A possible beer garden at the Arlington County Fair and a proposed protected bike lane on Army Navy Drive are up for County Board consideration this weekend.
Other topics scheduled for consideration this Saturday include traffic signal upgrades on S. Carlin Springs Road and Richmond Highway, a pair of sports courts in Crystal City and $100,000 in arts grants.
Fair game?: The County Board could take the first step toward allowing alcohol to be served on the grounds of the Arlington County Fair.
Board members are being asked to set, for a June public hearing, a code change adding Thomas Jefferson Park to the ranks of county park facilities where alcohol is permitted for special events.
The change would allow a beer garden, which has operated on 2nd Street S. adjacent to the fairgrounds in recent years, to be incorporated into the fair itself.
In recommending moving the beer garden onto park grounds, government staff said the proposal offered several benefits:
“It is anticipated that this change will positively impact the County Fair by improving safety and event logistics as well as alleviating community concerns about traffic, noise and trash during the fair and any other special events permitted at the site in the future.”
The Board is being asked to set a public hearing for June 14, when the proposal would be discussed and, potentially, approved.
Even with the change, those seeking to serve alcohol at events held at the park would still need to obtain a permit from the county.
Other county parks that allow alcohol under limited circumstances: Fort C.F. Smith Park, Clarendon Central Park, Gateway Park, Long Bridge Park and Penrose Square.
In December, the county government took over operational control of the fair from the nonprofit body that had run it for the past half-century. The 2025 fair will run Aug. 13-17.
Bucks for better biking: Board members are considering contract of just under $3.5 million for construction of a protected bike lane on Army Navy Drive from Memorial Drive to S. Joyce Street.
Fort Myer Construction Corp. was the lowest bidder among three competing for the project. However, all bids came in higher than anticipated by the county government, which staff attributed to “market volatility.”
Board members are being asked to add another 20% to the project cost to address any unintended circumstances during construction.
JBG Smith punts again: A proposed use permit extension for pickleball and volleyball courts at 223 23rd Street S. is also up for consideration.
This is the site where JBG Smith ultimately hopes to build a pair of 30-story apartment buildings. Last year, however, project delays led the developer to seek permission to install temporary pickleball and volleyball courts instead.
Volo Sports is allowed to operate the courts daily from 9 a.m.-11 p.m. until construction work on the parcel begins. Volleyball facilities are now open, but no pickleball courts have been constructed, county staff said.
The county government’s authorization stipulates that the courts be open to public use 16 hours per week, and that some hours are set aside for youth use.
County Board members are considering whether to renew the use permit for another two years and two months.
Crystal City connections: Board members are slated to approve a contract worth just under $9.8 million to realign a portion of S. Clark Street and create a direct connection to S. Bell Street in Crystal City.
Ardent Company LLC was the low bidder from among two firms vying for the contract. A 20% contingency will be available to address unanticipated challenges.
The project also will include a two-way, 10-foot multi-use trail on the curb on the western side of the Clark/Bell roadway.
“Along with previously delivered improvements on South Clark Street and South Bell Street, this project will finalize the long-term street grid for this section of Crystal City and improve multimodal connectivity and safety for all users,” a County Board report says.
New stoplights: Traffic signal upgrades on S. Carlin Springs Road and Richmond Highway are also on the table.
A contract valued at just under $880,000 would go to Ardent Company LLC for traffic-signalization modernization and streetscape improvements at S. Carlin Springs Road and 4th Street S./5th Road S. in the Glencarlyn area.
Adding in a contingency and additional work the county government may ask for, the contract value could rise to $1.32 million.
Ardent Company LLC was also the low bidder and is expected to receive a $868,000 contract for upgrades to signalization at Richmond Highway and 27th Street S. in the Crystal City/Pentagon City area.
A 20% contingency has been added to the contract to account for any issues that may arise during construction.
How’s the housing?: The Board is considering a memorandum of understanding with George Mason University to have the university conduct a housing-needs analysis for the county for the third time.
The $33,000 effort will follow up on work done in 2014 and 2020.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development requires an independent review of the county’s affordable housing plans every five years in order for the county government to continue receiving federal funds.
Arts grants: Board members are expected to approve $100,000 in “creative-placemaking” grants per recommendations of the Commission for the Arts.
The Arlington Philharmonic Association will receive $50,000 to support a chamber-music festival and the Langston Boulevard Alliance an equal amount for a pop-up art event.
They were among 16 applicants seeking funding.
The one-time $100,000 funding is in addition to the county government’s annual grants to local arts organizations. The last round of grants, totaling $366,000, was approved last November.
Faster food: Board members are being asked to allow a second drive-thru lane when McDonald’s rebuilds its location at 2620 Richmond Highway.
The proposal has the support of county staff, who said it will reduce stacking in the parking lot that can spill over onto Richmond Highway.
The current drive-through operates 24 hours a day, something that is not expected to change when the restaurant is rebuilt.
New historic district: Board members are being asked to authorize a public hearing in June to designate a home at 2002 N. Stafford Street in Cherrydale as a local historic district.
The homeowner is seeking the designation and has been supported by the Historical Affairs and Landmark Review Board. No other properties are involved.
The early-20th-century Craftsman-style bungalow “displays a high level of integrity” and “has been well preserved and serves as an extant example of one of the most prolific building forms used for residential architecture in Cherrydale during the early 20th century,” staff said in recommending approval.
