Seminary Hill Association
Alexandria, Virginia
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I hope everyone has been enjoying the beautiful fall weather we have experienced in the last few weeks. I know we are all savoring the ability to be outside for as long as we can before cold weather closes in.
There are a couple of things I want to bring to your attention at this time. First, the City is asking residents to participate in a survey to give feedback on their draft strategies for the update to the 2008 Transportation Master Plan. This update is entitled the Alexandria Mobility Plan (AMP). While this may not sound like the most exciting thing on which to spend time, I want to encourage all of you to go to the city's AMP webpage at www.alexandriava.gov/MobilityPlan and read the Draft Strategies. Then click the link to take the survey. It is plans and documents like this AMP that govern transportation decisions in the years ahead. Concepts such as Complete Streets have been introduced and codified in such plans and then they are applied in situations throughout the city. If residents don't pay attention to these plans and offer input, then we have no role in shaping our city's transportation future. The draft strategies in this plan are Transit, Smart Mobility, Streets, Supporting Travel Options, and Curb Space and Parking. I think you will perhaps note, as I did, the preponderance of attention to mass transit, and the minimal attention to travel by car, despite the fact that cars remain the overwhelming method of transportation within our city.
The survey contains a number of unexplained phrases like "criteria based traffic mitigation" and incorporating "current design practices" to our street design guidelines so respondents have little or no idea what they are potentially agreeing to. Fortunately, there are comment boxes after each strategy where respondents can add our own comments, whether or not they exactly correlate to the draft strategy. This is your opportunity to agree or disagree with the assumptions and conclusions staff has brought forward. I encourage you to use this opportunity to comment on the City's overall traffic plans for you in the years ahead. We have seen regional emails from lobby groups urging members to take this survey in order to influence and direct policies that affect the residents of our city, and city staff welcomes such non-city participation. The deadline to respond to this survey is November 8th, so please find time to engage in this survey before it closes.
Seminary Hill Association will hold its Annual Meeting on Thursday, November 12th at 7:00 p.m. Unfortunately, we are still in a virtual meeting mode, so we cannot gather together. Here is the Zoom information for the meeting.
Topic: Seminary Hill Association Annual Zoom Meeting
Time: Nov 12, 2020 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
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Meeting ID: 894 8795 5820
Passcode: 502667
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Meeting ID: 894 8795 5820
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We have made the decision not to invite a speaker for this meeting, so it will be a business meeting with several items on the agenda. We will receive the Treasurer's Report, approve the Minutes of the 2019 Annual meeting, and approve an addition to our bylaws that allows for virtual meetings. The SHA Board approved this language to our bylaws in June and the membership will be asked to ratify that action at the Annual Meeting. This language will be inserted in Article V, Section 2:
In the event that the local, state, or federal government has declared a state of emergency that bans or limits in-person group meetings, the Seminary Hill Association may hold virtual meetings on a media platform that allows public participation during open session meetings. In the absence of a declared state of emergency, the President of the Seminary Hill Association may request that a virtual meeting be held if circumstances warrant. A majority vote of the Board will be necessary to approve such a virtual meeting if there is not a government-imposed ban in place. Minutes will be taken during all virtual meetings. Any votes taken require that a quorum of the Board be present electronically. The results of all votes will be recorded in the minutes.
In addition, a member of the Seminary Hill board may request that the President grant permission for virtual/telephonic participation at an in-person board meeting if they are unable to physically attend due to circumstances determined to be justified by the President.
The Election Committee will present the following slate of officers and area representatives for approval by the membership.
President: Carter Flemming, Vice President: Tom Fulton, Secretary: Kathy McAfee, Treasurer: Nancy Jennings, Area 1: Frances Terrell, Area 2: Bill Goff, Area 3: Bill Rossello, Area 4: Richard Hunt, Area 5: Jack Sullivan, Area 6: Babette Smith, Area 7: Jim Rowley, Area 8: Frank Putzu, Area 9: Paul Judge. The At-Large positions will be voted upon by the board at our December meeting. There will be brief remarks summarizing the activities of SHA during the past year. As always, we encourage residents to participate in the Annual Meeting.
SHA continues to follow up and be active in efforts to modify the city's plans for the Taylor Run and Strawberry Run Stream Restoration Projects. Both projects will use the same "natural channel design" and will involve the removal of hundreds of mature trees, to be replaced by planting several thousand tiny tree "saplings" and native plants. Many concerned residents and environmentalists are urging the city to use a less drastic approach to achieve its goals for pollution reduction in the Chesapeake Bay.
Finally, there will be a Virtual Open House put on by ACPS for The High School Project (the rebuilding of Minnie Howard) on Thursday, November 19th from 6-8 p.m. I would urge you to go to the ACPS website and sign up to participate in this meeting. One of the issues on the agenda is the colocation of other facilities on the school site.
Thank you for your interest in Seminary Hill Association. I hope to see you at our virtual Annual Meeting on November 12th.
Carter Flemming, President, Seminary Hill Association
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Welcome to fall! I hope everyone had a safe summer during this very strange time. Seminary Hill Association has been busy with numerous issues throughout the summer. Our September board meeting will be virtual on Zoom. Below is the information for this meeting if you wish to join.
Topic: Seminary Hill Association Board Zoom Meeting
Time: Sep 10, 2020 07:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84001128685?pwd=dFRFTHBtL2g0WkIvTW5LSzhaTjRVUT09
Meeting ID: 840 0112 8685
Passcode: 355075
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Meeting ID: 840 0112 8685
Passcode: 355075
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/ku46Tvs47
I am also pasting the agenda for this meeting below. You can also find the agenda on the Agenda and Minutes tab on this website.
Seminary Hill Association, Inc.
Monthly Board of Directors Meeting
Thursday, September 10, 2020, 7:30 p.m.
Virtual Meeting held electronically
Agenda
Police Report
Sheriff’s Report
Program: Seminary Hill Association Priorities and Goals 2020 and Beyond. Presented by Tom Fulton, Vice President, SHA
Minutes from July 2020
Treasurer’s Report
Area Reports
Old Business
MacArthur School Rebuild Project – Density Text Amendment
Joint Civic Association Letter regarding applicants to city boards
Trinity Drive Speed Bumps
New Business
Seminary Road Affordable Housing Proposal
Upper King Street Multimodal Improvement Project Grant
Duke Street Transitway Funding
Taylor Run Stream Restoration letter – Tour of location
FOIA Go Fund Me
Clover College Park Meeting August 13
2020 Pedestrian and Bicycle Plan Progress Report
TC Williams Re-Naming Effort/Stadium Improvements
ADU/Housing Initiative
3120 Colvin Street Development
Upcoming Meetings
September 12th City Council Public Hearing 9:30 a.m
September 12th – Tour of Taylor Run Stream Restoration area 10-12. Reservations required. Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for information or to sign up for a 15-minute tour slot.
September 19th West End Coalition Virtual Meeting 10:00-11:30
September 30th Alexandria Federation of Civic Associations Virtual Meeting 7:00 p.m.
As you will note in the Upcoming Meetings above, there is a tour of the Taylor Run stream project area being offered on Saturday, September 12th. Below is a description of the event. The earlier slots are basically full, so try and request a later tour if possible.
ALEXANDRIA IS PLANNING TO RECONSTRUCT TAYLOR RUN: COME OUT TO CHINQUAPIN PARK ON SATURDAY SEPT. 12 TO SEE WHAT COULD BE LOST
Alexandria is proposing to redesign the 1900 feet of Taylor Run between the entrance of Chinquapin Park next to the Chinquapin Aquatic Center to the southern end of First Baptist Church.
The park contains a globally rare seepage swamp, old-age canopy trees and forest stands, and perhaps the greatest concentration of Alexandria rare species in the City. The project as currently designed includes the removal of more than 250 native trees (many large and old age) and is likely to markedly adversely affect the wetlands and flora.
On Saturday, September 12, there will be a chance to learn from noted environmental specialists in botany, geology, and stream restoration about what's in the park and what may be at stake if the stream is reconstructed. There will be group "tours" (with groups of no more than 10 participants to allow for adequate social distancing) leaving every fifteen minutes from the King Street entrance to Forest Park (in front of the Aquatic Center) from 10 to 12. (Total tour time will be about 20-25 minutes.) If you are interested in reserving a spot please e-mail Carter Flemming at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and let her know your preferred start time (i.e., 10:00, 10:15, etc., up to 12:00). If particular time slots are oversubscribed, an effort will be made to move people to acceptable alternative slots, so please indicate if you have flexibility with the time.
We suggest parking in the lot next to the tennis courts and walking down to the park entrance on the King Street side of the Aquatic Center. The path in the forest is very flat. On the way out you will need to walk up several steps, but they are broad and gradual. The exit will put you up on Chinquapin Circle near the parking lot. Boots or sturdy shoes, long pants, and long-sleeved shirts recommended. Masks are required.
Thank you for your interest in Seminary Hill Association. Please don't hesitate to contact Seminary Hill Association if you have any questions or concerns.
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Despite the fact that these are supposed to be the dog days of August, various issues are coming forward in the City, and there are a few updates I want to pass along. There will be a virtual ACPS Community meeting regarding the DSUP for the construction of the new MacArthur School. This meeting will be held on Thursday, August 27th from 6-7 p.m. The Zoom information for this meeting is: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81786497994?pwd=aFJCc2h6bk1CWnRNcEpIem9jTmxSUT09 The reason for the virtual Community meeting regarding MacArthur is that the DSUP for this project is scheduled to be heard by the Planning Commission on September 1st. I think it is accurate to say that representatives to the Advisory Committee have not been fully satisfied with the process ACPS and its architects have used as far as transparency for this effort. Committee members did not see the final plans for the school until they were released to the public as part of the Planning Commission docket, and had struggled to obtain information on plans to modify the building footprint, the massing, and the exterior design elements, but were not informed about the final details and design until it was released to the public by means of the Planning Commission docket. Members have voiced concerns about the lack of appropriate and robust engagement of both the public and the Advisory Committee, and I assume we will hear that voiced in testimony before the Planning Commission. If you would like to see the DSUP, here is the link: http://alexandria.legistar.com/gateway.aspx?M=F&ID=a6539c67-5fc3-4b8e-9588-3c260932cc8f.pdf. At the same Planning Commission meeting on September 1st, the Commission will consider a zoning text amendment being put forward by city staff that will increase the by-right Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of city schools to .60, instead of the FAR requirements governing the residential zone in which schools are located, which are substantially lower than .60. For example, MacArthur is in the R-20 zone, which has a maximum FAR of .25. The R-12 zone has a maximum FAR of .30, and the R-8 zone has a maximum of .35. This amendment would thus allow a school in the R-20 zone, such as MacArthur, to exceed the FAR otherwise required in the R-20 zone by more than 100%, without any review under the SUP process. In the R-12 zone, the increase would be 100%, and in the R-8 zone, the allowed increase would be 70%, both without any SUP requirement. As a point of reference, the FAR for the new Patrick Henry School is .26. FAR ratios higher than .60 (as will be the case at MacArthur) would still require an SUP process, but residents should be concerned that there is no maximum FAR limit that could be requested with an SUP. Experience has taught us that the vast majority of SUPs are approved by the City, so the lack of a maximum FAR in this text amendment does not seem reasonable and will likely be opposed by a number of civic associations. Height limits will remain capped at 60 feet. The city's justification for such a zoning amendment is to allow ACPS to build larger schools for our increased population without having to go through the more thorough process of applying for a spot rezoning of their properties. One effect of this proposed change is to lessen the requirement for public input into the design and building of such substantially larger school buildings. We need to recognize that this amendment represents major deviations from the density and scale currently allowed in the city's residential neighborhoods, and residents will lose the protections afforded by the SUP process on a case-by-case basis. Other civic associations, such as North Ridge, are taking the lead to oppose this change, and the board of SHA will study this issue and make a decision about our position. The board welcomes the input from all our residents about this proposed zoning text amendment, so please let us know if you have any comments about this proposal. You may have been aware of an effort to request that the School Board reconsider the site plan for the Parker-Gray Stadium renovation in order to save an oak tree that has been estimated to be over 100 years old. The tree is the last tree remaining on the site from when an African-American community owned the property before the City took the land to build the new TC Williams High School. A petition containing more than 2,500 signatures of Alexandria residents was presented, but in a virtual meeting on August 17th, ACPS officials stated that their plans for the concession stand, bathroom, and equipment storage facility require the removal of this tree, and so it will not be saved. Residents asked if the building could be broken apart and spread out in order to save the tree, but school officials stated that was not possible due to the very tight site upon which TC Williams is built. Construction is anticipated to begin at the end of this month and continue for the next several months. Due to pending litigation, the poles for the stadium lights will not be constructed at this time. Our next SHA board meeting will be a virtual meeting on Thursday, September 10th at 7:30 p.m. Information about the Zoom link will be posted closer to the date. It is very unfortunate that the City decided to bring this text amendment forward so quickly when they are aware that many civic associations do not meet in August. The amendment will be voted on by the Planning Commission on September 1st prior to the consideration of the DSUP for MacArthur since MacArthur needs the greatly increased FAR for the approval of their site plan. I think we can thus predict the result of the Planning Commission's vote on the text amendment since the approval of the MacArthur plan is scheduled just minutes later on their agenda. I hope you are enjoying the last of your Covid summer "vacations" and have remained healthy. I look forward to hearing from you regarding your views on the Zoning Text Amendment to increase density for ACPS. I encourage you to participate in the virtual meetings of the Planning Commission and City Council if possible in order to learn more about the zoning text amendment and the MacArthur School site plan approval. Thank you for your interest in SHA. Carter Flemming, President, Seminary Hill Association |
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I hope this message finds all of you safe and relatively cool during this hot and stormy July. Despite the fact that SHA, like all other organizations, has not been able to meet in person for several months, I want to assure you that your Seminary Hill Association board has been working hard on several issues of concern to our board and membership. SHA held its first virtual board meeting last month. I think it went well, and it seems likely that will be our platform for upcoming meetings once we resume our monthly meetings in September. We will keep you informed as we get closer to our meeting date of September 10th.
Our guest speaker for our June meeting was Rod Simmons, the Natural Resources Manager for the City of Alexandria. As you might remember, we had a presentation from Jesse Maines of the Stormwater Division at our February meeting, and board members wanted to learn more about the Taylor Run stream restoration project from Mr. Simmons. Mr. Simmons gave a much different evaluation of this project and focused on the damage to the environment, especially around the Chinquapin Park area, where a very rare acidic seepage swamp exists. He informed us that both the Taylor Run and Strawberry Run stream projects will require the removal of large numbers of trees from our tree canopy and will forever change the ecology of these forested wetlands. In response to this presentation, SHA voted to send a letter to City Council asking that these projects be placed on hold until further environmental studies could be done and Mr. Simmons’ city department could be consulted, which has not been the case. That letter was sent on Friday the 17th of July. Mayor Wilson replied that other inquiries have been made and provided us with a memo the city had prepared last week on this project. You can read the city’s justification for the Taylor Run project at this link - https://www.alexandriava.gov/budget/info/default.aspx?id=114448. We will study this document and offer further comments as necessary and are hopeful that the City Council will take another look at the way this project is being engineered.
On another matter, earlier in July SHA sent a letter to City Council regarding the lack of transparency for applications to city boards and commissions. When the Council docket is posted regarding the board vacancies to be voted upon by Council, the public can only see the names of the applicants, not the application form that is filled out indicating your experience and interest in serving on a public body. This form clearly states that it is public information, but it has not been part of the public docket, so residents cannot weigh in with Council members about the candidates. Ten other civic associations joined SHA in asking Council to change this process and allow the public to see the applications when they are provided to Council. This conforms to the Virginia State Code requirement for such disclosure. We have received favorable responses from several members of Council. We are hopeful that a change will be made in the coming months so the public can learn and evaluate applications to important city boards and commissions that recommend policies that affect all of us.
In case you did not see the city press release about the Duke Street Transitway Project, I wanted to bring it to your attention. Last week, the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority awarded the city $75 million for construction of the first phase of the Duke Street Project. The goal of this project is to increase mass transit along the Duke Street corridor between Landmark and the King Street Metro Station. The first phase of this project will be funding for additional buses, bus shelters and some “roadway design improvements.” Other separate grant funding was awarded to improve safety and traffic congestion at the intersection of Duke Street and West Taylor Run Parkway.
Seminary Hill Association will continue to study this project and work with other civic associations whose neighborhoods will be directly impacted by changes in the roadway. This plan was part of the city’s 2008 Transportation Master Plan, and at that time, it was envisioned that Landmark Mall would be completely redeveloped into a mixed-use community. While that may still happen, with the recent decision by the Howard Hughes Corporation to step away from projects like Landmark and likely place the property up for sale, we are a long way from having commuters seeking mass transit along Duke Street to and from Landmark. In addition, questions have asked about why commuters would traverse Duke Street to arrive at the King Street Metro, when the Van Dorn Metro station is closer to Landmark. Finally, most of us realize that the real gridlock on Duke Street occurs at the ramp at Telegraph Road to access the Beltway. Nothing in this Transitway Project addresses that bottleneck in order to relieve the horrendous congestion all of us experience when traveling that corridor at rush hour. For more information, you can go to the Duke Street Transitway’s webpage at: https://www.alexandriava.gov/tes/info/default.aspx?id=116707.
SHA continues to follow the plans for the rebuild of MacArthur School. The project is on a very tight timeline and the School Board will choose a final design for the school later this summer. The community committee working on this matter with the school system has voiced concerns about the design of the school, as its modernistic design doesn't seem to meet the community's goal of having the school fit into the existing neighborhood.
Residents have an opportunity to provide feedback on the city's plan to "develop an ADU policy to help expand housing options, affordability and accessibility in neighborhoods throughout Alexandria" by going to the project webpage at https://www.alexandriava.gov/planning/info/default.aspx?id=113872. You can read the initial community feedback and find answers to some questions about ADUs. There is a link on that page to the recorded presentation and the online feedback form on which you can offer your comments. The online feedback form is open until August 10th.
It is anticipated that there will be a large number of development projects coming before City Council in September since staff has been working with applicants all summer to advance their plans. SHA will monitor these projects along with other matters of interest and concern to our community.
Please enjoy the remainder of your summer and stay safe and healthy.
