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Alexandria approves vacating Ramsey Street to private owners

Alexandria approves vacating Ramsey Street to private owners

Rule Changes Alexandria, VA local

City Council approved the vacation October 17, following the Planning Commission's 7-0 recommendation

October 17th, 2026: City Council approves Ramsey Street vacation

Overview

Updated Oct 21

The Alexandria City Council approved the Ramsey Street vacation on October 17, closing the public hearing and accepting the Planning Commission's 7-0 recommendation. The council also appointed Ann Tucker, Jeanette Ankoma-Sey and Mindy Lyle as viewers, according to the meeting's action docket.

The northern end of Ramsey Street will become private land, and the owners at 218 and 300 East Alexandria Avenue can fold it into their residential parcels in the R-2-5 zone. The request had been before the Planning Commission since June and was deferred 6-0 on September 1 before the commission recommended approval October 6.

Why it matters

A public street segment becomes private land, letting two owners expand their residential parcels.

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Key Indicators

Approved
City Council vote, Oct. 17, 2026
Council closed the public hearing and approved the Planning Commission's 7-0 recommendation.

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People Involved

M. Catharine Puskar
M. Catharine Puskar
Attorney for St. Joe's LLC, lead applicant
Represented St. Joe's LLC before the Planning Commission; City Council approved the vacation October 17
 Duncan Blair
Duncan Blair
Attorney for co-applicants Olivia Campbell and George P. Rhodes III
Represented co-applicants Olivia Campbell and George P. Rhodes III before the Planning Commission; City Council approved the vacation October 17
OC
Olivia Campbell
Co-applicant and abutting property owner
Co-applicant and abutting property owner; City Council approved the vacation October 17
GI
George P. Rhodes III
Co-applicant and abutting property owner
Co-applicant and abutting property owner; City Council approved the vacation October 17

Organizations Involved

Alexandria Planning Commission
Alexandria Planning Commission
City advisory body
Recommended approval 7-0; City Council approved the recommendation October 17

The appointed board that hears land-use cases and forwards recommendations to the City Council.
City of Alexandria Department of Planning & Zoning
City of Alexandria Department of Planning & Zoning
Municipal agency
Administers the application and takes public comment

City staff who process land-use applications, publish dockets, and collect public comments before hearings.
JO
St. Joe's LLC
Private limited liability company
Lead applicant; City Council approved the vacation October 17

The entity requesting the Ramsey Street right-of-way vacation, represented by attorney M. Catharine Puskar.

Timeline

June 2026 October 2026

5 events Latest: October 17th, 2026 · 3 weeks ago
Tap a bar to jump to that date

  1. City Council approves Ramsey Street vacation

    Latest Hearing

    Council closed the public hearing, approved the Planning Commission's 7-0 recommendation and appointed Ann Tucker, Jeanette Ankoma-Sey and Mindy Lyle as viewers, according to the action docket.

  2. Planning Commission recommends approval 7-0

    Hearing

    The Planning Commission closed the public hearing and voted 7-0 to recommend approval of Vacation #2026-00001.

  3. October 6 hearing agenda published

    Notice

    The city publishes the agenda scheduling the vacation for a public hearing on October 6.

  4. Planning Commission defers vacation 6-0

    Hearing

    The commission deferred the Ramsey Street vacation request 6-0 at its September 1 hearing.

  5. Vacation first listed on Planning Commission agenda

    Hearing

    Vacation #2026-00001 for Ramsey Street appears on the June 22 hearing agenda.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

1920s-2000s

Paper streets (1920s-2000s)

Subdivision plats across the U.S. carved out street rights-of-way that were never built or improved. Decades later, abutting owners asked cities to vacate these 'paper streets' so they could clear titles and use the land.

Then

Cities processed thousands of vacations quietly, often with little opposition for unbuilt segments.

Now

The process became a routine municipal mechanism, with public hearings and council approval steps that still govern street abandonment today.

Why this matters now

Vacation #2026-00001 uses that same process: a public hearing, a commission recommendation, and a council decision determine whether a street segment leaves public hands.

2000s-2020s

Seattle street vacations (2000s)

Seattle's transportation department processes frequent street and alley vacations, many requested by developers consolidating parcels for projects. Some became politically charged when neighbors objected to losing public space.

Then

The city weighs development gains against public access, sometimes attaching conditions like open space or easements.

Now

Established a precedent that street vacations can be negotiated trade-offs, not just administrative cleanups.

Why this matters now

It shows the tension Alexandria faces: a right-of-way is a public asset, and giving it up is a policy choice with neighborhood effects.

Sources

(10)
+4
City of Alexandria Alexandria Times City of Alexandria City of Alexandria, VA (via Public) Alexandria Brief City of Alexandria The Zebra DocketCity City of Alexandria Alexandria Times