Alexandria Chamber of Commerce Legislative Tracker

Parking Problems Have Us in a Tight Spot

Sun, 15 Aug 2010 17:04:34 GMT

The issue of parking in Old Town, similar to religion and politics, has become one of those forbidden topics to discuss during local social engagements. Even before the recent meter rate increase from $1 to $1.75 per hour, the mere mention of it could set off some very heated debates between and among business owners and residents.

To its credit, the city is addressing the issue and, last winter, completed an 80-block study of parking in the Old Town business district and the adjacent residential area. Through this study the city now has a reliable summary of parking availability and trends in Old Town and a viable plan for mitigating both real and perceived parking challenges. Yes, that’s perceived challenges.

The study concluded that, overall, there isn’t a severe parking problem in Old Town. There are, however, certain times on certain days that metered and residential parking is at or near capacity. We have about 7,300 spaces available and about 4,400 of those are on the street. The remaining spaces are located in public surface lots and public-access garages.

The problem area is that people are creatures of habit — habitually looking for cheap or free parking, that is. Many people will take the extra time to find an open meter or strike gold in the nearby residential areas with a free space, rather than pay a premium to park in a garage. This is going to be a hard habit to break. What will persuade visitors to use garage parking instead of street parking or — worse yet — resident parking?

The bottom line is we have to find ways to make off-street parking more accessible and economical than street parking. We can do that by providing and directing people to safe, inexpensive off-street parking in public and privately owned off-street parking lots and garages.

The first tactic to shift people into garages is raising the meter rates. This increase has brought the price of metered street parking nearer to that of what one would pay in a garage if you plan to stay more than a couple of hours. It’s generally a good idea that would help “turn over” spaces in the business blocks as well as encourage people to use off-street parking.

But without adding mitigating factors very soon — such as decreasing the time limits in the residential neighborhoods, adding signs to find off-street parking and adding multi-space meters (who carries that many quarters?) — the creatures of habit will only look harder for a free space in our neighborhoods.

The bigger challenge is considering the fact that public lots and garages are not evenly spread out along or near King Street from the waterfront to the Metro station. The city will have to determine — pretty much block by block — the appropriate hours, rates and time limits that should be set to strike the delicate balance for optimum parking conditions. This is no easy task.

In addition, the city will likely need the cooperation of private operators since an additional 2,600 parking spaces are in private lots and garages. If somehow these private garages would be willing to consistently open to the public with economical rates on weekday evenings and weekends, perhaps some of the real problems with parking could be mitigated — especially late afternoon on Fridays which have shown to be one of worst parking timeframes.

The city has convened a Parking Study Work Group with various representatives of business and civic organizations, including the Chamber, in order to tackle these issues this summer. The group will make recommendations to City Council this fall about which tactics should be applied and when they should be implemented.

The Chamber will continue to closely monitor and participate in these efforts to make Alexandria a better place to do business while respecting the needs of residents. One of several recommendations we at the Chamber have made is to encourage the city to use a portion of the additional revenue collected from increased parking meter rates to fund multi-space meters and the directional signs to guide people to affordable off-street parking.

Please see our website, www.alexchamber.com, for more of our recommendations and background material and, for the complete parking study, please check out the city’s website, www.alexandriava.gov/tes.

The writer is the President and CEO of the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce

*This article appeared in the August 12th edition of the Alexandria Times

Chamber Backs Small Business Zoning Recommendations; Issues Wayfinding Comments

Wed, 19 May 2010 14:27:33 GMT

The Alexandria Chamber of Commerce today announced its support for proposed changes to small business permitting regulations. The Chamber said that the recommendations by City staff will streamline the process and help keep Alexandria 'open for business.' Read the Chamber's official position statement here. The Chamber also released comments on the City's Wayfinding plan. Read that here.

Council Abandons Business Tax Hike Plans; Chamber Celebrates “Fair” Budget

Thu, 06 May 2010 21:40:28 GMT

Alexandria, Va. (May 5, 2010) - The Alexandria Chamber of Commerce today celebrated the decision of the Alexandria City Council to abandon proposals that would have unduly increased taxes for City businesses and imposed new fees for storm water drainage.

The City’s FY 2011 budget was passed on May 3rd without those proposals, which were opposed by the local business community. Some tax increases were, however, incorporated into the budget.

By passing a budget without a three cent commercial real-estate add on tax and additional fees, local businesses will have the ability to continue to invest in growth, according to Chamber President & CEO Tina Leone.

The Chamber’s outreach and advertising campaign, which focused on ensuring that the Alexandria City Council allow City businesses the opportunity to recover from the recession—without tax hikes—was instrumental in catalyzing hundreds of business leaders to contact Council and the Mayor, Leone said.

“We are thankful that businesses large and small stood together and spoke out with unity against tax increases that would have unfairly burdened job-creating businesses here in Alexandria,” Leone said. “We are enormously grateful that the Alexandria City Council did the right thing and listened to the will of the people of Alexandria in passing a fair budget.”

The Chamber also called on Council to begin immediately addressing long-term solutions to fund transportation projects—an issue that arose during the most recent round of budget discussions.

“Alexandria must create and equitably fund the transportation infrastructure required for our City to compete with, as well as become an integrated part of a regional plan with, our neighboring jurisdictions,” Leone said. “We look forward to local businesses being involved in this crucial process.

Fight the Tax Hike: A Proposed $2.7 Million Business Tax Increase is Wrong for Alexandria

Thu, 01 Apr 2010 01:32:33 GMT

The Alexandria Chamber of Commerce is calling on all members, businesses, and residents to OPPOSE a potential $2.7 million tax increase on commercial property. The Chamber believes that this proposed new tax will hurt Alexandria's economic recovery and stunt business growth.

We urge all of our members to read our official comments on this issue by clicking here to download our memo to City Council.

Together, Chamber members and concerned citizens can fight this punitive tax hike and send a clear message that Alexandria is a pro-job-creation, economic-development-friendly City.

Send an immediate e-mail today to the Mayor and City Council and join our fight to oppose this $2.7 million tax hike. Let's continue our economic growth, not slow it down!

Key Upcoming Events (February)

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 21:25:37 GMT

We have compiled a list of selected/relevant City meetings during the next several months. The City's Boards and Commissions calendar is updated monthly, so the March and April events here only include standard City Council and Planning meetings.

Small Business Zoning Presentation

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 21:23:06 GMT

On January 26, 2010, the City Council held a work session on Small Business City Process Improvements, including the Administrative Special Use Permit (ASUP) process. The Chamber supports the evaluation and possible expansion of the ASUP process and further supports a similar streamlining for the Development Special Use Permit (DSUP) process.

The city's presentation outlines recent steps the city has taken and the current process.

City Presentation on Stormwater

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 20:03:32 GMT

Emily Baker, City Engineer, Alexandria T&ES reports that City Council has tasked Transportation and Environmental Services with diversifying revenue away from the general fund. T&ES proposes an additional fee to property owners based on the amount of impervious surface on their property similar to the “pay for what you use” model in place for different utilities, with credits available for, among other things, private projects which contribute to storm water management. T&ES would assess fixed fees based on averages to attached, medium, and large single-family residences, and independently assess each non-residential parcel, but charge no fee for undeveloped parcels. The fee for a typical free-standing single-family dwelling would be $48 per year, while the fee assessed against commercial properties will be based on a uniform measuring system that calculates the percentage of impervious surface area on each commercial parcel. Together, these new utility fees would raise $2.6 million, or about a quarter of the current storm water budget. T&ES plans to make recommendations to the City Council in February for approval in May, 2010.
GRC members expressed interest in a pay-for-what-you-use regime, but expressed concern that an add-on fee without a required baseline would allow the City Council to further decrease storm water funding from the general fund and force T&ES to further raise fees, increasing the tax burden through this alternative taxing mechanism.
John Renner, Lisa May, Bob Bell, Mary Catherine Gibbs, Skip Maginnis, Cathy Puskar, and Nancy Appleby volunteered to form a subcommittee to further examine the proposal and produce a Chamber position for approval by the Chamber Board.

Click here for a copy of the City's presentation.

Key Upcoming Events (January)

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 19:59:26 GMT

We have compiled a list of selected/relevant City meetings during the next several months. The City's Boards and Commissions calendar is updated monthly, so the February and March events only include standard City Council and Planning meetings.

GRC Meeting (January)

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 19:58:20 GMT

The GRC heard a City presentation on Stormwater and discussed Chamber Day, a meeting with Representative Englin, Public Art, the Waterfront, and meetings with City Council.

Click here for a copy of the minutes.

2010 Legislative Agenda

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 19:56:51 GMT

The 2010 Legislative Agenda is intended to provide an overview of policy positions of the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce on issues that may come before the Alexandria City Council, the Virginia General Assembly and the United States Congress in 2010. These positions have been reviewed and approved by the Chamber’s Government Relations Committee, Executive Committee, and the Chamber’s Board of Directors.

Tina Leone on the FY2011 Budget

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 20:15:58 GMT

Tina Leone argues that the City should protect their long-term financial health by planning for redevelopment, supporting AEDP, SBDC, ACVB, and making the city more efficient.

Click here for a summary of her remarks.

City Memo extending Temporary Sign Program

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 19:55:03 GMT

The City authorizes extending the pilot program for temporary portable signs after receiving feedback from the Chamber.

Click here for a copy of the City's memo.

Tina Leone on Economic Development Strategy

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 19:53:03 GMT

Tina Leone argues that the City's development priorities are parking, transportation, King Street, and the Waterfront.

Click here for a summary of Tina's comments.

Business Improvement Districts (September 16 Hot Topics)

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 19:47:34 GMT

Speakers at the Chamber's last Hot Topics event outline how several BIDs near Alexandria function.

Click here to read draft notes from the event.

Industrial Use Study

Clark Bavin — Fri, 29 May 2009 15:36:49 GMT

The Alexandria Chamber of Commerce (the “Chamber”) has closely monitored the process and preliminary findings of the Eisenhower West Industrial Use Study (the “Study”) since its inception in 2008. In response to the City’s creation of the Study, the Chamber adopted the following policy in November, 2008, as an integral part of its 2009 Legislative Agenda:

In the wake of the Norfolk-Southern ethanol transloading issue, the City has placed a moratorium on Special Use Permits for certain levels of industrial uses within the City. Moreover, the City has formed a task force to review the desirability and feasibility of continuing certain industrial uses along the Eisenhower West corridor. The Chamber recognizes that there needs to be a careful examination of compatible uses, taking into account the recent influx of residential and “ light” commercial uses in this region. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the rights of business owners to lawfully operate their commercial enterprises should not be endangered by over-burdensome or after-the-fact legislation. These issues can be very fact specific and cannot be addressed with blanket support or opposition. As a general proposition, however, the Chamber will support the rights of business persons in the lawful operation of their business.

Position: Chamber Opposes over-burdensome or after-the-fact legislation that imposes undue costs and restrictions on lawful operation of industrial use site

Government Relations Report

Clark Bavin — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 07:17:20 GMT

The Government Relations Committee (“GRC”) continues to be very active. The following is a brief summary of the key issues that the GRC is tracking and that will require attention by the Board in the coming months. This report is submitted for discussion at the Executive Committee meeting on July 17, 2009, and given my absence due to the ABA Annual Meeting at the end of this month, it should be submitted to the full Board in lieu of an oral report.

Issue Tracking:

· Waterfront. The Chamber’s Waterfront Subcommittee has been led by Past Chair, Rick Dorman, who along with Mike Geissinger, Charlotte Hall and Andrew Palmieri, has been covering several public hearings on this subject since January, 2009. Most recently, on June 22, 2009, Cathy Puskar, Rick Dorman and I held a business forum on the Waterfront for the purpose of updating interested parties on the status of the City’s waterfront planning process. In particular, we shared the Chamber’s Waterfront Vision Statement and prepared these individuals to participate in the City’s waterfront charrette held on June 27, 2009.

The waterfront charrette was well-attended, and we were pleased to see a strong turnout from the business community. Economic development and increased retail/restaurant uses along the waterfront were key factors raised in both audience polling and waterfront plans designed by various teams of meeting participants. In short, there was a strong emphasis on “active nodes” for “commercial use” along the waterfront.

Based on the results of the waterfront charrette, the City’s consultant, EDAW, will prepare a series of summary reports and sample plans over the summer months. In the fall of 2009 and winter of 2010, there will be additional public hearings to comment on these proposed plans. Business turnout will be critical to maintain the positive momentum gained at the June charrette. A final plan is expected to be presented and approved by the City Council in the late spring of 2010.

· Parking. With special thanks to Cathy Puskar, the City has tabled its planned parking study so that City staff may formulate a cogent approach to this important issue that includes the various constituencies of the City. While some forums were held and others cancelled in recent months, the City recognized the need for a more uniform approach to this issue.

As one would expect, parking is a critical element of many key issues in the City. The GRC will continue to track this issue and expects renewed efforts by the City in the fall of 2009. Yon Lambert has been invited to the September 1, 2009 GRC meeting to discuss the City’s plans for a parking study project.

· Industrial Use Study. Mary Catherine Gibbs and John Ray continue to track this issue closely for the Chamber. Mary Catherine presented a written report (see Exhibit A attached) which she verbally supplemented at the July 7, 2009 GRC meeting. In short, as of the writing of this report, the City had not yet releases its draft study on this subject.

Based on disclosures thus far, the City has expressed a predilection for park and transit-oriented development uses in for the industrial sites located near the Van Dorn Metro Station; however, the City appears to have conceded that implementation of any such plan is 10 to 20 years away. Nevertheless, the GRC is particularly concerned with efforts by the City to undermine the lawful use of these sites, especially given the economic benefits derived by the City.

The GRC anticipates that the study will be released over the summer of 2009, with public hearings in the fall of 2009. Given the proximity of these sites to Cameron Station and the strong localized sentiment against these pre-existing industial uses, the GRC anticipates vocal residential support for expedited implementation of plans that would alter current uses. While the Chamber does not generally weigh in on project specific subjects, its 2009 Legislative Agenda takes a strong position against attempts to undermine lawful commercial use of property. The GRC will need business support of this position at these hearings.

· Eco-City Initiative. The City’s Eco-City Alexandria Initiative was recently recognized by the Virginia Sustainable Building Network with the Green Innovation Award for Most Sustainable Community Project. The GRC has monitored and commented on aspects of the Eco-City Initiative as they relate to building requirements imposed on developers.

The Chamber was recently approached by Bill Skrabak, Director of the Office of Environmental Control, to solicit the Chamber’s involvement in the Eco-City Alexandria Initiative. Mr. Skrabak suggested that the Chamber create a “Green Business Innovation Award”. Katharine Medina has expressed an interest in pursuing this project, perhaps as an additional award to be presented at the Annual Business Awards program. Ms. Medina met with Mr. Skrabak for preliminary discussions on this subject. Ms. Medina indicated that if the Chamber were to undertake this project, it would require assistance from the City’s Environmental Protection Committee for purposes of reviewing applications and selecting winners. If the Chamber were to pursue this effort, I recommend that candidates be limited to Chamber members, and that the award be referred to as the “Sustainable Business Innovation Award,” which is less limiting than “Greeen” and ties in to our economic sustainability theme.

Action Item: Whether the Board wishes to undertake this task and if so, it should refer the matter to the Chamber President for implementation with Katharine Medina as the Board member assigned to this project.

· Stormwater Working Group. Lisa Vierse May recently informed me about this group (See the following link for more details: http://alexandriava.gov/StormWater). The three business representatives to this Group are Deborah Johnson, Mark Koppenhaver, and Bob Larson.

Based on the City Council worksession on June 23, the City may be contemplating the implementation of these fees in 2010, possibly as part of the FY 2011 budget process. They are discussing a fee based on the % of impervious surface on property. Other jurisdictions (like Fairfax) initially tried this approach too, but found the administration too difficult. Fairfax County dedicated 1 cent on the property tax rate instead.

This may be of particular interest to the Chamber because staff indicated that they were contemplating a maximum limit on residential properties and no such limit on commercial properties. This would constitute a disparate tax similar to other proposals that the Chamber has opposed in the past.

· King Street Retail Study. Charlotte Hall reports that the King Street Retail Study report should be issued in July. Charlotte continues to monitor this project, and we expect public hearings in the fall of 2009.

· Motor Coach Task Force. Charlotte Hall reports that the Motor Coach Task Force will soon be releasing its findings. Charlotte continues to monitor this project, and we expect public hearings in the fall of 2009.

· Transportation. Cynthia Fondriest has been leading the GRC’s transportation Subcommittee. Cynthia recently attended a progam hosted by the Virginia Department of Transportation which featured DVOT’s 2025 Transportation Plan. Cynthia has recommended this topic, along with HOT Lanes, as a possible Chamber Hot Topics program for the fall of 2009.

· Potomac Yard – PYPAG. This group, on which Deborah Johnson is a member, recently established a framework for elements of a plan that takes into account street and block locations, building heights and sustainability. Based on this information, City Staff will develop a draft plan and design concepts over the summer of 2009. A Subcommittee of this group will meet over the summer to provide feedback on initial drafts of concept plans.

· Additional Issues being Tracked.

                  BRAC/Beauregard Plan
                  Card Check
                   Landmark/Van Dorn.
                   Potomac Yard (Metro Feasibility)
                   Potomac Yard (PYPAG)
                   Wayfinding