[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6046419,"mediaKeyId","3547690-ec3bd71e96d26c93a68430a0c4a82e41","parentId",3547690,"title","Council adopts revised police‑oversight ordinance; limits on subpoenas and impasse process draw debate","audioSeconds",6796,"startMs",6604000,"endMs",13400000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3547690-ec3bd71e96d26c93a68430a0c4a82e41&start=6604&end=13400","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3547690-ec3bd71e96d26c93a68430a0c4a82e41/thumbnail_6604000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6046419/Alexandria-City-Independent/Virginia/Council-adopts-revised-policeoversight-ordinance-limits-on-subpoenas-and-impasse-process-draw-debate","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6046419-545cd6b8ed6d0f805d58930b9356f840/orig.mp4?Expires=1770445331&Signature=fUwk51lPhsF~OQKpIHebpI4r0yMly0ua8Vsk0vCvtvyPvJoS0kAq57qVhdZLQrkXu2ROaybkI2oNcBRJNipQUjG8YwCeMOytfoR6S8c6BDbnCuIhaZEE1O4xfj3XGeXbA7GjIv1i1HwagGXnza~sSfGggsml5yNAHZrSYIpxG5r21y~pjzFs~RE~P5JpxRlSJom89SXbC2wHlZ~mn7su7du1nFrP1PwfBaHaQ8SJIvM2Rb3eVkk3OCxLyeE20tqDeNQfRvoA39-8HUFTBbuLKBH3OmD1vomlPAysTmGVPBSucomGggRIGxNLiR4dPz4W-PqELDeyaapNg8ItR0ABAQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Alexandria City","date","2025-04-26T00:00:00Z","article","The Alexandria City Council voted 5‑2 on Saturday to adopt revisions to the city’s ordinance establishing an Independent Policing Auditor and the Independent Community Policy Review Board (ICPRB), setting out a public impasse process and authorizing the auditor to seek subpoena duces tecum for documents but not to compel individual testimony.

Council members Vice Mayor Bagley and Councilman Aguirre led a subcommittee that met publicly with stakeholders and the auditor’s office to draft the compromise language that came before the council. The subcommittee recommended a pathway for resolving disagreements when the auditor declines to investigate and the board disagrees: the board may take a vote and forward the matter to the city council, which would then direct the auditor (a council‑hired employee) whether to undertake or not undertake the investigation. Council described the change as a way to preserve the auditor’s independence while creating a formal, public check when the board and the auditor reach an impasse.

On subpoena power, the ordinance adopted language allowing the auditor, after attempting voluntary production, to apply to the Alexandria Circuit Court for a subpoena duces tecum to compel production of books, papers and other evidence. Council discussion and community testimony focused on whether subpoena power should extend to compelling individual testimony and whether subpoenas would be practical given constitutional protections for officers (the Garrity line of cases) and the likelihood that subpoenas would be legally contested.

Auditor staff and outside advocates argued that full subpoena authority (including calling witnesses) is a best practice used by many civilian oversight bodies and can be critical for thorough investigations. The chair of the ICPRB, Christopher Lewis, and other board members submitted a written letter and testified that the board opposes narrowing subpoena power and urged council to keep full subpoena authority so the board and auditor can compel witnesses and preserve independent investigatory capacity.

City staff, the city attorney and some council members said they prefer an MOU‑based approach and that document subpoenas are the most useful and practical tool for oversight: court‑ordered subpoenas for documents will yield unredacted evidence (body‑worn camera footage, surveillance, photographs, contemporaneous records) while subpoenas for witness testimony would likely trigger immediate legal challenges and not produce additional information because officers may invoke Garrity protections and counsel, prolonging court proceedings.

Public testimony before the vote was sharply divided. Board members and civil‑rights advocates urged full investigatory powers and warned that narrowing the auditor’s tools would hamstring oversight. Other speakers urged caution about subpoenas, raised concerns about litigation costs and defended a more incremental start with MOU and monitoring first. After debate, the council adopted the subcommittee’s compromise and directed staff to return with implementation details; the final vote was 5 in favor and 2 opposed.

Votes at a glance: The council approved the ordinance revisions on second reading (roll call 5‑2). Council members El Nuby and Green voted nay; the motion passed. Council members asked the auditor and staff to report back on implementation, and council asked for a follow‑up report in one year that will include usage of any subpoenas and other implementation metrics.

What it means: The city now has an implemented oversight structure with a public impasse mechanism and limited court‑ordered subpoena authority for documents. The decision responds to stakeholder concerns while keeping the final responsibility with elected council to resolve conflicts over investigatory starts. Opponents called the compromise a shortcoming; supporters said it gets the board and auditor into operation while preserving options for future adjustments.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Alexandria City 04/26/25\tCity Council Public Hearing","oneSentenceSummary","The Alexandria City Council voted 5‑2 on Saturday to adopt revisions to the Independent Policing Auditor and Independent Community Policy Review Board ordinance, adding a public impasse process and authorizing the auditor to seek court subpoenas for documents but not to compel individual witness testimony.","taxTitle","Alexandria City (Independent), Virginia","taxId",5798,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6046424,"Council approves 345‑unit residential project at 1900 N. Beauregard with parking reduction, 35 affordable units",1305,3814000,5119000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3547690-ec3bd71e96d26c93a68430a0c4a82e41&start=3814&end=5119","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3547690-ec3bd71e96d26c93a68430a0c4a82e41/thumbnail_3814000.jpg","/articles/6046424/Alexandria-City-Independent/Virginia/Council-approves-345unit-residential-project-at-1900-N-Beauregard-with-parking-reduction-35-affordable-units","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6046424-a2cdcba106feb06195dd6fb28e61f58f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770445331&Signature=lGkoLxIkOjd1swwckcX0O~YsIt9H2rrcHDXdzt5wSc51hIbFTE7MXYr0PbgOoTGqej6JhjF8mhFyCP-0PMe3jalKGIb7v1QW9MHiGFskGILUit8cICJJ9lV7ryy~u7fnI2ljppUJD4C2x5lRHTGmMWV8o7miPW6UkiJLTekzLQJD9yPvjAwWOSVtf7mPiW4P-Kl5HurnmQBE4ngCMjq87g~hreonjslOQElH55z9eNd2eQxJseuZe9r2bXcN6E0iCiJkGhOfP17bCcv3eYyYKTPx~4JrwnvkcU29U7Ca6rqEcg4srFzCkfltAzsadJlnmIbxV63E0ZaqmIizP8HC0A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Alexandria City Council on Saturday approved a development special‑use permit and a small encroachment for a five‑story, 345‑unit rental project at 1900 North Beauregard Street, following more than an hour of staff presentation, applicant testimony and neighborhood comment on parking, building length and neighborhood impacts.

Planning staff presenter Maggie Cooper said the project will replace a four‑story vacant office building and a large surface parking lot with a residential building that provides 18.6% open space (exceeding the 15% requirement) and will dedicate about 16,000 square feet of right‑of‑way to the city to extend the planned West End Transit Way. The applicant proposed a 56‑space parking reduction and will provide 387 parking spaces in the final plan, staff said, and the project also requests a modest setback modification and a 35‑square‑foot encroachment for an entrance stair.

Cooper said the applicant is providing 35 committed on‑site affordable units — far above the minimum required at this site — and that those units will be offered at 60% of area median income for a 40‑year term. Staff also told the council the development will likely generate roughly 39 new students for the Alexandria City Public Schools.

Developer representatives said they worked to set the building back from the adjacent townhouse neighborhood and that the site design includes a 30‑foot heavily landscaped buffer and a 12‑foot bike/10‑foot pedestrian path to separate the new building from existing homes. The applicant said the building is designed as three connected volumes to reduce perceived massing and that the project has gone through five Beauregard Design Advisory Committee (BDAC) reviews and multiple community meetings.

Speakers from Seminary Heights and Seminary Park raised concerns about parking spillover, the building’s long massing and loss of sunlight for nearby townhouses. Richard Jones, president of the Seminary Heights Condominium Association, said neighbors closest to the boundary — within about 10 to 20 feet — will “lose their sight of the sky and their peaceful place.” Dan Doze, a nearby resident, urged the city to require a larger garage or fewer units to avoid increased on‑street parking.

Applicant counsel Ken Wyer told councilors the nearby Blake apartment building has available parking and that the project will include 20 public parking spaces on the first floor accessible through the ParkMobile system. He also highlighted the 35 committed affordable units and said the applicant had increased rear setbacks from earlier nearby projects to minimize impacts.

Council members pressing the applicant and staff sought clarity on parking enforcement and potential spillover into nearby streets. Staff noted the Blake charges for parking and reports an occupancy level consistent with other new developments; staff said the city will continue to monitor parking impacts and can consider residential parking permit programs or other measures if residents report spillover after the building opens. Councilmembers urged early coordination with property management to communicate parking rules to new residents.

Councilors approved the development special‑use permit and the encroachment after a motion and second; the Planning Commission had previously recommended approval. Staff will continue to work with the applicant on final site plan details, Board of Architectural Review items and the transit‑way dedication.

Votes at a glance: Council approved the development special‑use permit (2024‑10011) and encroachment (2024‑00007) for 1900 North Beauregard Street; Planning Commission recommended approval 7‑0.","The council approved a development special‑use permit and small encroachment for a 345‑unit rental building at 1900 North Beauregard Street that includes 35 committed on‑site affordable units, a right‑of‑way dedication for a transit way and a requested reduction in parking.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6046428,"Council approves Whitley Phase 2 conversion of partly built hotel at 802–808 N. Washington",146,3250000,3396000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3547690-ec3bd71e96d26c93a68430a0c4a82e41&start=3250&end=3396","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3547690-ec3bd71e96d26c93a68430a0c4a82e41/thumbnail_3250000.jpg","/articles/6046428/Alexandria-City-Independent/Virginia/Council-approves-Whitley-Phase-2-conversion-of-partly-built-hotel-at-802808-N-Washington","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6046428-22fed243f57ce165459c88fd4fec32e5/orig.mp4?Expires=1770445331&Signature=IqB69PK3T09ORqpobcdzQyC-zwN49AoFwcgGR5k-UC26lQP1U4ijO7tjIehU2sWrXil3y0vBV~WIcGYaHQaysgoiBr3BVlFWacvxEWFy4l2jGHrQoxKVTnqCJLtfCR288wmFxxa2lRUTeBnLogV4wXTtbAGJOgMkwX8jv11M5jUKmIqNCo68K64W7C6mOKb1EFSHtfxA3BZiXZxSxfcjKyN2NbI-mbenPFxtFMfXu5D2CNgawwo3KO3ItthSj48hEYBwTxKm3KFilD9VvcIW8PFQH4ckR4T94PPk5RToQZjFLwl8HR0LJkP-UQm-tMcOfpH459Ytns03UX2pz4HPFg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Alexandria City Council on Saturday approved a request to convert a partially constructed hotel at 802 and 808 North N. Washington Street into a 49‑unit multi‑family building (The Whitley Phase 2), voting to adopt a rezoning, a development special‑use permit and a small encroachment allowance.

The approval removes a long‑stalled hotel entitlement and repurposes existing construction. The Planning and Zoning staff and the applicant said the conversion retains much of the previously built structure, improves the streetscape, and provides a for‑sale affordable unit.

Planning staff told council that the project repurposes a site where a 98‑room hotel entitlement was acquired by the current applicant, and that several hotel elements — including underground parking and portions of the first floor — were already constructed before the pause in the hotel project. Stephanie Sample of the Department of Planning and Zoning said the applicant’s revisions add architectural articulation, relocate a garage entrance and remove a curb cut on Washington Street to improve pedestrian safety.

Attorney Ken Wyer, representing the applicant, said converting the partly built hotel was “not easy” and thanked staff for working through complex utility, curb‑cut and entitlement credit issues. “We’re very happy to have this project in front of you,” Wyer said during the hearing.

Opposition at the public hearing came from the West Old Town Citizens Association. Dino Drudy, speaking for the association, said the association “opposes the 808 North Washington Street development as currently proposed” and raised legal and process concerns about rezoning a site after partial construction, describing it as “spot zoning.” Drudy asked the council to deny the rezoning and return the project for additional planning analysis of neighborhood impacts, parking and compatibility with the historic district.

Council members who supported the project emphasized that the conversion completes an otherwise stalled development, adds housing (including an affordable unit) and improves the pedestrian environment on a mixed‑use gateway corridor. The council’s motion to approve the rezoning, the development special‑use permit, and the encroachment was made from the dais and seconded; the motion passed and the project was approved.

The city noted that the site is in the Old Town North small area plan area and is subject to Board of Architectural Review review because of its location in the Old and Historic Alexandria District. Staff said the project will share a private alley and underground parking with the adjacent Whitley Phase 1 development. The applicant will continue the Board of Architectural Review (BAR) process for the historic townhouse façade and encroachment details.

The council approval allows the conversion to proceed; staff and the applicant will complete final site plan work, Board of Architectural Review review and applicable permitting. The city record shows Planning Commission recommendation in favor of the project prior to council action.

Votes at a glance: council moved and seconded the motion to approve the rezoning, development special‑use permit and encroachment for The Whitley Phase 2; the motion passed (voice vote recorded as “the ayes have it”).","After public comment and neighborhood objections, the City Council approved rezoning, a development special-use permit and a small encroachment to convert a partially built hotel into a 49‑unit multi‑family project known as The Whitley Phase 2.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6046411,"Residents press council on unleashed dogs at Hooffs Run and backyard beekeeping safety near schools",226,2325000,2551000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3547690-ec3bd71e96d26c93a68430a0c4a82e41&start=2325&end=2551","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3547690-ec3bd71e96d26c93a68430a0c4a82e41/thumbnail_2325000.jpg","/articles/6046411/Alexandria-City-Independent/Virginia/Residents-press-council-on-unleashed-dogs-at-Hooffs-Run-and-backyard-beekeeping-safety-near-schools","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6046411-072570bc6f0b7ef2649c4b97a86c4511/orig.mp4?Expires=1770445331&Signature=HDYPKe324uv~oRC05NgZ2SiNvAywcO32EhKo9X6E10apySTOF3O~vji~tRes9rcktIHj4TUOY6-nj5hGs769wcEqryFRD0QoJQK0OkRh6VKMcHElSu6DLrHXm5MBBntjuE99oVLTyUoa28hRVdh0BGU4H5afcfzWr73VwgELIeuIsPQHIR1SFpKR355RsQ3jHk3En1SFQKaH39wR4Lgl6ERNySvGt4-~v2Bvp9C4oQp4lXtzlInwOvPqc1cU5kLBJd6GY9O-xGP~Jag1KRQimCJ~p6v4eZtLFJDVIZF3ODmQa46ApvHQS-5YuzIMWTcrGlZ8b~~J5mc8L2swk4AHrQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Two separate public commenters described neighborhood safety problems tied to animals during Alexandria’s Saturday public comment period and asked the city for help.

James (last name VanderMeer in the record) and a second resident described repeated incidents of unleashed dogs near Hooffs Run Playground northwest of the King Street Metro station, including a reported attack and numerous complaints about owners not following leash laws. The speaker described rising reported dog‑bite numbers and said animal control issued relatively few citations; he urged the city to increase enforcement, consider staffing changes for Animal Control and explore fencing and physical improvements to an off‑leash area four blocks north of the playground.

A second speaker described a neighbor who had converted backyard beekeeping into a small business within feet of the complainant’s yard and adjacent to Jefferson‑Houston Middle School and a public pool. She said her small dog had been stung three times in a week and a half, that there are tens of thousands of bees per hive and that she feared for children who walk to school nearby. She told the council she had contacted animal control (which does not handle insects) and code enforcement and asked for city assistance; staff agreed to exchange contact information and follow up, and the city manager arranged a staff‑level meeting before the speaker left.

Council members and the city manager acknowledged both concerns and directed staff to follow up: Animal Control and Recreation, Parks & Cultural Activities (RPCA) staff will review enforcement and signage at Hooffs Run, and code enforcement and the city manager’s office will follow up on the beekeeping complaint and advise the resident of any applicable local regulations and enforcement steps.

No formal council action was taken during the meeting; council directed staff to follow up with the residents and report back.","Residents asked the council to strengthen enforcement and remedies for unleashed dogs at Hooffs Run playground and sought help with a neighbor’s expanding backyard beekeeping operation that they said posed a risk to children and pets.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6046416,"Residents urge Alexandria to divest city investments from companies tied to Israel’s military actions; council hears repeated pleas",185,1406000,1591000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3547690-ec3bd71e96d26c93a68430a0c4a82e41&start=1406&end=1591","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3547690-ec3bd71e96d26c93a68430a0c4a82e41/thumbnail_1406000.jpg","/articles/6046416/Alexandria-City-Independent/Virginia/Residents-urge-Alexandria-to-divest-city-investments-from-companies-tied-to-Israels-military-actions-council-hears-repeated-pleas","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6046416-64db2356f03864c170278ff0ab8d7f42/orig.mp4?Expires=1770445331&Signature=XEhwgsi89V68OO544j2JH~idFwJa0wSV3mA3u-wHosjY0iNktpZgFWvU5RlCI~EpXFWXlluChSP0Ppk103THRKevfHxwiprkJVuuknJb3ZLNn9DOuN6eLAgjag3f162DGfWk05WwTOeRC9dJBS1zTvmDdVmmEGNILluze0E7J0Yodv5hsrY~wJFDcRGrWFxdKs6yt9HEW1-fhJVE~OmvYJvLRZ8ezgBLVg8zlDE9chP-P2v0BXJq-6z4ZLPzwGJfS4EH7lrxmseBJTqZlnLZ5jpTtb8KoNfMoja8vmeXQhtaUbukT8zO7Dg1KADKXWtQAtG3Tqkr88yam4Q75XsGCw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A string of speakers during Alexandria’s Saturday public comment period urged city council to divest municipal investments, pension funds and related financial ties from corporations they said profit from Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza, and several asked the council to support state‑level efforts to dismantle the Virginia Israel Advisory Board (VIAB).

Speakers — including residents who identified as Jewish, Arab American and as descendants of people who fled past genocides — asked council to take immediate public action in support of a ceasefire and to pass a divestment resolution. Several speakers connected local investment decisions (pension, reserve and retirement investments) to companies they said profit from weapons and surveillance technologies used in Gaza and argued that local divestment would be both symbolic and materially consequential.

Caitlin Cotton warned that technologies of repression developed overseas are brought home and used against U.S. communities and urged the council to consider divestment as a measure of “protecting our rights.” Cameron White described civilian deaths and a humanitarian crisis in Gaza and said local tax dollars and defense contracts have economic links to Israel’s military suppliers; he urged the council to support disbanding the VIAB and to back a divestment resolution that Alexandria’s Human Rights Commission recommended.

Other speakers framed divestment as historically effective, referencing anti‑apartheid campaigns in South Africa, and urged the council to replicate that tactic. Several said they had already written the council and that they felt the matter had been stalled. One Jewish speaker told the council that “opposing a genocide and criticizing genociders is the most philo‑Semitic thing a person can do,” while others tied the request to municipal values and human rights obligations.

Mayor Gaskins and council members took public comment but did not enter into back‑and‑forth Q&A during the public hearing; no council motion or vote on divestment or a ceasefire resolution occurred during the meeting. Several commenters said they plan to continue advocacy in the coming weeks and asked the council to take the issue up as part of city and state legislative advocacy.","Multiple residents during the public comment period urged the council to divest city pension and investment funds from companies they said profit from Israeli military operations, called for dissolution of the Virginia Israel Advisory Board and asked for a council ceasefire resolution; council did not take action at the hearing.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council adopts revised police‑oversight ordinance; limits on subpoenas and impasse process draw debate

Council approves 345‑unit residential project at 1900 N. Beauregard with parking reduction, 35 affordable units

Council approves Whitley Phase 2 conversion of partly built hotel at 802–808 N. Washington

Residents press council on unleashed dogs at Hooffs Run and backyard beekeeping safety near schools

Residents urge Alexandria to divest city investments from companies tied to Israel’s military actions; council hears repeated pleas