County Board

Big Bike Changes Planned for Pentagon City

By ARLnow.com

Changes could be coming to Army Navy Drive that will make the intersection-laden and car-clogged stretch of road a lot friendlier to bicyclists.

This weekend, the county board is expected to accept $210,000 in federal grant money to help plan a bike route on the busy Pentagon City thoroughfare. The funds will also help plan a bike route on South Joyce Street that will connect Army Navy Drive, Columbia Pike and an existing pedestrian path.

Both routes are marked in yellow on the maps above.

County engineers currently envision a two-way bike lane on Army Navy Drive, made possible by narrowing the road’s comfortably wide lanes and shifting the median. South Joyce Street will likely only get a single bike lane, since its configuration is set by huge concrete structures that hold up the highways that run over it.

The grant-funded preliminary engineering phase is expected to last 8-9 months, according to Transportation Planning Bureau Chief Thomas Bruccoleri.

So far, no money has been made available for construction. Bruccoleri says the funds would most likely be allocated in the FY 2013 budget, meaning that the bike paths are at least a few years away.

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Arlington Declines To “Opt-Out” of ICE Database

By ARLnow.com

Arlington officials were given two options for opting out of the Secure Communities immigration enforcement program today, neither of which they liked.

Arlington County Manager Barbara Donnellan, Police Chief Doug Scott and Sheriff Beth Arthur met with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials to find out how communities can withdraw from the program, which has drawn fire from immigrant rights advocates.

The meeting followed the county board’s unanimous September vote to opt-out of Secure Communities, and statements to the press from ICE Director John Morton, saying such a withdrawal was impossible.

The meeting seemed to add weight to Morton’s assertion.

“ICE stated clearly — and with finality — that local activated communities do not have the option of withholding information from the program, although communities can opt not to learn the results of immigration queries,” Donnellan wrote in a memo to county board members following the meeting.

“ICE stated that Secure Communities is a federal information-sharing program — which links two federal fingerprint databases,” Donnellan wrote. “The program does not require state and local law enforcement to partner with ICE in enforcing federal law. State and local law enforcement do not have any role in enforcing immigration law.”

The agency gave Arlington two options for opting out of the program. The first option was to opt-out of receiving the results of ICE’s database inquiry.

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With Zimmerman Re-Elected, Board’s Agenda Remains Unchanged

By ARLnow.com

Local Republican leaders thought that in Mark Kelly, they finally had a shot at getting a voice on the county board.

Mark was a well-spoken, likable family man who took measured, intellectual positions on the issues. He was a Republican who Democratic voters could potentially find common ground with, especially in an anti-incumbent year.

In the end, however, Arlington voters re-elected Democrat Chris Zimmerman by a wide margin.

It was especially striking that, despite loud grumbles of disapproval in certain quarters over perceived excess county spending, 57 percent of voters still chose to re-elect the number one supporter of the county’s proposed $200 million streetcar project.

“Once again the voters have affirmed their commitment to progressive government… even in a down year,” Zimmerman said.

Voters rewarded Democrats for their “commitment to quality services and strategic investments” as well as “a commitment to Arlington as a diverse and welcoming community,” he added.

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Morning Poll: Running Parking Meters After Dark?

By ARLnow.com

Greater Greater Washington’s Michael Perkins has an interesting thesis. He says that instead of shutting down at 6:00 p.m., parking meters in Arlington should run after dark in neighborhoods like Clarendon, Crystal City and Rosslyn.

Perkins says such a move would free up more street parking in Arlington’s business districts at night. It would also encourage more people to take transit, he says.

Changing the hours would require the county board to change the code.

What do you think?


Mark Kelly Takes to the Airwaves

By ARLnow.com

Republican county board candidate Mark Kelly has started running an ad on local cable television.

The ad emphasizes the “diversity of opinion” Kelly says he would bring to the board. Arlington viewers started seeing the ad on cable TV shows on Wednesday.

“We’re trying to use every means available to reach people,” Kelly said after a debate in Highland Park last night.

Kelly’s opponent, incumbent Democrat Chris Zimmerman, says he has no plans to air any TV ads, although he has done so in the past.

“I’m not buying cable ads,” Zimmerman said, adding that cable viewership is down. “Cable doesn’t have the penetration it used to.”

Zimmerman said that his campaign was based on a 12-month strategy, not a short-term strategy.

County Approves Funding for Neighborhood Projects

By ARLnow.com

The county board has approved $3.87 million to fund ten neighborhood conservation projects.

The projects “will upgrade parks, and improve streets, sidewalks and street lighting in 10 neighborhoods across the County.”

Seven of the ten neighborhoods selected are in North Arlington.

The projects, as detailed in a county press release:

  • Aurora Highlands — $592,280 to improve S. Ives St. – 20th St. S to 23rd St. S  sidewalks, curbs, gutters and street lighting
  • Leeway — $546,738 to improve N. Nottingham St – 22nd St. N to Lee Highway
  • Buckingham — $498,538 to improve pedestrian safety and street lighting, for beautification and the possible replacement of colonial streetlights with Carlyle Style lights
  • Lyon Park — $498,000 to improve and beautify N. Daniel St./9th St. N-Washington Blvd. to 10th St. N sidewalks, curbs, gutters
  • Clarendon-Courthouse — $487,000 to improve Rocky Run Park and N. Barton St., by building two lighted, multi-use courts; renovating playgrounds; building synthetic field, accessible pathways, site furnishings and fencing
  • Old Glebe — $485,100 for N. Old Glebe Road – N. Stafford St. to N Military Rd. historic preservation/park interpretation at Forth Ethan Allen – Madison Community Center
  • Cherrydale — $374,000 to improve N. Kenmore St-S. of Lee Highway to 20th St. S.
  • Boulevard Manor — $353,887 to improve sidewalks, curbs, gutters and street lighting for 1st Street N and N. Montague St.
  • Foxcraft Heights — $12,500 to help community locate, design, build and install a neighborhood sign.
  • Columbia Heights — $12,500 to help community locate, design, build and install neighborhood sign.

Board Warns of Ill Consequences from State Liquor Plan

By ARLnow.com

County board members are not big fans of Gov. Bob McDonnell’s plan to privatize state liquor stores. At yesterday’s board meeting, members took turns bashing various aspects of the plan.

“It does not come anywhere near funding the transportation needs of the state,” Barbara Favola said, of the plan’s stated goal of helping to fill the $20 billion worth of unfunded transportation needs in Virginia.

“Four-hundred-fifty million dollars is nothing,” said Chris Zimmerman, referring to the estimated one-time revenues that selling state-run ABC stores and auctioning off liquor licenses could provide. He said that one estimate puts the additional amount needed for transportation in Northern Virginia at $500 million per year.

Jay Fisette worried about the loss of the state’s lucrative ABC business, which provides millions each year to fund human services programs. That revenue, he said, would be lost under the plan, choking off the state’s already shrinking human services budget.

Also a concern was the number of new liquor stores and liquor-licensed grocery and convenience stores that could be approved under the plan. Zimmerman cited a report saying the number of stores selling liquor in Arlington would increase from 8 to 26.

“I think this has great potential to affect our community in a negative manner,” said Mary Hynes. She said it would be easier for teens to buy liquor from grocery stores than it currently is to buy liquor from the state-run ABC stores.

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Board Instructs Manager to Restrain Spending

By ARLnow.com

“We are lucky to be Arlington,” county manager Barbara Donnellan said, kicking off the board’s initial guidance for the fiscal year 2012 budget.

Donnellan was referring to the fact that property values — and, thus, tax collections — have stabilized in Arlington, while other local communities continue to feel the pinch from the recession.

Even with a cautiously optimistic outlook, however, the county is still staring down a $25-35 million budget shortfall for FY 2012.

Reflecting the continued financial pressures, the board on Saturday issued budget guidance to Donnellan that was conservative in tone.

The board asked Donnellan to limit budget growth to 1.14 percent — the rate of inflation. The limit does not apply to additional spending required by the school system and as a result of the county’s commitment to four current capital projects (including a new fire station, Long Bridge Park, and the Mary Marshall Assisted Living Residence).

Donnellan expects capital projects to cost an additional $2.5 million, increases in employee compensation to cost $12.7 million, and post-employment benefits to cost an additional $2.1 million. The cost of additional student enrollment is expected to cost $8.6 million.

Donnellan says the county will likely collect an additional $13.8 million in revenue, based largely on inflation.

The board instructed Donnellan to find “any efficiencies or duplication that may exist in County programs,” as a way to save money. It also instructed Donnellan to add no new positions or programs, unless a dedicated funding source or a net cost savings can be identified.

At the same time, the board asked Donnellan to continue investing in affordable housing while preserving the “safety net for those in need,” as well as public safety and health protections.

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Trader Joe’s Will Likely Get Its Regulatory Wishlist

By ARLnow.com

Arlington’s long-standing policy of encouraging grocery store development in the county is helping to pave the way for Trader Joe’s to open in Clarendon.

ARLnow.com first reported last month that Trader Joe’s was prepared to sign a lease in the Clarendon Center project if it could get some regulatory issues ironed out. Among them: the retailer wanted permission to have dedicated parking, wanted to display its products outside the store, and wanted a loading dock provision modified.

“I think we managed to work through all three issues,” Arlington County Planning Division Chief Robert Brosnan told us last night. “We do have a policy for shared parking, but we also have a policy for grocery stores, and it really is in the name of encouraging a grocery store that we will modify those requirements in this case.”

Brosnan said he expects county staff to recommend the changes, and for the board to take up the issue at its November board meeting (on either Nov. 13 or Nov. 16). After that point, Trader Joe’s will likely make the final decision on whether to sign a lease.

The site plan amendment process for Trader Joe’s was “not abnormally fast,” Brosnan noted. He added that some additional steps may be required for the store to get permission to display products outside.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Kelly Has $10K Cash Advantage — Republican candidate for county board Mark Kelly may not have raised as much money as incumbent Chris Zimmerman but, true to his campaign platform, he also spent significantly less. Kelly had $28,480 cash on hand on Sept. 30, more than $10,000 more than Zimmerman. More from the Sun Gazette.

County Board Questions NOVA Budget Request — Northern Virginia Community College is asking localities to help cover its $14 million capital budget gap, but at a meeting last night the county board seemed less than enthusiastic about doing so in a year when more budget cuts and tax hikes are likely on the way. Currently, Arlington pays $1 per resident to NOVA’s capital budget fund. NOVA is asking for an additional 50 cents per person. More from TBD.

Hillside Park Reopens — At long last, a hilly, wooded park near Rosslyn, cleverly named Hillside Park, has reopened following significant upgrades. More from TBD.

Columbia Pike Now Under County Control

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 4:20 p.m.) This winter, the sight of VDOT plows clearing snow on Columbia Pike will be replaced with the sight of Arlington County plows doing the same.

On Oct. 1, following final approval by the county board and the Commonwealth Transportation Board, Columbia Pike was officially transferred from state control to county control.

The transfer is intended to speed up redevelopment along the Pike, as the county no longer has to go through a bottleneck of VDOT approvals to complete its Columbia Pike projects.

From a more practical standpoint, the change will mean that maintenance tasks once handled by VDOT will now be handled by the county. VDOT was formerly responsible for signs, storm water, sewers, paving, lane striping and snow removal on the Pike. Arlington will now assume control of those tasks, in addition to its existing commitment to maintain the streetscape, traffic lights and street lights.

The added responsibility will cost the county about $660,000 per year.

Despite the transfer, the intersection with Glebe Road and the Washington Boulevard interchange will remain under VDOT control.

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