County Board | ARLnow.com

County Signs Nationwide Pledge To Uphold Paris Climate Goals

Published June 7, 2017 at 2:45PM | Updated June 7, 2017 at 3:21PM

President Trump announced last week he will withdraw the United States from the pact to help preserve American jobs and avoid placing heavy burdens on the country’s taxpayers. The decision brought swift condemnation from local elected officials.

County leaders joined on Monday (June 5) an open letter to the international community and parties to the Paris Agreement entitled, “We Are Still In.” The letter promises that efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions will continue, regardless of federal policy.

News

County Manager: Neighbors’ Complaints About Each Other Are Going Up

By Chris Teale

Published May 31, 2017 at 11:15AM

County Manager Mark Schwartz

County Manager Mark Schwartz said he has noticed more residents calling code enforcement with complaints about their neighbors.

At a County Board work session Tuesday with the code enforcement staff, which enforces the county’s noise ordinance, maintenance code and other regulations, Schwartz said that anecdotally, people call to complain as they are unaware of other ways to resolve their issues.

News

Shirlington Dog Park Plans Go Back to the Drawing Board

By Chris Teale

Published May 31, 2017 at 10:00AM

The County Board's work session with the Four Mile Run Valley working group

After significant community push-back, the County Board rejected plans to dramatically shrink the Shirlington Dog Park and urged further study.

At a work session last night of the Four Mile Run Valley Working Group, Board members said that staff must return with new options that would either keep the 109,000 square foot dog park the same size or reduce it slightly.

News

Board Hikes Bus Fares and Utility Taxes, Denies Ed Center Historic District

By Chris Teale

Published May 24, 2017 at 4:20PM | Updated May 26, 2017 at 9:06AM

ART Bus (file photo)

And the County Board denied a request that the Education Center and adjacent planetarium be designated as a historic district, so that Arlington Public Schools can continue to keep the site as a contender for a fourth high school.

ART and STAR Fares To Go Up

News

Westover Beer Garden Outdoor Seating Fight May Prompt Changes to County Code

By Chris Teale

Published May 24, 2017 at 11:00AM

County Board chair Jay Fisette

Advocates for the Westover Beer Garden helped convince the County Board to try to change the local law governing outdoor seating at restaurants and bars.

At its meeting Tuesday, the Board directed County Manager Mark Schwartz to suggest revisions to County Code to provide more flexibility to those who wish to add more seats outside than inside.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published May 24, 2017 at 9:00AM | Updated May 24, 2017 at 9:32AM

Arlington Falls in Parks Ranking — Arlington and D.C. both fell in the annual ParkScore rankings of cities by The Trust for Public Land. Arlington was ranked sixth in the nation this year and D.C. ranked fourth, while last year they were ranked fourth and third respectively. [The Trust for Public Land, Washington Post]

Neighborhood Conservation Projects Approved — The Arlington County Board last night unanimously approved $5.5 million in neighborhood improvement projects, including “street improvements, streetlights, intersection improvements and a neighborhood sign.” [Arlington County]

Schools

Staff Recommends Denying Historic Designation for Potential High School Site

By Chris Teale

Published May 23, 2017 at 10:00AM

A plan to designate one of the potential sites for a new public high school as a historic district will be discussed by the County Board tonight (Tuesday).

But the proposal has drawn skepticism from county and Arlington Public Schools staff, who want the Board to deny the request and instead help preserve flexibility for APS as it solves its capacity issues.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published May 22, 2017 at 9:45AM | Updated May 22, 2017 at 10:08AM

Public Hearings Set for Sign, Rosslyn Streetscape Changes — At its meeting Saturday, the Arlington County Board set public hearings for changes to the county sign ordinance related to mixed-use retail centers and industrial districts, which would allow for more blade signs in certain places. The Board also set hearings for a plan that “would establish a cohesive set of streetscape furnishings to strengthen Rosslyn’s character, and encourage more pedestrian use and vibrancy in Rosslyn’s core.” [Arlington County]

Washingtonian Spends Day in Crystal City — The staff from Washingtonian magazine spent Friday — Bike to Work Day — in Crystal City, filing stories about everything from quirky neighborhood fixtures like a reasonably-priced strip club and a long-time puppet store to WeLive, TechShop and other places driving Crystal City’s innovation economy. The goal was to report “stories of a place that’s creating a new future for itself in the ashes of one that didn’t quite work out the way everyone thought.” [Washingtonian]

News

Fares Could Rise on ART and STAR

By Chris Teale

Published May 18, 2017 at 10:30AM

ART Bus (file photo)

The plan would raise the ART adult bus fare from $1.75 to $2 and the ART discount fare for seniors, students and people with disabilities from 85 cents to $1.

Local STAR trips would increase in cost from $3.50 to $4, while trips inside the Capital Beltway and trips beyond would increase 50 cents each, from $5 to $5.50 and from $9 to $9.50, respectively.

News

Board to Consider $5.3 Million in Neighborhood Improvement Projects

By ARLnow.com

Published May 17, 2017 at 11:40AM

The projects have been advanced by a county committee via Arlington’s Neighborhood Conservation Program, which encourages neighborhoods to apply for funding for various types of local improvements.

The projects set for approval are:

News

County Board To Consider Arlington Blvd Improvement Project

By Chris Teale

Published May 15, 2017 at 4:40PM | Updated May 15, 2017 at 5:59PM

The intersection of Arlington Blvd and N. Irving Street (photo via Google Maps)

The intersection of Arlington Boulevard (Route 50) and N. Irving Street is set to undergo a major safety transformation.

The County Board due to award a contract for the work on Saturday. Upgraded traffic signals, improved sidewalk connectivity, new and more accessible bus stops and marked turn lanes are slated for the intersection.

News

UPDATED: Erik Gutshall, Monique O’Grady Win Democratic Caucus

By Chris Teale

Published May 13, 2017 at 9:50PM | Updated May 15, 2017 at 9:29AM

Democratic nominee Erik Gutshall and his campaign team in front of the caucus results

(Updated 10:25 p.m.) Erik Gutshall and Monique O’Grady were victorious at the Arlington County Democratic Committee caucus, winning the County Board nominee and School Board endorsement, respectively.

The final turnout of 5,972 votes is a record for a Democratic caucus held in the county, beating the previous high of 4,951 in the 1993 caucus for County Board. Voters cast ballots across three days at Francis Scott Key Elementary School on Tuesday, Drew Model School on Thursday and Washington-Lee High School Saturday.