City of Alexandria, Virginia
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MEMORANDUM
DATE: SEPTEMBER 5, 2018
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
FROM: MARK B. JINKS, CITY MANAGER /s/
DOCKET TITLE:
TITLE
Consideration of a Resolution for a Temporary Change to the Composition of the Eisenhower West - Landmark/Van Dorn Implementation Advisory Group for the duration of the Landmark Mall site re-planning process. [ROLL-CALL VOTE]
BODY
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ISSUE: Consideration of a resolution for a temporary change to the composition of the Eisenhower West/Landmark Van Dorn Implementation Advisory Group for the duration of the Landmark Mall site re-planning process.
RECOMMENDATION: That City Council approve the resolution temporarily amending the composition of the Ad Hoc Eisenhower West - Landmark/Van Dorn Implementation Advisory Group for the duration of the Landmark Mall site re-planning process by adding one slot for the West End Business Association, and one slot for The Howard Hughes Corporation.
BACKGROUND: On March 29, 2016, the City Council established an Ad Hoc Eisenhower West - Landmark/Van Dorn Implementation Advisory Group (‘EW-LVD Advisory Group’) through Resolution 2717 <https://www.alexandriava.gov/uploadedFiles/planning/info/EWLVDImplementationAGReso2717.pdf>. The mission of this group is to provide guidance to staff on implementation of the Eisenhower West Small Area Plan (2015) and the Landmark/Van Dorn Corridor Plan (2009) (‘Plans’). This group includes a broad cross-section of residents and business representation from the two planning areas, as well as members of City commissions, three of whom also live in the planning area.
After lengthy delays as a result of changes to the sites’ ownership structure as a result of General Growth Properties’ bankruptcy and reorganization of ownership of assets, changes in department store ownership and economics and the overall real estate market, The Howard Hughes Corporation, owner of the Landmark Mall site since 2010, has recently indicated their readiness to move forward with redevelopment, which will require an update to the Landmark Mall framework plan and Landmark/Van Dorn Corridor Plan. City Council has approved this effort as a priority in the FY 2019 Long-Range Planning Work Program.
DISCUSSION: Considering the magnitude and importance of this project to the surrounding community and city as a whole, community engagement is vital to its success. Staff proposes that the existing EW-LVD Advisory Group serve as the community forum for the planning process. As currently configured, the group includes five at-large resident slots, four at-large business slots, and five City Commission slots, for a total of 14 slots. All five of the resident slots are filled with EW-LVD residents, and three of the five City Commission slots are filled with EW-LVD residents. Members who fill the four business slots represent the Chamber of Commerce, local property owners, and the Eisenhower Partnership. The current members represent the diversity of neighborhoods in and near the planning area, including nearby condominium and apartment properties, single family and townhouse developments, as well as community associations including Seminary Hills, West End Coalition, and Cameron Station.
In order to ensure adequate representation of West End businesses and the property owners of Landmark Mall, staff proposes that the 14-member group be temporarily expanded with the addition of two temporary slots (for a total of 16 slots) to add representation of the business association in the Landmark Mall area, as well as the Landmark Mall developer, The Howard Hughes Corporation. It is proposed that each organization will appoint their own representative. The temporary slots would sunset upon completion of the Landmark Mall re-planning process.
With the additions, the composition of the group would be:
Existing slots (14)
• At-Large, Resident (5)
• At-Large, Business Representative (4)
• Planning Commission (1)
• Alexandria Housing Affordability Advisory Committee (1)
• Parks and Recreation Commission (1)
• Transportation Commission (1)
• Environmental Policy Commission (1)
Additional, temporary slots (2)
• West End Business Association (1)
• The Howard Hughes Corporation (1)
All Advisory Group meetings will be open to the public at large, and there will also be opportunities for members of the community to participate online. The community engagement process is anticipated to begin in November 2018 and conclude in April 2019. The two additional temporary slots would sunset at the completion of the planning process for the Landmark Mall site.
FISCAL IMPACT: There is no fiscal impact associated with adding two temporary slots to the Advisory Group.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment 1: Proposed Resolution
Attachment 2: Presentation
STAFF:
Emily A. Baker, Deputy City Manager
Karl Moritz, Director, Department of Planning and Zoning
Carrie Beach, Division Chief, Department of Planning and Zoning
Ashley Labadie, Urban Plannner, Department of Planning and Zoning