The Alexandria Brief: Wednesday, December 10
Council approves police wage increase, weighs cuts to offset costs
Good morning, Alexandria. I’m Ryan Belmore, founder and publisher of The Alexandria Brief.
City Council sided with the police union Tuesday night, unanimously approving a $10.2 million wage proposal while directing staff to explore reducing the department’s authorized force to help cover the $2.2 million difference from what city management recommended. The decision came during a 3½-hour legislative meeting. I’ll have more coverage throughout the day.
Also today: New state data shows ACPS students trailing Virginia averages in all tested subjects, the city unveils a proposed shift to energy performance standards for new development, and the coalition behind the zoning lawsuit makes a final fundraising push ahead of a Friday deadline.
Here’s what you need to know today.
1️⃣ Rain chances won’t dampen a busy day in Alexandria
Residents have plenty to choose from on Wednesday, as the city hosts a range of events, from public meetings to holiday festivities, despite a chance of afternoon showers. The Duke Street Land Use Plan Community Open House at Bishop Ireton High School offers residents a first look at the planning process, while job seekers can drop in at the Alexandria Police Department’s Walk-In Wednesday Hiring Event between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m.
The holiday spirit is in full swing with Ice & Lights: The Winter Village at Cameron Run opening at 5 p.m., an Ugly Sweater Party at Murphy’s Pub, and a Winter Wonderland Cookie Decorating Class at Lost Boy Cider. Live music options include Stella Cole’s Christmas Dreaming show at The Birchmere and Kenny Kohlhaas at Murphy’s Grand Irish Pub.
Expect mostly cloudy skies with a high near 46 and a 40% chance of rain, mainly after 1 p.m. Skies will clear overnight with temperatures dropping to around 32.
2️⃣ State report cards show ACPS students lagging behind Virginia averages
Alexandria City Public Schools students scored below the Virginia averages on state assessments in every tested subject, according to School Quality Profiles released Tuesday by the Virginia Department of Education. Pass rates trailed the state by 4 to 18 percentage points across core subjects, and the district’s on-time graduation rate of 83.9% fell short of the statewide mark of 92.7%.
Under Virginia’s new accountability framework, Lyles-Crouch Elementary was the only ACPS school to earn Distinguished status. Four elementary schools — Cora Kelly, Ferdinand T. Day, Mount Vernon, and William Ramsay — were flagged as needing intensive support. All district schools received an “Accredited with Conditions” rating, which Superintendent Melanie Kay-Wyatt attributed to procedural issues with handbook and improvement plan postings that were corrected in August.
The report shows an 8% writing pass rate for ACPS, down from 71% the previous year — but the district did not administer the state writing exam to most students, opting instead for an alternative assessment. Results from that test are not published in the state profiles. Kay-Wyatt said the new system reflects higher expectations statewide, not a decline in performance.
3️⃣ Council backs police union’s $10.2 million wage proposal, eyes staffing cuts
City Council voted 7-0 Tuesday night to approve the police union’s wage proposal in a collective bargaining dispute, greenlighting approximately $10.2 million in salary increases over three years rather than city management’s $8 million alternative. Council also directed staff to evaluate potential savings from reducing the department’s authorized force.
The decision resolves an impasse between the city and the Alexandria Chapter of the Southern States Police Benevolent Association over a successor contract covering fiscal years 2027 through 2029. Both sides agreed on first-year raises, including a 17.21% increase to bring starting salaries to $75,000, but disagreed on cost-of-living adjustments for years two and three. The union’s 2% annual increases won out over the city’s proposed 0.5%, a difference of $2.2 million.
The department currently has 31 vacancies among its 322 authorized positions, and Police Chief Tarrick McGuire said departures to higher-paying federal agencies have become the top reason officers leave. City budget director Morgan Routt warned the wage increase would require either a 0.9-cent tax rate hike, elimination of 35 jobs, or $4.3 million in spending cuts by fiscal year 2029.
Council to weigh affordable housing, Potomac Yard projects at Saturday hearing
Following the 3½-hour legislative meeting Tuesday night, City Council will reconvene Saturday for a public hearing on several housing developments and zoning changes. The session begins at 9:30 a.m. at City Hall and will be available via Zoom and cable channel 70.
Among the items on the docket is a proposal by Alfred Street Baptist Church and The Community Builders Inc. to construct an affordable housing development at 598 S. Alfred St. Council will also consider three development permits for Potomac Yard’s Landbays G and H near the Metro station, which would bring multi-unit residential buildings, townhomes, retail and public open space. The Planning Commission recommended approval for most items, though a townhome component received a narrower 4-2-1 vote.
Other agenda items include a zoning text amendment to streamline commercial regulations, revenue bonds for the next phase of The Heritage at Old Town redevelopment and the city’s 2026 General Assembly legislative package.
4️⃣ City proposes energy performance standards for new development
Alexandria is considering a major shift in how it regulates building efficiency, moving away from third-party certification programs like LEED in favor of direct energy performance targets. The proposed Green Building Plan would require new developments seeking city approval to meet specific energy use intensity standards based on building type — 38 for multifamily, 40 for commercial and 83 for hotels.
The 99-page proposal targets buildings that account for more than 52% of the city’s greenhouse gas emissions. It would also require projects to generate at least 3% of energy from on-site renewable sources or contribute to a new Clean Energy Fund, capped at $150,000 per building. New developments would need to install electric vehicle charging infrastructure, with market-rate multifamily projects providing chargers for 5% of parking spaces.
The Planning Commission will hold a public hearing Jan. 6 at 7 p.m., followed by City Council on Jan. 24 at 9:30 a.m. A cost analysis found the new measures would generally add less than 3% to typical construction costs. If adopted, the plan would take effect in early 2026.
5️⃣ Zoning lawsuit plaintiffs face Friday deadline as coalition seeks final donations
The Coalition for a Livable Alexandria is making a final push to cover legal fees for plaintiffs who challenged the city’s Zoning for Housing initiative, with a donor pledging $7,000 if the group raises $10,000 by noon Saturday. Meeting the goal would eliminate the remaining debt, according to an email sent to supporters Tuesday.
The coalition has claimed $252,000 in total litigation expenses over nearly two years. After announcing $86,000 in outstanding fees in late November, the group said law firm Dunn, Craig & Francuzenko offered to forgive $41,000 if $45,000 was paid by Dec. 15. The appeal covers four remaining plaintiffs after two others withdrew earlier this year. Judge H. Thomas Padrick Jr. ruled in the city’s favor Nov. 12, and the coalition has said it is considering an appeal.
The fundraising push comes as city officials continue to defend the policy. At a Monday forum at the Lyceum, Mayor Alyia Gaskins spoke of her own housing struggles and noted the city’s naturally occurring affordable units have dropped from 18,000 in 2000 to fewer than 6,000. Since council unanimously approved the zoning changes in November 2023, the city has approved 79 accessory dwelling units and six units under the single-family reform at the center of the lawsuit.
Extra Extra!
Virginia Theological Seminary has received a $5 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to collect and share personal narratives about Christian faith, the seminary announced Monday. (The Alexandria Brief)
The Alexandria City School Board will hold a public hearing on Thursday on proposals to name four school facilities; decisions are complicated by close poll results, questions about costs, and debate over whether to change standards after petitioners followed the established process. (The Alexandria Brief)
Adoption fees waived at Animal Welfare League of Alexandria in December (DC News Now)