Author: Airey

County Board Amends Zoning Regulations in Bid to Make Childcare More Affordable

By Airey

The Arlington County Board has approved zoning rules they hope will help parents afford rising childcare costs by increasing local childcare options.

The Board voted unanimously during its Saturday meeting to change several zoning ordinances as part of a mission to overhaul the regulations on childcare centers, with the goal of making it possible for more providers to open up shop.

“These carefully crafted changes will be welcomed by our hard-working Arlington families who need access to high-quality child care,” said County Board Chair Christian Dorsey.

The amendments target regulations that childcare business owners and county staff have said makes it hard to run daycares or open new ones.

One change allows small, in-home daycare providers to care for up to nine kids by right, meaning providers no longer need to go through the county’s extensive use permitting process now reserved for homes caring for 10 or more kids.

Summer camps are now allowed to operate with by right process, rather than having to seek a use permit like a daycare provider, thanks to the Board’s Saturday vote.

The vote also reduces parking requirements for childcare centers after business owners complained they were expensive and county staff found parking spaces often went unused. Zoning ordinances previously required one parking space per employee, but the amendment will change that requirement to one space per eight children. The Board also approved a reduction in the parking requirement if the the daycare is near Metro or bus stations.

The Planning Commission’s Zoning Committee approved the amendments in January after they had been discussed for months. Now that they have the Board’s approval, the changes are set to go into effect on July 1.

A 2017 draft action plan noted there are “significant gaps between supply and demand” for childcare in Arlington, stating in its findings Arlington had 6,984 licensed spaces for 13,435 kids under the age of five.

Officials think the gap might be one of the reasons why the average yearly daycare bill for Arlington families is $42,705 — $2,000 higher than the average bill in D.C., and one of the highest in the country.

“The District has just as much supply-demand pressure, yet we’re more expensive,” Dorsey said in July. “I’m not interested in Arlington exceptionalism when it comes to this.”

More from a county press release:

The proposed changes arise from recommendations included in the Child Care Initiative Action Plan the Board accepted in July 2018, after a year-long community engagement process. The plan’s short-term recommendations include increasing flexibility in Zoning Ordinance provisions that regulate center-based and family-based child care programs in Arlington, and examining local child care regulations to incorporate Virginia state standards. The proposed changes are meant to eliminate perceived and actual barriers to child care in the County.

“The Child Care Initiative’s research, particularly the ‘Risk and Reach’ Study, confirmed that Arlington’s childcare crunch isn’t just an anecdotal challenge for individual families, it’s a systemic problem that affects Arlington’s economic competitiveness, and our goals of achieving equitable outcomes for all our kids and families,” said Board Member Katie Cristol, who proposed the initiative as the Board’s 2018 Chair. “These proposed changes to our Zoning Ordinance and Childcare Codes represent a coordinated, comprehensive approach to the problem, and reflect nearly two years of dedication, analysis and compromise among stakeholders in the initiative.”

The proposed changes are the result of a comprehensive outreach and engagement process that included parents, child care program staff, and other local stakeholders.

“The hard work of a lot of people in this community, in partnership with our Department of Human Services, has produced proposed changes to the Zoning Ordinance and County Code that, if adopted next month by this Board, will improve child care options in Arlington for all our families,” Arlington County Board Chair Christian Dorsey said. “As a father, I know how stressful the hunt for high-quality, affordable child care can be. I am so proud of the creative, can-do approach of all those who participated in the Child Care Initiative. Arlington families, for years to come, will thank you for your efforts.”

Construction Underway at “The Lot” in Clarendon

By Airey
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Construction is now underway at “The Lot,” a long-awaited outdoor beer garden in Clarendon.

A red, enclosed deck and pine picnic tables are being built at the site, at the corner of Wilson Blvd and 10th Street N. The Rebel Taco food truck is now parked on the site behind a fence.

The site has been in the works for two years on a former used car lot in Clarendon. Since then progress has been slow: a wooden fence erected in October last year was the first major work. In February, crews replaced the site’s old Prime Auto Group signs with two black billboard-style signs reading “The Lot: Beer Garden.”

The company behind The Lot is Social Restaurant Group, which also opened Pamplona and Bar Bao. Originally, they planned to open The Lot in March 2017 but were delayed until the summer, then the following spring, citing a lengthy permitting process.

The Lot’s permit application asked for at least 150 seats, an enclosed deck, and a kitchen.

Social Restaurant Group co-founder Mike Bramson told ARLnow last year he hoped The Lot would offer “a vast variety, from Belgian to German to local craft beers” as well as frozen drinks, food from the Rebel Taco food truck, and games like cornhole and giant Jenga.

The beer garden’s website is currently blank and its Facebook page has no information yet on when it may open.

 

Police Increasing Security Around Houses of Worship After New Zealand Terror Attack

By Airey

Arlington police have increased patrols around houses of worship following the recent terrorist attack on mosques in New Zealand.

ACPD spokeswoman Ashley Savage said the department has stepped up patrols and “conducted public outreach to our faith-based communities” in the county.

“Since the attack in New Zealand, we have been in contact with the leaders of Muslim faith-based communities in Arlington County to address any concerns they may have and ensure open lines of communication,” Savage said, adding that “officers are conducting increased patrols for all faith-based communities.”

Police are also offering “safety presentations” for community groups on active shooter situations, reporting suspicious activity, and the “risks, hazards, and vulnerabilities” in houses of worship.” Groups interested can schedule a training by emailing [email protected] or [email protected].

Muslim houses of worship in Arlington include the Baitul Mukarram Masjid mosque on S. Nelson Street in Nauck. There are also Muslim prayer services held at some local churches and hotels, according to listings found online.

The beefed up security comes after at 50 people were killed in shooting at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand Friday. The 28-year-old suspect in custody is an Australian man who reportedly posted an 87-page white supremacist memo prior to the killings.

Savage stressed that while “there are no known threats in Arlington County” people are encouraged to report suspicious activity to department by calling the non-emergency line — 703-558-2222 — or 9-1-1 in an emergency

Police in D.C. and Fairfax and Montgomery counties have also increased patrols around mosques in their communities, WTOP reported.

BREAKING: County Board Approves Amazon Incentive Package

By Airey
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(Updated on 3/18/19) Arlington officials have unanimously approved an incentive package offered to lure Amazon to the county, after hearing impassioned public testimony both for and against the tech giant’s “HQ2” plans.

The vote clears the way for the company to officially begin developing the site as early as this year.

The Arlington County Board voted 5-0 to approve the incentive plan after Board’s regularly-scheduled Saturday meeting stretched on for nearly twelve hours and disruptions from angry protestors continued until Chair Christian Dorsey called multiple recesses to quell the shouting.

Board member Libby Garvey acknowledged over booing that the incentive plan was “not perfect” but said it was “overwhelmingly” good for Arlington.

Board Member Erik Gutshall said “would not vote for anything that was not a clear and overwhelming win for Arlington.”

After Amazon representatives were ushered into a back room during an earlier outburst, Board members sat back on the dais and spoke for a few minutes about the tensions in the room, which was quiet for the first time that day.

“What I’m sensing is a real concern about loss and vulnerability,” said Dorsey, who noted that “the history” of Arlington neighborhoods was that of gentrification. “We never really had a way to stop it. I know it’s maybe attractive to thinking saying no to Amazon stops it. It doesn’t.”

Protests continued after the back-and-forth, with shouts of “shame!” peppering the Board members’ final remarks on the dais. Longtime D.C. protestor Chris Otten was escorted out and arrested after an expletive-ridden tirade aimed at the Board.

The incentive package grants an estimated $23 million in incentives to Amazon over the next 15 years if the company fills 6 million square feet of office space by 2035. It also includes a plan to fund $28 million in transportation upgrades near Amazon’s headquarters over the next decade via use of Crystal City’s Tax Increment Financing district.

The Board’s vote came after nearly five hours of public comment from more than 100 people. County staff said it was first time they’ve allowed speakers to sign-up ahead of time in a bid to control crowding.

The Board also questioned Amazon’s head of economic development Holly Sullivan.

Board members Katie Cristol and Dorsey both asked how Amazon planned to enforce labor laws in light of the subcontractor electrical Power Design, which is likely to help build the headquarters and is currently being sued by the D.C. Attorney General for “cheating” wages from 535 employees.

Sullivan responded that the company has had one meeting with a “building trade” and is working to “develop a workforce agreement.”

One of Arlington’s state legislators, Del. Mark Levine, told ARLnow he wanted the Board to delay their vote because he’s “become concerned” that Amazon still hasn’t agreed to that labor commitment.

“The fact that they’re not willing to sign even a memorandum… makes me concerned that they’re not going to be fair to their workers,” said Levine, echoing concerns from electrician and construction unions that testified earlier today.

Amazon also drew criticism for potentially shrinking affordable housing in the region which is already squeezed. Several landlords and real estate firms expressed support of the company locating to Pentagon City and Crystal City, but other speakers shared worries that rent prices are already rising.

“When we have community that isn’t transient, that has staying power, we have a stronger community.” said Page Cooper, who said her 13-month lease shrunk to 8 months when it came time to renew last year.

Supporters said the economic growth from Amazon’s promise of 25,000 is sorely needed. It’s also a number Dorsey has said could increase in light of Amazon cancelling its plans for a second headquarters in New York City.

The county “needs these jobs” and that is “well positioned to integrate Amazon,” due to the area’s public transit system, said Chuck, Executive Director of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments.

Steve Cooper, a board member at the Arlington Chamber of Commerce, compared Arlington — long a community with government as its top employers — to his hometown in Detroit.

“Detroit has suffered from being a one-industry town now for six decades,” he said, adding, “Arlington will never be Detroit because we have a chance to diversity.”

The crowd was roughly equally split between those for and against the incentive package — and Board Chair Christian Dorsey repeatedly tried to quell laughter and applause, with emotions running high as the day wore on.

Douglas Park resident Kinsey Fabrizio was praising the board for its “public outreach” when loud laughter from activists, who criticized what they described as lack of community input, drowned out the rest of her testimony.

“This is not WWE,” Dorsey said as he quieted the crowd.

(more…)

ARLnow Weekend Discussion

By Airey

(Updated at 10 a.m.) Well folks, the warmer weather is now officially upon us. No more shall we have to shoulder our coats and mitten our hands — except for maybe this weekend when temperatures are expected to dip down into the low 30s after nightfall.

While this placates cold weather lovers like yours truly, I urge everyone to dress warm whether you’re spending your weekend watching, protesting or cheering on Saturday’s Amazon County Board vote, participating in the police’s anti-drunk driving event, or St. Patricks’ Day many anti-sober events.

When in doubt, I hear #weatherpupdates has the hard-hitting updates you need.

In other news, our dearly departed Alex Koma is now officially with the Washington Business Journal. But Koma’s spirit lives on in a 3,200-word-blockbuster investigation into the county’s bitter battle over golf course taxes — just in time for National Sunshine Week which celebrates public information laws.

Other must-reads from this week include:

  1. Virginia Hospital Center Prepares to Close Glencarlyn Childcare Center, Leaving Parents ‘Panicking’
  2. Two New Restaurants Open in Ballston Quarter’s Food Court, With Others Nearly Ready for Diners
  3. Clarendon Restaurant Le Kon Closed, With Plans to Reopen as ‘La Finca’
  4. Plans Drawn Up for New, Six-Story Senior Living Center Along Lee Highway
  5. Man Electrocuted During Fall at Columbia Pike Apartment Building

Let us know what you think of these and other local stories, and what your plans for the weekend are in the comments below. And a big thank you to all our readers who welcomed me to Arlington this week!

Here’s What You Need to Know Before Saturday’s Amazon Incentive Package Vote

By Airey

The County Board is poised to pass a controversial incentive package for Amazon this Saturday, which could help bring tens of thousands of jobs and millions in added property taxes to Arlington County, at the cost of tens of millions in tax subsidies for one of the world’s largest companies.

The Board is scheduled to vote on the multi-million dollar incentive package during their regularly-scheduled Saturday meeting, which is Amazon’s last hurdle to clear before beginning development on their new headquarters slated to start construction in 2021.

The meeting begins at 8:30 a.m. at the Bozman Government Center in Courthouse, however, the Amazon part of discussion isn’t scheduled to start until after 1 p.m., per an agenda summary and the hearing is expected to be dogged with public protest from critics opposing Amazon.

The county’s incentive package was first publicly released earlier this month and features a 15-year, estimated $23 million incentive given to Amazon if the tech-and-retail giant meets office space occupancy goals over several years. The company would need to fill 60,000 square feet of office space starting in June of 2020 and meet benchmarks towards occupying 6 million square feet by 2035.

The incentive is funded from a portion of the increases in hotel tax revenue that officials predict from Amazon’s “HQ2” moving to the region.

The incentive package up for a vote Saturday also includes plans to spend $28 million over a period of 10 years to update infrastructure around the proposed headquarters, in addition to the state’s multi-million-dollar contribution. That money will be pulled from a portion of the increase in commercial property tax revenue in the Crystal City area that results from Amazon’s arrival.

The county also offered to at least try to fulfill Amazon’s request for an on-site helicopter pad on-site despite residents’ ongoing complaints of existing helicopter noise and the region’s strictly-enforced no-fly zone.

Amazon announced it selected Arlington as the site for its second headquarters in November, promising to bring at least 25,000 jobs and occupy 6,056,000 million square feet of commercial space in the Crystal City and Pentagon City areas, which have experienced high vacancy rates for the last 15 years.

County Board Chair Christian Dorsey said in February the expected number of Amazon jobs is now higher because the company cancelled its other headquarter plans in New York City.

The incentives have drawn persistent criticism from activists who believe the county shouldn’t be giving any incentives to a company run by the world’s richest man — and who fear its relocation to Arlington will exacerbate the county’s affordable hosing shortage. Critics have also raised red flags about a portion of the agreement that gives Amazon advance notice of FOIA requests.

On Friday, local activist coalition “For Us, Not Amazon” announced a noon protest outside the county government steps on Saturday before the vote.

“While the County tries to ignore us, For Us, Not Amazon has been doing the real community engagement, knocking doors, listening to community members’ concerns and it’s time to make sure Arlington County officials listen to every one of us before this sham gets voted on,” the description of the rally reads.

The head of Arlington’s Chamber of Commerce argued the package was a “good deal” for the county in a Thursday op-ed on ARLnow, writing that “focusing on the Transient Occupancy Tax means that taxes on Arlington residents and businesses will not fund these incentives and that Amazon will receive these payments only if our hoteliers grow their businesses too.”

For Us, Not Amazon’s member organizations knocked on doors earlier this week to gather petition signatures opposing the incentive package.

On Monday, 30 advocacy and community organizations — including the Nauck Civic Association and the Arlington NAACP, among statewide and regional groups — signed a letter requesting the County Board “postpone the vote on incentives and hold public hearings to foster transparency and understanding.”

The Board originally planned for a February public hearing and vote on the incentives but rescheduled to March, citing the need for more community discussions.

Saturday’s vote does not include the state’s $750 million-incentive package to Amazon, which the Virginia General Assembly overwhelmingly approved in January.

This weekend’s Board meeting will also not include ideas county officials pitched Amazon but didn’t officially include in the incentive package — such as suggesting Amazon take advantage of a little-used technology incentive program to potentially save millions in taxes, as first reported by ARLnow.

Breast Cancer Fundraiser to Celebrate Nonprofit’s 20 Years in Arlington

By Airey

A charity fund raising money for local cancer patients’ medical needs is hosting its 20th annual fundraising night in Arlington next month.

The Sharon McGowan Breast Health Fund is throwing their 20th annual benefit in Ballston on Sunday, April 7 from 5-7 p.m., at the Mercedes-Benz dealership on 585 N. Glebe Road. The event is is being hosted together with the Arlington County Medical Society Foundation.

The benefit will serve drinks and hors d’oeuvres and will feature music and door prizes. Attendees are encouraged to wear business casual — and show up wearing the color pink.

General Admission tickets for April’s charity night cost $85, with a $35 discount for people younger than 40. Those interested in attending can RSVP online.

Proceeds will go towards covering the cost of preventative breast cancer screening for uninsured Arlingtonians.

Event co-organizers include the Virginia Hospital Center, the Arlington Department of Human Services and Arlington Free Clinic.

The Sharon McGowan fund was created by the family of Sharon McGown, an Arlington mother of seven who died in 1997 of breast cancer. The fund organizes activities year-round from T-shirt sales to networking happy hours raising money for breast cancer prevention and treatments, including mammograms, sonograms, biopsies, medical devices and medications for people without insurance.

The donations have provided “1,500 mammograms, 200 comprehensive sonograms, and over 140 biopsies” over the last decade, per the fund’s website.

Photo via Flickr user Faye Mozingo

Goody’s Mural No More After County Regs Force Clarendon Pizza Favorite To Repaint

By Airey
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The outside of Goody’s is now sporting eye-watering lime green and red paint after county zoning regulations forced the pizzeria to cover its colorful, culinary mural.

Tomatoes, olives, mushrooms, cheese, slices of pizza, and gyros adorned the creme-colored walls along with an Italian flag after Goody’s commissioned the mural from a local artist.

The county’s planning department warned the Clarendon staple that Arlington’s zoning ordinance requires permits for artwork that “relates to the advertisement of a business and its services” and that without a permit they’d be forced to paint over the mural.

Goody’s is owned by Glenda Alvarez who took the reins from Vanessa Reisis last spring and was unavailable for comment Friday morning.

Alvarez’s husband Danny Sabouni owns Arlington Watch Works next door and told ARLnow that Alvarez had to repaint Goody’s yesterday (Thursday) but she was not fined.

“We can put bicycles or cars outside, whatever else. But we cannot put posters or signs advertising what we sell,” Sabouni said of the zoning ordinance’s requirements. “It’s pathetic.”

A spokesperson for the Arlington County Department of Community Planning, Housing and Development did not respond in time for publication.

Sabouni says Alvarez is considering commissioning a new mural for the eatery, but it’s a difficult process because the language of the ordinance doesn’t clearly distinguish between what’s a sign and what’s art.

“It’s so vague that nobody can understand it,” he said.

Previously, Alvarez said she painted the building to make it more “attractive” to customers, adding “We just wanted to get a little more attention from people walking by.”

County inspectors famously cracked down on artwork judged to be advertising in 2010 when Wag More Dogs on S. Four Mile Run Drive included dogs in their mural.

Police to Hold Anti-Drunk Driving Event in Clarendon This Weekend

By Airey

Police are encouraging people not to drink and drive during Arlington’s St. Patrick’s Day festivities this weekend with a free event about blood alcohol levels.

The annual event, called “Don’t Press Your Luck,” will be held Saturday from 5-7 p.m. on N. Hudson Street between Wilson Blvd and 13th Street N. by the James Hunter Dog Park and Don Tito restaurant.

Police will be using the “Virtual Bar” app by Responsibility.org to show how a person’s gender, weight, and food consumption affects their blood alcohol concentration (BAC) and impairs their ability to drive.

Officers plan to close the two blocks of N. Hudson Street from 4-8 p.m. Saturday for the event, and are warning drivers to look out for temporary “No Parking” posted signs nearby.

Virtual Bar was touted as “way to help promote responsible drinking decisions, especially as people explore how foods they are likely to consume when out drinking.”

Arlington County Police are organizing the event together with Responsibility.org and the Washington Regional Alcohol Program (WRAP), which advocates for ways to reduce drunk driving across the Greater Washington region.

WRAP’s annual St. Paddy’s Day $15 Lyft discount to discourage drunk driving also returns this year. The promo code will be posted on WRAP’s website at 3 p.m. Sunday and the code will work for the first $1,500 customers between the hours of 4 p.m. Sunday and 4 a.m. Monday.

From ACPD:

St. Patrick’s Day can be a celebratory time, often including alcohol. The green beer and merry-making of the holiday unfortunately lead to dangerous driving conditions as party-goers head home. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2017, 59 people were killed in drunk-driving crashes over St. Paddy’s Day holiday weekend across the nation. And, more than one-third (37% of all motor vehicle crash fatalities involved drunk drivers. The Arlington County Police Department (ACPD), the Washington Regional Alcohol Program (WRAP) and Responsbility.org are teaming up to remind that if your plans include drinking, plan ahead to take a sober ride home.

Metro Suspends Track Work During Cherry Blossom Season, Some Single Tracking at Night

By Airey

Metro will be suspending all daytime track work during the region’s Cherry Blossom season, however night work is still scheduled to impact Arlington.

Some track work will continue after 10 p.m., as the agency continues scheduled maintenance and capital improvement projects. Crews will be installing radio cables on the Yellow and Blue lines during Cherry Blossom season this year, causing single tracking in Arlington during the following times:

  • March 22-24 on the Yellow Line between Pentagon City and L’Enfant Plaza, and on the Blue Line between Pentagon City and Arlington Cemetery
  • March 25-29 on the Yellow Line between L’Enfant Plaza and Pentagon City
  • April 1-5 on the Yellow Line between L’Enfant Plaza and Pentagon City
  • April 7 on the Yellow Line between L’Enfant and Pentagon City

The transit agency says it will beef up service during the festival. Between Saturday, March 23 to Sunday, April 14, Metro lines will operate on the following schedule according to the announcement:

  • Trains will arrive at downtown D.C. stations every 4-7 minutes
  • Red Line trains could run every 6 minutes until 9:30 p.m.
  • All other Saturday trains running every 12 minutes
  • All other Sunday trains every 15 minutes

The Cherry Blossom Festival attracted 1.5 million visitors to the greater Washington region last year and netted $160 million in local revenue, reported the Washington Business Journal.

Visitors flocking to Cherry Blossom blooms are add trips aiding Metro’s flagging ridership which is now the lowest it’s been in 19 years. Historically, the petal-peepers provide some of Metro’s busiest days with little-used stations like Arlington Cemetery seeing 60-percent trip increases, according to the Metro’s now-defunct planning blog.

Metro Greenlights Initial Budget Proposing Some Service Expansions, Higher County Costs

By Airey

Metro is moving forward with its new budget, proposing sweeping service increases to bolster ridership with the need for a modest budget increase from Arlington.

The WMATA Board of Directors gave initial approval for the transit agency’s draft $3.5 billion, FY2020 budget during a meeting today (Thursday). The budget paves the way to start running Yellow Line trains to Greenbelt and Red Line trains all the way to Glenmont, eliminating the Silver Spring turn-back.

The budget asks Arlington to contribute $77.6 million to the agency’s operating budget, a $2.6 million increase from last year.

“Yellow and Red extensions help any Arlingtonians heading to those end points and expand the commute/travel shed into Arlington to accommodate growth in Pentagon City and Crystal City,” Metro Board member and Arlington County Board Chair Christian Dorsey told ARLnow after Thursday’s meeting.

“Better service helps us all,” said Dorsey.

Arlington County Manager Mark Schwartz proposed $45.6 million in the county’s next budget to be allocated to Metro’s operating budget, a $5 million increase from budget adopted last fiscal year. The remainder of the county’s $77.6 million in funding is from a small increase in the portion of the county’s capital improvement program (CIP) funds set aside for Metro.

Arlington County Board members advertised a 2.75-cent bump to the real estate tax in Arlington’s next fiscal budget, in part, to cover rising expenses at Metro.

The idea was Dorsey’s, who said the increased funds to Metro allowed the transit agency’s budget “to do more service, reduce the price of some fare pass products including on bus where ridership is cratering while having no fare increases and staying within legislatively mandated caps.”

The budget also included a small, $1 million proposal provide $3 subsidies for late-night rideshare trips that area workers take, now that Metrorail’s own late-night service is no more.

One uncertainty the transit agency’s budget continues to face is its ridership rates, which have now plummeted to a 20-year low. The budget banks on that number stabilizing this year, a result WMATA General Manager Paul Wiedefeld hopes to achieve with the increased service.

Wiedefeld initially proposed even more sweeping service increases, including an expansion of rush-hour service, but the expense prompted consternation from county officials. Those proposals were ultimately stripped from the budget.

The budget proposal Board members approved Thursday did not include service cuts or fare increases. 

Metro Board member Corbett Price, representing D.C., thanked Dorsey at the end of the meeting for his “political leadership” in assembling the budget, reported WTOP.

“My only hope is people say such things about me when I’m dead,” joked Dorsey.

Metro Board members will convene again this month for a final vote on the budget, which goes into effect in June.

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