4 Items Headed To Alexandria Planning Commission In September

ALEXANDRIA, VA — After an August break, Alexandria City Council and city commissions and boards are back to consider items at September meetings. First up is the Planning Commission with a meeting on Thursday, Sept. 9 at 7 p.m.

The Planning Commission will consider advancing several notable items to City Council. These include extending flexibilities to help businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic, determining if an office building purchase for Alexandria City Public Schools fits with the city's master plan, zoning ordinance modifications and a townhouse proposal in Old Town.

If the Planning Commission advances these items, they will go to City Council for a public hearing on Sept. 18.

More information on these agenda items and recent administrative permit approvals is provided below.

1. Extension of business flexibility program

The Planning Commission will decide whether to recommend extending certain modifications to support small businesses operating during the COVID-19 pandemic through April 1, 2022. The current expiration date for these modifications is Jan. 1, 2022.

City staff are currently developing a proposal to develop a permanent program for consideration in October. However, businesses will be able to plan ahead knowing there will be an extension at least through April 1, 2022.

"In outreach discussions with restaurants in mid-August, restaurateurs noted that they must begin investments for winter 2021-22 now. Although October is only a month away, it would greatly assist them to know in September that the program will continue through the winter," a staff report states.

Measures put in place to support businesses during the pandemic include:

• Allowing all restaurants to provide delivery service and pick-up service. Delivery vehicles and customer pick-ups can use on-street parking while following posted parking requirements.
• Regulations for hours of operation are suspended for restaurants, convenience stores, catering operations and automobile service stations (gasoline stations).
• Restaurants and retail establishments can vend on adjacent sidewalks or parking lots.
• Local restrictions on alcohol sales are suspended, including off-premises alcohol sales and delivery restrictions.
• While the King Street Outdoor Dining program allows restaurants to have outdoor dining on sidewalks under certain guidelines, participants can now set up outdoor dining in parking spaces outside of their businesses.
• In all other areas of the city, outdoor dining is permitted on restaurant property and in the public right-of-way (sidewalks, parking spaces, parking lots) where it will not detrimentally impact surrounding uses.
• Restaurant operators can use off-street spaces located on the same property for outdoor dining where it will not detrimentally impact adjacent uses.
• Retail businesses can request the use of sidewalks, on-street parking spaces, and privately-owned parking lots and spaces to display their products and conduct sales, where it will not detrimentally impact adjacent uses.
• Health and fitness business operators may use sidewalks, privately-owned parking lotsand spaces and on-street parking spaces to offer classes and provide access to fitness equipment, where it will not detrimentally impact adjacent uses.

According to a staff report, many elements of the program have been popular with the public and have helped small businesses. A survey conducted online had an "overwhelmingly positive" response.

On Sept. 18, City Council will consider extension of the program until at least April 1, 2022. Stay tuned for city staff's permanent program proposal this fall.

2. Proposed purchase of property for Alexandria City Public Schools

On July 6, Alexandria City Council voted to seek the purchase of an office building 1703 North Beauregard Street for use by Alexandria City Public Schools. The tentative plan is to initially use the building to relocate some central office services, including the information technology help desk. ACPS would later use it as swing space during projects to modernize George Mason Elementary School and Cora Kelly School for Math, Science and Technology. It could ultimately become an elementary or secondary school for 600 students. The four-story building is adjacent to Ferdinand T. Day Elementary School.

ACPS is now seeking the Planning Commission's finding on whether the acquisition is consistent with the city's master plan. A staff report states that the use would be consistent with relevant area plans. The staff reports the success of 1701 N. Beauregard Street being converted from office use to Ferdinand T. Day Elementary School.

"Overall, the Plan focuses on office use and commercial development and stresses the importance of a mixture of land uses within each neighborhood," the report states. "In reviewing the Alexandria West Small Area Plan, staff found that it also supports mixed-use development. While neither Plan specifies a potential need for future school facilities, they do not indicate that this area should be reserved for non-educational uses only."

After the Planning Commission decision, a City Council hearing is scheduled for Sept. 18.

3. Zoning ordinance updates

Updates are proposed to the city's zoning ordinance to address errors that may have come up from previous rewrites or amendments. According to a staff report, some changes created redundancies or conflict with other regulations in the ordinance. The update would also repeal a section that limits the city's ability to set aesthetic standards for wireless facilities based on a recent court ruling.

Technical errors

• Move commercial complex definition to correct alphabetical order
• Remove duplicate definitions for through lots
• Correct cross-references in various sections

Amended/new definitions

• Accessory use/structure/building
• Average pre-construction grade
• Floor area
• Open space
• Trellis

Mixed use lot requirements, bulk and open space regulations in commercial zones

• Clarify language

Accessory Uses and Structures

• Allow solar energy systems (solar/photovoltaic (PV) panels, etc.) regardless of maximum height requirements
• Clarify/update language based on amended/new definitions
• Consolidate repeat references to setbacks required for accessory structures and buildings to increase clarity
• Allow electric vehicle (EV) charging structures as accessory uses in required yards
• Amend trellis definition to prohibit the use of tall trellises as fences
• Allow permeable driveways in required yards for accessing accessory buildings that contain accessory dwellings and garages
• Repeal aesthetic standard restrictions governing wireless facilities
• Simplify home occupation regulation
• Clarify language for detached garage regulations

Development Approvals and Procedures

• Amend stormwater regulations to reflect recommendations by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, as part of the 2020 Chesapeake Bay Audit and required under the Virginia Administrative Code
• Allow tandem parking to meet parking requirement for small multi-family dwellings

Board of Zoning Appeals

• Establish procedures for split zoned properties
• Clarify language for special exceptions for accessory dwellings

More information on each proposed change can be found in the staff report. City Council will hold a hearing on Sept. 18.

4. South Union Street Townhouses

Eleventh Street Development is seeking a development special use permit with a site plan to build six four-story townhouses with attached two-car parking garages at 101 Duke Street. The proposal also seeks a floor area ratio up to 2.0, side yard setback modifications to three lots, lot width modifications to two lots, crown coverage modifications for four lots and vision clearance modifications to one lot.

The townhouses would replace the Solo Parking Garage, which has three levels and 72 parking spaces. The first level has 25 spaces for hourly public parking, and the second and third levels are permit parking only.

See the staff report and proposed site plan for more information. City Council will hold a public hearing on Sept. 18.

Administrative Permit Approvals

Items that previously received administrative approval from the city are as follows:

George Washington Middle School, 1005 Mount Vernon Avenue

Administrative Special Use Permit request for a New Use of trailers to be used as elementary school classrooms, requested by Alexandria City Public Schools

Approved Aug. 23, 2021

Cora Kelly Elementary School, 3600 Commonwealth Ave

Administrative Special Use Permit request for a New Use of trailers to be used as elementary school classrooms, requested by Alexandria City Public Schools

Approved Aug. 23, 2021

Kismet Modern Indian, 111 North Pitt Street

Administrative Special Use Permit request for a Change of Ownership of a restaurant (currently vacant), requested by Kismet Healthy Foods

Approved Aug. 12, 2021

Matteo Place Montessori Bilingual Preschool, 700 West Braddock Road

Administrative Special Use Permit request for a New Use of a Day Care Center in a church or school building

Approved Aug. 10, 2021

&pizza, 207 Swamp Fox Road

Administrative Special Use Permit request for a Change of Ownership of a Restauran

Approved July 27, 2021

Bob and Edith's Diner, 1743 King Street

Administrative Special Use Permit request for a Change of Ownership of a Restaurant (former Ernie's Original Crab House)

Approved June 30, 2021

1033 W Glebe Road ALX LLC, 1033 West Glebe Road

Administrative Special Use Permit request for a New Use of a Restaurant; zone: CG /Commercial General

Approved July 6, 2021

KinderCare Education, 2472 Mandeville Lane

Administrative Special Use Permit request for a New Use of a Day Care Center

Approved July 28, 2021