City Council filled three open seats on the Planning Commission with two incumbents and one new face, out of a pool of 17 applicants, on Tuesday, Jan. 8.
Planning Commission “is one of the most important appointments that the council makes,” said Mayor Justin Wilson.
The commission comprises seven citizens, who influence development and land use decisions; make recommendations to council; and exercise approval authority over property subdivisions and “by right” development site plans. The commissioners serve staggered four-years terms.
Council unanimously re-appointed incumbents David Brown and Stephen Koenig. Brown is a lawyer who’s lived in Alexandria for 33 years. Koenig is an architect who’s lived in Alexandria for 37 years. Both commissioners now enter their second terms.
Council appointed John Goebel by a 6-1 vote to fill the third vacancy. Mary Lyman, the incumbent who had filled that seat, reached her term limit and so could not reapply.
Goebel is an architect with a LEED accreditation who’s lived in Alexandria for 7 years and served two partial terms on the Old and Historic Alexandria District Board of Architectural Review.
Councilman John Chapman gave his third vote to James Spencer, an architect who’s lived in Alexandria for 17 years.
Other applicants included architects, lawyers, a retired professor, a retired journalist, the head of a religious nonprofit, and various other professionals, especially government-related.
For more, visit www.alexandriava.gov/Planning.