County Board

Morning Poll: Expand the Snowblower Loan Program?

By ARLnow.com

Now that Arlington County has on its books an official snow removal ordinance, which makes failure to clear the sidewalk in front of your property a civil offense punishable by fines, demand for the county’s snowblower loan program is apparently skyrocketing.

County Manager Barbara Donnellan told the board on Saturday that the county has received requests for 50-60 snowblowers so far this winter. Arlington only has about ten snowblowers available to loan to local civic associations.

Faced with that news, the board seemed willing to expand the snowblower loan program, the goal of which is to allow citizens to clear publicly-owned sidewalks in their neighborhoods. The program also allows civic associations to clear sidewalks for elderly or disabled neighbors who aren’t capable of doing so themselves.

“The goal has to be to get the sidewalk shoveled,” said board member Barbara Favola. “This, in my mind, is a tool to get us there.”

“The snowblower program… allows those area that are the county’s responsibility to get done earlier than if we waited for county employees to get done with their snow clearing responsibilities on the roads,” noted board member Mary Hynes. The board asked Donnellan to report back on the program, but did not take any concrete action.

While the board was unanimous in its praise of the program, at least one local civic association leader cautioned that the program could “grow out of control.”

“The county lacks storage space, and buying snowblowers or snow shovels for us is not your role,” said Chick Walter, president of the Arlington Ridge Civic Association. He said the program has been “glaringly unsuccessful” in terms of only benefiting a few county neighborhoods.

Walter urged the county to end the program and donate the existing snowblowers to local civic associations.

If you were sitting on the board, what would you do?

Board Approves Bond Issue for Construction Projects

By ARLnow.com

Three separate county construction projects will be combined into one bond issue to save money on financing costs.

On Saturday the board unanimously approved up to $15 million in bonds to fund the last phases of the Cherrydale Fire Station 3 project ($7.5 million), the initial construction of the Arlington Mill Community Center ($5 million), and the construction of a new park at the Buckingham Village 1 apartment complex ($850,000).

The projects were previously approved as part of the county’s Capital Improvement Programs.

“Arlington is fortunate to be able to continue its investment in critical facilities and infrastructure, even during hard economic times,” Board Chairman Jay Fisette said in a statement. “Our sound financial practices and balanced smart growth approach are allowing us to follow through on long-standing commitments to our community.”

The new Cherrydale fire station is expected to open in summer 2011. The $7.5 million needed to fund the final construction phases is $5.5 million less than originally anticipated. Construction bids for the project were well below estimates, county officials said.

Immigration Group to Receive County Human Rights Award

By ARLnow.com

The Arlington Coalition Against the Secure Communities Program, which successfully lobbied the county board to attempt to opt out of the federal Secure Communities immigration enforcement program, will receive the county’s James B. Hunter Human Rights Award later this week.

According to a press release, the coalition “assisted Arlington Board Member Walter Tejada in the development of a resolution he introduced in late September.” The resolution passed unanimously. Ultimately, the county determined that it was not practically possible to opt out of the program.

“Leading up to the vote, coalition members distributed thousands of petitions, fact sheets and emails to residents and organized and engaged in public forums to discuss the flaws of the Secure Communities program,” the coalition said in a statement. “The work to stop the program is far from over but the Coalition remains steadfast in its mission to halt the Secure Communities program because it encourages racial profiling, destroys families, destroys the trust in police and circumvents our criminal justice system.”

The coalition will receive its award at 7:00 Thursday night at the county board room. Last year’s winners of the James B. Hunter Award included the Arlington Food Assistance Center, the Literary Council of Northern Virginia, a pastor who worked to help those with AIDS and an attorney who helps the elderly and those with disabilities. The award is presented by the Arlington Human Rights Commission.

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County Seeks Renewal of Hotel Tax Surcharge

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 10:30 a.m.) Arlington, the top visitor destination in the state of Virginia, spends just under $1 million on tourism promotion each year. But if the county’s state legislative delegation can’t convince fellow lawmakers to renew the law that allows Arlington to collect those funds as a tax surcharge, the relatively meager tourism budget could drop to zero.

Arlington funds its Convention and Visitors Service through a 0.25 percent surcharge on the standard 5 percent hotel tax. Each year, the county collects $21 million in hotel taxes, or about $5,000 per room, the highest rate in Virginia. Suffice to say that given the hoards of tourists who stay at hotels in Arlington as a cheaper alternative to the District, the surcharge isn’t much of a hindrance.

But the extra quarter of a percentage point, despite having the support of the Arlington Chamber of Commerce and the local hotel industry, may be a tough sell in Richmond.

In an anti-tax, Tea Party kind of a year, Arlington’s Democratic lawmakers say that even passing something as simple as a re-authorization for Arlington’s hotel tax surcharge could be difficult.

“It’s going to be extremely challenging to get this bill through this year,” said Del. Bob Brink. “It has the dreaded T-word in it.”

Brink seemed to tacitly acknowledge that the county’s strained relationship with Richmond — caused in part by the county’s HOT lanes lawsuit, the Secure Communities opt-out fiasco and other slights — has also contributed to the degree of difficulty in gaining legislative cooperation.

“We’re in a very challenging environment, both fiscally and otherwise,” Brink said.

At one point board member Chris Zimmerman parted from the board’s stated position and questioned whether it was worth the legislators’ effort for a mere million dollars.

“Should this be one of the things we expend political capital on?” he asked.

In so many words, ‘yes’ seemed to be the response.

“It is going to be a challenge, but I think we can do it,” Brink said.

The current tax authorization expires on Jan. 1, 2012. Arlington will ask that it be extended for another three years. The approval requires a 2/3 vote in each chamber of the state legislature.

Morning Poll: Aggressive Towing in Arlington

By ARLnow.com

Between 15,000 and 20,000 cars are towed in Arlington each year, according to a three-part series on towing in the county by TBD’s Rebecca Cooper.

Of those thousands of tows every year, only about 50 result in formal complaints being filed with the police. And of those complaints, the cases where the towing company actually violated a county ordinance is in the single digits, according to an extrapolation of Cooper’s numbers.

When we last wrote about Arlington’s biggest tow company, Advanced Towing, a torrent of hate was unleashed in the comment section. But if such a large percentage of tows are legitimate, then are more stringent regulations necessary?

For the time being, county board chairman Jay Fisette tells TBD that he’s just focusing on reducing “predatory tows” in a number of towing “hot spots.” Is that enough?

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Panel Discusses Energy Plan Options — The task force in charge of helping to craft a Community Energy Plan for Arlington met yesterday to discuss options for providing “district energy” in the county’s denser areas. District energy would centralize heating and cooling in an area, serving multiple buildings. One of the big questions posed to the task force by its energy consultant was whether the company that provides the district energy plant should be county-owned, a public-private partnership or privately-owned. More from TBD.

Gunston to Get New Field, But Board Cuts Canopies — On Tuesday, the board approved a $715,000 contract to replace the synthetic field turf at Gunston Middle School. But they stripped out $120,000 in funding that county staff had allocated for shade canopies over the bleachers. More from the Sun Gazette.

Hotel Protest in Crystal City Tomorrow — Workers are expected to picket in front of the Crystal City Sheraton tomorrow to protest supposed abuses of workers’ rights by the hotel’s parent company. The rally has the backing of local organized labor. More from dclabor.org

Sushi Rock Gets Live Entertainment Permit, At a Cost

By ARLnow.com

Sushi Rock, Arlington’s leather-clad, rock ‘n’ roll take on Japanese cuisine, got the live entertainment permit it wanted from the county board last night, but it came with a restriction the business fought to avoid.

Sushi Rock volunteered for most of the provisions sought by residents of the high-end condos above the restaurant: keeping doors and windows closed during live entertainment, using sound-dampening materials, testing decibel levels in condos, designating a “neigborhood liason,” prohibiting loitering outside the business, picking up trash outside, and so forth.

Owners did not agree, however, to restricting the use of outdoor speakers on the restaurant’s patio. But that’s exactly what happened last night. The board approved the live entertainment permit with a provision that the outdoor speakers be shut off after 10:00 p.m. on weekdays and 11:00 p.m. on weekends.

Sushi Rock partner Tony Hudgins was incredulous. He said the live entertainment permit would have no bearing on what’s broadcast through the speakers.

“If I’m following the logic… we’re actually being asked to give up what we’re already allowed to do, in order to get a live entertainment license that won’t allow us to broadcast [live performances] outside,” he said.

But two residents asked the board to restrict the use of the speakers.

“If the speakers are allowed to be on outside, I wouldn’t be able to sleep,” said condo owner Marilyn Lythgoe. It’s not clear if she had already been affected by the speakers, which were in use this summer.

Phyllis Bradley lives three stories above Sushi Rock. She also argued against the speakers, even though during a recent sound test, in which the outdoor speakers were in use, she acknowledged that “we did hear a sound, not even a pin drop.”

“If that’s how it’s going to be when they get their permit, I have no objections,” she said. “But I don’t think so.”

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Concessions Granted, Clarendon Trader Joe’s Moves Forward

By ARLnow.com

Trader Joe’s fans can breathe a sigh of relief. Last night the county board granted the grocery store chain the site plan amendments it sought as a condition of moving into the new Clarendon Center development.

The changes will allow Trader Joe’s to reserve underground parking spaces for customers and shopping carts, utilize the loading dock from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. and allow an outdoor display of merchandise.

“I’m very happy to take this vote,” County Board Chairman Jay Fisette said, shortly before members voted 5-0 to approve the amendments without modifications. “It’s about time Trader Joe’s figured out what a great market Arlington is.”

Should the board have denied the site plan amendments, Trader Joe’s indicated it would have walked away from the deal. Instead, following the vote, a Trader Joe’s rep told the board to expect a Summer 2011 opening date.

Most of the handful of residents who spoke out about Trader Joe’s at last night’s board meeting expressed support for the proposed store. Some, however, had specific concerns as well.

Those concerns included the noise from delivery trucks idling, the practicality of the reserved parking scheme, whether validated parking will be abused, the potential for predatory towing in the parking garage and worries about the outdoor product display. In the end, the board discussed but did not specifically act on the concerns.

Fisette and county staff noted that Arlington has a explicit policy of modifying regulations in order to attract grocery stores.

Introducing the 2010 ABBIE Award Winners

By ARLnow.com

Congratulations to the 15 businesses that emerged as winners in the voting for this year’s Arlington’s Best Business Awards.

About 10,000 people participated in the online nomination and voting process, according to Arlington Economic Development, which sponsors the annual contest. That’s about twice as many nominations and votes as last year.

Among the big winners were Northside Social, voted Arlington’s Best New Business, and Lost Dog Cafe, the only business to win in two categories.

The winners, which will announced at the county board meeting that’s getting underway now, are:

  • Best Boutique: ShoeFly
  • Best Brunch: Carlyle
  • Best Community-Based Nonprofit: AFAC
  • Best Customer Service: Eventide
  • Best Dessert: Heidelberg Pastry Shoppe
  • Best Late Night Spot: Bob and Edith’s
  • Best Performing Arts Organization: Signature Theatre
  • Best Place to Care for Your Pet: Ballston Animal Hospital
  • Best Place to Dance the Night Away: Clarendon Ballroom
  • Best Place to Learn Something New: Arlington Public Library
  • Best Happy Hour: Liberty Tavern
  • Best Neighborhood Bar: Whitlow’s on Wilson
  • Best “Bargain” Restaurant: Lost Dog Café
  • Best Family Friendly Restaurant: Lost Dog Café
  • Best New Business: Northside Social

The incumbent winners from 2009 had a particularly strong showing. Only the Best New Business, Best Happy Hour, and Best Customer Service categories changed hands this year.

Morning Poll: Arlington’s Highway Opposition

By ARLnow.com

Arlington’s opposition to the I-95/395 HOT Lanes and the I-66 widening projects has inspired a special report from WTOP called “Arlington’s Way of the Highway.”

While noting the praise heaped on Arlington for being a model of smart growth, WTOP reporter Adam Tuss says that the county’s resistance to highway transportation projects has opened it up for criticism.

“There are others that scoff at the county, saying its officials take a parochial transportation view and only think about Arlington at the expense of the entire D.C. region,” Tuss reports.

County board chairman Jay Fisette, meanwhile, defended the county’s expensive lawsuit against the HOT lanes project by saying that the county is concerned about “the impact on our local communities and also insuring the movement of people.”

Do you think the county is doing the right thing, or does is Arlington selfishly ignoring the region’s “greater good?”


Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

It’s Christmas Time Again — Thanks to the owners of Ballston Common Mall, Pentagon Row and other retail outlets around Arlington, we are reminded that this is the time of giving… your credit card to the person behind the register.

Shirlington Plans Tree Lighting Ceremony — Shirlington Village will hold a tree lighting ceremony on the evening of Tuesday, Nov. 30. The event will feature free horse-drawn carriage rides. More from the Shirlington Village Blog.

Board to Vote on Trader Joe’s Requests — At its 6:30 p.m. meeting today, the Arlington County board will vote on whether to grant the site plan amendment requested by Trader Joe’s for its planned Clarendon store. The board is expected to give Trader Joe’s what it wants, but if it doesn’t the grocery chain could walk away from its plans. It has not signed a lease yet.

ABBIE Awards to be Announced Today — The 15 winners of the annual Arlington’s Best Business Awards — or ABBIES — will be announced today at the county board’s 3:00 p.m. meeting. ARLnow.com was nominated for an award in the “Best Place to Learn Something New” category, but we apparently did not win. Thank you to everybody who voted for us.

Flickr pool photo by BrianMKA

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