Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Incumbent Democratic Mayor Bill Euille debated independent challenger Andrew Macdonald Tuesday night at George Washington Middle School.
Alexandria’s two mayoral candidates squared off Tuesday night debating the most starkly defining topics of their platforms — development and density — while addressing other city priorities such as affordable housing, transportation and green space. The two native Alexandrians who used to play basketball together as kids found themselves once again on opposite sides of the court in their approach to the direction of the city. Incumbent Democratic Mayor Bill Euille told the audience at George Washington Middle School that the city has made great strides in growth and livability by attracting development such as the 11,000-employee Patent and Trademark Office, a rebuilt Wilson Bridge and a complete overhaul of schools such as T.C. Williams …
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Alexandrian Kathryn Papp says the true purpose of city boards and commissions has become distorted and calls for the city manager to consider structural change.
- OPINION
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Wednesday, July 18, 2012
To the Editor, The City’s Boards and Commissions have grown to total 76 and were mostly established in the 1980’s. Recently, Vice Mayor Kerry Donley signaled the use of Boards and Commissions to press forward city projects, such as staffing the Beauregard Advisory Group, but this use is also apparent in pushing forward the waterfront plan. Exploited like this for tough issues creates the perception that these city-appointed groups are little more than power arms of City Hall. In most cases, Boards’ and Commissions’ charters require them to make policy recommendations to City Council and to draw on city staff for support within reason. This is where violations of their charter are apparent. It has been noted that staff can even effectively …
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Mayor Euille explains that the Waterfront Plan is eco-friendly and address threats to the health of the Potomac River.
- OPINION
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Wednesday, May 23, 2012
To the Editor: Over the last week, the media and local activists have tried use an environmental group’s ranking of the Potomac as “America’s #1 Endangered River” as evidence against the City’s Waterfront Plan. To set the record straight: the Waterfront Plan comprehensively addresses the major threats to the health of the Potomac River. In fact, each of the Plan’s major initiatives will substantially reduce, not increase, negative impacts on the environment. The changes proposed in the Plan combine government actions and requirements on private development to significantly reduce pollution caused by stormwater runoff and improve the quality of the water that enters the Potomac. Just in the Waterfront’s “core area,” from Robinson Terminal …
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Mayoral candidate Andrew Macdonald questions whether growth and development is always good, and if even more growth is even better.
- OPINION
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Wednesday, May 16, 2012
If elected as mayor in November, I will change the kind of planning process that brought us the waterfront plan, Beauregard plan and the proposed $500 million Potomac Yards metro station. The current approach assumes growth is always good and more growth is even better, and that all new development will make Alexandria more livable. I am a conservationist, and I’m not opposed to all development. However, I am quite concerned about what Alexandria’s current mayor and planners call smart growth. The development plan for the area around the Winkler Preserve that council approved on Saturday has too many uncertain and incompletely studied benefits – and costs—to be called a sustainable roadmap for our future by any objective measure. …
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Citizens for an Alternative Alexandria Waterfront Plan released a critique of the city's plan and offered its own approach.
The City of Alexandria’s plan to redevelop the waterfront will worsen traffic, exacerbate parking and environmental problems and relies too much on the construction of new buildings, according to a new report by a group advocating development alternatives. The city’s Waterfront Draft Small Area Plan “fails to create a compelling vision for the redevelopment of the Alexandria waterfront,” say Citizens for an Alternative Alexandria Waterfront Plan in its report, “Parks, the Arts, and Museums: the Keys to Rediscovering, Revitalizing and Protecting the Alexandria Waterfront.” It criticizes the city’s plan for seeking revenue from up to three 150-room hotels to be built at three sites, which, the group says, “amounts to a density increase of …
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Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Local politicians, activists praise agreement to close plant; potential redevelopment of plant land will not alter waterfront discussion
Proponents of closing GenOn Energy’s Potomac River Generating Station lauded the news Tuesday that the plant is to be shuttered by late 2012. “This was a long fought but well won victory for the citizens of Alexandria and the nation's capital,” U.S. Rep. Jim Moran (D-8th) said in a statement. “What once was the largest stationary source of air pollution will be no more. Through citizen involvement and committed city officials, the Potomac River Generating Station and its 1949 coal-fired boilers will finally be shuttered.” Del. David Englin (D-45th), who represents parts of Alexandria as well as parts of Fairfax and Arlington Counties, called the agreement a “major victory for the people of Alexandria,” but asked citizens to focus their …
Sunday, June 19, 2011
But all agree that more time will allow debate to cool
Community members involved with plans to redevelop Alexandria’s waterfront offered mixed reactions to City Council’s vote to delay action on the proposal, but all agree more time will allow spicy rhetoric on the topic to cool. "I think the council was pretty clear about their reasons – it provides an opportunity for everyone to take a breath and to continue discussions over the summer," said Faroll Hamer, head of the city's Planning and Zoning Department. "Planning and Zoning staff will not lead that effort, but we will support it, and we look forward to any possibility that further discussions will result in a clearer understanding of the implications of the plan, changes to the plan that are mutually acceptable to the stakeholders, and …
Andrew Macdonald
9:03 am on Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Andrew Macdonald 9:02 am on Tuesday, October 23, 2012 I have posted all the debates on my You Tube channel which you can find on my web site. I have not edited anything or tried to highlight portions that are favorable or unfavorable to either of the two mayoral candidates. They there to be viewed by anyone interested in this election and debate. Andrew Macdonald Andrewmacdonaldformayor.com more ›