Alexandria City Council Legislative Meeting and Swearing-In Ceremony – May 13, 2026
Alexandria City Council Legislative Meeting and Swearing-In Ceremony – May 13, 2026
The City Council held a special swearing-in ceremony for newly elected Councilwoman Sandy Marks, marking the first female-majority council in Alexandria's history, followed by a regular legislative meeting. The meeting covered the state of the economy, downtown parking management, a sidewalk encroachment ordinance, the Torpedo Factory Arts Center lease proposal, and a review of the 2026 Virginia General Assembly session.
Consent Calendar
- Receipt of resignations (Item 9): Accepted resignations from several board and commission members.
- Uncontested appointments (Item 10): Approved appointments to multiple boards, including Board of Zoning Appeals, Budget and Fiscal Affairs Advisory Committee, and others.
- Approval of minutes (Item 11): Approved minutes from March 9, 10, 14, and 24 meetings.
- Appointments to regional boards (Item 12): Approved council member assignments to regional bodies.
- Monthly Financial Report (Item 13): Accepted the financial report for period ending March 31, 2026.
- Lease agreements (Items 14-16): Approved leases with Casa Chirilagua, Alexandria Boxing Club, and Child and Family Network Centers.
- Federal funding resolution (Item 17): Adopted resolution identifying FY27 federal priorities.
- Zoning text amendment (Item 19): Passed first reading of an ordinance implementing commercial uses update.
- Item 18 (Sidewalk encroachment) was pulled from the consent calendar for separate discussion.
Public Comments & Testimony
No public comments or testimony were heard during this meeting.
Discussion Items
- Swearing-In Ceremony: Councilwoman Sandy Marks was sworn in after winning the April 21, 2026 special election. Mayor Gaskins highlighted the historic first female-majority council. Marks delivered remarks emphasizing unity, affordable housing, education, and infrastructure.
- Oral Reports: Council members reported on boards and commissions, including the Health and Safety Coordinating Committee (eviction data: 1,264 summons filed, average 3–4 week wait for rental assistance), Northern Virginia Regional Commission (request for $20,000 strategic initiatives funding), VRE (rescheduled King Street closure to May 28–June 1), Waterfront Commission (Sail250 events, need for public restrooms), NVTC (WMATA budget, no fare increase, commuter choice program), and LEPC (lithium-ion battery safety).
- City Council General Updates: Council members welcomed senior interns participating in the city's senior experience program. They promoted Bike to Work Day on May 15 and highlighted various community events (e.g., Four Mile Run kayak launch, youth forum, shelter care car wash).
- State of the Economy (City Manager Report): The presentation noted national uncertainty, unemployment at 4.3%, inflation rising to 3.8% (highest in three years), gas prices at $4.55/gal, local residential market strong but consumption taxes flat. Staff offered to provide a detailed memo on fuel costs for city fleet.
- Downtown Parking Update (Item 7): TES staff presented on curb management, including new enforcement strategies, pricing adjustments, and technology (digital curb inventory via CDS). Council discussed employee parking subsidies, shuttle options, and better marketing of existing garages. Staff will return with recommendations.
- Sidewalk Encroachment Ordinance (Item 18): Proposed ordinance to add fines (graduated civil penalties) for illegal sidewalk encroachments. Council raised concerns about business outreach and implementation timeline. A substitute motion passed 6–1 to advance the ordinance on first reading but delay second reading and final passage to the June public hearing to allow for further education and discussion.
- Torpedo Factory Arts Center Lease (Item 20): City received a single proposal from Scout Urban LLC to lease and operate the facility. Council voted unanimously to refer the proposal to the city manager for evaluation and negotiation, with a report expected in fall 2026. Councilman Aguirre noted the uniqueness of the facility and urged transparency.
- 2026 General Assembly Session Review (Item 21): Staff presented an overview of enacted and pending legislation, including mandatory and permissive authorities. Key topics included faith-in-housing (by-right affordable housing on religious land), tenant protections, mental health TDO authority, traffic safety technology, immigration enforcement restrictions, and constitutional amendments on reproductive freedom and marriage equality. No formal action taken.
- Contested Appointments (Items 22–27): Council voted on appointments to seven boards. Winners: Melissa Saith (Housing Affordability), Paloma Martinez (Commission on Employment), Jonathan McCall (Commission on Persons with Disabilities, 5 votes), Stacey M. Harris and Elisha Nightingale (Community Criminal Justice Board), James McKean (Public Records Advisory Commission, 5 votes), and Alexis Stackhouse (Independent Community Policing Review Board). All received majority support.
- City Council Schedule (Item 28): Approved as docketed.
Key Outcomes
- Councilwoman Sandy Marks was sworn in, creating a 5–2 female majority council.
- Consent calendar items 9–17 and 19 approved unanimously on roll-call vote.
- Item 18 (Sidewalk encroachment) passed first reading with a 6–1 vote (Councilman Geary dissenting) and second reading moved to June public hearing.
- Item 20 (Torpedo Factory) referred to city manager for evaluation and negotiation; report expected fall 2026.
- Contested appointments approved by majority votes as recorded.
- City council schedule approved without objection.
- Staff to provide memo on fuel costs for city fleet and report back on downtown parking strategies, including testing at upcoming events like Sail250.
Meeting Transcript
Hello, okay. Um we need to have everyone to please take a seat due to fire code. I'm gonna ask that if you're standing it on the side, please find a seat. If you are able, please join us for the Pledge of Allegiance. Now, when this council was originally sworn in, it was January second, twenty twenty-five. And if you were that that installation ceremony, I'm sure you remember that all of us were swilled with smiles and excitement. We were ready to tackle the world. So excited to be sworn in as a new team and ready to hit the ground running. It seems as if almost every single day there has been another unprecedented or unexpected challenge. The first, we saw the swearing in of a new president who brought with him the destruction of many jobs and federal workers. Oops, okay. Wasn't expecting that. Um, threats to our immigrant workforce and to our immigrant neighbors, tariffs, wars, and so many other things that have caused complete chaos in the lives of many Alexandrians. Within a week after that, many of us were shaken by the horrific plane crash that happened at DCA, and we mourned the loss of friends and co-workers and neighbors. As time went on, we faced other battles like the January 2026 snowstorm, something that I don't think any of us would be able to weather. I tried to throw in a joke for Kirk McPyte, because I'm not the funny one on the council. But over 14 days and more than 500 staff members were mobilized to help see us through that response. And if those challenges were not enough, I'm sure you saw the announcements of the cases of measles and the rabbit raccoons that came throughout our community. It seemed as if it was just challenge after challenge. But the thing I'm probably most proud of is that as a council, we have been able to find ways to persevere and to keep going. And despite our ability to keep going, we've been doing it a member short. We have not been operating at our full strength. And so part of the historic nature of tonight and the opportunity that is before us is we get to welcome a new team member. We are going to be swearing in councilwoman elect Sandy Marks. And as I think about Miss Marks, her leadership could not come at a more important time. Because the challenges that our community is facing need new problem solving, new partnerships, new optimism, and new ways of thinking. Whether we're talking about climate change or housing affordability or how we continue to fund our schools and make sure that every young person and every person in our community has what they need to thrive. We've been a community where women have stepped up not for the title, not for the recognition, but out of a deep commitment to service and an understanding that public service has the opportunity to truly change lives and to benefit our community. Out of a recognition that at the end of the day, the status quo is not benefiting all of us. And out of a recognition that at the end of the day, the best way we can move forward is to never lose hope on what else is possible. And so tonight's swearing in of Miss Marks represents something that I'm sure many thought were never possible. And that is for the first time in our history, we have a majority female city council. We continue to be a community that is breaking barriers and shattering glass ceilings. And so it is my honor to begin tonight's ceremony. And I hope that we begin so in a way with a recognition that it does not matter the challenges that we face. What matters is that each of us never loses hope in what is possible. And as you look at your new council, you are looking at a team, a team that is ready to tackle anything, a team that will be refute that refuses to be defeated, a team that knows that no matter what lies ahead, we represent the power of new ideas. We represent the power of optimism. We represent a joy that cannot be shaken no matter what else is happening around this world. And we represent a deep commitment to serve you with an unwavering spirit to make sure that we never stop working until your needs are met. And so with that, I'm going to begin with our first order of business, which is the presentation of the certificate of election from our secretary Jack Powers. Thank you, Lee. Good evening. My name is Jack Powers, and I am the secretary of the Alexandria Electoral Board. It's my pleasure to be here tonight. On behalf of my two colleagues on the bipartisan board, Bruce Brown and Sarissa Cafaso, it is my honor to present the certificate of election to Sandy Marks, the candidate who was elected to the city, Alexandria City Council by the voters in the April 21st, 2026 special election. The certificate reads, and here's the certificate. Very nice. To all to whom these presents shall come, greeting. This is to certify that at the meeting of the electoral board of the city of Alexandria, held on April 27th, 2026, on an examination of the official records deposited in the office of the clerk of the circuit court.
openpublica.com