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ASG CANDIDATES' QUESTIONNAIRE
Candidate Information:
Please provide name, office for which you are running, party affiliation, address, telephone number, fax number and email address.
1) Please provide a detailed bio, including your educational background,
employment history and civic involvement.
2) Please identify the major planks of your platform as a city council or
mayoral candidate.
3) Please comment on ASG's Vision for Alexandria. Also, please state
whether you agree or disagree with each ASG goal and related strategies.
Briefly explain your disagreements.
Goal No. 1: To develop a comprehensive vision and plan for Alexandria's
future--the Alexandria 2025 Plan.
4) If supportive of creating an Alexandria 2025 Plan, what steps would you
propose to develop it?
5) What do you think are the major strengths and deficiencies of the current Master Plan. And, would you want the City Code amended to mandate that every land-use decision complies with the Master Plan? If not, why not?
6) ASG supports strengthening diverse neighborhoods and more affordable
housing. In addition to the voluntary contribution developers provide to the Housing Trust Fund, what other measures would you propose to ensure that
Alexandria continues to house low-income wage earners and their families?
7) Do you believe that preserving and improving the quality of life in
existing neighborhoods should be given the highest priority for every
land-use decision. If not, why not? In this regard, what three (3) policy
initiatives would you propose to preserve and improve existing neighborhoods?
8) There appears to be subtle and not-so-subtle changes to the role of the
Board of Architectural Review (BAR). Several recent developments do not fit
with the character of the historic district, to wit: the Saul Center on N.
Washington Street and the Small Mall on King Street. What three (3) measures would you propose to bring BAR's role back in line with its mission, which is to permit only appropriate architecture in the historic district?
Goal No. 2. Transportation: To support policies and programs that increase
usage of metro, bus, bicycle and pedestrian transportation modes and decrease auto traffic and its impact on residential neighborhoods and schools.
9) In order to mitigate traffic impacts from new developments,
Transportation Management Plans (TMP) are required. What three (3) measures, if any, would you want implemented to ensure these plans are effective? Would you support the recreation of the Transportation Management Committee and give it oversight of TMPs?
10) A major concern throughout the city is traffic: increased cut-through
onto neighborhood streets, pedestrian safety, and traffic back-ups that will
grow exponentially with the build-out of the PTO, Potomac Yard, and
Eisenhower Valley. What three (3) measures would you propose to decrease
the use of autos and increase the use of transit, bicycles and walking? Do
you think that we need a parking policy to govern the number of spaces
available at Metro Stations in Alexandria? If not, why not?
11) Do you support building new roads connecting Duke Street and Eisenhower
Avenue? If so, where, what size and why?
Goal No. 3 Open Space: To preserve, increase and upgrade open space in
Alexandria.
12) Since there is overwhelming support among residents for more open space
and recreational facilities, would you favor creating an Open Space Fund?
Please discuss operation and funding sources. What policies do we need to put in place to get more open space?
Goal No. 4 Small Area Plans: In conjunction with the Alexandria 2025 Plan,
continue the existing small area planning projects and initiate small area
planning processes for Eisenhower West, the Old Town waterfront and other
neighborhoods.
13) The Washington Street Guidelines were created to protect the
redevelopment of Washington Street. Would you support the adoption of
Waterfront Guidelines for the same purpose? If not, why not? If so, what
three (3) critical elements would you suggest be included.
14) Assuming you support creating a vision for Eisenhower West, how do you
propose the City create such a vision and land-use plan? What do you think
are the critical components of this vision? In your opinion, does a
connector fit into this vision and plan?
Goal No. 5: Public Participation: To encourage meaningful public
participation in the vision and planning process and implementation of City
policies.
15) A recurring complaint among civic associations and residents is the lack
of meaningful public participation. How do you feel about these complaints?
What three (3) initiatives would you promote to make the decision-making
process more inclusive?
16) Alexandria often relies on task forces to assess potentially contentious
issues and make recommendations to Council. Do you think this is
appropriate? If not, why not? Please provide your ideas on how to reform
the use of task forces or alternative processes you think would be more
appropriate and effective.
Goal No. 6. Legislative Remedies: To empower Alexandria's communities to
exercise greater control over land-use issues, such as requiring financial,
environmental and neighborhood impact statements that accurately assess the
costs and benefits of development projects, requiring developers to pay for
certain infrastructure costs and reviewing current provisions in State law
available to local governments for controlling development.
17) What three (3) initiatives would you propose that would lead to
Alexandria being better able to control local decision-making, especially
policies related to land-use, developments, transportation, taxes and
education?
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