[Archived] Alexandria City Council Approves Beauregard Rezoning

For Immediate Release: April 13, 2013

Today, the Alexandria City Council voted 6 to 1 to approve the zoning that begins the process of implementing the Beauregard Small Area Plan.

This rezoning permits increased development, while requiring substantial developer contributions. Future redevelopment will require additional applications, public process, and subsequent approval by City Council, including review by a Beauregard Design Advisory Committee.

The City Council approved the Beauregard Small Area Plan in June, 2012, after several years of public engagement, which produced the vision for this area over the next 20-30 years. Community benefits include:

• Dedicating, over time, at least 800 units of committed affordable and workforce housing with the goal to increase dedicated affordable and workforce housing units substantially above 800.
• Tenant relocation assistance for displaced residents, including referrals to comparable units in the Plan area as well as a financial payment to help with moving costs
• Establishing a neighborhood town center, offering expanded retail and restaurant choices, and a new grocery store
• Building a new fire station to improve emergency capacity
• Improving the Seminary-Beauregard intersection
• Adding convenient, frequent high-capacity bus rapid transit service
• Providing approximately 44 acres of public open space and a new athletic field for community recreation
• Adding new local streets to create a walkable community
• Providing 40 percent tree canopy as part of redevelopment
• Incorporating nearly six miles of new bike lanes and multi-use trails

“The City of Alexandria has made an unprecedented commitment to preserving and protecting affordable housing, and the Beauregard Small Area Plan reflects that commitment,” said Mayor William D. Euille. “We have listened to the community and to developers. We have worked hard to ensure that, through this rezoning, our long-term vision for Beauregard includes affordable housing, infrastructure improvements, a strengthened transportation system, and a public/private partnership that will provide resources so these enhancements can be realized. The plan will also ensure that the Beauregard area will become a walkable community with connectivity, accessibility and a new street grid.”

The rezoning requires developer contributions of $215 million, over about two decades, for community improvements, including affordable housing, a new fire station, transit, and open space. Nearly $159 million is directly contributed by developers, and $66 million of the total will be used to pay for the affordable housing components of the Plan. Of the rest, $52 million will be used for transit and road improvements, $10 million to construct a fire station, and more than $12 million to pay for recreation and other public amenities. In addition, the City will contribute $68 million, which will be derived from new taxes that the Beauregard development will generate, as well as some affordable housing monies.

For more information about the Beauregard Small Area Plan and rezoning, visit https://www.alexandriava.gov/BeauregardPlan.

For media inquiries, contact Tony Castrilli, Director of Communications and Public Information, at 703.888.7166 or tony.castrilli@alexandriava.gov