News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Road work signs on 19th Street N. in Rosslyn last month (Flickr pool photo by Alan Kotok)

High-Tech Health Monitors for Jail — “Sheriff Jose Quiroz announces the launch of a pilot program with Silicon Valley Company 4Sight Labs to track the vital signs of individuals in custody, becoming the first sheriff’s office in the area to use the technology as an additional tool, adding a layer of protection and safety in the Arlington County Detention Facility.” [ACSO]

Sheriff’s Office Swamped with Evictions — “This year, ASCO is also dealing with another lingering pandemic-era problem: A high number of eviction notices. According to the department, deputies served more than 300 eviction notices in 2022–after numbers fell during the pandemic but started to climb again in 2021. So far this year, deputies have served 227 eviction notices in just four months.” [WJLA]

Local Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony — “The Arlington County Police Department and the Arlington County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday morning paid tribute to the memory of the seven law enforcement officers in the county who made the ultimate sacrifice. The solemn Peace Officers Memorial Day ceremony is held each year ahead of National Police Week.” [WJLA]

Police Week Motorcades Are Back — It’s National Police Week, which in Arlington often means numerous motorcades for the families of fallen officers crisscrossing the county for a few days. [National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund]

Still No GOP Candidates — “Another week and still no Republican candidates are emerging for any of the 13 local/legislative races on Arlington’s November ballot. And even as the days tick down to the June 20 filing deadline, the local GOP chairman is trying to rustle up contenders.” [Gazette Leader]

Senior Dems Meeting in Person Again — “For more than three years owing to COVID, the Arlington Senior Democrats group has held its monthly luncheons in an online setting. That is about to change. And to prove one is never too senior to try something new, the location will represent a departure from its typical pre-COVID spot.” [Gazette Leader]

Homelessness Up in D.C. Burbs — “The 2023 homeless census, part of the annual point-in-time (PIT) count, found 1,339 more people experiencing homelessness than in 2022. The increase has particularly evident in the counties surrounding the District, which saw a 26 percent rise in homelessness over the last year.” [Washington Post]

It’s Thursday — Sunny, with a high near 82. Calm wind becoming southwest around 6 mph in the morning. Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 60. South wind 3 to 5 mph. [Weather.gov]

Flickr pool photo by Alan Kotok

Senior facility rezoning request sows some confusion, concern ahead of County Board vote

By Jo DeVoe
Sunrise Senior Living at 2000 N. Glebe Road in Arlington’s Glebewood neighborhood (via Arlington County)

(Updated at 11:10 a.m. on 5/17/23) Two years after indicating interest in redeveloping its property in the Glebewood neighborhood, Sunrise Senior Living is almost done with early-stage procedural hurdles.

Meanwhile, the way the process has unfolded so far has confused and alarmed some neighbors.

Arlington County is mulling changes to the land-use plan governing the site to allow for greater density and to allow for elder care uses through a site plan process at 2000 N. Glebe Road. The Arlington County Board authorized public hearings on these changes on Saturday.

The designation changes, if approved by the Board, would tee up a rezoning request by Sunrise to facilitate the actual redevelopment down the road. Documents filed with the county indicate Sunrise is considering a rezoning request that could also allow “one-family detached, duplexes, semidetached, multiple-family, and
townhouses” to be built by-right.

County staff studied adding elder care as well as apartments to the site over the last year, which perturbed some neighbors who say there should be language ensuring any future development is geared toward elder care only.

Last week, during a Planning Commission meeting, county planner Margaret Rhodes said residents should not worry.

The result of the study, which the Arlington County Board is poised to adopt on Saturday, includes “a guiding principle stating the preference strongly for elder care use.”

“In terms of the conversation about the confusion over… a potential multi-family development, because this is a General Land Use Plan high level study, we need to evaluate all different land uses,” she said.

Beyond this confusion, however, neighbors had other concerns about the impact on quality of life. They predicted the building would dwarf nearby homes, contribute to tree canopy loss, flooding and traffic.

Catherine Ginther, who lives across the street, said in the meeting that she chose her home in part for the quiet street and is “frankly a little concerned about how the plans could change all that.”

“Since moving here, I have noticed there are some issues with Sunrise that will likely worsen if this plan would move forward,” she said. “Children and adults walk down [20th Street N.] throughout the day and the walkability of this neighborhood is at risk if Sunrise is allowed to grow in size and create a garage entrance on 20th Street N.”

Some Planning Commissioners acknowledged these concerns but said they are being raised at the wrong stage in the process.

“It’s very much inside baseball. It’s very frustrating to the neighborhoods,” Commissioner Jim Lantelme said. “I’ve walked that neighborhood — it’s a great neighborhood — but you’re right about the topography, the trees, where the loading needs to be, the sidewalks. All those things absolutely have to be addressed.”

Commissioner Nia Bagley said she has been through lots of planning processes as a former civic association leader.

“I recognize that this is not your expertise and many of you have busy lives and this becomes like a full time job on the side,” she said. “Don’t be discouraged tonight but please hang in there.”

Some speakers, however, supported the redevelopment project.

“This facility is toward the end of its operational life and needs additional renovation for its continued operation and this project would allow for a significant increase in the number of units available to seniors,” said Arlington Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Manager John Musso.

Cynthia Schneider, with the Commission on Aging, said this project addresses a shortage of elder care rooms in Arlington. The county and the region are predicted to see an increase in the number of seniors living in the area over the next two decades.

She advocated for more dedicated affordable beds on-site, which a representative of Sunrise said would not be possible.

The company has also put forward a redevelopment project in the Alcova Heights neighborhood, at 716 S. Glebe Road, which Arlington County is reviewing. The representative said affordable beds could be added there to meet requirements for both facilities.

ACPD: Man stuck phone under woman’s dress on mall escalator

By ARLnow.com
File photo

Police are looking for a man who stuck a phone under a woman’s dress as she rode an escalator in Pentagon City.

The incident happened shortly before 10:30 p.m. Tuesday night at the Pentagon City mall.

The woman told police that she believes the man was trying to film her. She yelled at him and he ran off before officers arrived.

“At approximately 10:25 p.m. on May 9, police were dispatched to the report of suspicious circumstances,” Arlington County police said in today’s crime report. “Upon arrival, it was determined the female victim was riding an escalator when she observed the [unknown] suspect holding a phone under her dress.”

“The victim confronted the suspect and he ran from the area,” ACPD said. “Responding officers canvassed the area for the suspect yielding negative results.”

As early voting kicks off, Democratic hopefuls are picking up a variety of endorsements

By Jo DeVoe
1/4

With early and caucus voting underway, some candidates for local office are getting boosts from prominent Arlington Democrats.

Arlington is a Democratic stronghold for state and national politics. On the local level, that ethos has fueled intense focus on who will get the official support of the local party — even for non-partisan positions on the Arlington School Board.

Among sitting County Board members, there is strong support for Acting Sheriff Jose Quiroz, who has received endorsements from outgoing Chair Christian Dorsey, Vice-Chair Libby Garvey and member Matt de Ferranti. Quiroz also has support from State Sen. Barbara Favola and Dels. Alfonso Lopez and Patrick Hope, as well as his predecessor, former sheriff Beth Arthur.

His opponents, retired Deputy Sheriff Wanda Younger and Arlington police officer James Herring, have not published endorsements on their websites.

No other candidate websites list endorsements from Dorsey or outgoing member Katie Cristol, both of whom are stepping down this year. Of the remaining County Board members, they diverged on their support for a Commonwealth’s Attorney. De Ferranti and Karantonis support incumbent Parisa Dehghani-Tafti while Garvey supports challenger Josh Katcher, who worked for Dehghani-Tafti and her predecessor, Theo Stamos.

Dehghani-Tafti’s website lists a slew of endorsements from elected Democrats, including Reps. Don Beyer and Jennifer McClellan, State Sen. Barbara Favola, Dels. Hope and Lopez as well as endorsements from the Washington Post and the Falls Church News-Press. Campaign financing records show she has received donations from political groups that support progressive prosecutors.

Katcher’s supporters including former Arlington School Board member Barbara Kanninen, education activist Symone Walker and the local firefighters union. Campaign materials shared with ARLnow show that Stamos has promoted meet-and-greet opportunities with Katcher, one of which former independent County Board member John Vihstadt hosted.

Campaign financing records show some of Katcher’s biggest recent contributors of $1,000 or more include himself, former School Board member Abby Raphael, retired Deputy Chief of Police Daniel Murray, a former candidate for Stafford County’s treasurer, and longtime local GOP civic figure John Antonelli, who previously donated to Vihstadt and Stamos.

For County Board, stances on housing and development seem to have informed which sitting Board members support them.

De Ferranti endorsed two candidates to join him on the Board: Julius “J.D.” Spain, Sr. and Maureen Coffey, who also picked up an endorsement from Takis Karantonis and $5,000 contributions from a labor union. The stances of the two candidates on housing and the environment have also earned them the support of YIMBYs of Northern Virginia, Greater Greater Washington and the Sierra Club.

Vice-Chair Libby Garvey has diverged from her colleagues, endorsing Natalie Roy and Susan Cunningham, who previously ran for County Board as an independent.

Cunningham, who has led affordable housing and social safety net nonprofits, and Roy, who also considers environmental action a top priority, staked out positions opposed to the zoning changes known as Missing Middle for being short-sighted. Garvey helped usher in the new ordinance, allowing by-right development of 2-6 unit buildings on single-family lots, but later elaborated on her misgivings.

Supporters for Roy and Cunningham include some previously elected Democrats as well as community and civic association leaders and, for Cunningham, advocates for affordable housing and more robust social safety net initiatives. Roy picked up the support of former School Board members Nancy Van Doren and James Lander.

Roy’s largest contributor donated $7,000 in this race, including $4,000 to her, $1,000 to Cunningham and $2,000 to Katcher. Cunningham’s largest supporter donated $2,000 to her this race and in her 2020 bid as an independent.

(more…)

Arlington firefighters could soon give away Narcan to bystanders at an overdose scene

By Jo DeVoe
A training session for how to administer naloxone, also known by the brand name Narcan, to reverse opioid overdoses in 2019 (staff photo)

When Arlington firefighters respond to drug overdoses, they could soon start bringing along enough doses of an opioid-reversal drug to leave some behind.

This is part of a statewide effort “to prevent fatal overdoses and increase community access” to the nasal spray Narcan, one form of the reversal drug called naloxone.

On Saturday, the Arlington County Board is set to approve a memorandum of understanding with the Virginia Dept. of Health to get more state-provided Narcan into the hands of the public.

Through the Narcan “Leave Behind” Program, VDH has authorized EMS personnel, firefighters, law enforcement officers, school nurses and others to give Narcan doses to overdose witnesses, as well as to the family and friends of people who use drugs.

The infusion of Narcan is part of national, state and local a focus on reducing harm to drug users. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently approved Narcan for over-the-counter use.

Some advocates worried this would not do enough to bring the price of Narcan down. Others criticized the FDA for prioritizing the more costly nasal spray over the less-expensive generic version that is injected and said government-led, pharmacy-based distribution efforts do not reach the people who need it.

That is where the distribution of Narcan at the scene of an overdose could be effective, coupled with other harm reduction efforts led by Arlington’s Addiction Recovery Initiative, including fentanyl test strip and medicine deactivation bag distribution.

Higher-ups in the Arlington County Dept. of Human Services previously connected these efforts to a drop in fatal overdoses since 2021.

Fatal overdoses versus harm reduction (courtesy of AARI)

There are also new opportunities to learn how to administer the overdose reversal drug, which operates similar to a nasal spray.

Community members can get trained in using naloxone on June 7 at noon and 7 p.m. on Zoom. People can register by emailing [email protected] and can request naloxone, Fentanyl test strips and medical deactivation bags online.

In-person training and Narcan distribution is available later this month on May 17 and June 21 from 3-6 p.m. at DHS headquarters (2120 Washington Blvd, Room 112). No registration is required for in-person training.

As of last Wednesday, Arlington County police had investigated 55 incidents involving opioids this year, per county data. Since Jan. 1, 2023, there have been 20 opioid overdoses, of which six were fatal, according to ACPD.

While the overall fatality rate is dropping, Arlington is seeing elevated opioid use among youth, who gravitate toward counterfeit pressed pills that are increasingly laced with fentanyl.

There was a fatal overdose at Wakefield High School in January followed by a near-fatal teen overdose in a Ballston parking garage in March. The quick application of Narcan by first responders helped to save those who overdosed in the parking garage.

Those incidents revealed cracks in treatment options for youth in Arlington that are beginning to be remedied.

Some treatment options, like a new rehab facility, will take a while to open. In the meantime, Arlington Public Schools and the county have put money toward more education, substance abuse counselors, after-school programming.

After the FDA approved Narcan for over-the-counter use, APS announced it would be advancing plans to allow students to carry the nasal spray in schools, with parent permission and training, as early as May 26, WTOP reported.

Narcan is also stocked in emergency boxes throughout middle and high schools.

Park next to Amazon HQ2 set to get a new farmers market

By Jo DeVoe
1/4

When Amazon opens the first phase of its second headquarters in June, it is preparing to debut a new farmers market, too.

This farmers market is set to pop up four Saturdays a month starting June 24. It will be located inside the $14 million public park Amazon renovated as part of the Metropolitan Park or “Met Park” first phase of HQ2, at the corner of 13th Street S. and S. Eads Street.

Loudoun County-based EatLoco is set to operate the market within the park, which features meandering paths and public art.

The organization’s founder and CEO Dan Hine says it will be its first outside of Loudoun County and his “rock star” location, with at least 80 vendors and possibly live entertainment.

“When Amazon approached us back in August 2022 with this idea, we stepped up to the challenge by promising only the Best-of-the-Best Farmers, Food producers and Crafters for this one-of-a-kind, spacious venue,” Hine said in a statement on the EatLoco website. “This game-changer location has a neighboring dog park, children’s park and plenty of table seating for eating and relaxing provided by our Sponsors.”

Hine says he is working on plans for on-site entertainment “to keep customers coming and staying longer.”

“As always, we will do this the ‘EatLoco’ way,” he said. “Well marketed, professionally managed, and of course extremely well attended.”

This weekend, the Arlington County Board is set to consider a use permit allowing EatLoco to operate four Saturdays a month from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., March through November. It will be located at a green space to the east of a meandering path users can access from 13th and 14th Street S. and S. Fair Street.

Aerial view of the location for the proposed farmers market in Metropolitan Park (via Arlington County)

EatLoco’s website says the market will run through Nov. 18.

As part of the agreement, the county is requiring EatLoco to work with the Aurora Highlands Civic Association and the county regarding signage, parking locations and noise restrictions.

Meanwhile, work on Met Park is almost complete, according to Clark Construction, which has overseen the project for the last three-and-a-half years.

Last week, it published the following construction update on its website:

After years of planning, and 40 months of construction, we’ve reached the final chapter in Metropolitan Park’s delivery. As our team puts the finishing touches on our work on site, we wanted to thank you — our neighbors and community partners — for your inquiries, engagement, and, most importantly, your patience and support over the last three years.

Soon the children’s park, edible garden and forest walk will be open and accessible to all. Soon, local businesses will activate new retail spaces, serving up new amenities and flavors that will further enhance this community. Soon, Metropolitan Park’s two 22-stories towers will be filled with new people and ideas.

While the physical structures our team will leave behind fill us with a tremendous sense of pride and accomplishment, we are equally proud of the significant economic impact this project has created. From contracting opportunities for local, small, and diverse companies, to apprenticeships, to unique learning experiences for our craft workforce and project management team, Metropolitan Park’s construction has served as a platform for growth. We are honored to deliver this important asset that has and will continue to invigorate the Arlington community for decades to come.

Several local businesses will be moving into the 65,000 square feet of street-level retail, including a daycare and a spa, Arlington’s second Conte’s Bike Shop, District Dogs and an outpost of the Museum of Contemporary Art (MoCA) Arlington.

There will also be a slew of restaurants and cafés, including Westover-based Toby’s Homemade Ice Cream and D.C.-based Taqueria Xochi, which were announced last month.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Arlington County school buses (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Police Partnership to Support Local Youth — “The Arlington County Police Department (ACPD), AHC Inc. (AHC) and the Life Enrichment Center (LEC) have partnered to provide literacy tutoring to elementary-aged students at AHC’s Gates of Ballston after-school program. The tutoring program is part of a three-tiered approach between ACPD’s Community Engagement Division and AHC to support positive youth development through education and relationship building.” [ACPD]

County Fair Set to Return — “The countdown has begun: There are now just 100 days left until the start of the 2023 Arlington County Fair. The annual event will be held Aug. 16-20 at Thomas Jefferson Community Center, with upward of 80,000 people expected.” [Gazette Leader]

Arlington Not First to Ranked Choice — “Is Arlington County the first jurisdiction in the DMV to implement ranked choice voting? According to FairVote.org, Arlington is the first location in Virginia to switch to ranked choice voting. But it is not the first place in the DMV… Takoma Park, Maryland has held its elections for mayor and city council this way since 2007.” [WUSA 9]

Yellow Line Celebration Today — From the National Landing BID: “It’s been too long old friend! Come celebrate the return of the Yellow Line on Wednesday, May 10 from 8-10 a.m. at the Pentagon City Metro and Crystal City Metro. Enjoy free coffee, giveaways, and more!” [Twitter]

Shirlington Block Party Planned — “The Village at Shirlington is holding its second annual spring block party on May 20, when the streets will be closed for a day of music, a Maker’s Market, games, and kids’ activities. The celebration, ‘Spring Fling: A Village Block Party,”’will take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 20 on Campbell Avenue.” [Patch]

‘pinion Piece on Pickleball Pwock — “A guy in Falmouth, Mass., sold his house to get away from pickleball courts. A woman in Newport Beach, Calif., sued the city, saying that the ceaseless pwock!ing from nearby courts caused ‘severe mental suffering, frustration and anxiety.’ A neighborhood group in Arlington, Va., this year organized to stop more pickleball courts being built near them because of ‘excessive continuous noise,’ ‘public urination,’ plus ‘tennis and basketball’ had been ‘hijacked.'” [Washington Post]

Falls Church Approves Tax Rates — “There are no changes to the current real estate tax of $1.23 per $100 of assessed value. The average homeowner’s real estate tax bill will increase $364 or 3.4 percent due to the riding assessed property value. The personal property tax (or ‘car tax’) will increase by $0.50 for a total of $4.80 per $100 of assessed value; however, a projected decrease in assessed value of vehicles will result in an average decrease of 8.8 percent in the bill.” [City of Falls Church]

It’s Wednesday — Sunny, with a high near 74. North wind around 7 mph. Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 52. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph after midnight. [Weather.gov]

A local delegation went to England’s Arlington to celebrate the coronation

By Matt Blitz
1/6

A local delegation flew across the Atlantic this past weekend to celebrate the coronation in the English village of Arlington.

A group of about ten Arlingtonians, including an Arlington Heights Civic Association representative, made a quick trip to the village in Gloucestershire, England last week — at the invite of some villagers — for the crowning of King Charles.

They were greeted with the proverbial red carpet, including a banquet, music, and a gift of a painting showcasing the village’s famed “Arlington Row,” which is featured on United Kingdom passports and in the movie Bridget Jones’s Diary.

“It was awesome. When you share a name, you are cousins,” said Mark Murawski, who was part of the delegation as the civic association representative. “It’s important… to have this relationship, foster communication, meet new friends, and share new experiences. It’s a generational event. I wanted to be a part of that and I think it was great that they wanted to share it with us.”

Some believe that Arlington County is actually named after this 1,000-year-old village, as opposed to the more common understanding that it’s named after Harry Bennett, the 1st Earl of Arlington.

The county’s name actually comes from an estate owned by the Custis family near Williamsburg, Virginia, a number of locals say, with that name dating back to the Custis’ own ancestral hometown of Arlington, England.

Murawski is among those who believe this history. During the pandemic, he dove deep into local history and emerged convinced that Arlington, Virginia was in fact named after the small English village of under 1,000 residents in the parish of Bibury.

He said he approached the County Board about perhaps recognizing it as a “sister city” — like Ukraine’s Ivano-Frankivsk — but he was told the village was too small. So, Murawski turned to his neighborhood civic association to see if something could be formalized.

The Arlington Heights Civic Association and Bibury Parish both approved an official relationship earlier this year with Murawski being named the civic association’s Friendship Community delegate.

Then, the invite came for them to join the English community with the same name in celebrating the coronation of King Charles.

“It was an honor to celebrate this generational event with them,” Murawski said.

He hopes he can get the “Arlington Row” painting, commissioned by the village and done by a local English artist, to be approved to be hung on the wall at the Columbia Pike library. The local delegation brought gifts with them as well, including several books from the Arlington Historical Society detailing the history of the county.

It was a short trip, with the delegation arriving Friday morning, watching the coronation in the village center on Saturday, and flying back home to the United States on Monday.

This won’t be the end of the relationship though, Murawski said. Several members of the Bibury Parish Board — “essentially, their County Board” — have been invited to the Arlington County Fair in August.

“I think they are going to come,” he said.

Beyond occasionally traveling across continents for celebrations and county fairs, Murawski hopes that this continued relationship gets the county to add this history to its website and perhaps even designate the village as a sister city despite its small size.

“If an exception could be made, this should be it,” he said. “Because that is our namesake. It’s not that we would be twinning with a town that’s similar. We would be twinning with a town that we are named after.”

Plans to build a bridge between Crystal City and DCA poised to take two steps forward

By Jo DeVoe
1/4

A plan for a pedestrian bridge between Crystal City and Reagan National Airport is headed to the Arlington County Board for endorsement this weekend.

Specifically, the Board is set to bless a girder-style bridge that will connect a future southern entrance to the Virginia Railway Express station at 2011 Crystal Drive to the airport’s Terminal 2. It is also slated to approve more funding for an engineering firm to further develop designs for the bridge, dubbed the CC2DCA multimodal connection.

“The goal of the project is to create an intermodal connection designed to meet the needs of a broad range of pedestrians, bicyclists, and micro-mobility users of all ages and abilities between the core of Crystal City, the Mount Vernon Trail, and DCA,” per a county report.

Currently, getting from Crystal City to DCA on foot or bike involves navigating a series of trails and crossings the county has previously described as “circuitous.”

“Once completed, the journey from the foot of the bridge to the newly constructed security checkpoint at DCA would be about 1,300 feet,” the National Landing Business Improvement District said in a pamphlet published last winter. “Once completed, the new CC2DCA Multimodal Connector would make National Landing the only downtown in the country with its main street within a comfortable 5-minute walk from a major airport.”

After endorsing the project on Saturday, the Board is set to approve a new $4.2 million contract with Boston-based civil engineering firm Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. (VHB) so it can begin drafting preliminary designs. This includes nearly $386,000 in contingency.

CC2DCA preferred alternative and limits of land disturbance (via Arlington County)

Although it may seem incremental, the county says these signs of progress are important milestones in the years-long project, which the county projects could be completed in 2028.

First, this step forward means that a conceptual design phase and environmental review process led by the civil engineering firm VHB are wrapping up.

The County Board approved its first contract with the engineering firm in the spring of 2021 for design work.

Since then, the county, VHB and state and federal agencies winnowed down 16 initial bridge and tunnel connections to a “preferred alternative” and a runner-up bridge proposal, both unveiled last October.

The county says the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Parks Service signed off on the “preferred alternative” this February.

(more…)

Democratic County Board hopefuls say it is time to heal from Missing Middle divisions

By Jo DeVoe
County Board hopefuls at Arlington County Democratic Committee forum (via Arlington Democrats/YouTube)

The specter of Missing Middle haunts the slate of candidates for Arlington County Board.

Two months ago, the County Board allowed the by-right construction of 2-6 unit buildings on lots previously zoned for single-family homes.

Prior to voting for the changes, Board Chair Christian Dorsey and member Katie Cristol announced that they would not be seeking reelection. Those vying to replace them vary widely in their stances on Missing Middle, though a forum last week hosted by Arlington County Democratic Committee revealed areas of common ground.

Some Democrat hopefuls opined about how the process leading up to the zoning changes divided the community and revealed how renters are underrepresented in civic life. Mostly, the candidates suggested that they are focused on life after Missing Middle and supporting other policies to help people afford to live in Arlington.

“We don’t get a do-over. There is no do-over, there is only a do-next,” said policy analyst Maureen Coffey. “We need to learn from this process, what went wrong — never repeat that ever again — and move forward, bringing everyone to the table to talk about how this is going to play out and what we need to solve our housing and larger issues.”

All of the candidates agreed the county will need to analyze data before deciding on next steps.

“Monitoring closely is going to be really important — especially monitoring on elements of diversity and affordability,” said Susan Cunningham, who has run for County Board before as an independent and criticized the zoning changes.

Cunningham suggested modifying rules for accessory dwelling units and for lot coverage, which could curb the development of large homes oft-derided as “McMansions.”

“My biggest problem with Missing Middle was not just the process but the fact that we did not do a comprehensive look at housing,” Cunningham said. “Housing is complicated and housing this whole community in its diversity and amazingness is also complicated, and we oversimplified that in my opinion.”

To that end, another candidate opposed to the changes, real estate agent Natalie Roy, detailed her views on housing in a three-part plan. It includes implementing a proposal from the Arlington branch of the NAACP to prevent the displacement of low-income residents.

Roy said the county should provide a public dashboard showing where and what kind of permits are issued, as well as the selling price for completed units. Arlington County has already committed to publishing this data once it becomes available.

Missing Middle supporter Jonathan Dromgoole said he too is watching where the units are built. Next, he said, the county should focus on shoring up the dwindling supply of relatively inexpensive, market-rate units. This is something Arlington County is already looking at as these units are continuously lost to redevelopment and rehabilitation.

Former NAACP Arlington Branch president Julius “J.D.” Spain, Sr. said he is thinking farther outside the box.

(more…)

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
A Southwest Airlines jet disappears into the clouds after taking off from DCA (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

HQ2 Construction Wrapping Up — “The Met Park piece of Amazon’s HQ2 has been under construction for 40 months on a 6.2-acre site fronting South Eads Street, north of 15th Street South. Since then, upward of 9,400 workers from roughly 40 trades have excavated 440,000 cubic yards of dirt, constructed a pair of 22-story concrete and steel office towers over a massive underground garage, installed nearly 1,000 door frames, laid the sod for the 8,800-square-foot central, public green, and sent more than 100 community updates.” [Washington Business Journal, Clark Construction]

Arlington Brunch Spots in Top 100 List — “Two Arlington restaurants made a new list of 100 Most Popular Brunch Spots for 2023. The list, compiled by online reservation website OpenTable just ahead of Mother’s Day, is based on the analysis of more than 13 million diner reviews… Here are the two Arlington restaurants that made the top 100 brunch spots list: Ambar [and] Ruthie’s All-Day.” [Patch]

GOP Chair Eyes District Seats — “It probably won’t happen soon, but the new chairman of the Arlington County Republican Committee says he’s amenable to launching a petition drive that would change Arlington County Board seats from at-large to district-based… Because all political power in Virginia flows from the state level down to localities, a General Assembly and governor working in tandem likely could impose any changes they saw fit to Arlington’s governance structure, without necessarily needing buy-in from county leaders.” [Gazette Leader]

Ballston Office Lease Renewed — “Nixon & Vanderhye — a law firm with global reach and specializing in intellectual property — has signed a new, long-term lease for 26,000 square feet of office space at Arlington Gateway, a Piedmont Office Realty Trust building in Arlington, Va. The new agreement will lead to a reduction in the firm’s footprint at the property, as well as trim its associated costs.” [CommercialCafe]

Crash Caught on Camera — From Dave Statter: “#caughtoncamera: This is from a four car crash on I-395N last Wednesday at 1:45 p.m. One of the cars didn’t stop & headed across the 14th St. Bridge instead. Minor injuries reported. @VSPPIO & @ArlingtonVaFD handled.” [Twitter]

‘Coffee With a Cop’ Returns — “All those who live, work and visit Arlington are encouraged to attend Coffee with a Cop events as they provide a space to develop and maintain important community relationships… Coffee with a Cop events will be held on Wednesday, May 31, 2023, at the following locations: La Coop Coffee (4807 1st Street N.) from 9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Compass Coffee (4710 Langston Boulevard) from 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.” [ACPD]

DJO Softball Undefeated — “The Bishop O’Connell Knights finished the regular season with a 15-0 record in girls softball. In its final three games, the state’s No. 1- routed Bishop McNamara, 13-1, then downed St. John’s, 13-4, in Washington Catholic Athletic Conference games. O’Connell is the top seed in this week’s WCAC tournament.” [Gazette Leader]

Yorktown Baseball First in District — “The same winning formula for five-straight games helped the Yorktown Patriots clinch first place in the Liberty District regular season baseball standings with a 10-1 record and one game to play when the week began. By finishing first, Yorktown will be the top seed in the upcoming district tournament and has earned an automatic berth to play in the 6D North Region tourney.” [Gazette Leader]

It’s Tuesday — Today: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 2pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly between 2pm and 5pm. High near 60. Northeast wind 7 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. Tonight: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 48. North wind 6 to 8 mph. [Weather.gov]

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