County Board | ARLnow.com

Morning Notes

Published March 24, 2017 at 9:15AM | Updated March 24, 2017 at 9:34AM

Arlington Population Continues to Rise — The latest Census Bureau estimate of Arlington’s population is 230,050, a 0.9 percent rise over the previous year. [InsideNova]

LaHood to Review WMATA — Former Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has been tapped by Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) to conduct an independent review of Metro’s “operating, governance, and financial conditions.” The review will “develop recommendations for potential WMATA reforms, including mitigating growth in annual operating costs and sustainable funding.” [Gov. Terry McAuliffe, Washington Post]

News

County Board Approves Grants to Woo Nestlé

By Chris Teale

Published March 22, 2017 at 5:00PM | Updated September 15, 2017 at 9:11AM

The Arlington County Board approved Tuesday a $12 million package of state and local grants for the relocation of Nestlé’s U.S. corporate headquarters to Rosslyn.

The food giant will receive $6 million in Commonwealth Opportunity Fund grant money from Virginia. COF money is incentive-based, and requires at least $36 million in capital investment and 748 new jobs with an average annual salary of $127,719.

News

A-Town Grilled by County Board Over Drunken Brawl

By Chris Teale

Published March 22, 2017 at 3:45PM

Police outside A-Town Bar & Grill on 3/12/17 (photo courtesy Brad L.)

After a brawl earlier this month outside A-Town Bar & Grill in which two men were tased by police, the bar will be subject to stricter county reviews.

The County Board approved a plan Tuesday for staff to review the bar’s permit for live entertainment and dancing in one month, then have the Board review it again in three months. Previously, the permit was up for Board review every six months.

News

Venture Capital Firm To Join Crystal City Innovation Hub

By Chris Teale

Published March 22, 2017 at 1:15PM

The County Board unanimously approved an incentive-based economic development grant for SineWave Ventures at its Tuesday meeting.

Up to $250,000 would be paid over five years to SineWave under the terms of the deal, depending on performance.

News

County Board Votes to Move Forward with Reeves Farmhouse Sale

By ARLnow.com

Published March 22, 2017 at 10:35AM

The Arlington County Board voted unanimously yesterday to move forward with the sale of the historic Reeves farmhouse in Bluemont.

Despite a last push from a group that wants the farmhouse converted into a learning center for students, the county says that selling the farmhouse to a private buyer, who will be required to “maintain its historic integrity,” is the only economical way to preserve it for future generations.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published March 22, 2017 at 9:10AM | Updated June 29, 2018 at 10:57AM

Metro PD Searching for Sexual Battery Suspect — Metro Transit Police are trying to identify a man who may have touched another rider inappropriately on an Orange Line train near the Clarendon station last week. [NBC Washington]

Local Tax Relief for Seniors — Last year 929 Arlington residents took advantage of the county’s real estate tax relief program for seniors, together saving $4.1 million in taxes. [Falls Church News-Press]

Schools

Stratford School Renovation to Add Classroom, Library Space

By Chris Teale

Published March 20, 2017 at 4:45PM

The Stratford School building in Cherrydale will expand as it transitions to a middle school.

The County Board unanimously approved a plan Saturday to add 40,000 square feet to the school, which currently houses the H-B Woodlawn secondary program. The addition will include a new library, an auxiliary gym, classrooms, science labs and other teaching spaces and a new student common area.

News

New Wild And Exotic Pet Ban Would Exempt Hedgehogs

By Chris Teale

Published March 20, 2017 at 3:45PM

The County Board voted unanimously Saturday to revisit the proposed ban, with some modifications, at its June 17 meeting after more public discussion.

A previous version of the proposal had included hedgehogs among the banned species. Lyn Hainge, assistant division chief of the county’s public health division, said she received feedback from several hundred people, many of them pro-hedgehog, after the ban plan was publicized.

News

County Board to Discuss Grant For Crystal City Venture Capital Hub

By Chris Teale

Published March 14, 2017 at 10:45AM

At its Saturday meeting, the Arlington County Board will consider a proposed agreement with SineWave Ventures for an incentive-based economic development grant.

Up to $250,000 would be paid over five years under the terms of the deal, depending on performance.

News

County May Extend Window for ‘Deep Throat’ Development in Rosslyn

By ARLnow.com

Published March 13, 2017 at 10:30AM

The Rosslyn parking garage in which a Washington Post reporter met a source dubbed “Deep Throat” to discuss the Watergate scandal looks like it may not be relegated to the history books quite yet.

The garage and the two office buildings atop it were set for a major redevelopment. Approved in 2014, the plan was to build a 24-story office tower and a 28-story, 274-unit apartment building on the site.

News

Group Makes Last Push to Convince County Not to Sell Farmhouse

By ARLnow.com

Published March 9, 2017 at 10:05AM

Reeves farmhouse (photo courtesy Peter Roof)

Members of the Reevesland Learning Center say Arlington should be seeking to add to, not subtract from, its parks and facilities. They’ve been fighting for several years to have the farmhouse, at 400 N. Manchester Street in the Boulevard Manor neighborhood, converted to a community space where children could learn about healthy eating and the history of the Reeves farm.

In 2015, Arlington County split the 2.5 acre Reevesland property, incorporating much of the open space into Bluemont Park while the house and the land around it was to be sold to a private buyer. On Feb. 28, Arlington County Manager Mark Schwartz recommended the sale of the farmhouse move forward, asking for County Board direction at the board’s March meeting.

News

Four Democrats Vying to Replace Jay Fisette on County Board

By Chris Teale

Published March 2, 2017 at 11:20AM

County Board candidate Kim Klingler

Four local Democrats are in the running to replace Arlington County Board chairman Jay Fisette, just over a week after he announced he will not seek reelection.

Peter Fallon, Erik Gutshall, Kim Klingler and Vivek Patil are vying for the Democratic nomination to replace Fisette. The local party will hold a caucus in May to select its nominee for the November general election.