Katie Pyzyk | ARLnow

Arlington Seeks FEMA Funds for Derecho Clean Up

Published July 24, 2012 at 3:00PM | Updated July 24, 2012 at 4:42PM

County Manager Barbara Donnellan got the ball rolling by declaring a local emergency on June 30. Nearly 50 other Virginia localities did the same. Yesterday, Governor Bob McDonnell formally requested assistance for the state from the the Federal Emergency Management Agency, estimated at $27.5 million. Now it’s up to President Obama to either approve or deny the disaster funding.

Jack Brown, Director of the Arlington County Office of Emergency Management, explains that to be eligible for federal funds, the county must incur more than around $700,000 in expenses. So far, the bill from the June storm adds up to approximately $802,000, which includes costs for personnel, equipment and debris removal. The total could increase as more numbers are finalized.

News

Board Approves Columbia Pike Neighborhoods Plan

By Katie Pyzyk

Published July 24, 2012 at 2:00PM | Updated July 25, 2012 at 3:55PM

The plan involves increasing density along the Pike — as many as 14,800 new apartments and condo units over the next 30 years — partially through allowing the construction of taller buildings. It also includes retaining approximately 4,500 affordable housing units, with all of them available at 60 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI). Those units are privately owned and operated, with the possibility of the county providing incentives for property owners. It also calls for the county, over the next 30 years, to develop 2,150 new rental units along the Pike that will be contractually committed to remain affordable.

“This is the most ambitious set of actions the county has ever adopted for preserving affordable housing as part of an area plan,” said Arlington County Board Chair Mary Hynes. “Our experience has taught us that if we do not plan for affordable housing from the outset, rising property values make maintaining our diversity in housing choices and rents very difficult.”

Around Town

Plans Revealed for New McDonald’s on Wilson Blvd

By Katie Pyzyk

Published July 24, 2012 at 11:50AM

The existing restaurant closed earlier this month and will be demolished. An entirely new McDonald’s will be built on the site (5009 Wilson Blvd).

The interior will include the traditional booths and chairs, but a new lounge type of area will be added, as will new community tables. The different styles of seating are designed to give customers a variety of dining options to fit their lifestyles — from meeting new people at the communal seating to enjoying a quiet cup of coffee in the lounge. Plasma screen TVs and free Wi-Fi will also be available.

News

Board Approves $2.4 Billion Capital Improvement Plan

By Katie Pyzyk

Published July 23, 2012 at 2:45PM

“This CIP is both a financially sustainable plan that strikes a balance between maintaining our existing infrastructure and making strategic investments that will meet the needs of our growing community, and a vision for the future,” said County Board Chair Mary Hynes. “Our sound, forward-looking financial plan will help maintain the County’s triple-Aaa bond ratings.”

One area receiving a funding boost is infrastructure, including nearly $13.2 million for repaving many of the county’s roads. While residents report being pleased overall with the county’s services, according to the 2012 Resident Satisfaction Survey, street maintenance is a category listed as needing much improvement.

News

New Park to Open Soon in Buckingham

By Katie Pyzyk

Published July 23, 2012 at 1:30PM

The county has been working with Paradigm Development Company to develop the 2.3 acre public park. The property is known as Buckingham Commons Village I, and a portion purchased by the county for $14.8 million in 2009 will be dedicated as Henry Wright Park (4350 4th Street North), as well as a new county street.

Paradigm Development Company will be responsible for ongoing maintenance at the park, as part of the public/private partnership. The county will maintain the new portions of North 4th Street and North Upton Street once they are dedicated. The measures were finalized by the County Board’s unanimous vote at its meeting on Saturday (July 21).

News

Water Main Break Closes S. Courthouse Road

By Katie Pyzyk

Published July 23, 2012 at 9:16AM | Updated July 23, 2012 at 10:05AM

(Updated at 10:05 a.m.) Workers are on the scene of a water main break that has shut down part of S. Courthouse Road in the Penrose neighborhood.

Buses and cars are being re-routed away from the work, which has closed S. Courthouse Road between 6th and 8th Streets.

Events

Weather Cancels Rosslyn Outdoor Movie

By Katie Pyzyk

Published July 20, 2012 at 3:45PM

Rosslyn’s Outdoor FilmFest movie, “Dave”, will be canceled tonight because of expected rain and thunderstorms throughout the evening.

Weather permitting, the screening of “Swing Vote” will still take place next Friday (July 27) as scheduled.

Around Town

CVS Store Opening Soon in Pentagon Centre

By Katie Pyzyk

Published July 20, 2012 at 2:45PM

A representative from CVS corporate headquarters tells us the store is scheduled to open to the public on Sunday, July 29. Workers can be seen inside stocking shelves and putting finishing touches on the store.

The space has been vacant since Borders moved out last year, after the chain went bankrupt and closed all its stores across the country.

News

Dominion Warns Customers of Bill Paying Scam

By Katie Pyzyk

Published July 20, 2012 at 11:40AM

The scam involves offering customers the opportunity to set up an account to pay utility bills via a federal program. According to the Better Business Bureau, there is no such federal program in existence to pay household bills.

Victims have reportedly been contacted in person as well as by phone, text and social media. They were asked to register their Social Security numbers and banking information in order set up an account to make payments. The account numbers the victims were then given for bill paying turned out to be fake.

News

Aquatics Facility Petition Sent to County Board

By Katie Pyzyk

Published July 20, 2012 at 11:00AM

The County Board is scheduled to vote on Saturday (July 21) on four referenda to be included on the November 6 ballot. The Local Parks and Recreation referendum includes $42.5 million for the proposed aquatics center. That would cover a portion of the total cost, which is estimated at more than $70 million.

The aquatics center has been a hot topic, and generated much discussion at a Capital Improvement Plan hearing last month. Opponents say the facility would put too much of a long-term financial burden on the county and on taxpayers. Others say the funds should instead go toward more essential projects such as repairing infrastructure.

News

Flooding Closes Portion of S. Joyce Street

By Katie Pyzyk

Published July 20, 2012 at 9:50AM | Updated July 20, 2012 at 4:48PM

Update at 4:45 p.m. — The closed section of road has reopened.

As if the construction along S. Joyce Street weren’t enough of a headache, this morning there’s another obstacle for drivers on that stretch of road. The storms last night (Thursday) have flooded part of the street and it’s shut down.

News

Morning Notes

By Katie Pyzyk

Published July 20, 2012 at 9:20AM

911 Outage Scrutinized in Electrocution Death — A Falls Church man died on Sunday after being electrocuted by downed lines during the derecho storm on June 29. Bystanders tried calling 911, but couldn’t get through due to the sporadic outages across Northern Virginia. It’s unclear if the man could have been saved had the system not been down. [Washington Post]

Historic Carlin Hall Gets Facelift — The Glencarlyn Civic Association is pleased with the progress of the $500,000 renovation on the 120-year-old Carlin Hall. The project was originally only intended for replacing some siding, but inspectors found many more areas in need of repair. [Arlington Mercury]