The meeting was called to order by Co-Chair Poul Hertel at 7:05 PM.

Transcription

1 Alexandria Federation of Civic Associations, Inc. Meeting Minutes, February 26, 2014 The meeting was called to order by Co-Chair Poul Hertel at 7:05 PM. Minutes. Upon motion by Annabelle Fisher and seconded by Don Buch, the minutes of the January 29, 2014 meeting of the Federation were approved with corrections. Treasurer s Report. Sharon Annear reported the Treasury balance last month was $7, and with dues received from NOTICe during the month, the current balance is $7, In answer to a question regarding dues notices, Ms. Annear said they will be sent out in the near future but that dues checks will be accepted at any time. Web Site. Poul Hertel said that the web site is being designed and will be up and running soon. Proposed City Budget for FY2015 ( to ). Mr. Hertel introduced City Manager Rashad Young who reported on his budget proposal as it had been submitted to the City Council on February 25 th. Mr. Young said that there will be a series of work sessions and noted that his entire presentation to the Council and all budget memos are on-line. Mr. Young stated that the budget meets the Council guidelines. There is no proposed tax rate increase. The Council guidelines were to hold the line on real and personal property tax rates and to maintain ACPS funding at the same level as in FY2014.

2 Priorities are to achieve results that the community values; ensure that City government is accessible to the community; and to ensure the fiscal strength of the City government. The budget total is $634,500,000. $279,100,000 is designated for ACPS. Residential and personal property taxes account for 37.99% of receipts. The largest expenditure category is payroll, which is 32.79% of the total. The budget reflects a Real Property Tax Rate of $1.038 per $100. Due to increases in residential values, there will be an average $249 increase in single family real estate taxes and an average $124 increase for condominiums. The FY2015 budget includes a reduction of $1.3 million in elderly tax relief on properties worth $500,000 or more or for participants with assets above $340,000 (not including their primary residence). A portion of the revenue increase is being reprogrammed for a senior rent relief program. The following set-asides are included in the budget: 2.2 cents for transportation improvements; 0.6 cents for affordable housing; 0.5 cents for storm water improvements. Sources of some anticipated increases in revenue include: Modification of elderly tax relief $1,300,000; Increased charges for City services (extend parking meters to 9 PM, charge impound lot fees on weekends, etc.) $500,000; Installation of 2 red light cameras (Duke/Wheeler westbound and S. Patrick/Gibbon southbound) $200,000;

3 Personal property tax for out-of-state vehicles $100,000; and Increase temporary no parking violation fee from $100 to $125 $25,000. The budget process applied for many years was to treat every program the same, spreading budget cuts evenly across all departments. The new process aligns long term outcomes with the City services our residents want. The FY2015 budget is organized around four focus areas: Accessible, Effective and Well-Managed Government: Healthy and Thriving Residents; Livable, Green and Prosperous City; and Safe, Secure and Just Community Regarding investment in human capital, the budget provides a merit increase for City employees of 3.2% (general services) and 3.5% (public safety). Also, no increase is planned for employee contributions to health insurance premiums. Recommendations to reduce expenditures include: Modification of elderly tax relief program; Eliminate senior taxi; Change service delivery model (hours) of recreation and park operations; Reduce contributions to Inova, ANSHI, and the Fund for Human Service; Close 12 satellite Police facilities; Reduce payment to the Northern Virginia Juvenile Detention Center; and Eliminate contribution to the Law Library.

4 Some of the increased expenditures include: Increased road and sidewalk maintenance; Increase investment in stormwater management; and Open Fire Station 210 (Eisenhower Ave.). There will be a number of budget work sessions from March 3 and when the budget is adopted on May 1. The Budget Public Hearing will be on Monday, March 10 in Council Chambers. There will be a Town Meeting Forum at the Beatley Library on Monday, March 17 at 7 PM. Sharon Annear had a question about the modification of the tax relief program and felt it could be devastating for some of those affected by it. Poul Hertel agreed. Mr. Hertel also noted that he felt that the Strategic Master Plan is predicated on development. Mr. Hertel thanked the City Manager for his presentation and participation. Text Amendment for Planning Commission. Joanne Anderson reviewed the text amendment that will be presented to the Planning Commission at their meeting on March 4. The amendment is a modification of the minimum requirements in the zoning ordinance. Ms. Anderson provided a hand-out showing the proposed text change. There were a number of questions regarding the amendment and the need for it. Planning Commission Docket for March 4. Robert Kerns distributed the docket for the Planning Commission meeting and talked about the Development Special Use Permit for the Hampton Inn at 1616 King Street.

5 The Hampton Inn wants to remove one of their two loading docks and eight parking spaces in order to add two guest rooms. They are also adding a business center in the lobby. In addition to the eight spaces for construction they want to eliminate seven additional spaces in the parking structure. The result will be a total of 82 guest rooms and 41 parking spaces. Members questioned the parking reduction. Mr. Hertel said that residential parking only on upper King Street would be ruinous for the businesses on King Street. Alex Dambach discussed the rest of the items on the docket. He covered the history of the request for SUP s by the two car dealerships on upper King Street. The history of the zoning change that led to the SUP requests was discussed. Mr. Dambach also reviewed the request for a Day Care center at 5780 Holmes Run Parkway (to provide care for 18 children) and the move of the Bastille Restaurant to 620 N. Fayette St., where they are also requesting a parking reduction. The N. Fayette St. restaurant would have 11 underground parking spaces. They intend to serve 100 inside, and 40 seats outside. Mr. Hertel said the loss of the Bastille from its N. Royal Street location will kill all activity in Old Town North. There was discussion about parking at the Yoga Studio envisioned for 5424 Eisenhower Ave. The theory is that the available parking will be shared because most of the multiuse site is industrial during the daytime and the Studio would be most active at night where 50 spaces should be sufficient.

6 The final docket item discussed was 5800 Polk Ave. where the PTA has funded an electronic bulletin board sign. The size is 32 square feet and there will be restrictions on uses, hours, etc. Mr. Hertel thanked Kerns and Dambach for their presentation. Hertel noted that Parks & Recreation is to discuss the status of the Cameron Run Regional Park. He noted that Cameron Run will not be part of the West Eisenhower Small Area Plan Study. The meeting adjourned at 9:35 PM. Respectfully Submitted, Converse West, Secretary In attendance at the meeting were Co-Chairs Lynn Bostain and Poul Hertel and City Staff Joanna Anderson, Alex Dambach, Robert Kerns and City Manager Rashad Young. Members attending: Ali Ahmed Wakefield Tarleton Mary Jane Kramer Northeast Sharon Annear Seminary Hill Joanne Lepanto Seminary Hill Don Buch Cameron Station Judy Miller Rosemont Judy Cooper Brookville/Seminary Kay Quirk Parkfairfax Rick Cooper Northeast Don Schlichtmann Clover/Coll.Pk Andi Dies Fairlington Village Van Van Fleet Old Town Jim Durham Seminary Hill Roger Waud NOTICe Annabelle Fisher Holmes Run Connie West Holmes Run

7 Beth Johnson Taylor Run Elizabeth Wright Holmes Run