The Alexandria City Council voted on March 15 to amend Coordinated Development District (CDD) 21 to implement the Alex West Small Area Plan and to update the concept plan for the Adams neighborhood.

Jared Alves, principal planner in the Department of Planning and Zoning, told the council that the amendments align CDD 21 with the Alex West plan adopted in December 2024 and that they would "update open-space contributions, infrastructure requirements and streamline conditions to be consistent with current standards." The Planning Commission recommended approval 7-0.

Vice Mayor Bagley moved approval of the zoning text amendment and related CDD updates; Councilman El Newby seconded the motion. The motion passed with six votes in favor and one abstention (council did not name the abstaining member on the record). The staff report said a development special-use permit for 1900 North Beauregard (listed as 1900 North Boulevard in staff materials) was docketed for the April Planning Commission hearing.

Applicant representatives said the revised CDD will "future-proof" rules so long-term redevelopment can proceed with clearer, streamlined standards. Several applicants and their counsel, including representatives for Southern Towers and other property owners, told council members they expect to ask for limited flexibility when specific projects come forward. One recurring concern: a condition that would require 25% open space on some sites in addition to public-open-space dedications. An attorney representing a property owner said meeting that 25% target may be difficult once the full road network and other public dedications are provided and said the owner may request modifications when filing a development application.

Council discussion addressed how the City intends to replace the Beauregard Design Advisory Committee (BDAC) with a more streamlined public-engagement process and administrative review of clearer design standards. Planning staff said some projects already had multiple rounds of community meetings and BDAC input and that the new process will include online and neighborhood-level outreach.

Why it matters: The CDD amendments operationalize the Alex West Small Area Plan adopted in December 2024 and set development standards, open-space and green-building expectations for multiple neighborhoods. Approval clears the way for project-specific development applications while preserving council oversight at the DSUP stage.

What's next: Staff docketed a DSUP for 1900 North Beauregard for an upcoming Planning Commission hearing; applicants warned they may seek modifications to the 25% open-space condition when project-level plans are submitted.