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(Updated 3:50 p.m.) Arlington County has published a new draft plan outlining how to encourage private development on Langston Blvd to turn it into a walkable, bikeable corridor with apartment buildings and public spaces.

The plan, released last week, follows up on a more conceptual document released last year. This document introduced the vision for less dense neighborhoods giving way to “activity hubs,” such as the Lyon Village Shopping Center, developed with 15-story apartment buildings.

Since then, the county says it made several changes responding to public feedback calling for more housing, especially affordable housing, and more incentives to generate public benefits. The plan leverages new housing construction to preserve historical properties — like the decades-old Moore’s Barber Shop in the Hall’s Hill neighborhood — and inject the area with new stormwater infrastructure, privately-owned public spaces, new east-west roads, streetscapes, and trail connections.

The new draft calls for taller allowable heights in certain areas, a general increase in housing units that could be built throughout the corridor, more public spaces and buffered bicycle lanes. It recommends policy and zoning changes and publicly funded infrastructure projects to facilitate the new development and has a timeline assigning tasks to various county divisions.

Alreadly, the draft plan has generated positive reception by some in the community, but also criticism by others of specific elements. One general criticism: the reliance on private development to deliver public spaces and needed infrastructure, especially stormwater management.

This follows divergent feedback over the last year about how, and whether, the corridor should develop — though neighbors are more united around transportation and streetscape upgrades for Langston Blvd.

Cherrydale Civic Association President Jim Todd says he was surprised to see the number of housing units go up. The 2022 concept plan estimated 8,431 new units could be possible. The new draft brought up the estimate to 9,400 new units.

The unit increase responds to calls from several residents, local advocacy groups and citizen commissions, according to Plan Langston Blvd Coordinator Natasha Alfonso-Ahmed. These comments stressed the importance of Langston Blvd for reaching a county goal to increase affordable housing in North Arlington by 2040.

Planners increased allowable heights in certain areas to further incentivize developers to build community benefits and deliver affordable housing, while updating guidance to ensure these buildings taper down to low-rise homes nearby.

Heights are now up to 15 stories in some places immediately south of I-66, where previously a 12-story limit was considered. Elsewhere in the North Highlands area, north of Rosslyn, heights are up to 12 stories, instead of 10. The same increase occurred across from the Lyon Village Shopping Center.

Elsewhere, allowable heights increased from seven to 10 stories near the Lee Heights Shopping Center and at the intersection with N. Oak Street. Upper limits increased from five to six stories at the intersection with N. George Mason Drive and south of Langston Blvd, west of Rosslyn.

Additionally, the county added 14 more public spaces to the plan and converted “sharrows” — where bicyclists and drivers share the road — into buffered bike lanes in two places.

Transit advocate Gillian Burgess welcomed the removal of “sharrows” and lauded the occasional protected bike lanes, undergrounded utilities and parking and increased transit.

Overall, however, she says the plan falls short of making travel safe and sustainable. Instead, it waits for more people to opt to ride the bus to improve bus service, through increased service and bus-priority signals.

“This is not a plan that will enable children to get to school on their own. This is not a plan that will enable an equitable transportation system. This is not a plan that reduce many car trips in favor of more safe and sustainable modes,” she said. “As our ideal, long-term goal, knowing what we know and with the technology we have in 2023, this is disappointing.”

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