Commission approves 345‑unit Beauregard apartment with buffer changes after split BDAC review

The Alexandria Planning Commission voted 7‑0 on April 1 to recommend approval of a development special use permit for a 345‑unit rental building at 1900 North Beauregard, and approved a small encroachment needed for an exterior stair. The project is within CDD‑21 and the Alex West small area plan area.

Staff described the proposal as an 85‑foot tall, six‑story building that would provide 345 rental units, a 67‑foot setback along the private townhome community to the north, and roughly 18.6% open space on site (the applicant is held to a 15% requirement because the DSUP completeness date preceded adoption of the Alex West plan). The applicant would dedicate about 16,000 square feet of right of way to enable the West End Transitway and would construct a 12‑foot bike path and a 10‑foot pedestrian path on site; staff said the project would reduce phosphorus runoff compared with existing conditions and would generate an estimated 39 students for local schools.

Because the building is larger and more intensive than adjacent townhomes, the proposal prompted strong neighborhood reaction. The Beauregard Design Advisory Committee recommended approval 4‑3; three BDAC members filed a minority report opposing the plan. BDAC and several neighbors pressed issues including height, tree removal, long‑term changes to neighborhood character, and potential parking spillover onto private streets and public rights of way.

Bud Jackson, vice chair of BDAC and an abutting neighbor, said residents were not opposed to housing but worried this proposal "is just too much" for the block and said community members saw the planned density as out of balance with the surrounding area. "They are not people that are against housing and density... What they're saying is that this project is just too much," Jackson said at the hearing.

The applicant, represented by Ken Wire of Wiregill, said Monday Properties made multiple changes in response to community feedback: removal of rear balconies, increased and denser landscaping in the 30‑foot buffer along the rear drive court, and other design changes to minimize impacts. Wire also said the project will offer 35 committed on‑site affordable units (more than the 13 units required under the baseline used for vesting) and will coordinate with staff on details such as the planting plan and loading operations.

On parking, staff said the applicant proposed 387 spaces — a 13% reduction from the current requirement of 443 spaces — yielding a ratio of roughly 1.12 spaces per dwelling unit. Staff noted the required number of spaces will decline to about 420 when the West End Transitway is in place and that comparable nearby projects have similar parking usage rates. Commissioners discussed resident concerns about spillover parking on private streets and recommended that staff and the applicant continue to coordinate with the neighborhood on parking management options.

The commission recommended approval subject to the conditions in the staff report; the application will proceed to City Council for final action.

Why it matters

The project is a major component of the Alex West small area plan’s vision for Beauregard; it dedicates land for transitway right of way, adds hundreds of rental units and provides a significant on‑site affordable housing commitment. Neighbors and BDAC voiced concern about scale, tree loss and neighborhood character even as staff and the applicant emphasized mitigation measures and public benefits.

Next steps

Staff will finalize conditions and the applicant will advance the site plan. The Planning Commission’s recommendation will be forwarded to City Council for final action.