Alexandria City Council Legislative Meeting - April 28, 2026
Alexandria City Council Legislative Meeting - April 28, 2026
The Alexandria City Council held its Legislative Meeting on April 28, 2026, at the Del Pepper Community Resource Center. The meeting opened with proclamations, followed by oral reports from council members, a detailed presentation on the Potomac River Generating Station (PRGS) redevelopment proposal, approval of a resolution authorizing revenue bonds for the Ladrey rehabilitation project, adoption of the FY 2027–2031 Consolidated Plan for Housing and Community Development, and approval of the council schedule. The meeting adjourned at 8:54 PM.
Proclamations
- National Arab American Heritage Month (April 2026): Council unanimously passed a proclamation recognizing April as National Arab American Heritage Month. Councilman El Nuby read the proclamation, and several community members spoke about the importance of inclusion and representation.
- Alcohol Awareness Month (April 2026): Vice Mayor Bagley read the proclamation, noting a 44% decrease in teen alcohol use among 8th, 10th, and 12th graders in Alexandria between 2016 and 2025. Representatives from the Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition of Alexandria (SAPCA) and Alexandria City Public Schools highlighted ongoing prevention efforts, including a poster contest with over 135 student submissions.
Oral Reports
- ARHA Redevelopment Work Group (Mayor Gaskins, Councilman Chapman): Updates included a structural engineering review of all units at Cameron Valley, use of vacant buildings at Madden South and Madden North as training sites for police and fire departments, occupancy of 113 out of 133 units at ALATE (9 pending, 11 vacant), and the Fresh Start Initiative that helped 318 households (863 people, including 100 seniors and 379 children). A joint meeting between the ARHA board and City Council is being planned.
- Legislative Subcommittee (Mayor Gaskins, Councilman Chapman): Of 608 bills tracked by city staff, 308 went to the governor, with 60 in priority areas. The state budget remains unfinished (deadline July 1). An update from the legislative director is scheduled for May 12.
- COG Transportation Planning Board (Councilman Aguirre): Key items included Bike to Work Day on May 15, the transportation resilience improvement plan, the DMV Moves initiative, and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law focus on shovel-ready projects.
- Library Board (Councilman Aguirre): The library company (which appoints three board members) voted no confidence in one of its appointees, removing her. Friends of the library from all four branches protested the decision. Councilman Aguirre noted the library is a quasi-agency and that the board composition differs from city-appointed positions.
- City Council General Updates: Councilmembers reported on events including the Comto's Women Who Move the Nation breakfast, a WMATA affordable housing proposal near Braddock Metro, the Alexandria Historical Society youth awards, a remembrance for Joseph Bakoy, the CTAV bus rodeo, and the Scholarship Fund of Alexandria gala. Mayor Gaskins highlighted the Four Mile Run kayak launch celebration on May 9 and the America 250th poster contest (over 230 submissions).
Potomac River Generating Station (PRGS) Site Update
City Manager Parajon, AEDP CEO Stephanie Landrum, Deputy City Attorney Bonnie Brown, and Assistant City Manager Julian Gonzalez presented a proposal to redevelop the 19-acre former coal-fired power plant site on the Potomac River. The project would create up to 2.5 million square feet of mixed-use development (including up to 2,000 dwelling units) with over five acres of public open space. The developer, HRP Group, requests a 30-year tax increment financing (TIF) of up to $135 million to cover public infrastructure, environmental remediation, and site readiness. The TIF would be backed by new tax revenues generated by the project (not existing city revenues) and structured through a Community Development Authority (CDA). Total private investment is projected at $2 billion, generating an estimated $1 billion in gross incremental tax revenue, of which $770 million would be available for city services after debt service. The first phase aims for completion by 2030, with council consideration of a performance agreement in June 2026. Councilmembers expressed broad support, noting the need for housing and the project’s alignment with economic development priorities. Public engagement continues through May.
Consent Calendar
Council approved Items 10–12 by roll-call vote (Item 13 considered separately):
- Item 10: Authorized a grant application to the Virginia Department of Education for the USDA Summer Food Service Program (estimated $230,000 reimbursement).
- Item 11: Approved a non-competitive grant application to the Virginia DEQ Litter Prevention and Recycling Program for the Adopt-A-Park Litter Control Program (approximately $32,124).
- Item 12: Adopted on first reading an ordinance supporting the FY 2026 city government, with public hearing and final passage scheduled for May 16, 2026.
Action Items
- Item 13 – Ladrey Rehabilitation Revenue Bonds: Council adopted Resolution No. 3376 authorizing the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority (ARHA) to issue revenue bonds not exceeding $20,000,000 to Ladrey Rehab LLC for the renovation of The Ladrey, an 11-story building at 300 Wythe Street. The project will create 159 renovated one- and two-bedroom apartments, including 17 fully accessible units and 10 new two-bedroom units for live-in aids. All former residents retain the right to return at no cost. Council also discussed potential use of the building as a polling site and the structural feasibility of the renovation.
- Item 14 – FY 2027–2031 Consolidated Plan and FY 2027 Action Plan: Council approved the draft plans authorizing applications for $1,055,741 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds and $588,874 in Home Investment Partnership (HOME) funds. The plans prioritize attainable housing, housing stability, and enhanced community services. Council noted that federal formula funding has not increased despite growing need, due to the city’s relatively stable poverty ratio and population growth.
Other Business
- Item 15 – City Council Schedule: Council approved the Look Ahead calendar, including the Chamber ALX City Council Breakfast on May 14, and received the official calendar through December 2026.
Key Outcomes
- Approved: Proclamations for Arab American Heritage Month and Alcohol Awareness Month.
- Approved: Consent Items 10–12 (grant applications and first reading of FY 2026 support ordinance).
- Approved: Resolution authorizing up to $20 million in revenue bonds for The Ladrey rehabilitation (roll-call vote, all ayes).
- Approved: FY 2027–2031 Five-Year Consolidated Plan and FY 2027 Action Plan for HUD funding (roll-call vote, all ayes).
- Received and Discussed: Presentation on PRGS redevelopment; council will consider a performance agreement in June after public engagement.
- Approved: City Council schedule and calendar.
Meeting Transcript
Okay, there has been a motion by Councilman Aguirre and a second by Councilwoman Green to approve the electronic participation resolution. Madam Clerk, this is a roll call vote. Please call the roll. Councilman McGeary. Councilwoman Green. Councilman El Nuby. Okay, Madam Clerk, next item. Moment of silence and pledge of allegiance. Okay, it is our practice to begin each meeting with a moment of silence followed by the pledge. We ask that if you are able to stand, please join us. And whereas Arab Americans embody resilient family values, strong work ethic, dedication to education, and diversity in faith and creed that have added strength to our great democracy. And whereas the celebration of Arab American ancestry and cultural heritage educates our fellow Americans encounters misconceptions, bigotry, anti-Arab hate, civil right abuses, and harmful stereotyping. And whereas Arab Americans joined all join all Americans in the desire to see a peaceful and diverse society where every individual is treated. You may have a cry. Whereas Arab Americans join all Americans in the desire to see a peaceful and diverse society where every individual is treated equally and feels safe. And whereas the extensive contributions and rich heritage of Arab Americans have helped us build a better nation. Now, therefore, I, Abdel Nubi, on behalf of Aliyah Gaskins, mayor of the city of Alexandria, Virginia, and on behalf of the Alexandria City Council to hereby proclaim April 2026 to be National Arab American Heritage Month in the City of Alexandria. And I call this observance to the attention of all our citizens, all while recognizing and expressing deep gratitude for the contributions that Arab Americans have made to the city of Alexandria and our country. And we encourage our citizens to join us in this special observance and recognition. In witness thereof, I hereunto set my hand and cause the seal of the city of Alexandria to be a fixed this 28th day of April 2026. Thank you. And I'll pass the mic to our guests to introduce themselves briefly. Okay. Hi, my name is Janine Katad. This is little Leanne. I'm a employee with the City of Alexandria and very proud to be here this evening. Thank you. Thank you. Good afternoon. My name is Mo Safelde. I'm a former council member here in the City of Alexandria. Glad to be here. I'm uh employee of the City of Alexandria for 27 years and proud to be here. Abdullahi Abdul, I'm a school board member from District C of the city. I'm glad to be here. Thank you. And thank you all for being here this evening to celebrate this great occasion. Um Madam Mayor, you know, as an Arab American myself, as an elected official in this city, you know, I really appreciate how our cities always um inclusive celebrating this this these occasions, how our city celebrates our diversity, and these occasions are you know an opportunity for everyone to celebrate their identity, whoever they are, um people who may be, you know, second guessing if they have a place in our society or in our city because of their identity. I think these opportunities are a great reminder that you know everyone belongs no matter who they are, and I hope you know those who um maybe you know, again questioning you know whether they belong or not, seeing uh Arab American elected officials and former elected officials and city employees and all of that that inspires them to realize that they too have a place in our society and in our community. Um America is the land of the dreams. America is um an inclusive place. Um I'm proud to be an Alexandrian, um obviously proud to be an American. Um my colleagues, I appreciate um your support and hopefully to pass this proclamation. And with that, Madam Mayor, I move to approve the proclamation. Okay, there has been a motion by Councilman Al Nubi and a second by Councilman Green to approve the proclamation. Is there any further discussion? Um I just want to quickly say something I really appreciate about the first line of the proclamation is it speaks to the many ways that Arab Americans have contributed to our community. And I think each of you standing here as elected officials, as employees, but also when I look out into the audience, we have poets, we have artists, we have advocates, we have faith leaders, we have neighbors and friends, so just want to recognize all of the many ways in which our community comes together to celebrate and recognize important cultures and traditions, but also the ways in which you are shaping our city every single day through your words, your actions, and the power of your voice. So thank you again for recommending and reading the proclamation, and thank you to all of you who are here. Um what I will say is typically we'd have like a photo or uh big way of doing this.
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