New! Ethanol Spill
At approximately 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 29 the City Managers Office learned through the Alexandria Fire Department that  at 9:00 a.m. there was a 30 gallon ethanol spill at the Norfolk Southern Ethanol Transloading Facility.

The spill occurred as the result of a bypass valve malfunction during transfer operations. The product was contained to the site using drip and absorbent pads. All contaminated materials were stored on site in a fire rated cabinet and were disposed through an environmental contractor. There were no injuries.

Alexandria Fire Department Communications did not receive any notification of the spill by Norfolk Southern, according to Alexandria Fire Department Deputy Chief John North. The Alexandria Fire Department was notified of the spill by the Virginia Department of Emergency Management at 11:16 a.m. After learning of spill the Alexandria Fire Department sent a Fire Marshal to the site to investigate, and follow up with Norfolk Southern regarding their notification process.

Please contact:
Tony Castrilli
Director of Communications, Alexandria, Virginia
703-746-3958 (O)/703-888-7166(C)

New! City of Alexandria Park and Recreation Commission Schedules Public Hearing on Recommendation to Convert Rectangular Field at Ben Brenman Park to Synthetic Turf
The City of Alexandria's Park and Recreation Commission will hold a public hearing for staff to present a recommendation on the City's next synthetic turf conversion and to receive public comment. The public hearing is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Thursday, October 15 at the Patrick Henry Recreation Center, 4643 Taney Avenue.

The presentation will include results from an athletic field study that classifies and prioritizes synthetic turf candidates based on their ability to meet the City's needs in 2010. Based on this study, staff recommends the rectangular field at Ben Brenman Park, 4800 Brenman Park Drive, as the next synthetic turf conversion with the installation of full cut-off
lighting. The new lighting system is energy efficient, and requires less electricity while providing more light on the field surface. The lights utilize cutting-edge technology and are shielded to focus the light on the field, minimizing light spill onto adjacent properties. Find out more at: www.alexandriava.gov/recreation

Restaurant Depot Plans Approved:
Restaurant Depot, located on Eisenhower Avenue, appeared in front of City Council last week and requested approval for a new facility at a nearby location on Eisenhower. The council approved the request. For more information on this project and to see a rendering of the new building, please read this story from Alexandrianews.org: http://www.alexandrianews.org/2009/09/council-approves-restaurant-depot-expansion-schedules-meeting-on-hot-lanes/

Tucker Searching for Written Translators:
If you can help one to two hours a quarter with translating written materials for students and parents into Spanish, Amharic, or Arabic, your services would be invaluable to the Samuel Tucker PTA. Contact tuckertigersroar@gmail.com if you can help!

Eisenhower West Industrial Use Study Community Meeting
The Department of Planning and Zoning and the Department of Transportation and Environmental Services cordially invites you to the Final Community Meeting for the Eisenhower West Industrial Land Use Study. The purpose of this meeting is to address public comments on the Draft Report that was released in July.

September 15, 2009, 6:30 – 8:30 PM
Patrick Henry Elementary School Auditorium
4643 Taney Avenue, Alexandria, VA

As a reminder, the formal public comment period will end on Tuesday September 1, 2009 at 11:59 PM. Once the formal comment period has ended, the City will respond to all comments received. Staff will provide the Final Report with a summary of the public comments and community meeting to the Planning Commission and City Council in October.
To Submit a Comment: The formal public comment period will end on Tuesday September 1, 2009 at 11:59 PM.  Email your comments to Veronica Davis at veronica.davis@alexandriava.gov or via fax (703) 838-6393 by the deadline. Download the report at: http://alexandriava.gov/IndustrialStudy

Read an article about the study at alexandrianews.org: http://www.alexandrianews.org/2009/08/west-end-heavy-industry-here-to-stay/

The Department of Planning and Zoning and the Department of Transportation and Environmental Services presented a Community Meeting for the Eisenhower West Industrial Land Use Study earlier this summer. The purpose of this meeting was to report the preliminary findings of the study prior to the release of the Draft Report.The purpose of the study is to analyze the costs, risks, benefits and opportunities associated with redeveloping the industrial sites in Eisenhower West (Virginia Paving Asphalt plant, the Covanta energy from-waste facility, the Vulcan facility and the Norfolk Southern Railroad ethanol transloading facility) compared to maintaining all or some of these sites in their current locations. The study will focus on the development costs and opportunities for redeveloping these industrial sites, the feasibility of relocating these uses, and the impacts and benefits of these uses in these locations.

Download the presentation and the audio recording of the meeting at: http://alexandriava.gov/IndustrialStudy

West End Farmer's Market - Sundays through November
Visit the West End Farmer's Market starting this Sunday through November from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. in Brenman Park! Fresh food, breads, organic meat, and all kind of other treats await!

Bike Riders Wanted
There is a bike ride event every Sunday at 2:00 pm at Cameron Run Regional Park, across the footbridge in Brenman Park near the Vola Lawson Animal Shelter on Eisenhower Avenue. Everyone is invited and novices are welcome to attend. Check http://www.meetup.com/Ciclovia-Alexandria for more information.

New! Norfolk Southern Court Decision
A federal judge ruled that Norfolk Southern can continue operating the ethanol-transfer station in Alexandria, Va., overruling the city's haul permit. The local ordinence requiring permits for ethanol tanker trucks leaving the company’s Van Dorn yard, near Cameron Station, is invalid under U.S. law, U.S. District Judge James Cacheris ruled. He wrote that the ordinance “is clearly pre-empted by at least two federal statutes.” The city is deciding now what it's strategy will be moving forward, and has the option to appeal. Read more.

Please visit our "Norfolk Southern" section for more information.

If you are interested in getting involved with the civic association, please contact me at iasanden@gmail.com. We are looking for residents who want to take an active, positive role in shaping their community!