Eisenhower West Small Area Plan

The Eisenhower West Small Area Plan, adopted by City Council on November 14, 2015, provides a framework to guide the development of the 620-acre plan area over the next 25 years. See below for information and background materials on the 18-month planning process.
Page updated on July 24, 2023 at 10:25 AM

City of Alexandria Receives Outstanding Plan Award for the Eisenhower West Small Area Plan

In July 2016, the American Planning Association Virginia Chapter recognized the City of Alexandria’s Eisenhower West Small Area Plan with a 2016 Outstanding Plan Award. The Eisenhower West Plan was adopted by City Council in November 2015 after a 22-month long community engagement effort, spearheaded by the Eisenhower West Steering Committee. This Plan was also awarded the 2016 Excellence in Sustainability Award by the American Planning Association at the national conference in April 2016. Implementation of the Plan is guided by the Eisenhower West/Landmark Van Dorn Implementation Advisory Group

Plan Adoption

On Saturday, December 12, 2015, the Eisenhower West Small Area Plan was adopted by Ordinance 4980, following the November 14th City Council adoption of Resolution MPA2015-0006 recommending approval of the Plan.

Eisenhower West/Landmark Van Dorn Implementation

The 2009 Landmark Van Dorn Corridor Plan and the 2015 Eisenhower West Small Area Plan both recommend establishment of an advisory group to provide guidance on implementation. Since the two plan areas overlap and share dependency on planned infrastructure, looking at the phasing and funding of both plans in concert will provide necessary coordination. This page provides information on these implementation efforts.

Background

Eisenhower West Planning Process

The FY2014 Interdepartmental Work Program approved by City Council on May 29, 2013 identified the Eisenhower West Small Area Plan (SAP) as the major planning effort to begin in FY 2014.  The small area planning process began in early 2014 and was completed in December 2015. Larger community meetings complimented the steering committee work, focusing on issue identification, visioning, and the plan framework. Online engagement played an integral role in updating the public on the progression of the planning process, and providing a platform for polling, comments, and feedback on specific questions. At Council's direction, staff looked at options for completing the plan as expeditiously as possible.

Staff developed a proposed outline for the Eisenhower West planning process, which followed the framework and strategies outlined in the What's Next Alexandria Civic Engagement Handbook. Drafts of the Framework for Civic Engagement (7/02/2015) and Combined Work Program Diagram (7/02/2015) were shared with the community throughout the planning process. The planning process also included the Eisenhower West Steering Committee, which provided guidance on process related issues, including review and input on the proposed engagement process, the small area plan boundary, tools and strategies for engagement, agenda setting, community outreach and communications, among other tasks. They also weighed in on technical content elements, such as the project scopes and development scenarios for consideration in the transportation study.

The associated Eisenhower West Transportation Study served as the transportation element/analysis of the SAP and included the analysis of various land use scenarios explored in the SAP. It conducted additional analysis of the multi-modal bridge concept that was recommended in the Landmark/Van Dorn Corridor Plan (adopted in 2009) to identify a more specific alignment. The multi-modal bridge would provide a direct connection between the Van Dorn Metrorail station and Pickett Street, and serve future anticipated development. 

Eisenhower West SAP Steering Committee and Community Meeting Materials

Steering Committee

The City Manager appointed 12 members of the community to the Eisenhower West Small Area Plan Steering Committee, which was established by City Council on December 10, 2013. The Committee provided guidance on the Eisenhower West Small Area Plan process, specifically focusing on the civic engagement process, agenda setting, outreach and communications, and some technical content elements, such as the project scope as well as development scenarios for consideration in the Eisenhower West Transportation Study. 

Eisenhower West Steering Committee Members 

  •  Mindy Lyle, Steering Committee Chair, Planning Commission
  • Judy Coleman, Park and Recreation Commission
  • Maria Wasowski, Transportation Commission
  • Tyler Orton, Environmental Policy Commission
  • Michael Adams,Community Representative
  • Arthur Impastato, Community Representative
  • Charles Sumpter, Community Representative
  • Jim Durham, Community Representative
  • David Heiden, Business Representative
  • Agnes Artemel, Business Representative
  • Mary Catherine Gibbs, Business Representative
  • Ken Wire, Landowner Group Representative

Meetings and Materials

Community meetings

Steering Committee Meetings

Additional Resources

Preliminary Draft Analyses

Staff posted the below preliminary draft studies as part of the Eisenhower West Small Area Plan development.

Reference Materials

Questions?

Contact the Department of Planning & Zoning at 703.746.4666.