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Alexandria's civic calendar reaches a crescendo this week, with major budget decisions, a consequential school policy hearing, a closed school board session and a special election quick approaching.
City Council's most consequential legislative meeting in months lands Tuesday. The meeting begins with a closed executive session at 6:15 p.m., with the public session opening at 7 p.m. at Del Pepper Community Resource Center. The agenda is dense and dollar-heavy. On first reading, Council will take up an ordinance raising the standard parking fine from $40 to $50 — the first increase since 2007. A separate ordinance would activate parking meters on Sundays for the first time in the city's history, affecting metered areas including Old Town, Carlyle, Eisenhower East, Potomac Yard and Oakville Triangle beginning July 1, if adopted on final passage April 29. Among regional peers, only National Harbor and Annapolis currently charge for Sunday parking. Council will also consider a first reading on increasing the stormwater utility fee from $340.30 to $357.40 per billing unit — roughly a 5% increase — to fund Flood Action Alexandria capital improvements. A business tax ordinance would raise the Business, Professional and Occupational License rate for financial services firms with annual gross receipts of $100,000 or more from $0.35 to a maximum of $0.40 per $100 of gross receipts. Fire prevention permit and inspection fees would also rise for the first time since fiscal year 2019, generating an estimated $418,338 in additional revenue. A $31.6 million supplemental appropriation ordinance is also on first reading, covering grant adjustments and an emergency transfer for snow and ice storm expenditures earlier this year. City Manager James Parajon will deliver a state of the economy briefing — closely watched given persistent federal workforce uncertainty in a city with one of the highest concentrations of federal employees in the region. Council will also fill contested seats on nine boards and commissions. Public hearings on the parking and stormwater ordinances are set for Saturday, April 18.
Also Tuesday: The voter registration deadline for the April 21 special election falls at 8 a.m. — the last day to register or update an existing registration before same-day registration begins. And at noon, the city holds its 37th annual Days of Remembrance ceremony honoring the six million Jews and millions of others killed in the Holocaust at the Frank and Betty Wright Reading Gardens at Charles E. Beatley Jr. Central Library, 5005 Duke St. Alexandria holds the distinction of being the first municipality in the Washington metro region to formally observe Holocaust remembrance. This year's featured speaker is Elizabeth "Barry" White, Ph.D., a retired U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum historian and former U.S. Department of Justice Nazi crimes investigator. Mayor Alyia Gaskins and City Council members will light the city's 54-inch brass candelabrum, donated by the late Holocaust survivor Charlene Schiff and her husband Ed.
Monday evening brings a community meeting on youth sports and athletic facility access at the Lee Center, 1108 Jefferson St., at 7 p.m. The Department of Recreation, Parks & Cultural Activities will share how athletic facilities are currently allocated, review existing sports affiliate and community use policies and gather public feedback. The input will inform updates to both the Sports Affiliate Policy and the Community Athletic Facility Use Policy. Residents who can't attend may submit written feedback to laura.durham@alexandriava.gov through April 30.
Thursday is the week's most layered night for ACPS. The public hearing on the revised ACPS-APD Memorandum of Understanding governing School Resource Officers runs from 5 to 6 p.m. in the School Board Meeting Room at 1340 Braddock Place — note the early start time. The sign-up deadline to speak is noon Wednesday. The draft MOU, publicly released for the first time last Thursday, removes the provision that drew community opposition at last May's hearing: the designation of SROs as "school officials" under FERPA, which would have allowed them to access student records without parental consent. Board members raised questions last week about mandatory felony reporting language and how administrators would determine what constitutes a felony-level offense in real time. The board is expected to vote on final adoption at its April 23 meeting. The Governance Committee meets Friday at 8 a.m. via Zoom to review the MOU one day after the hearing.
Immediately following the MOU hearing Thursday, the School Board convenes a four-hour closed session from 6 to 10 p.m. in the third-floor training room at 1340 Braddock Place involving a confidential student matter protected under FERPA. Under Virginia's open meeting law, any gathering of three or more board members for official business must be publicly noticed — which is why the session appeared on the public calendar despite being closed.
Also Thursday at 7 p.m., the city hosts its second Flood Resilience Plan community meeting at Charles Houston Recreation Center, 901 Wythe St. (also via Zoom). City representatives will share updated flood modeling and new details on policy and programmatic recommendations, with the plan on track to be finalized by June. The first meeting in November drew residents from across the city — survey data showed 93% had experienced flooding at home or around the city, and 59% said they are very concerned about future flood impacts. The plan is funded through a state grant and aims to help Alexandria qualify for reduced flood insurance premiums under the FEMA Community Rating System.
Saturday brings the budget's most public moment. City Council convenes at 9:30 a.m. at Del Pepper for joint public hearings on the FY 2027 tax rate and the add/delete list — the final opportunity for residents to weigh in before the process moves to Work Session No. 7 on April 21, a potential Work Session No. 8 on April 27 and final budget adoption on April 29. Saturday is also the last day to vote early in person for the April 21 special election to fill the Council seat vacated by R. Kirk McPike. Also Saturday morning: the city's Resource Recovery Division hosts a free shredding event from 9 a.m. to noon in the parking lot of MOM's Organic Market, 3871 Mt. Vernon Ave. — no registration required, open to city residents only. The Commonwealth's Attorney Community Academy runs at 10 a.m. The Landmark/Van Dorn Coalition holds its April meeting at Patrick Henry Recreation Center at 11 a.m.
Sunday's Jeans for Justice event at Friends to Lovers Bookstore, 301 Cameron St., from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. marks Denim Day as part of Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month.
Special election key dates
- Early voting runs through Saturday, April 18
- Last day to register or update registration: Tuesday, April 14
- Election Day: Tuesday, April 21 (polls open 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.)
- Mail ballots must be postmarked by April 21 and received by 12 p.m. on Friday, April 24
FY 2027 budget calendar — what's left
- April 18 — Tax rate and add/delete public hearings, 9:30 a.m.
- April 21 — Work Session No. 7: Preliminary add/delete, 7 p.m.
- April 27 — Work Session No. 8: Final add/delete (if needed), 7 p.m.
- April 29 — FY 2027 budget adoption, 6 p.m.
This week's full calendar
Monday, April 13
- 6 a.m. — Chinquapin Open
- 12 p.m. — Public Health Advisory Commission joint meeting with Commission on Aging, 4850 Mark Center Drive, Room 3451 (virtual option available)
- 5 p.m. — ACPS Strategy & Accountability Committee, via Zoom
- 5 p.m. — AlexRenew Governance Committee meeting, 1800 Limerick St.
- 6 p.m. — ACPS Advanced Academic Services Advisory Committee, ACHS College and Career Center
- 6 p.m. — Minnie Howard Open
- 7 p.m. — Youth sports and athletic facility access community meeting, Lee Center, 1108 Jefferson St.
- 7 p.m. — Board of Zoning Appeals public hearing
- 7 p.m. — Human Rights Commission Executive Committee meeting
- 7 p.m. — Alexandria-Caen Sister City Committee, in-person
- 7 p.m. — Alexandria Archaeological Commission Subcommittee: Wilkes Street Cemetery Complex nomination to the National Register of Historic Places, virtual
- 7 p.m. — ACRP Committee of Inquiry, in-person
Ryan Belmore
Tuesday, April 14
- 6 a.m. — Chinquapin Open
- 8 a.m. — Voter registration deadline for April 21 special election
- 12 p.m. — 37th annual Days of Remembrance ceremony, Beatley Central Library, 5005 Duke St.
- 4:15 p.m. — Commission on Employment regular meeting
- 6 p.m. — Minnie Howard Open
- 6:15 p.m. — City Council legislative meeting, Del Pepper Community Resource Center (closed executive session at 6:15 p.m.; public session at 7 p.m.; also streamed on city website, channel 70 and via Zoom)
- 6:30 p.m. — Budget & Fiscal Affairs Advisory Committee regular monthly meeting
- 6:30 p.m. — Commission for Women Status of Women Pillar Group meeting, virtual
- 7 p.m. — Commission for Women meeting, virtual
- 7 p.m. — Personal Finance and Career Building Workshops, virtual
- Note: Fire and Police Officers Pension Plan Board meeting canceled
Ryan Belmore
Ryan Belmore
Wednesday, April 15
- 6 a.m. — Chinquapin Open
- 9 a.m. — Walk-in Wednesday police hiring event
- 9 a.m. — Youth Mental Health First Aid free eight-hour training
- 6 p.m. — Minnie Howard Open
- 6 p.m. — Free tax preparation for eligible Alexandria residents
- 7 p.m. — Alexandria Archaeological Commission meeting, in-person
- Note: Commission on Aging Transportation Committee canceled
- Deadline: Sign-up to speak at ACPS MOU public hearing closes at noon
Ryan Belmore
Thursday, April 16
- 6 a.m. — Chinquapin Open
- 11:30 a.m. — Hooff's Run Culvert Maintenance community meeting
- 5 p.m. — ACPS/APD MOU public hearing, School Board Meeting Room, 1340 Braddock Place (note early start time; runs through 6 p.m.)
- 5:30 p.m. — ARHA Redevelopment Work Group monthly meeting
- 6 p.m. — Minnie Howard Open
- 6 p.m. — ACPS School Board closed hearing on student matter, 1340 Braddock Place, third floor training room (not open to public; runs through 10 p.m.)
- 7 p.m. — Flood Resilience Plan second community meeting, Charles Houston Recreation Center, 901 Wythe St. (also via Zoom; runs through 8:15 p.m.)
- 7 p.m. — Park & Recreation Commission public hearing and regular meeting
- 7 p.m. — Commission on IT monthly meeting
- 7 p.m. — Traditional Music Series concert at The Lyceum: Séan Gavin & Caoimhín Ó Fearghail
- 7 p.m. — ACSCC D-Day Subcommittee meeting, virtual
Ryan Belmore
Ryan Belmore
Ryan Belmore
Friday, April 17
- 6 a.m. — Chinquapin Open
- 8 a.m. — ACPS Governance Committee meeting, via Zoom (MOU discussion)
- 5 p.m. — Conversational Tour: Women Were Always Here, Gadsby's Tavern Museum
Saturday, April 18
- 7 a.m. — Minnie Howard Open
- 8 a.m. — Chinquapin Open
- 8 a.m. — Last day to vote early in person for April 21 special election
- 9 a.m. — Free tax preparation for eligible Alexandria residents
- 9 a.m. — Free shredding event, MOM's Organic Market parking lot, 3871 Mt. Vernon Ave. (through noon; city residents only, no registration required)
- 9:30 a.m. — City Council public hearings: FY 2027 tax rate, add/delete list, parking fines, Sunday meters and stormwater fee, Del Pepper Community Resource Center
- 10 a.m. — Commonwealth's Attorney Community Academy
- 11 a.m. — Landmark/Van Dorn Coalition April meeting, Patrick Henry Recreation Center
- 11 a.m. — Meet-and-greet and book signing: "The Librarian Who Didn't Like Books," Historic Alexandria
- 5:30 p.m. — Poisons Tour, Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum (adults recommended)
- 7 p.m. — Gadsby's Tavern Museum Society Spring Fling fundraiser
Ryan Belmore
Sunday, April 19
- 7 a.m. — Minnie Howard Open
- 8 a.m. — Chinquapin Open
- 11 a.m. — Jeans for Justice, Friends to Lovers Bookstore, 301 Cameron St. (Denim Day/Sexual Assault Awareness Month)
Attending any of these meetings? Send us what you hear.
