City of Alexandria Approves Daytime Parking District for Residents in BRAC-Impacted Area

Alexandria’s City Council on Saturday approved an ordinance establishing a special daytime parking district for residents who will be impacted by the opening of the Base Realignment and Closure 133 project at the Mark Center.

The BRAC 133 move to the Mark Center in Alexandria’s West End is expected to generate commuter-parking pressures in the nearby residential neighborhoods. In turn, city staff has been working with the community there to establish a parking program designed to discourage commuter parking in those neighborhoods.

Alexandria Mayor Bill Euille said he likes the plan because it “allows for flexibility,” adding that “this is a moving target…What ever we do today doesn’t mean this is it and nothing else…We’ll be monitoring it and making adjustments.”

The Daytime Parking District requires that all vehicles parking in the public right-of-way display a valid City of Alexandria decal. Vehicles without a decal will be required to display a non-residential parking permit.

Some speakers at the public hearing expressed concern that anyone with a valid city car decal can park in the area, whether or not they live in the area impacted by the BRAC move.

“Already we’re seeing people park their cars an carpool,” said West End resident Kathleen Burns. “Many people plan to park on side streets and take the DASH bus” to BRAC.

“The one size fits all option is not suitable for a district that is enormous,” she said.

Additionally, each residence in the impacted area will receive a single transferable visitor pass allowing visitors to a residence to park on the street during restricted parking hours. If that pass is lost or stolen, a resident must pay $100 to replace it. Vehicles violating the restrictions would be issued a $40 parking ticket.

West End resident Patrick Devereux said he supports the residential permit system and would find it necessary so that his grandchildren who live in Alexandria’s Del Ray neighborhood “could come park in our district.”

The parking restrictions would be effective Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Once the city officially establishes the daytime parking district, residents must activate the parking restrictions by submitting a petition to Alexandria’s Department of Transportation and Environmental Services showing that a majority of that block’s residents support the restrictions. If some residents who are currently not included in the special parking district wish to become a part of it, they can ask City Council to expand the special district.

“We’re trying to do something in anticipation of a problem,” said Vice Mayor Kerry Donley. “It does still afford for establishment of a parking district. It does still afford flexibility for folks to say ‘It’s not a problem. We don’t want our streets signed and enforced.’”

This daytime parking district is the first such district in the city.