DRAFT
Possible Alternatives for Alexandria’s Beautification Commission
November 12, 2009
Prepared by Deborah A. Weatherly and J. Glenn Eugster
“And some things we know. Association with beauty can enlarge man’s imagination and revive his spirit. Ugliness can demean the people who live among it. What a citizen sees every day is his America. If it is attractive it adds to the quality of his life. If it is ugly it can degrade his existence”. Message from President Lyndon Johnson to the U.S. Congress, February 8, 1965.
I. Summary
The following information is intended to spark discussion about the future of Alexandria’s Beautification Commission. It includes a number of possible alternatives, including:
Research on the intent of the program,
Revising the mission,
Cross-cutting public and private partnerships, and,
Messaging,
for commission members to consider for the beautification effort in Alexandria, VA.
II. Alternatives
Commission members could select one or more of these alternatives to consider in greater detail.
1. Research Mission: Research the Beautification Commission as a way to better understand the original intent of the effort. Referenced city reports should be reviewed. Past City leaders, including former Council Member Patsy Ticer, were involved and could provide valuable insights about past, present and future beautification needs.
Consideration should be given to what the future role of the Commission will be including, possibly, some, or all, of the following activities:
Awards, recognition and endorsement
Neighborhood flower and seed grants to neighborhood associations, public housing communities, and neighborhood gardens.
Two to three key, hands-on beautification projects each year. Key areas in the city could be identified for assistance by the Commission and other partners.
Technical advisory services from Commission members and other volunteer experts to associations, homeowners, businesses, etc.
Educational materials and workshops for groups and individuals.
Small financial seed grants to help groups help themselves to beautify Alexandria.
2. Revise Commission Definition: Revise the current definition of the Beautification Committee to make the goal of the group more reflective of the role of the Commission and more relevant to the public we serve. Two existing definitions are on the City’s website.
The Beautification Commission represents citizens' values in City beautification matters
and coordinates projects to encourage and achieve beautification.
Alexandria Beautification Commission: The Beautification Commission is a twelve-member advisory unit that represents citizens' values in City beautification matters and coordinates projects to encourage and achieve beautification. The Commission sponsors the Alexandria Beautification Commission Awards each year.
3. Initiate Cross-Cutting City Strategies: The Beautification Commission can be more effective if it works in tandem with other city initiatives such as:
Department of Planning and Zoning: In the April 7, 2009 memo from the Director of Planning and Zoning to the Members of the Planning Commission priorities were outlined for FY 2010 and beyond. One priority is to: Empower community residents and businesses by identifying improvements and other projects they can do themselves, such as supporting tree planting/care and other beautification projects, implementing the way finding program, through raising money and direct action.
Old Town Business Improvement: In 2005 the City Manager provided the City Council with a status report on the creation of an Old Town special services district and planning for a Business Improvement District organization. Two of the proposed organizations responsibilities was to focus on:
“Streetscape maintenance (cleaning and beautification) and Installation and maintenance of street furniture (flower containers, benches, etc.)”.
The Environmental Action Plan 2030: The City’s Plan, adopted by City Council on June 14, 2008, will serve as the road map for city leaders, staff , and citizens to implement the sustainability visions and principles set forth in Alexandria’s Eco-City Charter One initiative in the plan worth exploring is:
“Build a seamless and holistic network of green infrastructure that maintains and enhances existing assets, creates new amenities, improves connectivity and access among public and private green spaces, and creates a diverse local ecology by harmonizing the built and natural environments“.
The Urban Forestry Master Plan, adopted by the City Council this year, sets several goals and recommendations that overlap with the mission of the Beautification Commission including.
Goal: “As the largest property owner in the City, owners of industrial, commercial and residential properties should preserve, plant and maintain trees”.
Recommendation: Encourage homeowners and civic associations to create tree or beautification boards with which the City Arborist can communicate and provide information about tree planting and maintenance of this type of property.
Goal: Expand educational opportunities regarding the urban forest for the citizens of Alexandria.
Recommendation: Create opportunities for citizens to become program volunteers for projects and program assistance, such as tree planting, small tree public relations.
4. Cross-Cutting Partnerships: There are a variety of private initiatives that could supplement Alexandria’s beautification efforts including:
Trash Free Community: The Trash Free Potomac Watershed Initiative of the Alice Ferguson Foundation is a program to reduce trash and increase recycling, education and awareness of trash issues in the watershed. The effort involves a public-private partnership. Getting the watershed trash-free will be done step by step, and city block by city block.
Free Flower and Vegetable Seeds: America the Beautiful Fund is a private organization offering grants of free seeds to community groups striving to better our world through gardening. Seeds are used to grow fresh nutritious food for the hungry; teach children about the wonders of nature in a habitat garden; beautify parks, roadways and neighborhoods. This is a way to promote environmental stewardship in our community. There are a thousand ways to improve Alexandria’s quality of life through gardening!
5. Awards Program: The current awards program could be continued or revised slightly to reflect different topical themes (i.e. native plants, flowers, community gardens, champion trees, etc.) each year.
6. Communications & Messaging: The Commission needs to rethink the way that it communicates with the public it serves in order to move to the Beautification Program to the forefront of our resident’ consciousness when they think of beauty, history, culture and nature -- the myriad elements that contribute to an excellent quality of life. This top-of-mind consciousness and understanding of the Commission and its work in the city will increase opportunities to build long-term productive relationships with groups, businesses and individuals who live within Alexandria.
III. Background
At the February 11, 194 Council Meeting Mayor Mann presented the following outline for a City Beautification Program:
1. Review “Anti-Litter” laws for maximum effectiveness.
2. Modernize and increase the number of trash receptacles.
3. Study city trash removal services to determine improvements wherever possible within economic limitations.
4. Strengthen requirements for maintaining neatness and order in vacant lots and other collectors of trash and debris.
5. Accelerate and expand City’s tree-planting and landscaping program including provision of more adequate tree lawns in street design.
6. Request cooperation of the National Capital Region of the National Park Service and other agencies to expand their landscaping program of areas in Alexandria under their control, such as early improvement of Dangerfield Island and Jones Point.
7. Encourage business community to increase spaces and find new places for flowers and shrubs.
8. Urge builders and developers to provide maximum of landscapes areas in their plans for new buildings.
9. Help individual residents in their efforts to improve their own properties.
10. City to lead the way by planning for beautification of all public properties.
The City Council asked the City Manager to prepare his recommendations for the best practical approach to the overall program to coordinate efforts of the business community and residential community, including suggestions for a Coordinating Committee for a city-beautification program.
On March 24, 1964 the City Manager presented the Council with a report, marked Exhibit No. 1 of Item No. 22; 03/24/64, and participated in a discussion. A motion was made and was carried unanimously authorizing the City Manager to implement the recommendations contained in the report (which is on file in the City Clerk’s Office).
At the December 22, 1964 City Council Meeting the City Manager reported on the proposed Beautification Program which included the following information.
Beautification Program Objectives: This plan seeks to develop more fully, and on a continuing basis, broad-scale programs and activities to make the City of Alexandria a cleaner and more beautiful community. Secondary objectives of the plan include the following:
Safeguarding health
Fire prevention
Community improvement
New business development
Slum prevention
The Contests: The problem of planning the Beautification Program is complex because many of the persons and organizations who necessarily must be involved in order to undertake the comprehensive program required to achieve desired goals. A short, intensive drive can produce gratifying results; but the full potential for wide-spread community improvement through a Beautification Program can best be realized when such a program is operated on a continuing year-round basis. It takes teamwork to develop, promote, and sell the idea of beautification.
By involving large numbers of interested citizens, the Beautification Program can be more easily and more quickly achieved. (The beautification brochure is on file in the City Clerk’s office, marked exhibit No. 1 of Item No. 9; 12/22/64.
At the June 29, 1965 City Council Meeting the City Manager presented a report on the progress of the beautification effort and recommended establishing a continuing beautification committee “to take advantage of the sincere and demonstrated interest of many Alexandria citizens in beautifying our City”. He said, “Community beautification is a part of the City’s total program for community improvement”. A motion was made and approved unanimously to adopt the recommendations of the City Manager to create a committee.
Closing
“Our land will be attractive tomorrow only if we organize for action and rebuild and reclaim the beauty we inherited. Our stewardship will be judged by the foresight with which we carry out these programs”. Lyndon B. Johnson, The White House, February 8, 1965.
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