To the Editor:
Soon you will notice a large, uninspiring hotel sprout at the north entrance to the City of Alexandria.
This stems from the recent controversial decision by City Council that gave approval to build a new hotel on the current site of the Best Western Hotel on the Parkway in North Old Town. The lesson learned is clear: In Alexandria when the city has a choice between the best interests of a developer and the best interests of its citizens, the developer always wins.
The issue before the council was should the city waive existing zoning rules and other standards, including the required distance (setback) between large commercial buildings and nearby residential properties? This decision was driven by a fundamental problem; the proposed renovation was too large for the site. Instead of requesting the city to ignore the rules and grant multiple exceptions and waivers, the nearby residents thought the appropriate response was for the developer to construct a three-story hotel at the site, consistent with the city zoning ordinances.
At the end of the day, the need for the developer to maximize his profits was given more weight than the neighbors’ concerns. The best solution, a smaller building that meets code requirements was rejected. Instead a bad decision was made that will become clear to all of us in the years ahead.
Ken Adami
Alexandria