County Board | ARLnow.com

County Board Candidates Spar Over Affordable Housing

Published September 9, 2015 at 12:25PM

The candidates fielded questions from Arlington’s civic associations about various issues facing the county, including communication with residents and the commercial vacancy rate during a Civic Federation meeting last night. Arlington residents will vote for two new County Board members on Nov. 3.

Democrats Christian Dorsey and Katie Cristol both spoke in favor of the Affordable Housing Master Plan, which the Board will decide on this month, while independents Mike McMenamin and Audrey Clement said they would vote against the plan.

News

Parking Rate Increase Now In Effect

By Heather Mongilio

Published September 9, 2015 at 10:00AM | Updated September 9, 2015 at 10:52AM

(Updated at 10:50 p.m.) Street parking in Arlington will now cost an extra quarter.

The 25 cent rate increase for parking meters went into effect on Sept. 7. The raise was approved by the County Board in May.

News

County to Discuss Ways to Improve Service, Keep Costs Down

By ARLnow.com

Published September 8, 2015 at 11:00AM

Addressing “longer-term budget and service delivery issues” is a top priority of Acting County Manager Mark Schwartz, who says Arlington must think and act strategically as the county continues to grow and develop.

“Too often, we are so wrapped up in our day-to-day responsibilities that we lose sight of the importance of planning for the longer range,” Schwartz said in a press release that was sent out Friday. “These conversations will focus on what the future is for service delivery, staffing and management and how we make sure we are on the cutting edge of planning for that future.”

News

Group Protests County Board Session on Affordable Housing Plan

By Heather Mongilio

Published September 2, 2015 at 11:30AM

Members of the Coalition of Arlingtonians for Responsible Development, a group that wants affordable housing throughout the county, protested before a County Board work session on the Affordable Housing Master Plan last night.

The Affordable Housing Master Plan calls for 17.7 percent of all housing in Arlington to be affordable by 2040 for those making up to 60 percent of the average median income. Under the plan, the county would add roughly 15,800 new affordable units.

News

Group to Protest County Board Meeting Tomorrow

By ARLnow.com

Published August 31, 2015 at 2:35PM

The Board will be holding a final work session on its new affordable housing plan at 7 p.m. Tuesday. The draft plan calls for adding 15,800 affordable housing units in Arlington by 2040.

The Coalition of Arlingtonians for Responsible Development says it “organizing a peaceful demonstration opposing the plan” at 6:30 p.m., at the intersection of Clarendon Blvd and N. Wayne Street. The group will also hold signs and “observe the markup process” at the meeting.

Events

September is Affordable Housing and Hunger Action Month

By Heather Mongilio

Published August 31, 2015 at 10:15AM

Arlington County and a local nonprofit are raising awareness of housing and hunger in September.

September is Affordable Housing Month in Arlington. Throughout the month, Arlington County will be holding events that celebrate “the County’s long-term commitment to preserving and creating housing opportunities that benefit the whole community.”

News

County Considering Partnership With Alexandria to Build Aquatics Center

By Heather Mongilio

Published August 12, 2015 at 4:45PM

Arlington County is asking for public input on a possible partnership with Alexandria to build the proposed Aquatics, Health and Fitness Facility in Long Bridge Park, near Crystal City.

The county will reach out to residents this fall to see what they would like to see in an aquatic and fitness facility. Alexandria will also be surveying its residents.

News

Changes Coming Soon to Cherrydale ‘Five Points Intersection’

By Mariah Joyce

Published August 11, 2015 at 4:15PM

The intersection, located near the Cherrydale Volunteer Fire Department at the confluence of Lee Highway, Old Dominion Drive, N. Quincy Street, Military Road and N. Quebec Street, has long been a source of ire for pedestrians and drivers alike because it can create dangerously complicated traffic patterns.

This frustration increased in 2013 when the county chose to move forward with proposed changes to the intersection as part of the Cherrydale Lee Highway Revitalization Program, over the objections of neighborhood residents. While the changes were intended to improve the intersection for pedestrians in keeping with the program’s goal of a more walkable Cherrydale, residents claimed they made the intersection even worse.

News

Long History of Hall’s Hill Fire Station in Jeopardy, Residents Say

By Heather Mongilio

Published August 7, 2015 at 3:45PM | Updated August 12, 2015 at 7:40AM

(Updated at 5:15 p.m.) The Hall’s Hill Volunteer Fire Department was no stranger to challenges.

The first All-African American volunteer fire department in Arlington faced segregation and limited equipment for almost 40 years, according to a history of Fire Station 8 by Arlington Public Library.

News

County Board Unanimously Approves Plans for Rosslyn’s Future

By Heather Mongilio

Published July 23, 2015 at 4:30PM

Rosslyn Sector Plan visualization

The Rosslyn of the future is envisioned to be more walkable, more dynamic and more green with the County Board’s approval of the Rosslyn Sector Plan and Western Rosslyn Area Plan (WRAP). However, with the approval comes the loss of open space from Rosslyn Highlands Park, which left some residents frustrated with the County Board’s process.

The County Board unanimously approved both plans after hearing resident and staff concerns. Residents generally supported the new sector plan, focused primarily on areas around the Rosslyn Metro station. The Western Rosslyn plan focused on the area around Fire Station #10, up the hill on Wilson Blvd.

News

Audrey Clement Blasts Arlington Bike Race Again

By Heather Mongilio

Published July 22, 2015 at 2:00PM | Updated July 22, 2015 at 2:25PM

Audrey Clement speaking at a County Board meeting in 2015

(Updated at 2:15 p.m.) Independent candidate for County Board Audrey Clement is continuing to criticize Arlington for hosting a bike race last month.

On Saturday, Clement, a self-described avid cyclist, said the Air Force Association’s Cycling Classic, a two-day racing event in Clarendon and Crystal City, was dangerous to the public.

News

County Buying House to Expand Lang Street Community Garden

By Mariah Joyce

Published July 22, 2015 at 11:45AM

The County Board yesterday unanimously approved the purchase of a house at 2822 S. Arlington Ridge Road, a .22 acre property adjacent to the Lang Street Community Garden, for $699,000.

The house is described as a “modest, colonial-style home built three-quarters of a century ago,” which was determined to not be historic.