Letter to the Editor: Macdonald on the Beauregard Plan

To the Editor:

The City of Alexandria will hold a Community Town Hall Meeting on the Beauregard Plan Monday, April 9 at 7 p.m. at the John Adams Elementary School.

Many Alexandria residents believe the City Council is rushing to approve a plan by May 12 that will add about 6 million square of new density to an area of town that is struggling to address the traffic problems created by BRAC-133.

In a recent letter to the Gazette Packet, Dave Cavanaugh writes:

“The proposed Draft, unless modified, will dramatically change the character of the area. The Draft envisions a more densely populated, urban, mixed use, transit-oriented community. The proposed redevelopment includes a new framework of streets, bus rapid transit in both dedicated and mixed lanes, a new intersection (ellipse) at Seminary and Beauregard, hotels, new retail, and a 24 percent increase (2,384,285 square feet) in currently allowed zoning. The current area includes 5,500 apartment

units of which 2,519 will be torn down. Most of the units to be demolished are the apartments owned by JBG Properties (former Hamlets). The proposed plan will add 3,894 units to the remaining units (2981) bringing the total number of units to approximately 6,500 units. Over the development period apartments will be vacated and residents displaced." (Fast-tracked Beauregard Plan, March 22, 2012.)

I agree with many West End residents that the plan is nowhere near ready to be approved. There are a number of quality of life issues of concern including: costly transit changes, the need for new parks, protection of existing parks like the Winkler Botanical Preserve and the Dora Kelley Nature Preserve, the impact to existing neighborhoods and retaining adequate affordable housing.

The financial plan should also concern us all too.

The City wants to stake its future here and elsewhere on future revenue growth that is not all that well thought out and may not generate adequate benefits, or offset the costs either. More people require more parks for example. I encourage all residents of Alexandria to learn more about this plan. What happens here affects us all.

Andrew Macdonald, former vice mayor and current independent candidate for mayor.