees that focused on specific planning categories, studied concepts developed during the charrette process, and provided feedback and suggestions.

⬚ figure November 2015 Workshop, Day 4

Figure A.02: Work Program Schedule

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132 | OLD TOWN NORTH SMALL AREA PLAN

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APPENDIX | 133

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

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"Leverage waterfront access and views!"

"Achieve and sustain a balanced land use mix"

"Promote historic interpretation!"

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III. DESIGN CHARRETTE

Unique to this planning process was the inclusion of two public charrettes – intensive, collaborative design and planning sessions that occur over a multi-day period.

The first charrette held in November 2015 was a week-long visioning process to kick-off the Old Town North Small Area Plan. Community input gathered from the November 2015 Charrette as well as input from the initial Advisory Group Meetings which informed the Goals and Objectives for seven planning categories as shown on the following pages. These goals and objectives served as a starting point for further study and testing and served as the basis for establishing the vision and recommendations of the Plan.

A second charrette was held in June 2016 and took place over three days. The June 2016 Charrette resulted in the development of a preliminary draft illustrative design and related draft policy narratives for the plan. For detailed information on the charrettes including the community's involvement, refer to the Charrette Report in Appendix A.4.

The community outreach process also included presentations and updates to community groups and associations in the surrounding area as well as walking tours which identified unique characteristics of the plan area. Additionally, staff coordinated tours outside of the City specific to artist housing – Baltimore Artist Housing Inc., City Arts Housing, Mount Rainier Artist Lofts and Brookland Artspace Lofts.

Throughout the planning process, the community was invited to comment or ask questions using the OTN Online Comment Board in addition to contacting staff directly. The public was also invited to participate throughout the process using AlexEngage, the City's online engagement platform.

Consistent with the City's civic engagement policy, all meetings associated with this planning process were open to the public (See Figure A.4 for list of meetings). Background information and materials pertaining to these meetings can be found on the project webpage, alexandriava.gov/86036.

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

The following goals and objectives were generated by the Advisory Group and the community during the November 2015 design charrette and served as the basis for establishing the vision and recommendations of the Plan.

PLANNING, LAND USE, AND DESIGN

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GOAL

Identify and enhance Old Town North’s unique character and sense of place to complement area’s history, culture, and existing neighborhoods and to promote an active, diverse and balanced community.

OBJECTIVES

Achieve a variety of building types and heights that are appropriately scaled for the surrounding neighborhood and community.

Encourage high quality architectural building design that further defines the unique neighborhood character of Old Town North.

Achieve and sustain a balanced land use mix including key urban features that help create a complete neighborhood with a sense of place and to meet the community’s social and economic needs.

Identify areas for active street frontages including reinforcing retail focus areas in the 1992 OTN SAP.

Promote high quality pedestrian oriented streetscapes that utilize appropriate lighting, landscaping and signage to promote a safe and vibrant community.

Promote sustainable land use and urban design patterns throughout Old Town North.

Ensure new developments and land use tools are flexible and not too prescriptive.

HOUSING

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GOAL

Encourage a variety of housing choices that are affordable and accessible to a diverse range of ages, incomes, abilities and household sizes throughout the plan area.

OBJECTIVES

Utilize tools within the City’s Housing Master Plan, such as the Density Bonus Program memorialized in section 7-700 of the Zoning Ordinance to expand the number of affordable housing units.

Prioritize the provision of on-site affordable housing units as part of new market-rate developments and explore opportunities for creating market affordable housing.

Replace ARHA-owned units on a one-for-one basis, and on-site, to the greatest extent feasible, as properties in Old Town North redevelop.

Incorporate community spaces and on-site recreational space within residential developments, as feasible.

Promote flexibility in building design to allow people to age in place.

Promote a jobs/housing balance by focusing on-site affordable housing units within Transit Oriented Development near jobs and amenities.

Promote energy-efficiency in building design for all residential buildings including affordable housing.

Explore innovative housing solutions such as micro units and, as appropriate, building conversions.

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

OPEN SPACE, RECREATION, AND CULTURAL ACTIVITIES

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GOAL

Expand, enhance and connect publicly accessible passive and active open space.

OBJECTIVES

Use open space to connect neighborhoods to viewsheds and public amenities such as parks, and the waterfront.

Identify new public and private open space and coordinate the OTN SAP with the NPS Daingerfield Island Master Plan.

Design open space to accommodate a variety of recreational and cultural uses for all ages and abilities with active and passive uses including kid friendly spaces.

Explore locating community facility(ies) within the plan area.

Promote Montgomery Park as anchor and heart of the community.

Prioritize green/open space on the former power plant site and explore additional dog park(s).

Create a linear park that extends to Potomac Yards. Explore a Norfolk and Western Heritage Trail.

Identify Royal, Wythe, Second, and Washington Streets as Green Streets.

Identify new opportunities for arts and cultural spaces and activities by:

• Leveraging partnerships with existing arts and cultural spaces such as the Art League and Metro Stage
• Providing the right tools to support an Arts District beyond a land use designation to include wayfinding, tax policy, economic development incentives, etc.
• Exploring ideas such as alignment of arts and crafts with brewery establishments

TRANSPORTATION

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GOAL

Further encourage an integrated multi-modal transportation network using the existing street grid, and grid extensions where necessary, to promote a healthy, auto-independent lifestyle

OBJECTIVES

Provide an interconnected network that supports walking, biking, and transit use that is consistent with the Transportation Master Plan.

Identify streetscape improvements.

Improve access and connectivity of Old Town North to the Parkway, the surrounding neighborhoods, and to Metrorail Stations (Braddock and future Potomac Yards Metro Stations).

Improve and expand bike storage facilities in commercial and residential developments.

Explore Feasibility of Madison and Montgomery as 2-way streets. Coordinate any new construction on Madison and Montgomery with proposed reconstruction of those streets (CIP)

Investigate opportunities for improving the existing street network by utilizing major future redevelopment sites and the railroad tracks.

Continue to investigate and monitor parking conditions as properties in Old Town North develop.

Consider the future potential impacts of autonomous cars on road design.

Require adequate parking for new construction and investigate tour bus parking conditions.

Minimize impacts of loading and unloading facilities.

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

INFRASTRUCTURE AND SUSTAINABILITY

PROPOSED ECO-DISTRICT CONCEPT

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GOAL

Create an eco-district model with sustainable environmental solutions that support sewer and stormwater management, efficient energy use including renewable energy, and clean air and soil. Include measures that are higher than the baseline.

OBJECTIVES

Consistent with the Environmental Action Plan, the Energy and Climate Change Action Plan, and associated Master Plans, implement innovative design throughout the plan area to minimize fossil fuel use and improve energy, water, air, and soil quality at the district scale through:

• Utilizing renewable energy and evaluating level of efficiency required of buildings.
• Emphasizing renewable district energy including, solar, ground source heat pumps, Microgrids, and battery storage.
• Prioritizing clean energy or low carbon fuels provided through external utility distribution as a supplemental energy source only.
• Exploring low carbon and alternative fuel vehicles and infrastructure.
• Reducing the urban heat island effect through green roofs, tree canopies, materials for buildings.
• Minimizing impact of combined sewer overflows through green infrastructure.
• Employing plantings, native trees, and other green infrastructure/ low impact stormwater methods (LID) including mitigation and recovery.
• Integrating air quality enhancements in all aspects of design
• Maximizing open space on the former power plant site

HISTORIC PRESERVATION

HISTORY & ARCHAEOLOGY: THEME AREAS Ideas for Future Study

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GOAL

Encourage a variety of housing choices that are affordable and accessible to a diverse range of ages, incomes, abilities and household sizes throughout the plan area.

OBJECTIVES

Preserve, integrate and celebrate historic and archaeological resources to maintain neighborhood authenticity.

Promote cultural richness and an understanding of the history of the neighborhood.

Define, enhance and reinforce the special character of the Washington Street corridor in conjunction with the Washington Street Standards and other tools.

Incorporate Historic interpretation in the natural environment.

Celebrate the railroad history.

Create guide to preserve and interpret historic architectural and archaeological elements and resources in Old Town North.

Make history an integral art of the plan with historic interpretation of elements such as the canal, springs, industry, and railroad.

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

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GOAL

Attract unique uses that serve as an economic engine to grow and sustain a balanced economy.

OBJECTIVES

• Reinforce the identified retail focus areas in the 1992 OTN SAP plan and further strengthen St. Asaph and Montgomery Street as a concentrated retail corridor.

• Strengthen hospitality related economic opportunities in Old Town North.

• Rethink office space inventory as part of the desired balance of land use.

• Maximize proximity to metro, biking, walking as an economic tool (Transit Oriented Development [T.O.D.]).

• Ensure flexibility in land use to accommodate changing market trends and unknown physical and economic constraints.

• Encourage and provide employment opportunities for local residents.

• Encourage broadband deployment.

• Preserve and expand small neighborhood retail mix and explore economic niches that are unique to Old Town North.

• Explore Washington Street as a commercial corridor.

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

III. ADVISORY GROUP SUBCOMMITTEES

During the Old Town North Small Area Plan planning process, Advisory Group members were divided into subcommittees specific to relevant planning topics, providing them and the community with the opportunity to delve into the subject matter in a more in-depth manner. All background information, meeting materials and summaries pertaining to subcommittee work can be found at alexandriava.gov/86036.

PLANNING, LAND USE AND DESIGN AND HOUSING SUBCOMMITTEE The Planning, Land Use and Design and Housing Subcommittee met three times between January and March 2016 to study Phase I Plan Framework goals and objectives related to their respective categories. These two planning categories are connected given that planning, land use and design help to address social, economic, and design-related factors that shape communities and their housing markets. Members of the subcommittee and other stakeholders also participated in tours of affordable housing developments that serve artists in the region.

In studying redevelopment sites in the planning area, the subcommittee identified opportunities for land use and housing with particular focus on: (1) promoting a balanced mix of uses beyond what currently exists today; (2) identifying existing and new regulatory tools to promote the goals and objectives, such as the provision of affordable housing units through both income-restricted as well as market-rate developments, including those that might help strengthen Old Town North’s creative economy.

Figure A.03: Work Program Schedule

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PLANNING, LAND USE AND DESIGN, AND HOUSING SUB-COMMITTEE INFRASTRUCTURE AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY & TRANSPORTATION SUBCOMMITTEE OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND CULTURAL FACILITIES & HISTORIC PRESERVATION SUBCOMMITTEE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SUB-COMMITTEE

OPEN SPACE, RECREATION & CULTURAL ACTIVITIES AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION SUBCOMMITTEE The Open Space, Recreation and Cultural Activities and Historic Preservation Subcommittee met twice during the period between January and March 2016. The subcommittee studied key concepts advocated by the community and developed recommendations accordingly.

Open space themes identified during the planning process related to green connections, new and enhanced open space opportunities and trail connections. The subcommittee also suggested locating multi-purpose community facilities within the plan area as well as exploring the establishment of Old Town North as an Arts and Cultural District under Virginia Code Section 15.2-1129.1and/or an Arts Corridor along North Fairfax Street.

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

Subcommittee members reviewed the following information related to Historic Preservation: Old and Historic Alexandria District (1946); National Register nominations for the Alexandria Historic District (1969, amended in 1984); the Mount Vernon Memorial Highway (1981); George Washington Memorial Parkway (1995); Washington Street: A Review of Washington Street and its Memorial Character (2012); and Alexandria’s Master Plan, Historic Preservation Chapter, OTN Small Area Plan (1992).

During the Plan Framework Phase, the subcommittee generated the following documents: 2015 OTN Self-Guided Historic Tour Brochure and Map; Buildings of Merit on the George Washington Memorial Parkway since 1932; and 2015 Photographic Survey Catalogue of Existing Buildings in OTN.

A key recommendation by the subcommittee was to develop the OTN Historic Interpretation Guide. This guide summarizes known OTN historic resources by theme areas and provides strategies to guide the community, developers and City in interpreting the resources and sites.

INFRASTRUCTURE AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY AND TRANSPORTATION SUBCOMMITTEE

The Infrastructure and Environmental Sustainability and Transportation Subcommittee met twice between February and April 2016 to address key themes, opportunities, challenges and strategies in the respective areas.

The overarching strategy of the subcommittee emphasized application of sustainable techniques above and beyond existing requirements and building codes, such as the City’s stormwater requirements, CSO policy, City’s current Green Building Policy, and energy efficiency under the 2010 Virginia Building Code. Members worked to define OTN as an Eco-District and establish draft performance criteria for commercial and residential redevelopment. Discussion focused on identifying areas and strategies for advancing Eco-City Alexandria; reviewing the City’s Environmental Action Plan, LEED green building standards, and the City’s Green Building policy to determine their suitability for OTN; and energy efficiency and renewable energy, green building and infrastructure.

The subcommittee was also charged with advising staff and offering recommendations on larger work plan items relative to transportation elements of the Plan including plan-wide streetscape improvements; consideration for the one-way street conversion on Montgomery; potential street extensions; railbanking process; transit considerations; traffic analysis; and parking study.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SUBCOMMITTEE

The Economic Development Subcommittee met twice between February and April 2016 to explore strategies for attracting innovative uses and expanding the economy in the plan area.

The subcommittee hosted a public Retail and Commercial Panel Discussion that included speakers from Alexandria Economic Development Partnership and the retail and commercial real estate markets. They addressed questions pertaining to current and future retail and commercial market trends for OTN, taking into account that OTN should be seen as part of a larger market that includes Braddock, Old Town, Rosemont, and Potomac Yard. Key strategies emerging from the discussion included attracting neighborhood retail services for OTN in the future rather than seeking regional level services; enhancing neighborhood amenities and providing flexible work space as a competitive edge for a changing work force; and taking advantage of the trend for co-working spaces where businesses share meeting, office and administrative support/equipment; and maker space.

An Innovation District Panel Discussion was held in June 2016 featuring a representative of The Brookings Institution, which has conducted extensive research on innovation districts, and a representative of Johns Hopkins University, which participates in an innovation district in Baltimore, MD. According to the Brookings Institution, innovation districts facilitate the creation and commercialization of new ideas and support metropolitan economies by growing jobs in ways that leverage their distinct economic attributes. These districts build on and revalue the intrinsic qualities of cities: proximity, density, authenticity, and vibrant places.

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

Figure A.04: Old Town North Civic Engagement, Meetings 2015-2017

All meetings associated with this planning process were open to the public and community members were encouraged to attend and participate.

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

Figure A.05: Old Town North Civic Engagement, Additional Outreach

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

IV. RELATED CITY PLANS AND POLICIES

The OTN Small Area Plan Update builds on and is informed by the following previous plans and studies including:

• 2030 Environmental Action Plan (2009)
• Alexandria Open Space Master Plan (2002)
• Citywide Parks Improvement Plan (2014)
• Complete Streets Design Guidelines Policy (2011)
• Competitive Office Study (2017)
• Eco City Charter (2008)
• Green Building Policy (2009)
• Housing Master Plan (2013)
• Long Range Educational Facilities Plan (2015)
• OTN Small Area Plan (1992)
• Parks and Recreation Needs Assessment (2013)
• Pedestrian and Bicycle Chapter of the Transportation Management Plan (2016)
• Sanitary Sewer Master Plan (2012)
• Transportation Master Plan (2008)

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Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

A.3 DEMOGRAPHICS AND STUDENT GENERATION

DEMOGRAPHICS

Old Town North is home to approximately 2% (approximately 3,000) of the City’s population which is estimated to be 147,650 in 2015. With a median age of 43, the population is older than might be found elsewhere in the City. Over 40% of the population has an advanced degree and two-thirds are college educated. Due to its location, a higher portion of the employed residents use alternative modes of transportation to work such as walking or biking, or work from home than the City as a whole. While the racial or ethnic makeup of the area more or less reflects the City as a whole, only about 10% of OTN’s population is foreign-born compared with a Citywide estimate of 30%. For additional demographic information, please refer to the OTN Project Brief.

STUDENT GENERATION

Alexandria City Public School (ACPS) enrollment data indicates that 73 ACPS students are living in the Old Town North plan area as of fall 2016. Historically, the student generation rates within the OTN are much lower than the citywide rates, as the population is older, with smaller household sizes and families than other parts of the City.

New housing, especially multi-family, produces few students per unit, due to higher costs and lower bedroom counts than older housing. When fully developed, the former power plant site in the Old Town North Plan area could potentially include 1,254 multifamily units and 22 townhouse units. The core area of Old Town North could potentially include 1,646 multifamily units and 146 townhouse units. Citywide, new multifamily units generate an average of 0.033 ACPS students per unit and 0.102 students per townhouse unit. For reasons likely pertaining to real estate costs, housing types, and school district boundaries, the OTN planning area has much lower student generation rates - approximately 0.008 students per multifamily dwelling unit and approximately 0.01 students per townhouse unit.

If Old Town North were to retain a lower student generation rate than the City as a whole, the development anticipated in the plan area could generate approximately 25 additional students. If there is a future shift in the demographic composition of the neighborhood that encourages an influx of families with children enrolled at ACPS, such that Old Town North demographics more closely resemble the City as a whole, the new development could yield as many as 115 students. These projections do not include any allocation for potential increases in public or affordable housing, which typically have a higher student generation rate than market-rate units.

median age 43 ⬚ figure Over 40% with advanced degrees ⬚ figure High portion of employed residents use alternative modes of transportation ⬚ figure 10% foreign born

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

Based on the projected students for the plan area, an additional school facility is not recommended by the Plan. Two school site reservations are located in proximity to the plan area, at North Potmoac Yard and Simpson Field.

LONG-RANGE EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES PLAN

ACPS, in cooperation with the City, completed and adopted a 2015 Long Range Educational Facilities Plan (LREFP), focusing on needs for elementary and middle schools. This plan identified substantial potential school capacity problems, primarily in Alexandria’s West End. However, schools in the eastern part of the City tend to be the oldest, and therefore less likely to meet current educational needs or standards. The Plan identified a number of potential improvements to existing schools, as well as need for additional schools with possible locations for some.

With the adoption of the Plan, the ACPS School Board identified two immediate needs – a financing plan to meet the needs identified in the facilities plan, and development of a facilities plan for Pre-K and additional high school capacity. (These two areas are being addressed in Phase 2 of the LREFP.) As elementary enrollment continued to grow during the LREFP planning process and it became clear that more students are staying in ACPS schools as they reach the upper grades, it became evident that T.C. Williams High School would not be able to meet the growing needs for high school into the 2020s if this trend continued. A financing plan is being developed to consider a variety of means of providing facilities to both rehabilitate or replace aging schools, and to meet capacity demands into the next decade through a combination of capacity improvements at existing schools, new school construction, and potential leasing of existing buildings as permanent or temporary school space. A need for swing space to accommodate enrollment while existing schools are comprehensively rehabilitated was also identified.

STUDENT ENROLLMENT PROJECTIONS AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PLANNING

Long-term enrollment projections for ACPS are based on both current patterns of enrollment change from existing development, and enrollment expected from new development. Projections are used to identify the need for new schools and expansion of existing schools. The current long-range forecast anticipates significant further growth in enrollment before an expected slowing of growth in the mid-2020s as the current group of students generated by the recent growth spurt passes through the grades. Capital facilities to provide for growth are generally programmed and budgeted closer to the point of need when projections have been confirmed by continued births, actual growth in school enrollment and follow-through in plans for new construction of residential units. Major capital facilities improvements in the current ACPS Capital Improvement Program Budget can be found at https://www.acps.k12.va.us/Page/486.

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i

A.4 OLD TOWN NORTH SMALL AREA PLAN RELATED STUDIES

I. OLD TOWN NORTH SMALL AREA PLAN (OTN SAP) ASSOCIATED DOCUMENTS Old Town North Urban Design Standards and Guidelines Old Town North Small Area Plan Definition of Terms Old Town North Project Brief (A Compilation of Existing Conditions, Demographics, Plans, and Policies) Old Town North Charrette Report (includes links to materials and public input)

II. OLD TOWN NORTH SMALL AREA PLAN RELATED STUDIES Transportation Study Eco-District Study Parking Study Historic Interpretation Guide Toolbox for Blank Walls, Podium Buildings and Surface Parking Lots

III. CITY OF ALEXANDRIA RELATED PLANS AND POLICIES

PLANNING City of Alexandria Zoning Ordinance 2010 Strategic Plan Green Sidewalks BMP Design Guidelines BAR Design Guidelines Washington Street Standards

TRANSPORTATION Alexandria Complete Streets Design Guidelines Complete Streets Policy

Comprehensive Transportation Master Plan Pedestrian and Bicycle Mobility Plan

INFRASTRUCTURE AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY Eco-City Charter 2008 Environmental Action Plan 2030 Energy and Climate Change Action Plan Water Quality Management Supplement Long Term Control Plan Stormwater Management Plan Memorandum to Industry

PARKS, RECREATION AND CULTURAL ACTIVITIES Landscape Guidelines Urban Forestry Master Plan Natural Resource Management Plan Citywide Parks Improvement Plan

HOUSING Housing Master Plan The Alexandria of our Future (Strategic Plan on Aging, 2013-2017) Alexandria Children and Youth Master Plan 2014

Amended 12/16/23, Ordinance 5514 Please refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3 on page i