WEBA Discussion forum-Topics and Issues Important to the WEST End of Alexandria

Community input is important to the City’s current Strategic Plan review and will help shape implementation moving forward. Vice Mayor Kerry Donley and Council Member Paul Smedberg will lead the discussion on this strategic goal: There is Quality Development and Redevelopment, Support for Local Businesses, and a Strong, Diverse, and Growing Local Economy. Individuals who wish to comment at the public forum are asked to sign up in advance and limit their comments to three minutes. Sign up in advance by calling Brandi Collins, Urban Planner, at 703-746-3854, or email brandi.collins@alexandriava.gov.

Participants should address the following questions:

1. What should the City's top three development and economic development priorities be?

2. How should the City measure success as we work on those priorities?

3. What constraints should be placed on development and economic development?

Residents can also submit their comments online at www.alexandriava.gov/StrategicPlanning. For more information, please call Brandi Collins, Urban Planner, at 703-746-3854, or email brandi.collins@alexandriava.gov or visit www.alexandriava.gov/StrategicPlanning.

Comments from Board members:

1) economic development priorities:

• ensure the redevelopment of Landmark Mall, a strategically located site that should be the focal point for quality office, hotel, and retail uses in the west end
• encourage and recruit businesses that relate to or serve the new office users at Mark Center (BRAC, IDA, and others)
• solve transportation issues in the West End that could potentially discourage the establishment of new businesses and affect employees' ability to get to work and customers' ability to get to shops and services; this includes increasing public transportation options to Landmark and Mark Center

2)  measurements of success

• number of new businesses selecting to locate in the west end
• increase in the number of things AEDP and ACVA find in the west end to promote in their marketing materials

3) constraints

• we've been constrained for a long time; we need to look not for constraints, but for better focus, targeting, and management of economic development opportunities.