Call to order, 7:35 p.m. Reingold Building (433 East Monroe Ave) conference room.
Agenda Items
Police report
Land Use Report
Parking Matters in Del Ray
Announcements
Alexandria Police Report
Arrest made in two recent homicides, no further comment regarding whether it was gang-related.
Land Use Committee Report, Lisa Quandt, 2nd Vice-President, DRCA
Lisa explained the LUC process, from SUP application, through LUC research and review, recommendation that are brought to the membership before a DRCA recommendation is presented to the Planning Commission.
Currently LUC meets the night before (second Tuesday of month) the DRCA membership meeting (second Wednesday of month). It has been suggested that the membership meeting be moved to the third week of the month, so LUC would have more time to prepare a report to membership and be able to incorporate membership input before representing DRCA at Planning Commission.
LUC will present a motion at February meeting for a vote.
Parking Matters in Del Ray
Guest Speakers: Katye North, Principal Planner Transportation Planning. Alexandria Transportation & Environmental Services; Alex Dambach, Division Chief, Land Use Services; Steve Sindiong, Acting Transportation Planning Division Chief
Del Ray parking survey 2012 (data from 2010) examined the area from Clifford to Glendale, roughly one block east and west of Mount Vernon Avenue.
Overall on-street parking peaks at 64%, on Mt. Vernon 70%
Turnover under 2 hours
Recommendations
Create some short-term 60-min convenience parking spots, between Bellefonte and Oxford (area of peak demand).
Repurpose unused curb-cuts and underused taxi stands for parking.
Implement way-finding to direct parkers to pooled parking resources.
When occupancy reaches 85%…
Consider paid parking (meters): Businesses are concerned the loss of free parking will discourage customers. Residents worry that meters will amplify problems on adjacent side streets.
Implement permit parking for residential streets. Some resident parking districts already exist but without permit requirement. Permit parking requires a certain percentage of residents agreeing to permit parking and then paying annual for a parking permit.
(According to study, only “one residential street that is restricted to residential permit parking”)
Questions, suggestions, observations from DRCA members:
Development permits with parking reductions should prohibit parking district participation.
Enforcement (specifically blocking driveways on side-streets near the Avenue)
Solutions that depend on enforcement not helpful if enforcement is spotty
2010 study wrong. We need better data! We have different businesses on the Avenue in 2016. More restaurants.
How is traffic factored in to parking plan?
Special Use Permit businesses: Parking needs of staff and customers evaluated?
Why is parking permitted at bus stops?
Is the Potomac Square parking lot shareable?
Shared parking experiment with Bellies and Babies failed
Private lot owners may be concerned about liability
Deliveries are problematic when people are parking in loading zones
Parking study doesn’t seem capture peak usage:
Mind the Mat can have 80 people in a class. Where do they all park?
Montessori School drop-off insanity on Windsor
Announcements
DRCA Chili Cook Off: Saturday, February 20 at Commonwealth Academy
DRCA House and Garden Tour: Saturday, May 7
Del Ray Artisans: Current show True Colors (January). Next show: All aBoard (February)