Alexandria City Council Public Hearing - December 13, 2025
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Alexandria City Council Public Hearing - December 13, 2025
The Alexandria City Council held a Public Hearing on Saturday, December 13, 2025, from 9:30 AM to 1:25 PM in the Council Chamber at City Hall (301 King Street). This was the final council meeting in the historic chamber before renovations. The meeting included proclamations, a public discussion period, approval of consent items, and individual public hearings on the city's legislative package, affordable housing bonds, zoning text amendments, and major development projects.
Consent Calendar
- Items 6-13 (Roll-Call Consent): All eight consent items were approved unanimously. These included Special Use Permits for single-unit dwellings on substandard lots at 205 Macarthur Road and 2 West Howell Avenue, automobile repair uses at 612A-B S. Pickett Street and 3210 Duke Street, an extension for the Woodbine Rehabilitation Healthcare Facility addition, an amendment to the license agreement with Cox Virginia Telecom for additional conduits and fiber optic cables in public rights-of-way, and final passage of two ordinances implementing master plan and text amendments for Potomac Yard (601 E Glebe Road, etc.) previously approved on November 15, 2025.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Public Discussion Period (before agenda items): 15 speakers addressed the council on items not on the agenda. The overwhelming majority (14 speakers) urged the city to divest from Israel and pass an ethical investment resolution, citing genocide in Palestine. One speaker spoke in support of climate change programs. After the scheduled docket, additional speakers continued the divestment theme and raised concerns about the judicial system and the proposed waterfront pump station.
- Item 14 (Legislative Package): Speakers addressed the package: Michael Schuster (Co-chair, Commission on Aging) supported aging-related items; Giselle Caruso (Upvote Virginia) suggested amendments to ranked choice voting language; Richard Merritt (Health Commission) recommended removing the cap on cigarette taxes and taxing vaping products; Pamela Berg (League of Women Voters) urged correction of election integrity language; Kathie Hoekstra supported building code updates; Marsha Rhea (Voices for Housing) requested stronger language on faith-based affordable housing zoning. Council heard testimony and then adopted the package with amendments.
- Item 17 (Old Towne West): Attorney Mary Catherine Gibbs spoke on behalf of applicant Alfred Street Baptist Church and The Community Builders, highlighting the project's affordable housing and relocation plan.
- Item 18 (Potomac Yard): Marsha Rhea (Voices for Housing) supported the Wesley Housing affordable component; Clea Benson (Potomac Yard HOA) requested transfer of open space maintenance responsibility; Attorney Cathy Puskar summarized the final phase of Potomac Yard development.
- Post-Docket Public Discussion: Additional speakers (including Janice Grenadier, Carrie Schwartz, Kathleen Lowy, Ahmad El-Masry, Sara Katz, Marc Bendick, Rasha Enayah) again called for divestment from Israel, with one speaker opposing the waterfront pump station on economic grounds.
Discussion Items
- Item 14 – 2026 Legislative Package: Council debated several amendments. They adopted a motion by Councilman McPike to: add a bullet on reducing heating costs for low-income families; replace the school infrastructure paragraph; add a bullet on stronger state building code adoption and municipal aggregation; strike the first two sentences of the civic engagement section and replace with language acknowledging Virginia's strong election administration. They also removed the final bullet on ranked choice voting (by friendly amendment), expanded local authority on tobacco, nicotine, and vaping product excise taxes, and struck the ranked choice voting study language. The amended package was approved 7-0.
- Item 15 – ARHA Revenue Bonds: Approved unanimously (7-0) without discussion.
- Item 16 – Zoning Text Amendment #2025-00007 (Commercial Uses): After lengthy debate, council voted 7-0 to approve the bulk of the staff proposal but removed four provisions for further staff review (to return within 90 days): (1) the 2,000-square-foot limit on indoor live entertainment as a permitted use; (2) by-right status for private school trailers; (3) outdoor fitness uses requiring SUP; (4) the prohibition on exterior loudspeakers/outdoor speakers at restaurants. The rest of the amendment, including by-right indoor restaurants, streamlining administrative SUPs, and other modernizations, was approved.
- Item 17 – Rezoning & DSUP for 598 S Alfred Street (Old Towne West): Approved 7-0. The project rezones from RB/Townhouse to RMF/Residential multi-unit and allows a multi-unit building with up to 3.0 FAR for affordable housing, including 30% AMI units. The relocation plan for existing residents was discussed.
- Item 18 – Potomac Yard Landbays G & H DSUPs and Encroachment: Three separate votes approved 7-0 each: (A) DSUP #2025-10023 and Encroachment #2025-00008 for the mixed-use building (multi-unit residential with ground-floor retail, publicly accessible open space); (B) DSUP #2025-10024 for the affordable housing building (by Wesley Housing) with additional conditions; (C) DSUP #2025-10025 for the townhome development. These represent the final build-out of the southern portion of Potomac Yard, adding 620 housing units (including 88 affordable), retail space, and open space. The city will work to transfer maintenance of an open space parcel from the existing HOA to the new development.
Key Outcomes
- Divestment Calls: Despite extensive public testimony, the council did not place an ethical investment resolution on the agenda or schedule discussion; no action was taken.
- Legislative Package: Approved with several amendments (7-0). The final package includes support for building code modernization, municipal aggregation, cigarette/vaping tax authority, and revised election language. The ranked choice voting study was removed.
- ARHA Bonds: Resolution authorizing revenue bonds for the next phase (Block 1) of the Heritage at Old Town redevelopment (288 units, 52 affordable at 40% AMI) passed unanimously.
- Zoning Text Amendment: Approved with four items reserved for further staff review over 90 days: indoor live entertainment square footage, private school trailers, outdoor fitness, and exterior speakers.
- Old Towne West Affordable Housing: Rezoning and DSUP approved, enabling a deeply affordable housing development with 34 units at or below 30% AMI.
- Potomac Yard Final Phase: Three DSUPs and one encroachment approved, completing the southern Potomac Yard plan with a mix of housing types, affordable housing, retail, and public open space.
- Historic Preservation Text Amendment (Item 19): Deferred without objection.
Meeting Transcript
All right, good morning, everyone. It's nine thirty-two. We're gonna go ahead and begin our Saturday public hearing. Madam Clerk, please call the roll. Mayor Gaskins. Here. Vice Mayor Bagley. Councilman Aguirre. Councilman Chapman. Councilman L newby. Here. Councilwoman Green. Councilman McPhyth. Here. All right. Well, good morning, everyone. It's so good to see so many people here for the Saturday public hearing. I do want to take a minute just to remind everyone that the purpose of our meeting is to um conduct the business of the city. And we encourage and we welcome public participation, but we're also going to make sure that the meeting proceeds in a respectful and orderly manner. And so just so everyone's on the same page, disruptive behavior, including shouting, repeated interruptions, and or any other conduct that interferes with the orderly conduct of the meeting is not permitted. And if the behavior continues, you may be removed from the meeting. So we ask that you conduct yourself in a meeting and a manner that allows the meeting to proceed effectively and respectfully for everyone in attendance. All right, so if I if I count you off, will you start dancing? It's that we have everybody you look amazing. All right, I'm gonna start off with the proclamation, and then can somebody raise a hand as to where the microphone should go next for sort of there we go to Chris in the middle. Beautiful. All right. All right. Well, I'm I'm thrilled to be asked uh to do anything involving dance. Uh so this is a wonderful morning for you all to be here. The proclamation reads whereas Alexandria values the vitality and cultural written richness of its small businesses, and sustaining one for 50 years is an extraordinary achievement, reflecting exceptional skill, resilience, and community trust. And whereas Chris Collins is an extraordinary Alexandrian, a young dancer who discovered his passion early, nurtured it through education, and devoted his life to sharing the joy of dance with generations of children and families. And whereas Chris founded Chris Collins dance studio in 1975, beginning with a small rented classroom, and his parents, Bill and Ruth Collins, were instrumental from the start. Bill signing the first lease and assisting behind the scenes, and Ruth serving as the joyful, welcoming front desk presence for decades. Support without which CCDS could not have succeeded in its early years. And whereas, in honor of their legacy, Chris presents the annual Ruth and Bill Collins Award of Excellence to a dancer who exemplifies outstanding skill, character, leadership, and kindness. And whereas Chris married Vicky in April 2001, and she has become an essential part of his CCDS family, making this milestone celebration hers as well. And whereas throughout its history, the studio has embraced the philosophy that we measure success in smiles, reflecting its belief that joy, confidence, and personal growth are the truest measures of achievement. And whereas over five decades, CCDS has welcomed thousands of Alexandria children and families, nurturing creativity, discipline, and confidence, and its students have gone on to become accomplished performers, teachers, professionals, parents, and community leaders, shaping generations of extraordinary Alexandrians. And whereas C C DS, it is a home away from home, where dancers, teachers, and families form a close-knit dance family built on support, mentorship, and lifelong friendship. And whereas the Chris Collins Dance Company has earned broad recognition, repeatedly named a studio of excellence for kindness and sportsmanship and regularly winning regional and national awards for outstanding dancing, choreography, technique, and performance. And whereas in June 2026, the studio celebrated its 50th anniversary, showtime production, marking half a century of artistic achievement and community impact. Now therefore I, Sarah Vagley, on behalf of Aliyah Gaskins, Mayor of the City of Alexandria, Virginia, and on behalf of the entire Alexandria City Council, do hereby proclaim December 13th, 2025 as Chris Collins Dance Studio, 50th anniversary day in the City of Alexandria, Virginia, and extend our deepest appreciation to Chris Collins, an extraordinary teacher, mentor, entrepreneur, and community leader, along with his dedicated staff and generous generation generations of dancers and families who have made the studio a beloved and enduring part of Alexandria's cultural fabric. In witness whereof, I have hereinto set my hand and cause the seal of the city of Alexandria to be affixed this 13th day of December, 2025. I didn't know I would have to speak, but I'm I'm kind of overwhelmed. Most of the people, in fact, all of the people on the stage weren't even warm when I opened up. So 50 years is a long time when we've come a long way. Thanks to a fabulous staff and our family of students. It's a great thing to be a part of City of Alexandria. And we're gonna continue into the future.
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