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More Arlington properties are now located within floodplains, county says

Published September 25, 2023 at 3:30PM

FEMA's new flood map for Rock Spring — FEMA’s new flood map for Rock Spring (via Arlington County)

More Arlington properties could be impacted by 100- and 500-year floods, according to new federal flood insurance rate maps.

The county estimates some 300 buildings, up from 172, now risk a 1% annual chance of being inundated by floods expected to happen once a century. Another 1,150 parcels, up from 1,054, face a 0.2% annual chance of floods that come around every half-millennia.

It identified the probable increase after comparing existing and new floodplain boundaries drawn by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

In 2020, FEMA proposed new floodplain boundaries and approved them this May, giving Arlington six months to adopt the changes or get booted from its program providing flood insurance to residents, according to a county report.

FEMA also declared emergency services, healthcare facilities and government records storage could no longer be located within 500-year floodplain boundaries, while accessory structures within 100-year floodplain boundaries have to be smaller than 600 square feet and only used for vehicle parking and storage.

Lastly, it created the option, which Arlington is taking, to require greater flood-proofing for the lowest level of structures in 100-year floodplains, also called high-hazard flooding areas. Building to these specifications helps property owners lower their flood insurance premiums, according to the county.

The impacts are “unavoidable,” per the report. The changes are slated to be adopted next month after a public hearing, which the Arlington County Board authorized over the weekend. The new maps, restrictions and building requirements go into effect Nov. 16.

Despite the increases it documented, the county emphasizes the number of affected properties is low.

Only 25% of buildings in a 500-year floodplain, or 150, are non-residential and stand to be potentially impacted by the use restrictions on emergency services, healthcare facilities and government records storage. Some 714 parcels are expected to be impacted by the restrictions on accessory structures.

The report attributes the few affected properties to a longstanding county policy to buy land in floodplains to “discourage unwise development.” Arlington prohibits construction within 15 feet of 100-year floodplain boundaries. FEMA also calls these zones special flood hazard areas and requires owners of property within them to get flood insurance.

“Overall, most parcels and structures within the County are actually not impacted by these new floodplain maps,” Stormwater Communications Manager Aileen Winquist told ARLnow. “Due to Arlington’s extremely forward thinking past policies, many flood prone properties were acquired for parkland.”

The county’s first stormwater plan, from 1957, recommended local government buy land within floodplains.

“Implementation of this recommendation was ahead of its time, and as a result, relatively few properties in Arlington are in the 100-year floodplain,” the county report says. “Instead of large-scale development in the floodplain, Arlington County has an extensive network of stream valley parks as a result of acquisition of stream valleys by the County.”

Crediting these that policy and the prohibition on new building close to flood zones, Arlington County says today, only 300 insurable structures now fall in FEMA’s new high-risk 100-year floodplain areas, comprising 0.6% of all structures in Arlington. Another 150 buildings are within 15 feet of the same boundaries.

The county contrasts itself with other jurisdictions that have relied more on flood-control infrastructure, such as levees, and disaster relief for flood victims.

“This approach did not reduce losses… and this strategy did not discourage unwise or risky development,” the report said. “In fact, it may have actually encouraged additional development in areas of high risk.”

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County Board approves additional $200k request for courtroom renovation project

By James Jarvis

Published September 25, 2023 at 2:30PM

Costs are creeping up for a courtroom makeover in Arlington.

County Board members approved an extra $200,000 this past Saturday to complete renovations in Courtroom 10B, a project ambitiously dubbed the “courtroom of the future.”

The Board had initially approved a $1.9 million budget for the project, encompassing not only tech enhancements and layout modifications but also administrative costs and a $755,000 fee for Michigan-based contractor Sorensen Gross Company. A $135,000 contingency for unexpected construction hiccups was set aside, bringing the contract’s total value to $890,000.

The contingency is nearly gone, county staff said, prompting County Board action. Damaged stonework, deteriorating fabric wall panels and worn-out carpeting all brought unexpected costs and, as a result, additional funding was sought as the project enters its final phase.

Once completed, the oft-used courtroom will feature new capabilities, such as enabling police to upload and display body-camera and smartphone footage, simplified equipment mobility, and compliance with Americans with Disabilities Act standards.

Arlington courtrooms have not had a major renovation since 1994, per a 2022 county report.

While construction was initially slated for completion in July, ARLnow saw signs of ongoing work during a recent courthouse visit, including plastic tarp over doors and covered windows.

A county spokeswoman said construction is now expected to wrap up in November.

County Board set to get into the weeds of defining a ‘weed’ this week

By Jo DeVoe

Published September 25, 2023 at 1:30PM

A yard in the Forest Glen neighborhood in October 2016 (file photo)

Gardens with abundant native species could soon have an official definition in county code: “managed natural landscape.”

This definition would protect Arlingtonians who grow the kinds of native grasses, wildflowers and shrubs that make them prone to complaints from neighbors and visits from code enforcement.

While such gardens can “be perceived to be unmaintained or unintentional… they often involve as much intention and maintenance as more traditional landscaping” and bring “ecological, economic and aesthetic benefits,” per a county report.

The change would occur if the Arlington County Board approves the new wording in its carry-over meeting tomorrow (Tuesday). The Board was teed up to approve the changes on Saturday but the proposal was pulled from the agenda for more conversation — a move typically reserved for items deemed at least somewhat controversial.

In March, County Board members heard from local naturalists who urged them to adopt wording to shield residents from complaints that their gardens are unruly. The discussion arose when the Board considered, and approved, mechanisms to hold accountable commercial property owners for unchecked weeds.

The Board ultimately punted on redefining a “weed,” saying the proposed changes ought to be included in the forthcoming update to the Forestry and Natural Resources Plan.

Naturalists argued this prolongs conflict between county code and Arlington’s Chesapeake Bay Preservation Plan and Stormwater Utility Program, which both encourage residents to ditch manicured lawns for native species. They criticized the Board for furthering more than a decade of inaction.

“While we’ve been wringing our hands about this for the past 10-15 years, other jurisdictions have also adopted policies that promote native landscaping and conservation landscaping and have also managed to update their ordinance,” Caroline Haynes, a member of the county’s Forestry and Natural Resources Commission, said in March.

“Arlington hasn’t been able to do that,” she continued. “How difficult can this possibly be?”

After the meeting, county staff committed to prepare updated code language that distinguishes between “managed natural landscapes” and existing requirements to manage weeds on private property.

They also redefined “foreign growth,” “lawn area” and “weeds” and added language enabling county staff to “take action in cases where trees on private property present a risk to the community in the public right-of-way or other public lands.”

In keeping with the Board’s recommendation, Arlington’s parks and planning departments launched a public engagement process on the potential changes in concert with the update.

That included an online survey, in which 124 people participated and nearly two-thirds said they “were comfortable” with the proposed changes.

In July, the Board authorized hearing this month on the proposed changes, now set for tomorrow.

If the changes are made, county staff expect that enforcing the new ordinances will not be a tall order. Some five cases annually are estimated to escalate to the point of requiring one-time civil fines, resulting in $2,500 per year in county revenue, the report said.

County to battle stormwater runoff and rehabilitate sewers with $2.25 million federal grant

By Jo DeVoe

Published September 25, 2023 at 11:30AM

The Gulf Branch stream in 2019 (courtesy Arlington County)

Armed with some federal funding, Arlington County plans to stem stormwater runoff with native plantings and fix leaky sewer pipes that serve thousands of people.

On Saturday, the Arlington County Board accepted a $2.25 million federal grant to be split evenly among three planned projects. These projects, expected to cost some $6 million in total, are intended to reduce runoff into streets and streams, filter pollutants from local streams, and rehabilitate sewer pipes needing serious repairs.

The upgrades, a county report says, will “mitigate the impacts of existing impervious coverage and protect local waterways, and prevent sanitary sewer structural failure, infiltration and inflow.”

(Sewer pipes experience infiltration and inflow when excess water flows in from sources such as stormwater drains and leaky pipes.)

A $750,000 portion of the grant will fund plans to add more native plantings along part of the Gulf Branch stream, near Gulf Branch Nature Center, and to build rain gardens where S. Walter Reed Drive intersects with 6th and 9th Streets S. The projects, aimed at reducing runoff and filtering pollutants from streams and streets, are expected to cost $1 million overall.

The rain gardens on S. Walter Reed Drive will be planted when Arlington makes transportation upgrades on the major road, including upgraded bike lanes and pedestrian crossings.

Another $1.5 million will be split between two sewer rehabilitation projects, expected to cost $5 million overall.

First up is a $2.8 million project to rehabilitate a 5,876-foot section of a 30-inch sanitary sewer between Arlington Blvd and Columbia Pike, serving all of East Falls Church and parts of Falls Church and Fairfax County.

Three years ago, inspectors found many leaking joints in the now-48-year-old sewer, which runs through the Four Mile Run stream valley. These leaks cause groundwater and stormwater to seep into the pipe, contributing to high bacteria levels in Four Mile Run, according to the report.

That also generates wastewater and increases chemical and energy costs at the Arlington County Water Pollution Control Plant downstream, the report said.

The county also proposes to rehabilitate a 2,906-foot section of a large pipe in Rosslyn that the report says “zig-zag[s] between high-rise buildings and through underground parking garages” between N. Lynn Street and the interchange at Arlington Blvd and Richmond Hwy.

“The sewer was inspected in 2016 and many sections were deemed to require immediate rehabilitation due to structural deficiencies which allow for significant infiltration and inflow and could lead to structural failure,” it says, noting this would also generate more wastewater and higher chemical and energy costs at the wastewater facility.

For both sewers, the county first proposes cleaning the pipes. Then, to prevent leaks, a resin liner would be forced against the walls of the pipes, effectively creating a “new pipe encased within the old sanitary sewer,” per the report.

“Impacts such as travel lane closures, trail and sidewalk detours, bus stop relocations, etc. will be communicated in advance to the public following award of the construction contract, as equipment staging and sewer bypass layouts won’t be determined until then,” it continues.

The grants come from the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development at the request of Rep. Don Beyer, as part of a 2023 spending bill Congress approved last December. The funding applies to expenses through Aug. 31, 2031 and no local match is required.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published September 25, 2023 at 7:30AM

A multi-modal scene viewed from Patrick Henry Drive; a Metro train, commuters stuck in traffic, a westbound cyclist and an eastbound runner (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Funeral Procession for Marine — From the Arlington County Police Department: “A funeral procession for Cpl. Spencer Collart, who tragically died in a training exercise, will travel through Arlington tomorrow. He was a @GeneralsPride graduate & those wishing to show their respect are asked to be present on the N. Stafford St. overpass above I-66 at 9:30 AM.” [Twitter]

Flyover This Morning — From AlertDC: “The Naval Air Force Atlantic will conduct a military aircraft flyover in the NCR over the Pentagon and Arlington National Cemetery on Monday, September 25, 2023, at approximately 11:00AM.”

Man Blames Wife for Gun at DCA — “A Virginia man blamed his wife for a loaded handgun that was found in his carry-on bag on Thursday by security officials at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, according to the Transportation Security Administration.
The .22 caliber pistol was loaded with five bullets and was packed in the man’s carry-on bag, TSA said Friday.” [Patch]

W-L Football Remains Undefeated — “With their biggest margin of victory so far this season and their first shutout, the Washington-Liberty Generals improved to 5-0 for the first time since the 1971 high-school football season. The host Generals did so by blanking the Falls Church Jaguars, 44-0, Sept. 22 in a non-district game. For Washington-Liberty, the single-game point total was its fourth over 40 this fall.” [Gazette LEader]

Groundbreaking for Affordable Apts — “The Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing held a groundbreaking ceremony on Wednesday for the redevelopment of the Marbella Apartments in Arlington’s Radnor/Fort Myer Heights neighborhood. The new 234-unit affordable development will replace a 31-unit garden-style apartment complex on N. Queen Street, which is being torn down.” [Patch]

Beyer Calls for Menendez Resignation — “Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA), co-founder of the Egypt Human Rights Caucus and longtime critic of the Sisi regime’s human rights violations, today issued the following statement on Senator Robert J. Menendez… ‘the preponderance of evidence presented in the indictment makes it impossible for him to continue serving in the U.S. Senate, and I urge him to resign.'” [Blue Virginia]

Eagle Sighting Along the Pike — “Arlington realtor Eli Tucker was walking with a friend on South Glebe Road near his home in Alcova Heights by Columbia Pike when his friend did a double take exclaiming he thought he’d just seen an eagle fly by with something in its talons. ‘I didn’t see it at all,’ said Tucker, ‘But a couple of minutes later we turned the corner and saw the eagle perched on the wall. After a few seconds, we realized it had a rabbit.'” [Zebra]

It’s Monday — There is a slight chance of showers in the afternoon after 2pm and patchy fog between 7-10am, with overall mostly cloudy skies and a high of 67°F. A north wind of 7-9 mph is expected. The chance of precipitation is at 20%. Monday night, expect a higher chance of showers, primarily after 8pm, along with cloudy skies and a low of 58°F. A northeast wind around 10 mph is anticipated, with a 40% chance of precipitation. [Weather.gov]

ACPD: Teen arrested after fleeing traffic stop for reckless driving

By ARLnow.com

Published September 22, 2023 at 1:00PM | Updated September 22, 2023 at 1:58PM

Police car at night (file photo courtesy Kevin Wolf)

(Updated at 2 p.m.) An Arlington teen of the same name as an 18-year-old convicted in a recent high-profile case has been arrested after allegedly fleeing from police.

Arlington County police say Kenan Owens, 18, was arrested Wednesday in Chesterfield County — near Richmond — on warrants for reckless driving and eluding.

The charges stem from an incident early Tuesday morning in which, according to police, an officer tried to pull over a vehicle seen driving well over the speed limit near the Columbia Pike and Washington Blvd ramps.

The driver allegedly fled the traffic stop and abandoned the car a few blocks away, in the Arlington View neighborhood.

Amid shutdown fears, Rep. Don Beyer emotional letters from government workers

By James Jarvis

Published September 22, 2023 at 12:00PM

Amid fears of a government shutdown, Rep. Don Beyer (D) is urging colleagues to remember the federal workers who would lose their paychecks if no spending plan is passed.

Yesterday, House Republicans recessed for a week after failing to pass a bill to stave off a shutdown. That could happen if lawmakers on Capitol Hill do not reach a deal before the federal government runs out of money next Saturday, Sept. 30 at midnight.

If that happens, essential workers — including military personnel, federal law enforcement and air traffic controllers — would continue working, possibly without pay.

Some 2.2 million permanent, civilian, non-postal employees could also miss their paychecks, Beyer said in a statement Wednesday. This includes more than 140,000 in Virginia, according to federal workforce data.

The last time this happened, in 2018, Beyer received letters from Virginia federal workers describing how they and their families were hurt by lost wages and benefits. He shared snippets of these letters this week.

“I am a single mother to three small children. My ability to provide for my children stops the moment the government goes into shutdown,” wrote one constituent in a 2018.

Another federal worker underscored the uncertainty a shutdown causes.

“It is the undefined length of this shutdown, the not knowing, that is the worst part,” the letter said. “Nevertheless, we continue to go to work each day without pay and without knowing what the future holds.”

Millions of government contractors also stand to lose their pay and benefits. Beyer shared a 2019 letter describing the lengths to which one owner of a small federal contracting business went to keep paying staff.

“I have expended out available cash and have taken loans against my home to keep paying our employees,” wrote the business owner and disabled veteran. “I am now at a decision point. Do I borrow more money, or do I lay off my hardworking employees?”

Unlike federal employees, contractors are not guaranteed back pay from missed wages. Around 10,000 companies with government contracts were affected by the 2018-19 shutdown, the Washington Post reported.

With the funding deadline looming, Beyer says his colleagues should remember these 2018 shutdown testimonies and consider most Americans live paycheck to paycheck.

“Many are caught up in palace intrigue and legislative drama right now, but I urge my colleagues to remember that there are a lot of real people out there who will be hurt if there is a government shutdown,” he said. “These letters and emails show how shutdowns are a disaster for my constituents, our region, and millions of Americans across the country.”

The shutdown may also affect everyday Americans who do not rely on a paycheck from the federal government, Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine (D) says.

Kaine emphasized in a press release that the 2018 shutdown led to delays in everything from flights to tax refunds and mortgage approvals due to the absence of thousands of furloughed employees, including air traffic controllers and IRS agents.

“While I will continue working with my colleagues to prevent a shutdown, we should never be in this position to begin with,” Kaine said.

Earlier this month Kaine and Beyer introduced the End Shutdowns Act, which would have initiated an automatic continuing resolution on Oct. 1 if no appropriations bill was passed by that time. Additionally, the will would have”stop[ped] the Senate from moving forward with any other legislation, outside of an emergency scenario, until Congress reached an agreement on a long-term spending deal.”

Glebe Road ditch eroded by major water main break set for repairs

By ARLnow.com

Published September 22, 2023 at 10:55AM

Sinkhole caused by large water main break in Nov. 2019 (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Damage caused by Nov. 2019 water main break (via Arlington Dept. of Environmental Services)

Likely location of temporary closures of N. Glebe Road (via Arlington County)

A severely eroded ditch along N. Glebe Road near Chain Bridge is set for some restoration work.

The Arlington County Board this weekend is expected to approve a contract of up to $1.2 million. At least part of that will be reimbursed by VDOT, which maintains the road.

The work follows a major water main break in November 2019, which damaged both the road and the roadside ditch.

Tropical storm to bring heavy rain and wind to Arlington this weekend

By ARLnow.com

Published September 22, 2023 at 9:55AM | Updated September 22, 2023 at 4:21PM

Expected tropical storm track (via National Weather Service)

(Updated at 4:20 p.m.) Enjoy the dry weather while it lasts — Saturday is set to be exceptionally wet and windy.

Tropical Storm Ophelia is brewing off the southeast U.S. and is set to make its way up the coast and right over the D.C. area. It will bring with it heavy rain and strong winds.

The rain is expected to start late tonight but the storm will be at its peak Saturday afternoon and evening.

Here in Arlington, flooding along the coastline is expected Saturday, and local streams may also top their banks due to several inches of rain.

“Widespread rainfall amounts of 2 to 4 inches are expected, with localized amounts up to 5 inches possible,” the National Weather Service said in an advisory today. “This may result in isolated instances of flooding, especially for low lying and flood prone areas. The heaviest rain is most likely to occur Saturday into Saturday night.”

Those planning to attend outdoor events this weekend should keep an eye on the weather and monitor for possible cancellations.

The wind, meanwhile, could cause some power outage.

Expected tropical storm force winds (via National Weather Service)

NWS issued a Wind Advisory this afternoon for Arlington and other parts of the area, starting Saturday.

…WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 8 AM TO 8 PM EDT SATURDAY…

* WHAT…Northeast winds 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 45 mph expected. Gusts up to 50 mph are likely along the immediate shore of the Chesapeake Bay and Tidal Potomac.

* WHERE…Portions of central, northeast and southern Maryland, The District of Columbia and central and northern Virginia.

* WHEN…From 8 AM to 8 PM EDT Saturday.

* IMPACTS…Gusty winds could blow around unsecured objects. Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS…The combination of a long period of gusty winds and increasingly saturated grounds from rain will result in a higher likelihood for downed trees across the area.

NWS also previously issued Coastal Flood watches and advisories.

District of Columbia-Arlington/Falls Church/Alexandria-
850 AM EDT Fri Sep 22 2023

…COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 6 AM EDT SATURDAY…
…COASTAL FLOOD WATCH NOW IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY MORNING THROUGH LATE SATURDAY NIGHT…

* WHAT…For the Coastal Flood Advisory, up to one half foot of inundation above ground level expected in low lying areas due to tidal flooding. For the Coastal Flood Watch, up to one foot of inundation above ground level possible in low lying areas due to tidal flooding.

* WHERE…Shoreline in the District of Columbia, Arlington County, and the City of Alexandria.

* WHEN…For the Coastal Flood Advisory, from midnight tonight to 6 AM EDT Saturday, especially around the time of high tide. For the Coastal Flood Watch, from Saturday morning through late Saturday night, especially around the time of high tide.

* IMPACTS…Shoreline inundation is expected along portions of the seawall adjacent to Ohio Drive and the Hains Point Loop Road and near the Tidal Basin. Water is expected to approach the curb near the intersection of King Street and Strand Street in Alexandria.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS…Tides one and a half to two feet above normal. The next high tide at Alexandria is at 1:59 PM and 2:19 AM. The next high tide at Washington Channel is at 1:41 PM and 2:01 AM.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

If travel is required, allow extra time as some roads may be closed. Do not drive around barricades or through water of unknown depth. Take the necessary actions to protect flood-prone property.

While areas to the east are expected to see more significant impacts, local chapters of the American Red Cross said this morning that they’re gearing up for a disaster response.

More, below, via a press release.

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Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published September 22, 2023 at 7:30AM

Christmas trees on sale at Costco in Pentagon City this week (photo courtesy John Antonelli)

Funeral for Arlington Marine — “Funeral arrangements have been announced for Washington-Liberty High School graduate Spencer Collart… Visitation will take place on Sunday, Sept. 24 from 3 to 6 p.m. at Murphy Funeral Home at 4510 Wilson Blvd. in Arlington. The funeral service will be Monday, Sept. 25 from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church at 2609 North Glebe Road in Arlington. The graveside service will be held on Monday, Sept. 25 from 11 to 11:30 a.m. at Arlington National Cemetery.” [Gazette Leader, Dignity Memorial]

Discussing Driving Change — “This weekend, the Board is set to enact changes to local ordinances requiring drivers to stop for pedestrians in crosswalks” … “Jo Devoe from Arlington Now breaks down roadway rules.” [Fox 5]

Record Catches for Local Teen — “In recent weeks, Arlington resident Kasper Parfomak, age 14, set three records for catching the largest fish in his youth angler category in the D.C.’s Recreational Angling Records Program. And he has certificates as proof of his prizes. The three different species of fish were all caught in D.C. waters.” [Gazette Leader]

Costco Decks the Halls — From reader John Antonelli, who sent photos this week of Christmas trees and eggnog liquor already for sale: “From my trip to Costco yesterday in Pentagon City. It seems to get earlier and earlier every year and now you can get your Christmas hooch on early!”

It’s Friday — Expect partly sunny skies during the day with a high near 74°F and east winds ranging from 7 to 15 mph. At night, rain is likely after 2 am, with temperatures dipping to around 60°F. Winds from the northeast will blow at 11 to 16 mph, with gusts up to 24 mph. There is a 70% chance of precipitation. [Weather.gov]

County Board poised to allocate funding for more upgrades to Bluemont Junction Trail

By James Jarvis

Published September 21, 2023 at 1:30PM

Bluemont Junction Trail (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

This weekend, the Arlington County Board is set to consider a proposal to funnel nearly $400,000 into the second phase of the Bluemont Junction Trail safety project.

Phase 2 includes moving and updating three trail connectors to be accessible to people with disabilities and improving cyclist and pedestrian intersections between the W&OD Trail and the Four Mile Run Trail on both sides of Wilson Blvd, per a county report.

The plan also calls for resurfacing a 480-foot segment of Four Mile Run Trail and repairing a nearby pedestrian bridge.

The project is part of a multi-year county effort to address poor visibility between trail users and drivers along the Bluemont Junction Trail, which crosses the Bluemont neighborhood and connects Ballston to the W&OD Trail at Bluemont Park. Plans were developed by the county with input from the public and the Bluemont Civic Association, the Bicycle Advisory Committee and the Pedestrian Advisory Committee

In the project’s first phase, which spanned the fall of 2021 to last summer, the county and the Virginia Dept. of Transportation made upgrades to roughly 4,500 linear feet and 13 connector trails, the report said. This included reconfiguring the trail’s intersections with N. Emerson Street and N. Kensington Street.

The second phase, however, demands more “in-depth engineering” than the milling and repaving carried out in the first phase, the report said.

Rep. Don Beyer has earmarked $325,000 in federal funds for the second phase of the project, which has an estimated total cost of $711,662.

The community will have an opportunity to provide input on the designs and proposed improvements if the funds are allocated, a county staff report notes.