consideration - City of Alexandria

To Members of City Council:
On Saturday January 21 the City Council will vote on the city's
proposed waterfront plan.
The current waterfront plan is not right for Alexandria. The only
sensible thing to do at this point is to delay the vote until a time
that the entire waterfront can be considered. The GenOn site needs to
be considered in any decision-making regarding any waterfront plan. At
a minimum, Council should postpont any vote until GenOn site can also
be a part of the discussion. Please understand that City Council
represents the community, not the Washington Post or commercial
developers. I have lived in Alexandria since 1968 and I have seen many
changes occur in this city along the waterfront some good, some not so
good but the current plan does not address the resident's real concerns
and the residents would like to see real alternative plans.
I can't imagine how difficult life will become for me and other
residents directly affected by the rezoning. The waterfront is for
all, not just Alexandrians, but visitors as well, however, those living
in Rosemont, Del Ray, West End and visitors don't have to worry about
where they are going to park when they return from a trip to the
grocery store and need to unload a car or return from a trip and need
to unload the car or have small children and have to drive around for
what seems like forever with a child screaming in the back seat. Right
now I am spending between 15 and 30 minutes driving around, adding
additional pollution to the air, not to mention the extra wear and tear
on my car and the extra gas expense I have because I can't find a
parking place within a 2-3 block radius of where I live. What will it
be like if you vote to rezone to allow motels at the bottom of Duke and
Wolfe Street along the waterfront? It also will prevent the public,
including neighbors from using the waterfront unless one spends money
to use hotel restaurants~I don't see how this increases public use of
the waterfront.
I am vehemently opposed to changes to 1983 waterfront agreement that
would allow hotels and changes to the 1992 W-l zone that would allow
more density. I would prefer an open waterfront, but know that won't
happen. The next best thing would be something similar to Harborside
where there are private residences but a beautiful public area where
all can walk or sit and enjoy watching river traffic, waterfowl, and
walkers/joggers. But the single biggest thing Harborside has is
parking spaces for all its residents. Or even offices. Hotel guests
will balk at paying huge fees to park in garages and hotel employees
will not take shuttles. I, and other residents, will be fighting for
parking spaces near where we live
I have listened to what the other side has said, and realize that most
don't live near ground zero. Those that do, who are for the plan, have
a financial interest in the proposed changes.
Please, please consider this heartfelt letter and vote NO to rezoning
the waterfront and the current waterfront plan.
Respectfully,
Carolyne Roehrenbeck