Del Ray Citizens Association Meeting Minutes: June 9, 2014 @ 7:30pm
Association President Bill Hendrick called the May general membership meeting to order at 7:39 pm.
Police Report was given by Captain Scott Ogden
- Part I crime stats: DRCA down -21.21% (property crimes at extreme lows), city-wide down -3.42%
- Potomac Yard has seen a minor increase in thefts of purses/wallets in shopping carts (Target, TJ Maxx). 6 months ago, they saw many cases at Whole Foods on Duke St – crime was eventually solved but only after 20 incidences. They’ve put out word to use precaution – keep wallet/purse close at hand, don’t leave it unattended in cart, report any suspicious behavior to store manager.
- National Night Out coming up on August 5th – Charles Lloyd is crime prevention officer and leads the event. Approximately 5 to 8 pm.
Oakville Triangle Committee Update from Ben Flood, DRCA representative.
- June 23rd is the next meeting at Charles Houston Rec Center
- Last meeting focused a lot on the trail and Jefferson Park
- Encouraged people to come out to the meeting and share thoughts
Announcements:
- Catherine from Del Ray Artisans: June Show is based on relationship with the Little Theater of Alexandria. This Friday the 13th – they are selling tickets for Plaza Suite, a Neil Simon Play. Event/reception with food and silent auction of art pieces and a champagne intermission. For $40 – benefits Artisans & Little Theater. Buy tickets online on DRA’s website. In addition, the gallery is hosting the Suites Show (at the gallery) from June 6-29th
- Lisa Quandt – Land Use meeting this Thurs 7 pm at the Mt. Vernon Rec Center. Agenda:
o A proposal from Del Ray Pizza to add a porch
o A proposed residential porch at 402 E Bellefont
o Redevelopment proposal for Arlandria Floors building on Mt Vernon
o Ben will be there with an update as well about Oakville Triangle
- Jay Nestlerode: Complete Streets/City Outreach – Monroe Ave Residents meeting was on May 20th regarding redesign of street. Workshop with residents to share feedback to help inform design.
- Sarah Haut: Space of His Own – needs male volunteers to serve as mentors – paired with a 5th grade boy
Vice Mayor Alison Silberberg requested any thoughts or feedback on the Oakville Triangle meetings or in general. Many members spoke up.
Bill reminded the members of the Executive Board – and then introduced the board:
o President: Jay Nestlerode
o First Vice President: Elizabeth Pirsch
o Second Vice President: Danielle Fidler
o Third Vice President: Meg Schiffman
o Treasurer: Tim Herbert
o Secretary: Matt Youngblood
o Sergeant-at-arms: Rob Blumel
No opposition to the candidates. Move for vote of affirmation – members approved.
Kind words from one member regarding Bill’s tenure as president and focus on parks and historic preservation.
Bill then introduced Stiles Peabody of the Resource Recovery Division of Dept of Environmental Services to speak on recycling.
- Programs they offer:
o Residential recycling program: recycling rate of 48.8% – goal is 60% recycling by 2020.17,800 tons of recycling diverted from waste stream. Cost for recycling is very efficient (more so than trash disposal).
o Commercial recycling program: Mandatory in Alexandria, Rip Forms for all businesses, represents over ver 80% of total trash volume
o Public drop-off sites: Jones Point Park, Whiting Street, Culvin St, Eisenhower Ave, Culvin St houses Household Hazardous Waste Center (including electronics) – open only on Sat & MOn
o Waste energy incinerator: All of our trash is burned in Alexandra – energy powers 20k homes
- New programs
o Began a yard waste recycling program: 3-6k tons per year is the goal, relies on high level of participation. Require all yard waste to be set out in paper brown bags (leaf collection bags) or a rigid container. Service guides coming soon. New crews – not refuse or recycling collectors – getting used to set out locations, so they asked members to be patient and to call Click Connect service – 746-HELP if bags do not get picked up the first time. You don’t have to bundle things and cut them up, just put it out on curb and call the help line!
o Food waste Composting Program: Turn it into a reusable product! Local composting centers now available in the region (used to have to go to Delaware, much still goes there) – we participate in PG County. Stations available at farmers market – selling hundreds of the 1 gallon size composting bins – 150-200 ppl per week bring them back, expanding to other markets in the city. Expand into yard waste program is the long-term goal
o Waste Watchers program: Volunteers – 100 families – took a 35-gallon container, limit trash – it is achievable!
o Public Space recycling initiative: Blue containers for recycling – pairing with trash containers in public spaces and parks
- New service guide coming in the mail soon – recycling, street cleaning, what you can and can’t recycle
- Questions on recycling
o What can you recycle? Machines have evolved, has allowed for single-stream collection system. Video online shows how the machine works. System is so efficient, most can get recycled – virtually anything that tears is recyclable. Plastics as well.
o Two contaminants:
- Films (plastic bags) – material is recyclable but gets wrapped up in glass, etc, gets jammed up in the system. Every grocery store will take the bags.
- Clam shell container (PET plastic) – uses vacuum form system, has chemical additives. Moratorium on the containers.
o Creating positive habits for recycling materials
o No meat/dairy/poultry in compost program – current systems do not support it
Bill introduced Councilwoman Del Pepper, one of the creators of the Eco-City initiative:
- She discussed what it means to be an Eco-City – an environment that allows for healthier lifestyles
- She described how Eco-City came to be in 2006 – first an Eco-café event brought community together to discuss the idea. Green-ventory collected all policies and studies that were already in place. Explore what other jurisdictions were doing.
- Eco-city charter – Alexandria was the first in the state to create the charter
- Environmental Action Plan in 2009, Energy & Climate Change Action Plan, developed principles and indicators to drive action
- Examples of Projects:
o Air quality: closed down coal-burning power plant
o Complete Streets
o Potomac Yard metro station
o Bike share program
o 30 hybrid buses
o Energy – hired an energy manager to ensure city facilities and schools are operating as efficiently as possible in terms of energy usage (20% reduction from 2006 to 2012)
o Stoplight conversion to LED bulbs
o Schools – Cora Kelly green roof, LEED gold standard for TC William
o Solar panels – schools/libraries are beginning to install
o 100 acres of open space – completed at the end of 2013
Vice Mayor Alison Silberberg then took the floor and thanked Del Pepper for her work on Eco-City.
- 2009 – environmental action plan outlined activities to work toward sustainability.
- Air quality days (code red/orange – 2003 -13 days, in 2011 down to 7 – 46% reduction)
- Open Space Master Plan – had reached 100 acre goal, wants to bring it back to set a new goal for density. Critical to wellbeing of community and for environmental indicators. Include tree canopy, tree planting opportunities.
- % of solid waste recycling rate – 2008 – 26.9%, increased by 81% between 2008-2012
- Use of Dash bus ridership
- Storm water – project we must take on to meet EPA standards, will take some time – want to limit impact on streets
- 6 key points from the city staff:
o Eco-city: continue to promote alternative transportation modes (Bike Share, bike lanes, expanding Dash to all hybrid, Potomac Metro)
o Increase recycling efforts to achieve 60% solid waste recycling
o Continue to pursue green building techniques, infrastructure options, capex
o Pursue energy conservation and outreach efforts
o Convert DASH to hybrid
o Innovative approaches to achieve 184 acres of open space
- Public hearing 1x month (talk for up to 3 minutes about anything) – open mike night at 9:30 am on Saturday
The meeting was adjourned at after 9:30 pm.