Membership Meeting Minutes-February 13, 2019

Posted onAuthorDRCA Secretary

  1. Welcome, DRCA President Annie Ebbers
  2. Alexandria Police Report, Capt. Dennis Andreas
  3. Alexandria Sheriff’s Office Report, Deputy Sheriff Captain Craig Davie
  4. Oakville Triangle Update, Radhika Mohan, Principal Planner, City of Alexandria Department of Planning and Zoning 
  5. Alexandria’s WasteSmart Program, Helen Lee, City of Alexandria Department of Transportation and Environmental Services
  6. Announcements

  1. Welcome, DRCA President, Annie Ebbers
    1. Welcome new members
    2. Introduce DRCA Board: VP Ellen Patrick, Treasurer Bea Robinson, Activities Director Tom Ortiz, Secretary Seán Crumley
  2. Alexandria Police Report, Capt. Dennis Andreas
    1. 8 crashes in Del Ray. No injuries
    2. Jan 26 report of children hit on Monroe near YMCA, but no medical attention sought. 
    3. 11 part 1 (same as average):
      1. 3 vehicle larcenies (unlocked, no forced entries). 
      2. In DC, MPD advice the opposite: Leave car unlocked to prevent broken windows. 
      3. E Luray (two unlocked vehicles)
      4. Arrest in Sept 2016 rape case.
      5. Hammond Middle School bomb threat: Juvenile arrested
      6. Monday: Commonwealth Attorney determined no charges for  officer involved shooting. (Other guy: charged multiple charges)
      7. Half-day Community Academy: 2/23 8:30-1pm (still openings)
      8. Coming attractions: Chief Michael Brown at DRCA March Membership meeting (3/13)
  3. Alexandria Sheriff’s Office Report, Deputy Sheriff Captain Craig Davie
    1. Craig Davie (24-year veteran) standing in this morth for Sgt. Sean Casey. 
    2. Still openings for ASO Community Academy (4 Saturdays): 
    3. Six  new deputies hired; 13 recruits out of academy now
    4. Look for new uniforms soon (brown to blue). Cost-savings measure: No one make brown uniforms any more
  4. Land Use Report, Kristine Hesse, Co-chair
    1. ASUP to note:
      1. Sicilian Pizza, change of ownership
      2. Bagel Uprising, moving into former Happy Tart space
      3. Restaurant opening on MVA near Popeye’s  
      4. Change in SUP for Charlie’s/Garden application. New beer garden space to be operated separately, with separate kitchen
  5. Oakville Triangle Update, Radhika Mohan, Principal Planner, City of Alexandria Department of Planning and Zoning 
    1. Envisioned as “Innovation district” with primarily graduate students
    2. Site selected for two main reasons:
      1. Proximity to metro
      2. City’s prior planning effort for Oakville Triangle
      3. Some amendments needed to plan (e.g., in lot 4B, building heights and use changes needed)
      4. Mount Jefferson Park to be retained
      5. Coordinated Community Development zoning requirement develop contributions:
        1. Park required
        2. Improvements to intersection of Glebe and Rt 1
        3. 65 affordable units housing (%)
        4. 20% of net new revenue to plan area
      6. Outreach efforts to  review plan with community
        1. DRBA, PYCA, now DRCA
        2. “We’re early in the process”
        3. Ball’s in VTU court (developing their program for the space)
      7. Questions from audience:
        1. Shape of park? Paving, lights?
          A: Lights on Park street, naturalistic inside park, no lights
        2. Is this a verbal commitment? How binding?
          A: Once community process begins, it will firm up
        3. Do changes to CDD require Council approval?
          A: Yes
        4. Is is student housing like dorms?
          A: Look more like conventional apartment, but probably more residential density
        5. State playing heavy-handed (like with stadium)?
          A: Branding is important to VTU, national exposure on this project, so in their interest to do the right thing.
        6. Timing?
          A: No community meetings set yet. Using enews to get word out. Sign up!
        7. Can Rt 1 and Glebe be focused on pedestrians crossing?
          A: Yes but other paths of desire exist (esp. Swann)
  6. Alexandria’s WasteSmart Program, Helen Lee, City of Alexandria Department of Transportation and Environmental Services
    1. T&ES Collection: Residents, 250 small business, schools and 150 nonprofits
    2. These days there is more confusion which leads to more contamination in the recycling stream and the reason for this outreach. 
    3. Changes to recycling because of market Shifts. 
      1. “Amazon Effect” producing more more cardboard, plastic pillows.
      2. China’s “National Sword” policy limiting what recyclable materials are imported
      3. No market for recycled materials means that recycling doesn’t make money but now costs the City money. 
    4. What can be recycled?
      1. Window envelopes 
      2. Soup boxes
      3. Milk containers
      4. Yogurt tubs
    5. What might be recycled?
      1. Pizza boxes (if clean)
      2. Pie pans (if clean)
      3. “Lasagne pans” (if clean)
      4. Caps (if left on bottles)
      5. Shredded paper (if in paper bag and stapled shut)
    6. What can’t be recycled?
      1. Bubble envelopes/jiffy packs
      2. “Smaller than a credit card”
      3. Case wrap (e.g., pallets of bottled water)
      4. Plastic bags
      5. Garden hoses
      6. Styrofoam
      7. Chip bags
      8. Compostable cups
      9. Tissues, diapers, sanitary wipes
      10. “No such thing as flushable wipes!”
      11. Clothes
      12. Batteries
      13. Hazardous waste 
    7. Glass?
      Problem: It breaks
      Soon: Collected separately (month)
    8. NO PLASTIC BAGS!
    9. Composting (four farmers markets locations)
    10. City of Alexandria WasteSmart Plan approved by Council in January 2019. Short Term Actions:
      1. How to sort search tool and collection notification tools coming
      2. Develop digital resources (signs, SM Kits) for schools, business and multifamily props
      3. Reuse/repair/donate directory
    11. Recycling Questions
      1. Do businesses  recycle
        A: Yes, their 2 chief recyclable must be recycled
      2. Can blue glass  be recycled
        A: Yes
      3. Yard waste (no food waste)
      4. Can plastics be recycled?
        A: Yes, numbers 1,2, and 5 can be recycled
        Numbers 3, 4, 6, 7: No
      5. Will T&ES redesign MVA bins for no glass?
        A: Not sure
      6. Cardboard with windows?
        A: Remove as much plastic as possible. 
      7. Metal caps?
        A: Magnetic materials can be separated.
      8. Smaller garbage bins coming?
        A: Yes. Green are old. Use Call-Click-Connect for new bin. Use green ones for Yard waste with bumper stickers
  7. Announcements
    1. DRCA:
      1. Chili Cook-off a success:
        $2,333 raised for Kettle Park, thanks to sponsor Bobi Bomar, Homes of Alexandria and winners who donated their winnings.
        Thanks to Tom Ortiz, Activities Director, for organizing and volunteers (especially Board spouses) for helping out.
      2. Nominations and Elections Committee. 
        Nominations need by April meeting for June elections. 
        Email Annie president@ delraycitizen.net express interest or to make a nomination.
      3. Migration from Yahoo to Groups.io
        Expected within a month after issue of the next “daily” digest (which will include news about migration)
    2. DRA:
      1. February show: “New Beginnings” art from recycled works runs till February 24
      2. March show “For the Artist”, opening reception Friday March 1 
  8. Adjournment: 8:34pm