Ballston at twilight (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
It’s Officially Summer — “The 2022 summer solstice arrives at 5:14 a.m. Eastern time. At this precise moment the sun appears directly over the Tropic of Cancer — as far north as it appears in the sky all year. Around the solstice, the sun’s northward movement in the sky appears to pause briefly before reversing direction for the next six months.” [Capital Weather Gang]
Gulf Branch Project Meeting Tomorrow — Updated at 9:00 a.m. — “Gulf Branch project engagement resumes with a June 2022 community meeting. The design phase for the Gulf Branch Stream Project began in 2019. It was put on hold in March 2020 due to budgetary uncertainty related to the COVID-19 pandemic, but is moving forward again. We have some project updates to share and will hold a virtual community meeting on Wednesday, June 22 at 6:30 PM.” [Arlington County]
I-395 Drivers Still Not Taking the Hint — From Dave Statter: “The 8C barrels are much like Rodney Dangerfield — just not as funny. [Video taken] today just after 9:30 a.m.” [Twitter]
Local Swim League Update — “With a lopsided 270-150 victory over the visiting Langley Wildthings, the Overlee Flying Fish of Division 1 were the lone winning team from Arlington in the opening week of the Northern Virginia Swimming League’s 2022 outdoor summer season in June 18 action.” [Sun Gazette]
Amazon HQ2 Leader Retires — “Ardine Williams, the Amazon.com Inc. executive overseeing hiring for the company’s HQ2 operations, has retired. According to Virginia Business, Williams retired sometime in the past few weeks and a replacement has not been named.” [Washington Business Journal]
New Leader for Local Homeless Org — ‘Fraser Murdoch, who brings extensive social-safety-net and non-profit experience with him, has been tapped as new CEO of Arlington-based Bridges to Independence.” [Sun Gazette]
It’s Tuesday — Mostly cloudy throughout the day. High of 82 and low of 68. Sunrise at 5:45 am and sunset at 8:38 pm. [Weather.gov]
Along Columbia Pike at twilight (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Dispute Leads to Violence, Vehicular Mayhem — “The victim pulled the suspect out of the vehicle and he pushed her, causing her to fall to the ground. A security guard intervened and separated the parties. The suspect then reentered his vehicle, described as a white van, and fled the scene. While fleeing, the suspect allegedly struck the victim’s vehicle, a sign on the property, and drove towards the security guard, causing him to dive out of the way.” [ACPD]
Beyer Wants Quieter Airplanes — “As the representative for the area around Reagan National Airport, one of the most common concern heard by Rep. Don Beyer is airplane noise. On Friday, Beyer is reintroducing the Cleaner, Quieter Airplanes Act to seek study on reducing airplane noise and emissions.” [Patch]
Top ACPD Official Retires — “Per a tribute that just went out on ACPD’s dispatch channel, Deputy Chief Michael Dunne is retiring today after 38 years of service.” [Twitter]
Arlington Ranks No. 15 for Solo Affordability — “Rent prices are rising rapidly in many of America’s largest cities. Nationally, average rent increased by 11.3% between the start of 2021 and 2022… In this study, we compared the 100 largest U.S. cities across topics such as rent costs, earnings, living costs and employment to uncover where renters can afford to live alone.” [SmartAsset]
Major Delays at DCA — “At Reagan National Airport in the Washington, D.C. region on Thursday, more than 200 flights — roughly 43 percent of scheduled departures — were delayed, and 79, or 16 percent, were canceled. At Dulles International Airport, only 4 percent of scheduled departures were canceled, but 30 percent of flights were delayed.” [Washington Post]
Flyover for Tuskegee Airman — “Memorial events for Brigadier General Charles E. McGee, one of the last surviving members of the famed Tuskegee Airmen, were held Friday… McGee’s funeral took place at Arlington National Cemetery with a flyover.” [WJLA, WRIC]
Chance Connection Turns into Emotional Bond — “An Arlington, Virginia, family recently met someone who has an indelible connection to their deceased father that was forged in the chaos and smoking debris at the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001.” [NBC 4]
It’s Monday — Partly cloudy throughout the day. High of 77 and low of 57. Sunrise at 5:45 am and sunset at 8:38 pm. [Weather.gov]
Editor’s Note — Our staff has the day off due to the federal observation of the Juneteenth holiday. Barring breaking news, we will only be publishing in the morning today.
Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg of the Legal Aid Justice Center (file photo)
Activists say a county proposal to prohibit police cooperation with federal immigration agencies in most circumstances doesn’t go far enough.
The proposed policy, dubbed the “Trust Policy,” is set to be discussed at this Saturday’s Arlington County Board meeting. The Board is scheduled to vote on the policy at its July meeting.
A group called Communities of Arlington Protected from Abuse by ICE (CAPA) believes the policy only codifies what already exists and doesn’t change police department policies that allow officers to ask and share citizenship information in certain circumstances. CAPA is made up of immigration advocacy groups Legal Aid Justice Center, La ColectiVA and the National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild.
The proposed policy states that all county employees are forbidden to ask for or disclose an individual’s citizenship status, unless specifically exempted by current police department policy or required by state or federal law.
Under the policy, county employees would be prohibited from cooperating with federal immigration officials to enforce federal immigration laws, as well as using or lending county resources to help them access an individual’s identity information, help an investigation or enforcement of any federal program requiring registration based on citizenship status. They also cannot threaten others because of their citizenship status.
Moreover, the proposed policy would allow any resident to access government services without providing proof of legal presence.
Currently, the policy governing the relationship between the local police and federal immigration agencies like ICE is Policy 523.04 of the ACPD Directive Manual. It states that the the police department does not “conduct immigration enforcement investigations.” A police officer cannot ask about the citizenship status of a victim or a witness of a crime and cannot arrest somebody based solely on a suspected immigration violation.
However, when someone is arrested for a crime, a police officer can under reasonable suspicion notify a federal immigration agency of an individual’s citizenship status, according to the directive manual. The proposed policy will not affect this exception.
“Our primary concerns are the ways that the draft ‘Trust Policy’ continues collaboration between Arlington Police and ICE,” Director of the Immigrant Advocacy Program at the Legal Aid Justice Center Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg said in a press release.
The groups believe the proposed policy gives too much discretion to the police to cooperate with federal immigration agencies by not striking the exceptions listed in the current department policy.
“ACPD’s Directive does little to end ACPD’s collaboration with ICE, and instead gives police officers vast discretion to interrogate community members about their immigration status,” said the coalition. “Merely because those community members are suspected of certain criminal activity.”
The groups also criticized the proposed policy for not further regulating the Sheriff’s Office, which runs the county jail, or allowing individuals to use non-standard ID to access government services.
“The goals and aims of Arlington County’s Trust Policy cannot be achieved without ensuring that the Sheriff’s Office ceases its cooperation with ICE,” the groups said.
The groups urged the County Board to adopt the policy they drew up instead. In the CAPA policy, which includes similar provisions as in the proposed Trust Policy, people would be allowed to use non-government issued IDs to access government services and benefits.
The police department sought community input when drafting the current version of Policy 523.04, said ACPD spokeswoman Ashley Savage.
“Throughout late 2021 and early 2022, ACPD collaborated with community members, organizations and stakeholders and sought their input on an updated version of manual directive 523.04 Immigration Status and Access to Police Services, which was issued to all ACPD personnel on February 15, 2022,” she said.
Juneteenth event in front of county gov’t HQ in Courthouse (via Arlington County/YouTube)
(Updated at noon) Sunday is Juneteenth and Monday is the federal holiday in observance of it.
A number of events are planned in Arlington to mark the day, which commemorates the emancipation of freed slaves. Many county facilities will also be closed on Monday due to the federal holiday.
First up is a Juneteenth Peace Rally that’s happening today from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. next to the AMC Theater at 2100 Clarendon Blvd in Courthouse. The rally is organized by the Arlington Black Employees Council.
More events are planned this weekend and next week, including:
From an Arlington County email sent yesterday afternoon:
Arlington County celebrates Juneteenth this year by recognizing the contributions of Black Americans to our society, and specifically to our community. We are committed to preserving and honoring the history of those who sacrificed and paved the way for progress while ensuring equitable measures are implemented for the future of Arlington’s Black communities. Our work to forward racial equity in our governmental processes, investments and actions honor their resilience and reward their excellence.
About Juneteenth: Short for June Nineteenth, it marks when Union Army soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865, to declare that more than 250,000 enslaved Black people in the state (which was under Confederate control during the American Civil War) were freed through the Emancipation Proclamation made effective in 1863. It is an annual commemoration of the end of slavery in the U.S. and was officially declared a federal holiday in 2021.
County government offices, libraries, community centers and Covid vaccine and testing sites will be closed on Monday. Metered parking will not be enforced. Trash and recycling collection, however, will happen as usual.
Metrorail will operate on a mostly normal schedule on Monday, while buses will operate on a weekend schedule that varies by route, according to WMATA.
Contrails and a jet in Rosslyn (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Man Accidentally Shoots Self in Crystal City — “300 block of 23rd Street S. At approximately 7:45 p.m. on June 15, police were dispatched to the report of a discharge of a firearm. Upon arrival, it was determined that as the male subject was cleaning his firearm, it discharged resulting in a gunshot wound to his hand… No other injuries or property damage have been reported.” [ACPD]
Home Hunters Keep Housing Hot — “The regional and national real-estate markets may be cooling, but Arlington remains atop the pack in the Washington area when it comes to maintaining home-buyer interest. The county was the highest-scoring among 10 jurisdictions in the latest monthly Bright MLS T3 Home Demand Index.” [Sun Gazette]
More Motorist Mayhem on I-395 — From Dave Statter: “#caughtoncamera: Another 8C crash. This one at 5:50 this morning. It’s pretty much like all the other ones.” [Twitter]
More Permitting Now Online — “Arlington County is launching the third phase of Permit Arlington, its online permitting system, on Tuesday, June 28. Several additional permits and inspections will move into the Permit Arlington system.” [Arlington County]
AFAC Expanding Service — “The Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC) is partnering with Homestretch, a nonprofit organization located in Falls Church, to provide free nutritious groceries to recently housed families on the path towards self-sufficiency. The new food distribution center will plan to operate weekly and will be AFAC’s first center serving residents outside of Arlington County.” [AFAC]
Cops Seeking Thief in ‘Space Jam’ Hat — “A man wearing a Bugs Bunny ‘Space Jam’ baseball cap is wanted for grand larceny by the City of Falls Church Police and other Northern Virginia jurisdictions. The man was captured on surveillance video by City of Falls Church businesses in February and June while stealing cash in two restaurants.” [City of Falls Church]
It’s Friday — Sunny and humid throughout the day. High of 90 and low of 75. Sunrise at 5:44 am and sunset at 8:37 pm. [Weather.gov]
Arlington Smoke Shop in Green Valley (photo via Google)
(Updated at 5:35 p.m.) An Arlington jury has found a store employee not guilty in the shooting of a burglar, in a case that received national media attention.
It all started with a burglary of the Arlington Smoke Shop, at 2428 Shirlington Road in the Green Valley neighborhood, shortly before 5 a.m. on March 29, 2020. Three masked suspects allegedly broke into the store and started stealing cash and merchandise.
Shop employee Hamzeh Abushariah was sleeping in a back room of the store at the time due to Covid concerns at his D.C. apartment building. Prosecutors alleged that Abushariah grabbed a gun and shot one of the suspects, who was under the age of 18, point blank in the back.
Abushariah was arrested and charged with Malicious Wounding, Reckless Handling of a Firearm and Violation of a Protective Order. Two juvenile suspects, including the one who was shot and seriously injured, were later charged in connection to the burglary.
The Reckless Handling of a Firearm charge was dismissed in April, court records show, a week after Abushariah was levied with a contempt charge for misbehavior in court. The protective order charge remains active, with a hearing set for this coming Tuesday.
But yesterday, after a trial in Arlington Circuit Court that started on Monday, a jury found Abushariah not guilty of Malicious Wounding, the most serious charge.
“I can’t even explain how happy I am,” Abushariah told ARLnow. “I’m home with my family. There’s nothing like being free especially when you know you’re innocent.”
Jowan Zuber, the owner of the store who has appeared several times on Fox News’ Tucker Carlson Tonight in defense of Abushariah, said the verdict was vindication.
“I broke down when the verdict, all 12 jurors, came [back] not guilty, self-defense,” Zuber said. “So they saw that the Commonwealth had no evidence holding Hamzeh Abushariah for two years, no evidence, taking him away from his kids and his livelihood when we’ve been fighting.”
He said that video played during the trial showed that it was dark in the store when the break-in occurred.
“So when he shot, he did not know where he was aiming,” said Zuber. “[Prosecutors] really hurt this guy big time.”
He said the verdict brings relief for Abushariah’s family after “two years of nightmare going back and forth.”
“The suffering, the tears that my wife, my kids, my family, my sisters, my parents, it’s not cheap, it’s not nothing. It’s something, it means a lot to me,” Abushariah said.
Abushariah was in jail for several months after the shooting, then released on house arrest for four months before he was arrested again, Zuber said. He has been in jail since, before being released around 6 p.m. Wednesday night.
Both Zuber and Abushariah thanked the jury and said they had to mention defense attorney Robert Marshall’s work on the case. In a video posted to Facebook, Abushariah reunites with his family leaving jail as Zuber says it’s all thanks to Marshall.
“We believed in [Marshall] since day 1, and he just went and just showed what the righteous is about and showed that we shouldn’t protect criminals and you have the right to protect yourself when people are coming to hurt you or break in in a violent way,” Zuber told ARLnow. “This is very bad for Arlington because we are here as citizens, we pay our taxes, and we want to protect the good people, not the bad… The jury, the people, made this happen.”
Parisa Dehghani-Tafti, Commonwealth’s Attorney for Arlington and Falls Church, provided a brief statement to ARLnow.
“As always, we respect the verdict and thank the jurors for their service,” the county’s top prosecutor said.
In response to additional questions from ARLnow, Tafti declined to provide other details about the case and the end result of the charges against the two burglary suspects.
“These were juvenile dispositions, and therefore not public record,” she said.
Newly free, Abushariah said it’s nice to see his children, and the green grass and enjoy the weather and good food.
“The smallest things mean so much when you’re free,” he said. “The smallest things in life matter.”
He said he wishes the person he shot well.
“I hope his life will get better, that he will recover, both of us will,” he said.
Police on scene of robbery at a bank in Ballston in May (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Arlington saw a significant rise in crime in 2021 compared to the last pre-pandemic year of 2019.
The overall crime picture was something of a mixed bag, with most crime categories rising but no murders and a steep drop in drug charges in 2021, thanks in large part due to the decriminalization of marijuana in Virginia.
The stats come from the Arlington County Police Department’s annual report, which mostly focused on the year-over-year change in crime rates compared to 2020.
From the report:
The overall crime rate, reported as Group A Offenses, increased 4.8% in 2021 as compared to the previous year. Reported crimes against persons increased 24% in 2021, primarily driven by increases in aggravated and simple assaults. Reported crimes against property offenses increased 7.4% with marked increases in robbery, destruction/damage/vandalism and burglary/breaking and entering offenses. Notably, as a result of focused enforcement efforts and increased community awareness, thefts from motor vehicles decreased -13.1% from 2020. The Department remains committed to reducing, preventing and solving crime through active patrols, strategic deployment of police resources and comprehensive follow-up investigations.
Arlington saw a slight rise in sex offenses compared to 2019 and a larger rise compared to 2020. The rise in violent crime is in line with nationaltrends, and ACPD noted that its overall crime rate is below the Virginia average.
“The total number of offenses, as well as the violent crime rate (offenses per 100,000 persons) remains below the 2021 Virginia average, and below the most-recent FBI Uniform Crime Report,” the department said in a press release.
“Group A” rates of mostly violent crime (via ACPD)
Property crime overall did not rise as steeply as violent crime, though burglary, robbery and vandalism all saw significant increases.
As noted in the annual report, vehicle thefts were down compared to 2020, but were up nearly 40% compared to 2019.
“Group A” rates of property crime (via ACPD)
A large drop in drug charges — down more than 50%, from 1,104 to 575, compared to 2019 — was attributed to changes in state law.
Arlington continued to see a rise in opioid overdoses, however, with total fatal (28) and non-fatal overdoses (64) reaching new highs, at least going back to the 2015.
Reported opioid incidents (via ACPD)
There was some good news in the report related to vehicle and pedestrian crashes, which both declined in 2021 compared to the prior two years.
Some of that positive news is at least partially offset by another stat: Driving Under the Influence charges are on the rise, reaching 382 in 2021, up 24% from 2019. Also, there were 4 fatal crashes, which is just shy of the average for the pre-pandemic years of 2017-2019.
ARLnow previously reported that 61 crashes in 2021 were considered severe. Arlington is now in the second year of its five-year Vision Zero action plan to eliminate fatal and severe crashes.
Crash rates (via ACPD)
“The number of collisions resulting in injury (369) was lower than any time in recent records,” the annual report noted. “ACPD responded to the rise in alcohol-related collisions with increased DUI enforcement and arrests in 2021.”
Police staffing remains a concern. The report says the count of ACPD sworn staff as of June 13 was 325. That’s down from 346 in September, a police spokeswoman confirmed. In March, ACPD announced that it would reduce some services due to staffing challenges.
Police Chief Andy Penn said in a statement that “2021 brought unique challenges as we continued to navigate the uncertainty of a global pandemic.”
“Throughout the year, the sworn and civilian staff of ACPD remained resilient and rose to each new challenge while continuing to provide the highest quality police services,” he said. “I am incredibly proud of the work they do each and every day in service to our community. I also recognize we are at our very best when working in collaboration with the community and appreciate all who engaged with us throughout the year to make us the very best we can be.”
Police on scene of stabbing in the Crystal City area (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Police on scene of stabbing in the Crystal City area (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Police helicopter assisting with search for stabbing suspect in Crystal City (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Police on scene of stabbing in the Crystal City area (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Police on scene of stabbing in the Crystal City area in 2022 (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
(Updated on 6/17/22) Police swarmed the Crystal City area this morning after a serious stabbing.
Initial reports suggest that a man was stabbed in the neck during some sort of an argument on the 2400 block of S. Eads Street, near the CVS.
A police helicopter helped with the search for the suspect, but departed shortly after noon. Eads Street was closed to traffic as a result of the investigation.
The victim was rushed to a local trauma center via ambulance. Blood could be seen on the edge of the sidewalk along Eads, in front of the store.
Arlington County Police Department spokeswoman Ashley Savage said the victim is expected to recover. From an ACPD crime report on Friday:
MALICIOUS WOUNDING, 2022-06160108, 2400 block of Richmond Highway. At approximately 11:27 a.m. on June 16, police were dispatched to the report of an assault with injury. Upon arrival, officers located an adult male suffering from a stab wound and immediate began rendering aid. He was transported to an area hospital with injuries considered serious but non-life threatening. The suspect fled the scene prior to the arrival of officers. A search of the area, including an aerial search involving a police helicopter, concluded with negative results. The suspect is described as a Black male with a thin build, 30 to 40 years old with shoulder-length dreadlocks wearing a red shirt and dark pants. The preliminary investigation indicates the suspect approached the victim and a verbal dispute ensued, during which the suspect produced a knife and struck the victim. The investigation is ongoing.
POLICE ACTIVITY: ACPD is investigating a stabbing in the 2400 Richmond Highway. The victim has been transported to an area hospital. A helicopter is assisting with an aerial search for the suspect – described as a Black male, shoulder length dreadlocks and wearing a red shirt.
Wilson Blvd in Ballston on a rainy day (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Some 7000 Series Trains Return — “Metro today completed final review of its plan to return eight 7000-series trains to passenger service. Customers can expect service to start [on Thursday]… The popular 7000-series trains will first appear on the Green and Yellow Lines.” [WMATA, DCist]
Shuttle Buses to Run During Major Metro Work — “Starting Saturday, Sept. 10, Metro will begin work to connect the future Potomac Yard Station with the mainline rail system and to rehabilitate the Yellow Line tunnel and bridge between Pentagon and L’Enfant Plaza stations. The projects will impact Blue and Yellow line service in two phases over eight months, and free shuttle bus service will be available for customers throughout the duration.” [WMATA]
Groundbreaking for Bus Facility — “Arlington’s ART transit system is now rolling toward a much-anticipated destination: a new centralized Operations and Maintenance Facility for its buses. County officials, joined by regional transportation administrators, advocates and community leaders, broke ground Wednesday, June 15, 2022, on the 3.5-acre site in the Green Valley neighborhood.” [Arlington County]
Shirlington Eatery Makes ‘Top Taco’ List — “Graham Bartlett [of Taco and Pina in Shirlington] calls it a deconstructed chile relleno, but his taco is more an abstract take on the Puebla dish, kind of like the final drawing in Picasso’s bull series, in which the beast has only a passing resemblance to the real thing… It’s a brilliantly conceived taco, which would mean nothing, of course, if it weren’t also delicious.” [Washington Post]
Foundation Awards Scholarships — “Arlington Community Foundation (ACF) awarded new college scholarships totaling nearly $600,000 to 92 students who will attend college next year. An additional 116 scholarships were given to renewal students. More than 60 scholarship funds support these student awards, each with their own eligibility criteria, with many of them designed to support students facing significant financial barriers to higher education.” [Arlington Community Foundation]
Contamination Pushes Up Trail Cost — “Unexpected levels of contaminated soil are pushing the cost of a trail-connection project ever higher. Arlington County Board members on June 18 are expected to approve an increase from $559,000 to $939,000 in the contract for the Potomac Yard-Four Mile Run Trail connection project… The funding was designed to provide a new 10-foot-wide concrete trail connector between the two existing trails.” [Sun Gazette]
It’s Thursday — Rain and storms in the morning and also later in the evening. High of 86 and low of 70. Sunrise at 5:44 am and sunset at 8:37 pm. [Weather.gov]
“After much consideration I have made a personal decision not to seek the nomination for Virginia’s House of Delegates 2nd District in 2023,” she wrote at the time. “To those who have donated to me, you will receive a full refund of your kind contributions. Arlington has a bright future, and I am confident it will be well represented moving forward.”
(The only other Democrat to announce their intention to run for the seat so far is Adele McClure, Executive Director of the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus.)
Merlene, a former ARLnow opinion columnist who previously sought the Democratic nod for state Senate and County Board, revealed in an email to supporters Tuesday that her decision actually stemmed from housing affordability: she was unable to find a home she wanted to buy and could afford in District 2.
She wrote:
It has been a lifelong goal of mine to own a home. After 5 months searching in the 2nd District it became obvious this wasn’t in the cards. A policy that I have always preached is that people of all backgrounds need an equal opportunity to build wealth — through affordable education, well paying jobs, and the greatest investment in the American economy, owning a home. It would not be of service to the 2nd District to serve for just one or two terms and then move, and it would be a disservice to myself to continue to rent just to run for office when I have the ability to invest in myself and own a home.
After ending my bid for office, the search for a home became open to the entire DC and northern Virginia area. Truth be told, my perfect first home was actually right here in Arlington, just not in the new 2nd District. I look forward to engaging with all of you as I continue to deepen my roots here as a homeowner. If you have any questions please feel free to reach out.
District 2 mostly consists of several Metro corridor communities — Rosslyn, Courthouse, Clarendon, Crystal City and Pentagon City — as well as the single-family home neighborhoods surrounding them.
Merlene, who previously said affordable housing would be one of her top campaign issues, tells ARLnow she was able to buy a small house along a main road in the Waycroft-Woodlawn neighborhood.
Merlene noted that she only formed an exploratory committee for the 2023 race and was not officially a candidate. Candidate filings are typically made starting in January.
Private electric vehicle charger in a Clarendon parking lot in 2017 (file photo)
(Updated at 9:15 a.m. on 6/16/22) A new ordinance would mean no more free rides for users of county-owned electric vehicle charging stations.
A proposed interim fee of 14.52 cents per kilowatt-hour would reimburse the Arlington County for the cost of providing charging services, according to a report to the County Board, which will be taking up the item at its meeting this weekend. The new fee would go into effect on Monday, July 18, Department of Environmental Services spokesman Peter Golkin said.
Currently, there are seven available charging stations owned by the county, providing a total of 11 charging spaces for the public, at the Arlington Mill Community Center and the Long Bridge Aquatics Center.
If the proposal passes, the interim fee is set to remain in place while the county plans for expanding governmental electric vehicle charging stations.
Arlington’s Department of Environmental Services is hiring a consultant to come up with a “future recommendation on a permanent EV rate structure and charging model,” the board report says. The interim fee is set to serve as a pilot for the future plan.
The county has put signs up at the two charging stations it operates to inform users that the stations will no longer be free beginning in July, according to the report.
Although the proposed fee is higher than the current fee in neighboring Loudoun County, which charges per session, it is lower than other commercial stations. Those commercial stations charge between 22 cents per kilowatt-hour and 79 cents per kilowatt-hour, according to the board report.
Many charging stations operated by EVgo, the largest electric vehicle fast charging company in the U.S., charges around 36 cents per kWh.
The County Board is expected to vote this Saturday (June 18) to advertise the proposed change, before final approval at its Saturday, July 16, meeting.
