Potential increases to towing fees and taxi rates are on the agenda as County Board members close out 2025.
Both matters will be considered at the Board meeting on Saturday, Dec. 13.
So will a $20 million funding request for the Ballston Metro west entrance, approval of the first North Highlands Neighborhood Plan, the creation of a local historic district for a home in the Arlingwood neighborhood and zoning changes at Jennie Dean Park.
Changes to towing fees
On the issue of towing rates, current and previous Board members have had a complicated relationship with the local towing industry. They’ve also given great scrutiny to any proposed changes to the towing ordinance.
In this case, both staff and the Trespass Towing Advisory Board had recommended Board consideration of an increase in maximum towing rates from the current $155 ($135 plus $20 surcharge) to as much as the state maximum $210.
At the County Board’s October meeting, however, staff was directed to study the towing-fee issue further before bringing the matter back for final consideration in December.
Last year, Board members rejected a staff recommendation to increase the maximum towing rate from $135 to $150, which then was the highest allowed under Virginia law.
This July, state law increased the maximum rate to $210, but did not require localities to adopt the figure.
Not every action by County Board members related to towing is a loss for the industry.
While a higher maximum towing fee was rejected last year, Board members opted not to impose a so-called “second signature” requirement on the industry. The proposal had been opposed by organizations representing property owners, who said it would complicate the towing of improperly parked vehicles.
Increases likely for taxi fees
Set for approval on the consent agenda is a proposal to increase taxi rates for the first time since 2023.
Under the proposal, the initial drop charge would rise from $3.50 to $4.50. Distance charges would rise from 40 cents per one-sixth mile to 52 cents for each one-fifth mile, and waiting time charges would increase from 40 cents to 52 cents for every 56 seconds.
Staff said the increases are necessary to address higher operational expenses and discourage cab owners from leaving for other jurisdictions:
“Although Arlington updated its rates in 2023, the industry remains under pressure. Inflation and rising operating costs have continued to affect drivers’ earnings, while neighboring jurisdictions’ higher rates create challenges for Arlington companies to compete for and retain drivers.”
The proposal has the support of the Transportation Commission and staff. If enacted, changes will take effect Jan. 1. [Item #21]
Regional funding sought for Ballston Metro west entrance
Board members are expected to authorize staff to seek $20.4 million from the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC) for two projects via a competitive-grant program.
Nearly all the funding — $20 million — would support construction of a new entrance on the west end of the Ballston-MU Metro station.
The additional entrance would be located at the intersection of N. Fairfax Drive and N. Vermont Street. It would include two street-level elevators, stairs connecting to an underground passageway and a new mezzanine with stairs and elevators to the train platform.
Streetscape improvements are also planned.
The total project cost is estimated at $181 million. A construction contract is expected to be approved in coming months.
In addition, the county is seeking $436,674 in NVTC funding to upgrade service levels on Arlington Transit (ART) Route 55, which runs from East Falls Church to Rosslyn through the Langston Blvd corridor.
About $100 million is anticipated in this round of regional funding. The money comes from toll revenue generated on Interstate 66 inside the Beltway.
An announcement on which projects will receive the funding is expected next summer. [Item #25]
North Highlands Neighborhood Plan set for adoption
Board members are expected to approve the first North Highlands Neighborhood Plan.
The package has the support of the North Highlands Citizens Association, county staff and the Arlington Neighborhoods Advisory Committee.
The plan “is a living document, one rooted in the voices of residents and the beauty of the neighborhood they cherish,” the citizens’ association says on its website. “It is both a celebration of what makes North Highlands special and a blueprint for building a more connected, safe, green and vibrant community.”
The North Highlands Citizens Association (NHCA) area is bounded by N. Oak Street to the east, I-66 to the west, GW Parkway to the north and Langston Blvd to the south. Its 4,000 residents, most of them renters, live in a mix of single-family homes, high-rise apartments, townhomes and condominiums.
“Since 2019, NHCA’s boundaries have expanded, making the development of a cohesive neighborhood identity both a challenge and an opportunity,” staff said in a memo to Board members. [Item #18]
Arlingwood home to become historic district
Board members are expected to approve the application to create a local historic district for a 92-year-old home in the Arlingwood neighborhood.
The longtime owner of Happinest, as the home at 4120 41st St. N. is called, requested the designation. It will give the Historical Affairs and Landmark Review Board (HALRB) the ability to review any future exterior changes.
County staff support the nomination:
“The historic house displays a high level of integrity; it has been well preserved and serves as a unique example of one of the popular architectural styles utilized for residential architecture in Virginia during the late-19th and early-20th centuries. The preservation of Happinest will not only help define the early-20th-century architectural heritage of Arlington County, but it will also provide insight into the county’s development history.”
At a meeting when HALRB members supported the request, it was noted that the Tudor Revival property appears to come with its own ghost or ghosts. [Item #19]
Zoning changes would permit expansion of Jennie Dean Park
Board members are expected to approve, as part of the consent agenda, zoning changes that will allow further expansion of Jennie Dean Park in the Shirlington/Green Valley area.
The changes are necessary to incorporate several lots that had been used for commercial purposes into the park’s footprint. [Item #17]
Last meetings with Karantonis as chair
The Board meetings of Dec. 13, 16 and 17 will be the last as chair for Takis Karantonis, with a new chair formally elected at the Jan. 5 organizational meeting.
Traditionally, the chair’s position rotates among Board members on a calendar-year basis.
Karantonis will remain on the Board, having won a new four-year term in November.
