To the editor:

The closing of GenOns Potomac River Generating Station next year will change the face of Alexandrias waterfront and the surrounding community. At a time when the city is struggling to agree on how the waterfront south of the generating station should be developed, it is inconceivable that a large piece of land available for redevelopment in the very near future it would not be incorporated into the master plan.

Master planning is a way to ensure the orderly growth of a region, a city, a community, a campus or any other parcel of land. It allows us to determine appropriate roadways, utility service and public amenities necessary to support development. A master plan provides a basis for determining zoning, anticipating the need for schools, estimating traffic volume and projecting the need for services.

The Waterfront Small Area Plan is undergoing revision. This would be a perfect opportunity to add to its scope and make it an even better tool. Have we not learned anything from the construction of the Washington Headquarters Service buildings at Mark Center?