parking

Board to Consider Permit to Expand Lyon Park Community House

By Katie Pyzyk

After more than a decade of working to make it a reality, the Lyon Park Citizens Association may finally get its community house renovated. The Arlington County Board is scheduled to take up the issue at Saturday morning’s meeting.

The association has requested a permit to expand and renovate the community house, which was built in 1925 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. If approved, the permit would allow for the addition of more than 1,000 square feet. Among the changes would be an update to the kitchen and the addition of a sunroom. The plan also includes various updates to make the house handicap accessible.

Typically, an expansion of this kind would also require the addition of parking spaces; In this particular case, 13 extra. However, the building was constructed before a zoning ordinance regarding parking was put in place. Therefore, county staff has recommended that the expansion be allowed without the addition of parking spaces. The permit would require the association provide handouts with off-site parking information to anyone who applies to rent the facility.

Because the house and park are owned by the Lyon Park Citizens Association, county money will not be used for the renovations. The association has been fundraising to finance the project.

If the County Board follows the staff recommendation to approve the permit, the association hopes to begin construction sometime this year.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Happy Valentine’s Day — Be sure to check out this article from last week for a list of last-minute Valentine’s Day date ideas.

Big Win for Washington-Lee Gymnastics — The Washington-Lee High School girls’ gymnastics team has captured the Northern Region gymnastics title for the first time in school history. The team is now a contender for the state title at a competition on Friday. [Sun Gazette]

Bicycle Ridership High for January — Thanks in part, perhaps, to the mild weather, Arlington County counted 140,252 bicycle trips along local trails during the month of January. The count is high by seasonal standards. [CommuterPage Blog]

Parking Spots in Shirlington — How many off-street parking spots are there around Shirlington Village? There are 2,446 such spots, according to a handy map of Shirlington garages. [Shirlington Village Blog Spot]

Flickr pool photo by Chris Rief

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Ballston Parking Garage Rate Hike Approved — On Saturday the Arlington County Board approved a proposed increase in parking rates at the Ballston Public Parking Garage. The parking rate hike, the first at the garage since 1996, will have the biggest impact on those who park on weekends, who were previously paying a $1 flat rate. The county said the increase was necessary to pay for repairs and upgrades to the garage. Also discussed: the effect of Arlington’s living wage requirement on personnel costs at the garage. [Arlington County]

New Streetlights Green-Lit for the Pike — Also on Saturday, the Board approved a $1.2 million contract to install new LED streetlights along part of Columbia Pike. County officials said the new streetlights will improve safety, energy efficiency and aesthetics along one of the busiest pedestrian sections of the Pike. [Arlington County]

‘Pipestem’ Compromise Reached — A developer and neighbors in the Leeway Overlee neighborhood reached a compromise on the developer’s controversial plan to build a new home on a “pipestem” lot on N. Nottingham Street. As part of the compromise, the house — located behind another home and connected to the street by only a thin strip of driveway — will be smaller than originally proposed and will include a detached garage. [Washington Post]

Home Prices Up in Arlington — Fewer homes were sold in January compared to a year ago, but the fact that there were fewer homes on the market helped to raise average and median sale prices by nearly 10 percent. The increase in home prices was led by double-digit increases in townhouse and condo prices. [Sun Gazette]

Flickr pool photo by Damiec

Board to Vote on Rate Hike at Ballston Parking Garage

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 4:40 p.m.) Parking rates at the Ballston Public Parking Garage could be going up soon.

The Arlington County Board is scheduled to vote over the weekend on a proposal to increase extended and weekend parking rates at the 2,800 space garage, which is adjacent to Ballston Common Mall.

Under the proposal, the rate for parking less than three hours or parking after 6:00 p.m. will remain $1. On weekdays, rates for parking more than three hours will increase between $0.50 to $2.00. The most dramatic rate hikes, however, will be felt by those who park at the county-owned garage over the weekend. The $1.00 weekend flat rate will be eliminated in favor of a continuation of the weekday variable rate, which tops off at $10.00 for all-day parking. (See table, left.)

The rate for monthly parking contracts will also increase under the proposal. The 5 day/week rate will increase from $77.00 to $105.00, and the 7 day/week rate will increase from $104.00 to $145.00.

Daily parking rates at the garage have not changed since 1994 and monthly rates have not changed since 1996. County staff estimate the rate hike will generate an extra $1 million per year, which will be used to help pay off the bonds that financed the garage’s purchase and renovation by the county in the mid-1980s.

The staff report notes that just over half of the garage’s current operating budget goes to paying the contract employees who work at the garage, who are paid a living wage per county policy.

If approved by the County Board, the new rates will go into effect on May 1.

BRAC Traffic Issues Improve in Barcroft Neighborhood

By Katie Pyzyk

Efforts by residents to reduce traffic headaches in the Barcroft neighborhood appear to have paid off. Residents report that the increase in shuttle buses for government workers affected by BRAC has diminished the number of cars clogging the neighborhood.

In July, we reported about resident concerns over an additional 1,200 workers flooding the Barcroft neighborhood due to the Base Realignment and Closure Act. People living in the area were concerned about workers parking on the streets and dangerous traffic congestion on George Mason Drive. They appealed to Rep. Jim Moran for help.

Moran asked that the plan for shuttle buses between Arlington Hall and the Pentagon Center be expedited to ease the traffic burden, and shuttles started running on September 6. Now, residents report this action has helped improve traffic conditions and safety over the past few months.

“I believe the diligent work by Congressman Moran’s office and the determination of our neighbors to make clear boundaries really paid off,” said Barcroft School and Civic League President Pat Williamson.

Williamson says although there’s still some congestion along George Mason during the morning rush, the situation is much improved and she hasn’t received any new complaints from neighbors.

“The new Arlington Hall shuttle bus service is a testament to the impact of an engaged, active community,” Moran said. “I look forward to continuing to work with the Barcroft residents, Arlington Hall employees and the Defense Department to smooth out any wrinkles caused by BRAC.”

Also being credited is the increase in Metrobus service along the route. WMATA had previously promised to increase the frequency of 22A buses, and as of this week, added additional stops to the route.

Man Found Dead in Rosslyn

By Katie Pyzyk

(Updated at 11:20 a.m.) A parking attendant was found dead in Rosslyn this morning.

A security guard found the man without a pulse and not breathing at the entrance to a garage at the Waterview Building (1919 N. Lynn Street). Police were called around 5:45 a.m.

The death appears to be medical-related, according to Arlington County Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck.

Electric Vehicle Charging Stations Installed at Mall

By ARLnow.com

A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held this morning to unveil four electric vehicle charging stations that have been installed in the Pentagon City mall parking garage.

Arlington County Board Chairman Chris Zimmerman, Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va.), Rep. Janice Hahn (D-Calif.) and representatives from mall owner Simon Property Group were all on hand for the ceremony. Also present were reps from 350Green, the Los Angeles-based company that manufactures the charging stations.

The charging stations are located on level 2 of the mall parking garage. They can partially charge an electric vehicle in as little as 90 minutes, while the car’s owner shops.

Photo courtesy the Office of Rep. Jim Moran

Electronic iPark Devices Available Again

By ARLnow.com

Arlington County has quietly started offering iPark devices again.

The iPark is an electronic gadget that allows you to pay for parking in Arlington by pressing a button and hanging the device from your rear view mirror. The big advantage is the ability to pay for parking by the minute, without having to guess how long you’re going to be in a spot and without having to carry coins or fiddle with those multi-space parking meters.

The county stopped selling iParks last winter, after the company behind the device encountered some financial difficulties. Those problems have since been cleared up, apparently, and the county has started offering iParks to citizens once again.

“Epark, the manufacturer if iPark, has recapitalized and is under new management,” Arlington County Treasurer Frank O’Leary told ARLnow.com. “Accordingly, we are moving ahead full bore.”

The iPark is available for purchase at the Treasurer’s Office at 2100 Clarendon Boulevard, Suite 215. The device itself costs $20, and prepaid parking funds can be added via cash, check or credit card.

Parking Spots Converted to Grassy Lounge in Rosslyn

By ARLnow.com

For today only, Artisphere (1101 Wilson Blvd) has converted two street parking spaces into a small urban oasis of grass and modern designer furniture.

The outdoor installation is Arlington’s entry into Park(ing) Day, “an annual, worldwide event that invites citizens everywhere to transform metered parking spots into temporary parks for the public good.” A sign posted on the sidewalk invites passersby to “relax, hang, be Zen.”

Despite the chilly weather, a few people have taken refuge in the space, which was designed by Apartment Zero, a “multi-disciplinary design and curatorial studio.”

Between 5:00 and 6:30 tonight the dance company Dance Exchange will perform “a site-specific version of their dance work, Hammock” in the space. Find out more information about the performance from our previous article on the event.

Artisphere Plans Parking Space Party

By ARLnow.com

Rosslyn’s Artisphere (1101 Wilson Blvd) is planning to transform two parking spaces outside the cultural center into a “tranquil lounge space” on Friday.

The event is being held as part PARK(ing) Day, “an annual, worldwide event that invites citizens everywhere to transform metered parking spots into temporary parks for the public good.”

In addition to the lounge itself, Rosslynites will be treated to a performance by dance artist Sarah Levitt between 5:00 and 6:30 p.m. See the press release about the event, after the jump.

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Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

County to Label Building Energy Use — In October, Arlington will start installing signs on county-owned building that will reveal the building’s energy use and carbon footprint. “We’d like people to think of energy use in buildings like they think of gasoline use in cars,” Joan Kelsch, Arlington’s green building program manager, told reporter Michael Lee Pope. [WAMU]

Planetarium Donors and Dedications — Among the whimsical new seat dedications in the soon-to-be-renovated David M. Brown Planetarium: “Pick any star — make a wish!” “Gaze upward & dream!” and “4 Who Is Yet To Come.” [savetheplanetarium.org]

Fairfax Supervisor Candidate’s 2010 Arlington Assault — An independent candidate for the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors was charged with assault in Arlington after a heated argument over a Crystal City parking space on March 25, 2010. “It was an altercation between two adults,” explained Will Radle, who has been endorsed by the Independent Green party. [Kingstowne Patch]

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