public forum

Report Recommends Increased Arts Investment in Arlington

By ARLnow.com

As officials continue trying to stem the tide of red ink at Artisphere, Arlington’s new arts and cultural center, the Arlington Commission for the Arts sees the need for more art venues down the road.

The commission and its consultants have just released a draft copy of “Arlington Arts 2030,” a report that proposes “a long-range strategy for supporting the arts over the next 20 years.”

The report recommends that the county “pro-actively and steadily move… [from] supporting the arts in a manner appropriate for a suburban community to one of building the arts to support the growing urban community that Arlington is today.” To that end, the report recommends increased investment in the arts, art facilities and the artists themselves.

Among the draft recommendations:

  • Offer low cost or affordable housing specifically for use by artists
  • New “public arts spaces” in Crystal City, Shirlington and the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor
  • Public funding (both bonds and “pay go”) to supplement funds from developers to help build already-proposed projects like a black box theater in Virginia Square, a replacement theater for the 1960s-era Spectrum Theater in Rosslyn and a new cultural center at Courthouse Plaza
  • A new, dedicated facility for dance performances
  • An outdoor amphitheater in the Shirlington/Four Mile Run area
  • Increase the annual art grant budget from approximately $250,000 to $350,000 over five years
  • Set aside 2 percent of the county’s Capital Improvement Program budget for public art projects
  • Spin off the county’s art-centric Cultural Affairs division (currently funded at $2.15 million per year) as its own department, separate from the Parks Department
  • Increase the Cultural Affairs marketing budget and emphasize Arlington as a “cultural destination”

Two hearings will be held to gather public input on the report. The first will be held at Artisphere (1101 Wilson Blvd) from noon to 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 11. The second will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Monday, June 13, at the Shirlington Public Library (4200 Campbell Avenue).

Currently, according to county officials, there are ten individual, publicly-accessible theaters in Arlington, each of which receives some sort of county support. That’s in addition to one county-run outdoor amphitheater. There are also 15 individual visual arts galleries in Arlington, six of which are managed or curated by the Cultural Affairs Division. Two of the theaters and three of the galleries are within Artisphere.

Meeting Tonight to Discuss Pike ‘Bicycle Boulevards’

By ARLnow.com

Columbia Pike simply is not conducive to safe bicycle travel.

Much of the Pike — with four travel lanes, a turn lane and, eventually, a streetcar line — does not have room for bike lanes. Meanwhile, traffic tends to be too fast and too congested for safe shared use by bicyclists. And the sidewalks are too narrow for bicyclists and pedestrians to safely co-exist.

So what are cyclists — and county planners — to do?  The solution being discussed tonight, which has been in the works since 2004, would create two “bicycle boulevards” that run on quiet residential streets parallel to the Pike.

The east-west routes — along 9th Street S. and 12th Street S. — would remain open to vehicular traffic but would be marked as designated bicycle boulevards. In addition to street markings, crosswalks, signage, and trail access, the project would include bicycle and pedestrian safety enhancements to the busy intersections of S. Walter Reed Drive and 9th Street, S. Walter Reed Drive and 12th Street, S. Glebe Road and 9th Street and S. George Mason Drive and 12th Street.

Some have expressed concern that the creation of the bicycle boulevards could produce additional safety hazards and disturbances for residents along the routes. Those critics and other interested parties will be able to learn more about the project tonight at a public meeting. The meeting is scheduled to be held at the Patrick Henry Elementary School Cafeteria (701 S. Highland Street) starting at 7:00 p.m.

Map via Arlington County

Meeting Planned to Discuss Capital Bikeshare Expansion

By ARLnow.com

With about 30 new Capital Bikeshare stations planned for the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor over the next 6-12 months, the county is seeking input as to where exactly the new stations should go.

Planners have already identified 33 potential CaBi expansion sites throughout the corridor. They have now scheduled a public meeting to discuss the proposed station locations and to gather additional location suggestions. The selection criteria for new stations stipulate that the stations get 4+ hours of direct sunlight daily, be on flat ground and avoid creating “a dangerous situation for street users,” among other requirements.

The meeting will be held at 7:00 p.m. on June 27 , in the Cherry/Dogwood rooms of the county government building at 2100 Clarendon Boulevard.

A list of the proposed station locations, after the jump.
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Arlington to Hold Emergency Preparedness Forum

By ARLnow.com

Do you have any ideas for ways Arlington County can improve its emergency preparedness? If so, the county’s Emergency Preparedness Advisory Commission wants to hear from you.

The commission will be holding a public forum from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 10, in the county board room at 2100 Clarendon Boulevard, to gather “public input on preparedness and the County’s handling of emergency events.”

The forum is intended to coincide with the upcoming 10-year anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attacks.

“How would you rate the County’s handling of snowstorms and other disasters since 9/11,” the commission will ask residents. “Do you consider yourself better prepared for emergencies today than you were 10 years ago?”

Despite last night’s news about the death of Osama bin Laden, the timing of today’s press release about the meeting seems to be a coincidence.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Empty Courthouse Office Building for Sale — The big, white Verizon office building at 1320 N. Courthouse Road is actually vacant — and for sale. After nearly 30 years as a tenant, Verizon left its offices in the building. The owner is now seeking interested buyers or joint venture partners. [GlobeSt.com]

Westover to Hold Easter Egg Hunt — Children 9 years old and younger are invited to participate in Westover Village’s Easter egg hunt on Saturday. The event is being held from 10:00 a.m. to noon next to the Westover Library. Admission is free and yes, the Easter Bunny will be there. [VisitWestover.com]

State Senate Candidates Forum — Democratic candidates for the 30th District state Senate seat participated in their first public forum of the campaign. Del. Adam Ebbin, Alexandria City Councilman Rob Krupicka and Arlington School Board member Libby Garvey answered questions about their stance on business issues and other policy matters. [Del Ray Patch]

Arlington Holds ‘Sign Workshop’ With Business Owners

By Katie Pyzyk

Changes are coming to the rules that regulate signs in Arlington. The county held a workshop at Washington-Lee High School last night to gather community input on reworking the current sign ordinance.

Many business owners believe the current rules are restrictive and confusing. County Board Chair Chris Zimmerman agrees. He says the ordinance is too stringent and focuses on the wrong things.

The board “can be little more liberal in our approach” to signs, Zimmerman said.

Right now, the county is still in the information gathering process. Staff members believe Tuesday’s meeting was productive in coming up with ideas for improvement, and are impressed with the turnout of around 50 people.

“There are a number of different goals to balance, but the feedback will definitely help to develop the ordinance,” said county planner Deborah Albert.

Business owners presented a variety of examples illustrating how the current rules hurt them. Some cited an inability to draw in customers without proper signage. Others claim developers seek out other areas to build once they hear of the regulations. Many said it simply detracts from their efforts at branding.

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Big Crowd for ‘Bus Riding 101’

By ARLnow.com

Arlington Transit officials say their Bus Riding 101 event last Friday night was a smashing success.

A Metro representative taught novice bus riders how to read a bus schedule, find the best route and pay bus fare. The workshop also discussed the benefits of using a SmarTrip card.

According to the Arlington Transit web site, 129 people attended the event, which was held at the Gates of Ballston community center. Attendees later visited a nearby CVS to learn how to add money to their SmarTrip cards.

Small Business Owners Decry Taxes, Sign Ordinance

By ARLnow.com

What’s on the mind of local entrepreneurs? A lot, as it turns out.

On Thursday night Arlington County held a small business ‘listening session’ at Clarendon Ballroom. More than 50 business owners showed up to tell county staff what they like and don’t like about how the county treats small businesses.

The event was part of County Board Chair Chris Zimmerman’s year-long push to make Arlington more small-business-friendly. Zimmerman gave the opening and closing remarks at the event, but it was county planning and economic development staff who led the group discussions that were the evening’s main substance.

Among the things business owners liked about doing business in Arlington were the friendly personal interactions with county employees, the frequent county programs that teach you how to create a business plan, and the relative ease of running a home-based business. As expected, however, complaints far out-numbered compliments.

There was discussion of the advantages larger businesses have over smaller businesses when trying to navigate the county’s regulations and talk of loosening regulations preventing small businesses from participating in certain citizen-oriented programs. By and large, however, the discussion focused on three areas: clarity and accessibility of information, taxes and fees, and the county’s controversial sign ordinance.

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Meeting to Address Gas Leaks in Arlington

By ARLnow.com

Just about every day, the Arlington County Fire Department responds to at least one report of a gas leak, and anecdotal evidence suggests that the leaks might be getting more frequent.

The county’s gas infrastructure includes older gas lines from the 1930s and 1940s that may be especially prone to failure. This winter, changes in temperatures have been especially unkind.

Most leaks are reported to be outside and underground. Generally, those are less dangerous, although larger leaks can sometimes prompt authorities to cordon off the area around the leak. Occasionally, the leak is inside a building, which is usually considered more dangerous due to the potential for the gas to build up in the structure. Inside gas leaks often require the building to be evacuated.

All gas leaks are costly in terms of repairs, which often require digging, and the expended time of first responders.

To address the issue, the Columbia Heights Civic Association will be holding a public meeting on Monday, March 14 called “Natural Gas Leaks — What Can We Do?” The meeting, which is open to residents of all Arlington communities, will address the larger gas leak problem as well as the question of what one should do if they smell gas.

“People are not really aware of what to do,” said Sara McKinley, who’s organizing the meeting. “We really need to encourage people when they smell gas… to call it in.”

A representative from Washington Gas will be in attendance.

“Washington Gas will participate in the meeting to discuss natural gas safety and reliability,” said Ruben Rodriguez, the company’s director of corporate communications. ” The company will also address questions from those attending the meeting.”

McKinley says Arlington is “plagued” by gas leaks, but the meeting won’t be able assigning blame.

“This isn’t a question of bashing the gas company,” she said. “If anything, we want to be supportive.”

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Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Early Buds — Maybe Punxsutawney Phil was right. The photo above was taken by Flickr pooler Clio1789 near Rosslyn on Friday.

Dr. Dremo’s Site Set for Development — Construction could begin by the end of the year on the hallowed ground that once was home to Dr. Dremo’s and Taco Bell. The site, on the 2000 block of Wilson Boulevard, will house 154 residential units and 30,000 square feet of retail space. Meanwhile, a development on the 1800 block of Wilson Boulevard is still awaiting financing. The project — a 107,000 square foot office building — will eventually displace the Rhodeside Grill and Il Radicchio restaurants. [DC Mud]

Westover Beer Garden Forum Planned — A public forum has been scheduled to discuss the Westover Beer Garden. The meeting will take place at 7:00 p.m. on March 8, at the Westover Library. The forum will allow “all members of the community to come together to agree on common positions regarding the beer garden.” [Tara-Leeway Heights Civic Association]

Neighborhood College Program Accepting Applications — Arlington County is accepting applications for its “civic leadership development program.” The Arlington Neighborhood College offers a free, seven-week introduction to Arlington civic life and community participation. [Arlington County]

Flickr pool photo by Clio1789

Hynes to Host Helicopter Forum Wednesday

By ARLnow.com

Mary Hynes is a busy lady.

Hynes, the current vice-chair of the Arlington County Board, serves on the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission, recently joined the Metro Board of Directors, and is the Aviation Policy Liaison to the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments. On any given day, Hynes might be dealing with transportation issues below ground, above ground and in the sky.

On Wednesday, from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m., the multi-talented Hynes will host a community forum about helicopter noise. It’s a follow-up to meetings Hynes hosted in September and November, during which a number of residents voiced concerns about the noise generated by low-flying government helicopters.

Tomorrow’s meeting will discuss a proposed system for allowing more community input into helicopter issues.

Along with Hynes, the forum will include representatives from the Federal Aviation Administration, a representative from the Eastern Region Helicopter Association and a member of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors.

The meeting will be held in the Arlington County board room, on the third floor of 2100 Clarendon Boulevard.

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